How I'd Learn Music Theory (If I Had To Start Over)

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Some additional thoughts/corrections:

1) I should note that I do have some experience with external pitched instruments, specifically bass and piano, so if I'd gone the "learn an instrument" route, the takeaway would've been practice those more, not learn them at all.

2) On the suggestion to listen to music from other cultures, I'd add that while that should include traditional practices, it shouldn't only include traditional practices. Many of these cultures are still alive and well, and checking out modern popular styles from around the world can be an eye-opening experience.

thanks

at 2:26, I think you mean that doubling the frequency (or multiplying by a power of 2) will get you the same not instead of saying the same multiple will get you the same note?

As a wannabe composer, a tip I can give is don't dive straight into production and messing around with notes without at the very least having a direction to go in. Take inspiration from a song if you have to as long as it gives you some sort of direction you want to take your song in, and as counterintuitive as it may seem, listening to more songs and analysing their sheet music while not actively composing can help you make something, and don't be frustrated when something doesn't sound quite right because perhaps you're right on the edge of making something beautiful.

Just fantstic. I HAVE a piano teacher currently teaching me music theory but he is smart and I am stupid so trying to learn another way along with my weekly lesson, this was a GREAT start. Thanks.

What 12Tone said about “be curious about more music genres than what you typically consume.” YES. Please do that. I would rephrase it as, “Keep An Open Mind.” If you walk into the world of music with curiosity, a pencil, and an open mind. You will walk away with tools that become yours to use. That is the beautiful thing about knowledge, there is no scarcity.

This video is awesome but do you have any tips on learning how to transcribe without any vocal experience

Music lesson from Terrance Tao (mathematician)

First phase.

Smash notes together and see what happens intuitively

Phase 2

Learn theory

Phase 3

Use theory and smash notes together again using theory

Great

how did I learn a bit of music theory?

FL studio’s piano roll.

9:15 ooooo thanks for the advice and cool vids music theory man!

also left hand rep woohoo!

1:09 as a rookie abrsm g6 theory student, i have smt to add:

modern music has different kinds of layers to look through than classical, so dissecting the music you love compared to the music you're training with is pretty different.

as such, looking at other people for analysis reference is a really good idea!


watching your videos has been really helpful to get an understanding and examples of what else to look for, thanks for the cool vids! (also left-handed rep, nice!)

So, what you’re saying is that reading Music Theory papers is significantly easier than reading Quantum Computing papers (something I can just about manage with a degree in mathematics)

I'd never been much of a music person until I joined my high school's band in senior year on a whim. Playing music feels so good for your brain and I didn't know what I was missing.
I still know absolute bungus about music, but I'm learning! This is really helpful and accessible! Thanks for encouraging creativity + learning, that's a very cool thing to do :)

You need to learn the rules before you can break them.

Whats a 5 1 resolution? Every channel i go to to learn music use phrases and concepts I don’t understand so I spend a bunch of times using a dictionary to try to rap my head around what people are talking about…all I really want to do is chop samples, play some chords tap out rythm and make some beats

music theory is a rabbit whole that leads you into 2 more rabbit wholes, that leads you into 4 more rabbit wholes, and so on

how much $

Thank you

You're amazing dude

As someone who just learned music theory basics I do not like nor think this approach would have helped at all. I needed the basic building blocks to even begin analyzing anything effectively.

All I am looking for is an explaination of why the synth notes at the beginning of the Reading Rainbow theme feel like that, and how I can make sounds that feel the same way.

9:54 dont look up dutch, we have a gernre that is called raw style, my friends love it but it is Actual ear r*pe

I revisit this video every few years and no matter how hard I try to understand, I can’t quite grasp music theory as a concept. Why? Because my brain is very visual and sound oriented, creative, anything with math or science or rules and I get SO confused.

Lots of things in life come down to how much you care. And you can care too much

Cadences
Orchestratal Listening

Lost lost and more lost!!! Fast and furious nonsense..or I am too stupid to get what's being explained!

And then I guess to your point about production.
Well yeah. No. My production of vocals is not generally based in theory. It just is. And then I need to learn how to produce on other instruments.
But when writers, artists, and bands are producing, (not the engineers and such) do they know or even need to know anything about theory. Were the Beetles really looking at polyrhythms and chromatic cadences. Does Steely Dan actually like mu chords, or was someone just always playing the 2 whenever they were hanging out in a garage.

I would HIGHLY doubt the the vast vast majority of popular artists today ever think of their work in terms of full score transcription. So if they aren’t writing it down, and it’s just Roman numerals on a yellow note pad—is theory real? Or just retroactively imposed?

Ok. But. Umm. Can I ask.

Ok, so a I quite a good singer.
In theory I remember how to play the alto and bari sax, and the recorder, and I have a violin in the corner that I once almost knew how to finger without scotch tape.

But I took music theory 210 in college (and got a B. Maybe a B-?). Where you learn Bach chorales and a little bit of transcription by ear.

I was voted “most musical” in my HS yearbook. But voice, sax, recorder, (most of anything on) violin: you are a mono-melodic voice.

I have never been able to get past that.
I can play a I-vi-IV-V7 (without the 3rd for some reason)-I in the easier keys.
But … ummm
Can you do music theory if you don’t play piano?
Like don’t you need piano so that you can “do” all of the notes in either your fingers, throat, or brain?

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Analyze yngwie malmsteen's music. I want to know the theory behind those chord progressions, melodies over those chord progressions. The guitar solos and arpeggios. The way scales are being used etc. I will wait for that.

Analyze yngwie malmsteen's music. I want to know the theory behind those chord progressions, melodies over those chord progressions. The guitar solos and arpeggios. The way scales are being used etc. I will work for that.