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Real college-level music theory, from fundamental concepts to advanced concepts presented in a convenient, fun, engaging and thorough one-topic-per-page format.
What is Music Theory?
Chances are there’s a piece of music that moves you in a profound way...
A way that is frustratingly difficult to describe to someone else!
Like other forms of art, music often has the capability to create emotional reactions in the listener that transcends other forms of communication. Though a single piece of music may elicit different reactions from different listeners, any lover of music will tell you that those feelings are real! and if they’re real, they’re worthy of study.
One of the most valuable parts of music theory is giving names to musical structures and processes, which makes them easier to talk about! Coming up with terminology doesn’t just help us talk to others about music, though... it actually helps us learn!
but while it’s an important step, and a great place to start, music theory is much more than just coming up with names for things! When composers write music — whether it’s a classical-era symphony or a bit of japanese post-shibuya-kei glitch techno — they are not following a particular set of rules. If anything they are often trying to break them!
So, while a lot of people think music theory is about learning the rules for how to write music, that’s not quite right. Music theorists don’t create rules for writing music; they look for patterns in music that is already written.
Which leads to the most important question... the one that, as you study music theory, you should be constantly asking yourself: WHY? Why dissect music? What’s the point of figuring out rules that composers themselves weren’t even worried about?
Because somewhere in there is the reason why that piece of music moves you. Maybe it’s in the notes. Maybe it’s in the silence. Maybe it’s somewhere in between.
The reason it makes you cry, gives you chills, reminds you of home. I may take a long time, or even create more questions than answers. But music theorists are going to find it, because...
Music theory is figuring out what makes music work!
And by downloading this free ebook you will be joining the team. grab your stuff... let’s go!
(Available in six languages from the authors website.)
