[xraystyle]

> That is not necessary, but once you play enough music, you learn the theory in practice. Or have enough data in your head to make that realization.

No, you really don't. You literally don't even need to know a single note name to be able to play a song from memory. You just need to know which keys to push or strings to pluck and frets to press in what order.

>I challenge you to play 100 pop songs on an instrument - any pop songs, any instrument - and not at least know things like major/minor chords, basic chord progressions (like the endemic I - V - vi - IV, aka "four chords").

Just because you're playing these progressions doesn't mean you have the slightest fucking idea what they are, or why they're numbered that way.

When I was about 6 years old I started learning piano. My parents took me to a teacher who used the Suzuki method. For those unfamiliar, it's a method of musical training that focuses solely on learning by ear with no discussion of theory or sheet music. I did this for years, and I absolutely hated playing the piano for reasons that had nothing to do with the piano itself.

Early in high school I picked up the electric bass, and did what you mentioned above, i.e. I learned a whole pile of pop and rock songs. I also played a bit of guitar around and between all this as well.

This constituted years of experience playing music. And yet, I did not suddenly and independently discover and understand the circle of 5ths. I couldn't tell you why a 7th chord was called a 7th chord. I didn't wake up with an intuitive understanding of time signatures.

I wasn't exposed to any of this stuff until I took a music theory class in college. It was at that point that the 'why' of what I had been doing to make noise on these instruments started to make sense.

And once I did start learning these things, there was still no intuitive sense of where to put my hands on the instrument to play the notes I wanted. I had to fumble around with it to figure out where the notes were.

And now, having spent years after high school playing in live bands in front of paying audiences, I still don't think I'm anywhere near what someone might call a 'great' musician, and my understanding of music theory is really far from complete. I still play all the time and can't sight-read, for example. I have to sit and puzzle out a piece of sheet music.

Additionally, I've read about this particular guy before in greater depth than is discussed in the linked article. Something unusual really did happen in his brain. He somehow gained knowledge and ability far beyond what we would consider normal.

[romwell]

Well, guess it happens differently to different people. Thank you for talking about how the process went for you!

If you can find the more detailed article about the K.A. from the article, please post it!