i've been playing guitar for about a third of my life... i've taken private lessons for several years, private drum lessons as well... i've taken several years of percussion ensemble and guitar classes in school, as well as music listening classes.
all helped me get to know theory... but the two years of A.P. music theory helped me the most... i'm going to continue more classes.
i can say i know a shitload of theory, but when it comes down to it, i've only scrapped the surface...
i can hear intervals,write and read manuscript, analize music, rythmic and melodic dictation, i know the modes, how to use them, i know things that cannot be tought, you just have to learn them... but out of all of the theory out there, i still don't know shit.

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I think what's more important than knowing how music might follow a predictable pattern, a series, in the theoretical sense, is to have an intuitive knowledge of the instrument that reaches to the subconscious. It does'nt matter what terminology is used, whomever has the best aural skills "wins", so to say.

If you are in a formal ( symphonic, jazz, classical, etc ) scenario where a common standard must be upheld to maintain some sense of order, then music theory is essential to sustain communication between the band members, or to a conductor to his orchestra, so everyone is on the same "page", so to speak. But in an environment involving two or three stringed-instrumentalists, a percussionist and perhaps a vocalist, boundaries dissolve and expression becomes much freer, because no regulation as to how music is conducted is enforced.

But ultimately, everyone abides by some theoretical system when playing music, otherwise they might be a completely abstract thinker, and play music that goes in no direction! Whether you have a degree in music theory or you simply play by ear, hard work is the key. Both methods of learning aim to accomplish one thing : To reproduce on the instrument what you hear in your head, thereby expressing yourself. So then, its simply a matter of preference as to how you learn to do it. Just like some children in school learn much more efficiently by reading something, as opposed to having it orated to them, or as opposed to having it shown to them in images, so is learning how to express yourself with music.

If I'm not mistaken, Paul McCartney worked with an orchestra and produced an illustrious work ... but he does'nt know how to read sheet at all. He just simply dictated to the musicians what he wanted, and managed them to synchronise their efforts ... I can't say whether or not it was more efficient, but it goes to show it can be done.

Another method of "sheet-less" orchestration is Brian May layering, layering, and layering some more with guitar tracks. With the advent of multi-track modern studio technology, some proficiency with recording equipment supplied by one person who is adept at several instruments ( or at instrumental synthesis ) can produce an orchestration, with it going straight to record. The wonders of modern technology!

I know some theory but maybe not as much as I'd like. I learnt to play guitar without it but I am catching up now.

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I know some, and I plan on learning more. As a matter of fact, I feel motivated right now to do so.

Paul McCarthy was able to do that because of people in the orchestra or someone else "translating" into music theory for him. I gurantee if you get that many people together and no one knows music theory, your NOT getting an orchestra peice out of it that will sound decent

And of course you can write good music without music theory, just like you can write a great novel without taking any writing classes, or paint a great painting without ever taking an art class......... but it helps.

No theory for me, I seem to get by without it much better than those I know who take lessons and study theory. I could benefit from it though, no doubt that I will someday learn some theory. For now I just play alot and write alot of songs.

That was a BIG boo boo.

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It almost looks like he doesn't even know who The Beetles are

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Duh ya idiot, beatles are insects. Jeez you people are stupid.

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Well, music theory is helpful for me when I try to play piano. I have a pretty good grasp on chords and scale theory so translating them to piano is fairly straightforward.

Also, if I'm on the phone with my buddy, I can ask him about a particular piece of a song and all he says are the chord names and that's all I need to write down. Writing C7 is alot faster than spelling out the tab for a C7.

I bring an acoustic to a buddies house. He wants to play a song that i've never played before. He'll say "gimme a I-IV-V in A" That's the whole song right there in two seconds.

That's a couple of advantages for me.

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