1. If I’m not good at math does that mean I can’t do music theory?
They say music is a lot like math…but what if you like music but you’ve never been great at math?
Here’s the thing. Music is a lot less like math and a lot more like language – music is about communication!
There’s really very little to no math involved.
So what is music theory about?
Well, if we are going to communicate something effectively it might help to know what things are called in the field we want to talk about, right?
In music that means knowing the names for the sounds we love in the music we love.
But as in any field if you don’t know the lingo you can feel left out and stupid.
Bottom line: music theory is not rocket science!
If you are a functioning adult you have already done much harder things than this. You definitely can do this!
Among the many aspects of music making we teach at the Music Makers Academy – rhythm, ear training, music reading, instrument skills, music interpretation, and much more – teaching music theory is one of the most rewarding.
Why?
Because so many amateur musicians feel that they lack some sort of “music theory gene” and they feel like they can’t do it.
The truth is, yes you can.
It really is not rocket science.
And that’s a big part of what’s so fun about teaching it.
It’s liberating for students when the light goes on and they realize they really can understand this stuff.
So no, you definitely don’t need to be good at math to be great at music theory.
And there is a lot of fun stuff you can do with this your music theory knowledge. Read on!
2. Why study music theory?
Well, it starts the sounds we already know so we can talk about what we like and learn more about what we like.
For example, you probably know the difference between major and minor – you can usually tell if a piece is in a major key or a minor key, right?
Well, what if you didn’t know this? How would you talk about it? “Oh that piece is kind of dark and mysterious…you know? And your friend, who knows some music theory, says, “are you trying to say it’s in a minor key?”
So even simple concepts like major and minor can make a big difference to your ability to talk about music.
But that’s not all.
What about actually playing music? Does music theory have any relevance to real playing?
You bet it does.
Let’s keep using the example of major and minor. If you are already pretty clear about the difference between the sound of major and minor can you tell right away, just by looking at a new piece of music, if it’s in a major or minor key?
If not, do you think it might give you a leg up on “getting” what the piece is about and having more fun learning it if you did? Do you think that would help you learn new pieces faster?
Yes it would.
And what about key signatures? This is the where the knowledge of major and minor is, in the key signatures. Professional musicians can play all the key signatures and they know at a glance what major or minor key a piece is in.
Are these people all geniuses?
Nope. (You can trust me on this.)
Do they have some sort of affinity for mathematics that makes music theory especially accessible to them?
Very rarely.
What it means is that they were taught this information in a way that made sense to them.
3. Are there other things you can do with music theory?
You can bet your violin bow there are.
For example, improvisation and composition are two big super rewarding areas of musical enjoyment that require specific music theory information.
Again, none of this is rocket science, you don’t have to have an affinity for math or complex theoretical ideas to grasp the names for the simple building blocks of music and how they work.
But even thought this information is simple, it’s absolute gold. And like a lot of simple essential information, it is very unlikely that you are going to re-invent the wheels of music on your own. You have to be taught. Like most worthwhile things. It’s a lot like playing an instrument.
All the information is out there – you can google it! – but is it presented in a way that makes sense to you? Is it presented in a way that allows you to immediately apply it to your music making? Are you getting the information from someone who can answer your questions and really make sure you get it?
That’s what we do here at Music Makers Academy.
4. But aren’t there great musicians who don’t know the first thing about music theory?
Sure, there are people with all sorts of wonderful gifts.
But successful musicians who lack essential knowledge and skills – like theory or music reading – are rarely happy about it.
We get some of them in our theory classes!
5. If you learn too much about how music works doesn’t the magic go away?
If the music you’re listening to doesn’t stand up to study maybe you need to listen to better music!
Seriously though, all good music, including great pop music, is wonderful and the more you know the more you will love it.
The more you learn about music the more wonderful and rewarding it will be for you.
6. Isn’t music theory the most boring thing ever?
Only if you think music is boring!
If you love music you will love learning more about it. And the more you know about music the more you will enjoy it.
Contact us if you want to take some music theory lessons! We would love to help you.
And watch this space for our new Online Music Fundamentals Courses, including a complete course on Music Theory!
Enjoy your music making!