Do I need a theory teacher?

Question

I'm doing my music gcse in about two years, I'll be performing flute for it.

I'm about grade 3 flute now, so should be grade 5 then. But I've just flicked through my big sister's old grade 2 theory book and I hardly understand any of it.

Would I be able to get better marks at gcse and in flute exams (trinity) if I got a theory teacher?

Or if I listen and study hard in lessons at school/flute lessons, should I learn all I need to know? It's just that I haven't done any theory in my flute lessons yet, and my flute teacher is blind, so I don't know if she would be able to teach it to me very well.

Answer 1

Try finding a theory class your school teaches or one online if you're a self-sufficient learner. Go to private theory lessons as a last resort.

Answer 2

Theory doesn't require much time to be explained...ask your flute teacher to explain it to you.

Answer 3

Books and the Internet are helpful, but not the final answer.  It seems we depend on the internet, because you can find stuff for free.  I think soon people will tell you that you can learn to fly an airplane by going to www.whatever.

You sound serious, so take it seriously and get professional help.

Answer 4

Start doing theory now. I started about four months before my exam - not fun.

Buy the 'Music Theory in Practise' for grades 2,3,4 and 5. Work through those - the stuff in those is way harder than anything you'll have in the exam.

Start learning your French, German and Italian terms now. As many as you can.  

Get a teacher if you feel you aren't making enough progress, or if it's getting a bit close to the exam and you feel panicky. Other wise, I'd find a musical friend/adult/teacher and get them to explain things to you, so you can work through them.

Hope I helped. Good luck.

Answer 5

listen and study, you cannot go worng there.

Answer 6

YES!!!! In GCSE you need to compose melodies which theory grade 3 and on helps with. In flute exams it can also help with aurals. like memorizing and singing back to the examiner. It doesn't matter if you haven't started theory yet just start asap and you'll be fine. See a theory teacher once a week for an hour will be great you'll have all your requirements needed to do your gcse and you can skip a few grades but you have to do grade 5 theory if you want to continue past grade 5 in flute

I know this as im 13 and i've done my grade 6 piano and grade 5 theory and I had a theory teacher. I've never got lower than a distinction because of it!!!!! Also i've been told I should do my gcse course work even though i'm young as i'm at that level

But don't feel you have to though, it's just your teacher doesn't seem suitable for you.

Good luck with your gcse and exams!!!!!! Hope my advice helps

Answer 7

If you listen in class you should be ok for your GCSE, because it is quite easy. But if you want to teach yourself www.musictheory.net/ has powerpoint presentations on everything you need to know, just choose a lesson on the main page.

Good luck with it!