# Are any rock 'n rollers trained in music theory

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-rock-n-rollers-trained-in-music-theory/311107>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 5, 2005, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-rock-n-rollers-trained-in-music-theory/311107 "2005-07-05T03:54:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-rock-n-rollers-trained-in-music-theory/311107/21 "2005-07-05T17:31:32Z")

</div>

Lots of good info here. You would expect jazz musicians to be more inclined to formal training, as you would expect horn players to have started in high school bands.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-rock-n-rollers-trained-in-music-theory/311107/22 "2005-07-05T17:58:27Z")

</div>

**Biffy** named the first one that came to my mind (Rick Wakeman). Another good example is Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake, and Palmer; Keith Emerson and the Nice; Asia), who is a classically-trained pianist.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-rock-n-rollers-trained-in-music-theory/311107/23 "2005-07-05T18:10:36Z")

</div>

Page Hamilton of Helmet has a master’s degree in jazz performance from the Manhattan School of Music.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-rock-n-rollers-trained-in-music-theory/311107/24 "2005-07-05T18:36:23Z")

</div>

Joe Jackson was classically trained before moving over to pop.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-rock-n-rollers-trained-in-music-theory/311107/25 "2005-07-05T18:37:44Z")

</div>

> [@El Zagna](#):
>
> You would expect jazz musicians to be more inclined to formal training, as you would expect horn players to have started in high school bands.

It may well be so commonplace that it’s not worth mentioning.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-rock-n-rollers-trained-in-music-theory/311107.md?page=1)