I see. Sounds ridiculous to me. I’ve never in my life encountered such an approach to theory studying here (in Russia). It’s always like “you can have your creativity and all, but you MUST do your homework on classical harmony etc.” And I think that’s how it should be.
Well, the circle of fiths is… Idunno. I mean, I guess the way I would look at it is that it’s less the basis of a series of chord constructions (although it certainly can be), and more that the V-I resolution is one of the strongest, arguably THE strongest, in western music. You’re going from a V triad - in C, that’s G major, G, B, and D, the 5, 7, and 2 of the scale (as well as possibly an F, if you’re going all in on the G7 chord) to the tonic, C major, 1, 3, and 5, C, E, and G. You’ve got one pitch holding steady (the 5, G), one full step resolution, the D down a step to C, and one half step, the B up to C. If you add in the 7th of G, that adds another half step, F down to E. Two half steps and one full step make for an incredibly strong resolution, so your ear will accept the V7-I pretty much no matter WHAT key you’re starting from.
So, I guess for me it’s less that the circle of 5ths itself is a series of chord progressions, than it is any time you can get your ear to accept a 7th chord, even in a situation where the b7 of that chord may not normally be part of the accepted harmony… You can treat that chord as a V7 and resolve to that chord’s I, either as a modulation to a new key, or as just a way to push the harmony temporarily a little outside of the normal diatonic harmony for that particular scale or mode.
Idunno. A little bit of a tangent here, but I guess that’s how I’ve always looked at theory, as an understanding of the mechanics of how our ear accepts (or does not accept) harmonic movement.
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I will have to read your message again LOL
The caveat to your message is most do not have a comprehensive understanding like you do. So in the majority of cases it is looked at as a simple tool with no further understanding.
Maybe I should go to college for this stuff?.. 
This whole on-going conversation we’ve been having confuses the crap out of me.
Like, let me know when you start to get lost, but…
…your class has covered scale degrees, right? So when I say that a G7 is the root, 3rd, fifth, and flat 7th, that means something to you?
…And that G7 is the V chord in C, meaning it’s a 7th chord built off the 5th degree in C?
…and that, a dominant 7th chord (root, major 3rd, perfect 5th, minor 7th) built off the 5th degree is built, relative to the tonic, from the 5th, 7th, 2nd, and 4th degree of the scale?
Idunno. I don’t even think of the circle of 5ths as a tool, so much, except maybe as a way to remember the number of sharps or flats in a key signature, since really for me it’s just a byproduct of the strength of the V-I resolution. Maybe that’s an area of confusion, the convention of referring to scale degrees with arabic numerals, 1, 2, 3 etc, and the convention of referring to chords with roman numerals, upper case for major, lower case for minor, ii-V-I, for example…?
Zero music theory. 2 years in.
Any theory I know is all my own efforts, and that stress is what I went to college to avoid!
We’ve had the bare basics of notation. so this is a minim, or crochet ect. And that was a one off.
I do understand what you’re saying to an extent, though that’s only because I’ve recently been trying to memorise it and comprehend it. All that fuckin college does is sleep deprive me. Their earplug dispensers are empty! That’s The level of care we’re talking about. It’s total negligence. But as I say I’m iffy about saying to much. I’m fully aware they (claim) they’ve little budget, … well I’ll, stop there lol
One thing I am struggling on is the naming conventions if you could enlighten me.
So it’s got enharmonics right, same note/chord different name. And this is due to the direction? Amount of semitones? magic? I’m stuck there. My understanding of theories very sporadic.
Hey, fwiw, Frank Gambale just released 18 hours of video instruction, “Peace and Harmony.” It’s at a discount for the next however many hours.
I’m curious, what do you study in your music course in the absence of music theory? Is this a full-time program?
I can understand a course going a little easy on theory and not delving too deep but certain elements are so helpful in the quick communication of ideas that it’s hard for me to imagine a full-time course load where the students can’t communicate ideas with scale degrees and the nashville number system. Is it focused more on business elements or straight song performance or what?
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Sometimes, I think the best you can do with instructors or teacher, that you are disappointed with (perhaps because of the content that they provide or the lesson in the case of an guitar instructor) AND in the case that you are truly stuck with them… learn the thing that they are actually good at and that they put emphasis on.
I don’t know if you can do it, but if you can swap some classes/modules for some other ones, perhaps at a different college and still get your degree, that could be an option as well.
What do you get out of this course? What qualifications do you gain? I asked this before but you didnt answer. I don’t want to know the name of the institution, just what qualifications you will gain.
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I’ll have to get back to you on that, they switched governing bodies during the summer. And it’s not like I haven’t asked, essentially it leads to a 4 year BA in music at Uni. At the end of the day unless I turn my life upside down and move it’s my only option.
I’m afraid I’m not sure what you’re asking. Are you asking, “why is it Bb and not A#”? If so, we just covered that in your other thread. If it’s something else, though, if you could walk me through a specific example, maybe I could help.
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I made the other topic for it 
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Quite an interesting statement. Well… I believe you can create music without knowing theory. Actually, I wrote my first melodies being a kid and not knowing anything on theory (well… ok, they sound crappy to me now but - hey
I was 6 
)
But to say that musical theory ruins creativity?? I felt just the opposite. Like, experimenting with all that new scales, systems, approaches… it gives you such an interesting experience. Ok, may be you are not going to use Schenkerian analysys on you deathmetal song, but for example harmonising it would be easier if you tried some counterpoint exercises.
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