Re: developing musicians and a musical culture

["Nick Shortway" <DrGonzo@psu.edu>]

> Anyway, there is no substitute for the fundamentals. If you don't have a
> grasp of your scales and chords, you won't be able to move your fingers
> to the proper place. There is certainly a philosophy to teaching, and
> good teachers are able to keep a student interested. The student must
> also be committed, as it is a partnership. Wax on, wax off, works, but
> here in America, the teacher must explain why.

I really think you're wrong here...scales and chords can only get you so
far, as well as can stifle musical creativity.  I have played guitar for
9-10 years, and I know a few basic scales and just chorforms that i've
either picked up or made up, but I do not at all think that I would be
better off creatively if I knew more.  The most creative guitarists are the
ones who bend and even break traditional music theory.  Some of them know
the theory and some of them don't even know which "rules" they are 
breaking.
IMHO, we are totally limited by twelve-tone equal temperament.  There's no
reason to stick to eleven octave divisions except for the fact that that 
has
been the norm for the past few hundreds of years.  Ever hear someone start
integrating microtonality into western music?  It's amazing, and mostly
reliant on people who do not wish to grasp those scales and chords.  There
is no "proper place" where someone should move their fingers to.  I think
that putting more creativity into the music, and playing what *you* think
sounds right is a total substitute for the "fundamentals".  I forget 
exactly
which jazz musician said it, I think it might have been Coltrane, "There 
are
no wrong notes".

-Nick