I agree it's what sound good. But I always wanted to know what I was playing. And learning theory helped me. I wish the first scale I learned was the major scale not the pentatonic, that slowed me down as far as my creativity. Also, understanding certain chords and turn arounds help me with songwriting. My advice for someone intimidated by music theory is learn all the spelling of the major and minor chords. Took me a week, Then learn how to harmonize the major scale. Start with in the Key of C. That worked for me.
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I'm fairly analytical and do want to understand what I play. I find it helps to find a lesson where they put it into musical context. Just playing a scale is not music.
@steevc well said. This, i believe is what separates many players. Even shred rock playing...it has gotten more focused on the scales, and mechanical patterns/sweeps etc, and not on playing from the heart. That's why there is only one Jason Becker, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, BB King, Stevie ray Vaughan. Let's take Stevie, how many of us copy his licks? Now, how many of us watch his videos, see his face, and FEEL those notes...that's what we miss. I'm gonna blog about this FEELING thing soon, and I will shout you out @steevc. :-)