Theory: Musical Help, or Artistic Faux Pas?

So, over the past 6 months or so I have been taking guitar lessons. The end of the semester is coming up and I'm contemplating continuing them. A lot of people I've heard have said that theory is a waste of time, and it just puts you inside this box of "Oh no, I can't play this not, it's not in the right key!" and crap like that. I think it's important to know the basics, but I don't want to get stuck inside that box. What are your thoughts on the subject? Should I continue?

Yes, continue...I had the same delimma years ago. After taking theory (and keeping an open mind musically) I found my ability to improvise improved tremendously.

Don't let yourself get into the mindset that I have to stay in these rules, rather see them as a framework on which to climb around.

Theory will "show you the blueprints" so to speak. It will give you the structure around which you will build your compositions and let your imagination roam. It will help you to format and give breath to the music that you have rattling around inside your head.

Trust me....just do it.

WARNING: May result in a loss of enthusiasm to play.

Yeah, that's true. Whenever he gives me an assignment it makes me hate my guitar, which i really don't want.

Personally, I had a lot of theory background before I started the guitar, and I have always found it an immence asset to have. Like Fulghers, my improvisation ability I must admit I owe most of to my theory knowledge. Besides, guitar is one of the few instruments that people learn with no theory knowledge at all, aside from traditional, that is.

how can people say that theory is locking yourself up?
i mean, that's pretty locked up right?
Ofourse, playing the guitar is about artistic expression (if you ask me), and about freedom. But, do people think the best people just got like that, are born that way? People have to practise, and if you have some theoretical background that's great. I won't say that limits you, but expands your possibilites, you know what's been done before, and when you've learned all that, then you begin to make things of your own.
I have often thought about reading some theory myself, it's just that i suck at reading theory (i get bad vibes from school and specially home work) so it'll have to wait until i am out of School, which is this summer. yay.

I have never taken lessons. But I probably should. All I know about theory is that music is hard to read.

Actually, music is exceptionally easy to read. It has the advantage of having no language barriers.

Other than Italian, you mean...

I was waiting for someone to say that. Yes, but the number of words one actually needs to know is quite small as opposed to a language.

Pizzicato? Piano. Pianoforte. Pianissimo.

"Pull the string!"

Pluck you too..

I've always hated theory but only because I knew it was something I needed to do and as a result made me not want to do it. It would probably make me infinitely times better having started it and gotten some of it under my belt, but I haven't gotten round to it. I manage okay, but I'm sure theory would be an improvement. I've just now kind of cracked into the pentatonic scale semi-proficiently after having it left over from my last lessons about half a year ago, but i still can't be bothered with circles of fifths and keys and what not.

I know what makes up a chord, and how to make it a seventh or a minor seventh or whatever.

Other than that, I'm kinda oblivious to theory. There's just some stuff that makes sense.

I have never took guitar lessons, but I can play better than my friends who have spent a lotta time learning all the theory. It takes them about a year until they can finally play an F chord right (or any other barre). And still, they don't know shit about playing a 7th minor.