Music Theory is the study of music. It’s the study of how to make music, what music is, and what music could be. As the language of music has a history greater than most, there’s a lot to learn and a lot of beliefs about it. Music theory is about pitch, rhythm, notation, scales, melodies, harmonies, chords, musical form, expression, dynamics, composition, improvisation, and then so much more. In my opinion, studying music theory IS learning a new language, one that will enrich your life and allow you to grow as both a music listener and a music creator.
If you’re interested in learning music, you’ll quickly find that studying music theory will be a huge help. You may always be able to appreciate music but without a thorough grasp of what music is, how it works, and how to create it, your experience will always be limited. Music theory lessons will help you to understand so much more about the music you are learning, and this depth of understanding will make your own music that much better. When you learn the language of music and understand music theory, a whole world opens up to you, full of of musical possibilities. You will hear everything with a new perspective, and you’ll begin to realize how much more your own music can become.
I have my own theory about music, and it is that music is never “finished”, nor is it ever “begun”. When I first hear a new piece of music, it always feels familiar to me, and yet I know that I’m hearing it for the first time. The same thing happens when I compose my own music – it feels as though the music I’m writing already exists; it was just waiting for me to write it down and record it. And when I finish a composition, or when I finish playing a song, or when a song I’m listening to comes to an end, it feels like it hasn’t really ended. Music is a living, breathing thing that is constantly evolving. The more attention you give it and the more you study the theory of music, the more it grows and evolves into something even greater. That is why I will never stop studying music theory, and that is why I teach music theory lessons. Merely singing or playing music is not enough – it is when you understand the music that it actually becomes something rich and beautiful, not only to be heard but experienced.
