Hello from Atlanta! I am Paige Garwood, your new Music Theory instructor here in Banjo-Ben land… here is a short intro video introducing myself. I look forward to chatting with you - please let me know if there are any specific music theory subject you are interested in. I will do my best to be prompt in my responses… Blessings!
Hello from Mr G - your new music theory instructor!
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Mr. G–I"ve gone through all of your lessons this week. Very solid and easy to understand! I’ve always shied away from theory lessons because i had a pre-conceived notion that they were overly complicated or just plain uneccesary for what I want to do. You’ve definitely changed my mind. Thank you!
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Hi Paige
The Music Theory Course is excellent, easy to follow. I learned a lot from watching it.
Archie
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Archie - thank you!!!
Michael - this is high praise… thank you so much! There will be more coming… stay tuned!
mr g
So glad to have you, brother!
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Hi Paige and thanks this! I really enjoy the theory you’ve presented here, excellent training. I also really like the other videos on your YouTube page! I hope to find the time to view all of them as well. Some AMAZING work… I liked your Kyrie and absolutely LOVED your Mass in A Minor. So moving and beautiful. How blessed to be both a musician and an instrument in His hand…
God Bless!
Thank you for your lessons!!!
I am an ultra newbie to music (other than listening of course…) and your lessons are excellent. My first instrument to learn is the banjo, which I am enjoying very much. I just started down this road February this year.
So, I’ll ask…
If sharps and flats are the same notes…
Why does the key of F have a B flat and not an A sharp?
-Glenn
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That’s a great question, and one I’ve been asking various musicians for years. Can’t wait to see Mr G’s reply.
Hello Glenn,
Glad to have you on board!
I’m sure Mr. G or about anyone else here on the site can give you a better answer (I know very little about music theory), but I’ll try to answer this best I can:
I believe the reasons for using flats over sharps at times is to keep each note in a particular key a different character in the alphabet. The key of F is: F G A Bb C D E F. If you made the Bb an A#, it would look like this: F G A A# C D E F. See what I mean, no B and two A’s? Here’s a better example: The dreaded key of B is spelled as such: B C# D# E F# G# A# B (five sharps). If we used flats instead of sharps on this key, here’s what we have: B Dd Eb E Gb Ab Bb B (no C or F and two consecutive B’s). This is much more confusing than keeping each character unique whether it’s flat or sharp.
I think it may be based on the key of C: C D E F G A B C (no sharps or flats but each letter is different).
Maybe you already know this, but if you notice in most Hymnals, each song will have a number of flats or sharps in the top left. This is the sign for the specific key the song is in. One sharp would be the key of G… one flat would be the key of F… Five sharps would be the key of B and so on. If there’s nothing there, it’s in the key of C.
Ppsshewwwww, Sure hope I’m right about this and hope it helps!
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Awesome reply Jeff!
That’s the best answer I’ve ever heard. Nice!
Then again, there’s always Mr. G’s dead monk rule. 
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You know when you have something you don’t understand… then you search the goggles on the interwebs and you see things more cloudy and end with a grrrrr feeling? That was me.
Your explanation makes complete sense!! Thank you!!
(I also didn’t understand the sharps and flats in the top left either. Thanks!!!)
I’m endeavoring to learn things proper instead of just reading tab and learning songs. I like the ‘take things apart and see how they work’ method.
That is why I enjoy this site. Thanks Banjo Ben!
And I appreciate all y’all!
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