TheMusicTheory

I do plan to read it in the future. A copy sits on my shelf at this moment (a gift from one of your missionaries, in fact. I was more than happy to accept it!). But I want to be able to devote the proper time to it, and so for now I was simply seeking a way to more familiarize myself with the ideas behind the LDS faith. I will most definitely have questions, I can guarantee it!

I had not considered this, thank you for the information!

One of the best sites I've ever found is Ricci Adams' Musictheory.net It presents beginner, intermediate and somewhat advanced theory in a way that isn't terribly patronizing to adults, and the different sections mean you can sort of just start where you want, skipping anything you know already. I'll admit, though, that as a Theorist, I tend to stick to books most of the time...and I probably have far too many of those! But that site is a good one, you might check it out. As for advice? The standard, of course: Practice, Practice, Practice! But outside of that, music should always be enjoyable. It should be an experience you love doing. It's easy to get frustrated when something is working correctly, or you work on a passage for *ages* and can't seem to lick it. It's important in those moments to remember why you started to play the instrument in the first place. Everything else will come, it just takes time!

I am a professional musician and composer, yes! Music has always been my passion, and I have been fortunate to turn that into a career. That was exactly what I meant. I always want the source, not hear-say. I'm sure you're aware that there are a LOT of sites on the internet about Mormonism, and I'd hazard a guess that the vast majority of them aren't speaking from any position of true authority on the subject.

I have to imagine you get this a lot. Someone registers on the forum, introduces themselves as a non-theist, or even a member of a different faith. They claim they are here only to learn or to foster a dialogue. No ill intent. At first, all is well, but slowly (and sometimes, not so slowly) that person springs to the attack, and suddenly this supposed humble learner shows themselves to be nothing more than a part of the hate machine. Allow me, then, to...well, pretty much use the same opening line I guess. That didn't quite work out at all, did it? As the title of the thread might suggest, I am, in fact, an Atheist. I don't personally like using the term because it tends to conjure negative impressions, but it is an accurate word, so I use it. In my youth I was a member of a different Christian faith (specifically Baptist, although the highly congregational style of that particular denomination precludes easy categorizing) and as I grew older and into my college years I eventually fell out of it entirely, and so here I am today. Despite my lack of religion, I am always curious about things. I have found that in the past, a lot of boards devoted to other faiths or even other denominations of Christianity have not been quite as welcoming to me. Everything I have experienced of Mormon followers first hand leads me to believe that will not be the case here, and I hope I'm right. I'm taking the time to say all of this because I want to assure you that, as I post in the various threads here and ask questions or participate in discussions, I do so only with the intent of increasing my own understanding of your particular faith. You may not be used to an Atheist having any respect for your belief system, but that is not the case with me. At no point will you ever catch me trying to "convert" you, either overtly or subtly. I am not here to try and destroy your faith (which is a pointless exercise. Belief, or even non-Belief, is not something one can simply snap a finger at and disperse, and it annoys me to no end when I see people try and force the issue), but only to learn, ask questions, and participate. I would hope, also, that if you ever have any questions for me, personally, that you would by all means ask them. Perhaps about my Atheism, or my journey to reach that point, or maybe just to clear up a misconception. I am an open book. I don't want to start a thread without a question, of course! So I think the most basic one will do for now: If I wanted a sort of "cliffs notes" version of your views and beliefs, where would be the best place to get it? I intend to delve deeper than that eventually, of course, but I'd like to at least have a working knowledge from the *source*, and not from what the internet tells me is "correct". Thank you in advance.

I look forward to many interesting discussions.