Guitar Gear Forum

Did Hendrix know any theory? he comes to mind first.

Mikael Akerfeldt admits he doesn't know a thing other than the names of some of the notes.

did eddie know any theory in the beginning.



Im curious to see if we can come up with some really great names and compare them to players that study theory.

eddie and alex were both classically trained pianists before they played guitar or drums, so i'm sure he knew his theory already.


hetfield comes to mind. baron von frankenstein. SRV.

Marty Friedman.

ShaneV wrote:Marty Friedman.

Not sure if srs......Jason Becker knew his theory, and Friedman was already signed to Shrapnel before he met Jason, I don't buy this. There's no way Marty couldn't know at least some theory.

yea dude, watch him explain anyone of his solos.

dude knows the shit out of his theory.

I've read interviews with George Lynch and Slash where they make this claim.

I'm pretty sure Jeff Beck doesn't know music theory.

I'm mad.

Now that that's out of the way...

There are no amazing players that "don't know theory". Period.

Awesome solos and structures come from a familiarity with intervals and shapes. Players who claim they "don't have no fancybooklearnin theory nonsense" are ignorant of the fact that they DO, and just don't know the names of the shapes and intervals, scales, modes, etc.....or they're trolling for attention.

All "theory" does is give names to the shapes. The shapes exist without names or not, and we commonly like them because of the way our brain discerns intervals/temperance.


IIRC, Misha claims to not have any theory, or has before....but I love his solos, and they follow very observable rules.

But what if you don't know the theory behind the theory?
Not trying to be a wiseass.

Example: (I've been playing for 30 years)
I know a C chord is in the key of C but I dont know the other chords or notes in the key of C.
I mean I know when to play what, but dont know what I'm playing.

As far as modes go I'm totally lost. Haha.

Loop wrote:I'm mad.

Now that that's out of the way...

There are no amazing players that "don't know theory". Period.

Awesome solos and structures come from a familiarity with intervals and shapes. Players who claim they "don't have no fancybooklearnin theory nonsense" are ignorant of the fact that they DO, and just don't know the names of the shapes and intervals, scales, modes, etc.....or they're trolling for attention.

All "theory" does is give names to the shapes. The shapes exist without names or not, and we commonly like them because of the way our brain discerns intervals/temperance.


IIRC, Misha claims to not have any theory, or has before....but I love his solos, and they follow very observable rules.

I think we all understand that there is a method to the madness. Just that most of these guys learned by ear and didn't actually take any formal lessons. But I agree, just because you don't know the names doesn't mean you don't know any theory.

There is a difference to knowing theory by 'feel' and knowing it 'by the numbers'.

There are certainly people who can pick up a guitar and shred their ass off, but not be able to tell you what they were playing.
There are also people who know theory inside and out, but can't create 'feel' worth a damn.

The most amazing to me are those that know all the theory, are able to play exactly what they are feeling, and understand the theory behind it 'in real-time'