Why Study Music Theory?

I love music theory. That probably goes without saying, considering I make a video about it every week. But should you? What's the point? Especially if you're not a musician yourself, it probably seems like learning theory is more trouble than it's worth. But I'm here to convince you that you should care: Music theory, composition, and arranging are not only fascinating, they make listening to music more fun. They put you inside the minds of your favorite artists and let you rummage around. Trust me, I do it all the time.

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And thanks as well to José N., Logan Jones, Henry Reich, and Jdominioni! Your support helps make 12tone even better!

[breadmoneymusic]

If Crash Course decides to make a series on music theory, you should be the one to host it.

[hy_wintermornings]

What you said about liking simpler music even more, despite finding a new appreciation for jazz, really resonated with me. Learning more definitely hasn't changed what I love listening to — instead it's shown me how it all came to be and why I like it so much.

[jschall]

I feel the exact same way about physics. It is always around you. Space is ALWAYS there so lets think about it.

[kirkabrahamson]

I'm learning because the love of my life loves music and loves music theory. She plays the violin and surrounds herself with music. Since I've been with her I've noticed that I've been more into music myself. So I want to be able to connect with her on the subject she loves most. I love hearing her talk about it so I want to understand what exactly she's talking about.

[michaeldaugustine]

I'm not a musician, but I like to learn things. Just the same way I'm not a particle physicist, but I like to learn about quantum mechanics.

[dhpbear]

3:01 - My late brother used to say when playing background music during a meal, that it should be shut off: "It's an insult to the chef as well as the composer" :)

[michielvanmulders]

This might help me to explain some of my more sceptical friends of why I'm interested in music theory. Thank you and keep on your excellent work!

[lailakhan]

I wish I had found your channel sooner because it is absolutely beautifully made and so enlightening, especially as someone who's been surrounded by music since I was in the womb but never really got to learn that much theory. Thank you for these incredible videos and keep up the great work!

[olivias]

I agree with what you said about music theory giving you a deeper appreciation for the music you listen to. I found myself listening to a song and thinking "Wow, I love how that arpeggiated E7 chord provides tension that's resolved with an A major chord in the following measure." Knowing the theory behind music allows you to appreciate the importance of each part of the music and can tell you _why_ that "cool part of the song" sounds cool. Love these vids, thought-provoking and entertaining!

[besknighter]

I'm no musician and don't play any instrument, but I'm fascinated about learning. I'm really curious about everything. When talking about something I think it's interesting, I like to learn about it deeply, even if I never get to use that knowledge. Well, I always hope to use it, but it doesn't bother me if I don't use it. Music (and music theory) is one of those topics but my interest in it is actually growing and maybe in the future I'll study harder about it? Also I could maybe create some music as a hobby. Who knows? :D

[RijackiTorment]

Music is fascinating. I am not a musician in the sense I don't do anything with music as my living or even primary hobby. However, I have had some voice training and used to sing in choral groups. I am, though, into art and other creative endeavours. Understanding the complexity of music just adds to my fascination.

[exohead]

I want to learn music theory for a few reasons. 1) My music theory education in school was sorely lacking and as someone who has loved music the way I do I feel that’s a crying shame and decided to rectify that. I sang in school choir for 8 years and a church choir for two more. I sing EVERY day. I hide my voice a lot now, but I still sing daily, just not for concerts or audiences. I want to understand why the things I sing are how they are. 2) I started learning guitar and while I don’t intend to ever perform with others all that much, it’s important to me that I understand the guitar as a musician and not just as a guitarist. 3) I think it would be a lot of fun to try composing a piece for classical guitar.

[davidtobar]

I like this mainly because i like to write, and analyzing the structure of music helps me seeing in a different way how I write. I try to incorporate structure elements on it inspired by this type of art

[jhouk]

I’m personally only fourteen but I started watching Sideways’ channel and that really hit me into music theory because I’m also a musical theatre nerd. I think as someone who takes musical theatre and just music in general really seriously, and is even considering doing it for a career, it’s important to know why a composer put what where and why that specific spot instead of somewhere else, or why certain words are repeated but changed slightly musically. I previously only had a little bit of piano training and sight reading ability before these, so it does make a difference. (Not to mention it stretches and works out your brain a little bit, especially if you play piano)

[ranggaaji]

Your videos are couraging me to study more and helps me avoid my laziness! Thanks!

[cathymiller]

If it wasn’t for having ADD, I may have never found your channel! Thank you ADD! And thank you for posting these fascinating videos!!!

[RisteardOhA]

Really liking your videos. This one in particular. I concur with what you said about background music, there's a whole psychological argument also on whether shopping centres and supermarkets should be pumping us with low quality, instant-gratification, commercial music.

[AlvinBalvin]

I'm not really a musician or at least I wouldn't consider myself one, but I really love music theory, it's super interesting to me. Something I really like are systems and music theory is a system, or multiple systems.i don't know what else to say, I just find most things in music theory very interesting.

[arashikou]

I'm not a musician, or at least not anymore. In high school I played a series of progressively more bass clarinets. I took an arrangement and theory class that wasn't very good and a conducting class that was. I won a few small composing competitions largely by fluke. Then I went to college, had difficulty getting into classes outside my major, and stopped making time for it. I always wanted to get into the theory, but the resources always seemed to elude me. Now I'm in my 30s, stuck on the toilet, and dreaming that I'd kept up with composing. And I genuinely don't remember how I got from the Wikipedia page on Pythagorean Tuning to your YouTube channel, but you've taught me more in half an hour than that whole high school class, so thank you. I look forward to continued studies with you.

[drstrangelove]

Non-musician here, I love music and these videos make me appreciate the music I listen to even more. I never knew there was so much to music theory.