After a couple of years break, I decided to give the Yamaha YRT 304Bll another attempt. I'm reviewing music theory and the thought occurred - why ? I understand the need for knowledge of Major and Minor keys and their time signatures, rhythms note values and scales. However, if all I do is play solo (have no desire to write music), what's the point of learning the intervals beyond knowing the steps between notes ? Major this, Minor that, Augmented, Diminished, Perfect. No sooner do I complete the exercises at the end of the chapter in intervals I forget most if the names .

Well, what music you actually want to play will determine which parts of music theory you may or may not want to brush up on. Sounds like you were stumbling about in areas a little away from where you want to be...

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-- A tin whistle a day keeps the racketts at bay.

-- WhOAD Survivor No. 11373

FWIW, my approach, initially on whistle about 5 years ago, but subsequently on various woodwind (including recorders) and fretted strings, was to learn just what I needed to play the tunes I wanted to play.

This has panned out as a working knowledge of "one or two sharps", "one or two flats" and C which covers probably about 95% of the sheet music I want to play.

If the only copy of a piece of music I want to try is available in some less attractive key (to me), I'll type it into ABC, transpose it and re-print it. Until such time as I find myself in the company of someone who wants/needs me to play in "five flats" (or whatever) I'll happily amuse myself with my limited capabilities and get on with playing music!

YMMV!

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"I'm playing all the right notes—but not necessarily in the right order."