Anyone else get anxious about throwing musical terms around?

[Habanc]

I'll be the first to admit that before I started producing I didn't have much of a background in music. Sure, there was music class in school and all, but that really doesn't scratch the surface. I wanted to learn to play the cello when I was about ten or eleven, but family issues kinda smashed that dream. Really, the only musical-esque lessons I'll be taking in the foreseeable future (since I have taken none to date) will be some mixing classes I signed up for at a nearby recording studio.

Anyways, onto the point. Due to this lack of a musical upbringing, I feel quite... Nervous when using terms such as, for example, "harmonic", "consonance" and "dissonance", even though I know what they mean. Like, my lack of a solid foundation makes it difficult to confidently analyze music for others and say what I want.

If you've seen any of my posts on the music board, instead of something like (bad example here) "Oh, I think your main melody broke key," I'd put something like "Oh, the main melody sounds a bit funky."

I can do the more technical aspects well, such as talking about mixing or effects, but terms for actual composition are like no-man's land. I like to think I have developed a pretty good ear for picking out what sounds wrong (composing-wise), yet at the same time I can't quite put it confidently into words. I just end up with "Oh, this part sounds weird because, well, it just sounds off."

[Overkillius]

I guess I do the same thing, but I honestly haven't payed much attention to it to say anything about it really.

[Stars In Autumn]

Well, if you mess up, then someone will correct you. Don't worry about it too much.

[Habanc]

Well, if you mess up, then someone will correct you. Don't worry about it too much.

Perhaps. I've done that too, and I always feel like facepalming afterwards. But yeah, I guess if I look at the larger picture, it's not that bad.

Thanks.

[CommandSpry]

I have absolutely no idea what all those words mean. Dissodance sounds like someone dissing on someone's dance for me

[Anforium]

While it's true that you can make good music without much knowledge of theory, it's a hell of a lot easier to if you know terms like that.

And as for what dissonance is, just play 2 notes that are one half step apart together. There, now you know what dissonance is.

[Anforium]

Oh, and consonance is the opposite of dissonance. Examples: Octave, Perfect fifth, perfect fourth.

Then there are perfect and imperfect but I won't go into that.

[Dr_Dissonance]

All you need to know is that dissonance is the superior master sound.

But yeah, if you know the word, might as well use it. And if you're corrected, well you now know! Better being corrected than forever wrong!

[Captain Ironhelm]

I think the idea of musical terms is to help get ideas across. If you can get the idea across in other ways, then great! That's what's important.

Technical terms will come with learning and experience.

[Ed Viper]

I hardly know any musical terms, compositional or technical.

I know basic compositional terms like consonance, dissonance, and key signatures, as well as basic technical terms like decay, attack, and resonance, but not a whole lot beyond that.

Yeah, I get a bit nervous/anxious when people throw those terms around. I keep telling myself that I'm going to teach myself music theory but I just can't seem to ever get around to doing it.

[Habanc]

All you need to know is that dissonance is the superior master sound.

But yeah, if you know the word, might as well use it. And if you're corrected, well you now know! Better being corrected than forever wrong!

Lol, I wondered if you might pop up with something on that subject. And yes, I guess that's true... No time like the present, eh?

@Anforium: Quite right, and I like to use dissonant notes to give my melodies more movement, when needed.

I think the idea of musical terms is to help get ideas across. If you can get the idea across in other ways, then great! That's what's important.

Technical terms will come with learning and experience.

Undoubtedly, since most things come hand-in-hand with learning/experience. However, it's not necessarily knowing what they mean, it's more about "I'm pretty certain this means 'x', but what if by some small chance, I'm dead wrong and it actually means 'y' or 'z'..."

But, meh, I think enough people have got the point across, that if I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I'll learn from those mistakes and hopefully not repeat it again in the future.

Yeah, I get a bit nervous/anxious when people throw those terms around. I keep telling myself that I'm going to teach myself music theory but I just can't seem to ever get around to doing it.

Get really, REALLY bored. That's when I decide to do it. xD

[SilverLeaf.B]

If you use the wrong term, or want to ask about a term, don't sweat it. This is one of the most forgiving and loving communities out there, we don't mind helping and wont judge you or hold anything against you.

[CommandSpry]

All you need to know is that dissonance is the superior master sound.

But yeah, if you know the word, might as well use it. And if you're corrected, well you now know! Better being corrected than forever wrong!

Doctor Dance please, can you do a dissonance on an Erhu?

[K3WRO]

When your writing a song, Imagine a body

The Drumbeats and percussion act like the skeleton, it supports the rest of the song by providing tempo
The Bass and Supporting instruments act like internal organs, providing the rest of the song with support and obviously, you die without organs
The rhythm is like the muscle and fat.
Vocals and lead instrument act like skin or fur, it has the most exposure and it's what you mainly hear.

Dunno, I heard this when I was 1st grade, before I got tossed into English speaking schools

[Dr_Dissonance]

Doctor Dance please, can you do a dissonance on an Erhu?

Of course you can!

Although I had to check how many strings an Erhu had.

There's another thing related to this thread. You can google terms yourself to double check if you're right or not!

[Habanc]

There's another thing related to this thread. You can google terms yourself to double check if you're right or not!

I have wikipedia pretty much hot-keyed in my browser, and it comes in handy for times like those.

[Peak Freak]

No, I throw them around when needed, and if someone doesn't understand them, I explain.
"Semi-Hextuplets" BWHAHAHAHAAAA

[prettiestPony]

^ Another fun option is to use the traditional names for note values.
"Yeah, it's an alright piece, but I think it could use a few more hemidemisemiquavers."

[CommandSpry]

Okay I have something stupid to confess

Until a few days back I was reading the word "Dissonance" as "Dissodance". Probably because I'm a dumbass and I never heard it pronounced. And it's really stupid to do this xD I think "Dissodance" has something to do with physics, at least in my language, maybe that's why.

[Sai]

I hardly know any musical terms, compositional or technical.

I know basic compositional terms like consonance, dissonance, and key signatures, as well as basic technical terms like decay, attack, and resonance, but not a whole lot beyond that.

Yeah, I get a bit nervous/anxious when people throw those terms around. I keep telling myself that I'm going to teach myself music theory but I just can't seem to ever get around to doing it.

Oh hey, sounds like me. Guess I'm not alone on that then.
I'm less nervous about using what little terms I know than I am worried that if I get involved in those sorts of discussions I'll have to stop and pick out about 8 words in every sentence to look up before I can go on and look like a moron or something.
But hey, I suppose that's one way of learning stuff...

[Dr_Dissonance]

Okay I have something stupid to confess

Until a few days back I was reading the word "Dissonance" as "Dissodance". Probably because I'm a dumbass and I never heard it pronounced. And it's really stupid to do this xD I think "Dissodance" has something to do with physics, at least in my language, maybe that's why.

I thought you were just being your silly ol' self!