My View:
I have studied scales and scale mods. – arranger and reharmonizing, classical music (with Guitar) and music theory. The learning was good, but now I do my best to forget what I have learned.

That is an odd statement because you cannot unlearn what is inside of you ---But you can stop relying on what you learned. People who continue to use much of the above loose their freedom to express.

Entering the world of music without the above is very much like going the library and not being able to read.

IMHO, John C.