After some years I got to a point where I build chords / harmonic structure out of what the music suggested. I longer cared much about what to call it. In other words the intuitive took over from the theoretical.
This is significant, because by ‘not bothering’ to incorporate what I found into my existing understanding of theory, I was effectively abandoning that theoretical structure.
The melodic equivalent of this would be to play the notes in your head rather than sticking to a scale/mode.
I am not advocating this as an alternative, nor as an ideal. I didn’t even consciously decide to work this way. I did however consciously decide to allow it to continue once it began to happen to me.
The upshot of this is that when communicating to other musicians, I have to pause to figure out what to call those chords.
Having said that, were I to get into the Wes Montgomery type mind set, I would have no choice but to resurrect the theory pretty damn quick!
I wish to put the record straight on one matter though; especially to young musicians starting out.
Just because there are talented unschooled musicians out there, does not mean you should lightly abandon theory as a path choice. Doing your own thing is not an ‘easy option’. Those untutored people worked just as hard to achieve their levels of excellence.