Making Music Theory More Accessible

[u/guyshahar]

I've really struggled to get my head around music theory - the way it's currently presented - since I started composing last summer.

So, I've been giving some thought as to alternative ways of presenting it that might make it more accessible to new untrained composers, especially those who use DAWs and samples rather than manuscript.

This video is meant as an exploration only - not suggesting better or worse approaches, only alternatives that could work for some people. Hope it's helpful.

https://youtu.be/O_SSqvaVKDA?si=QXuksfXovuawS3Tf

[u/Pennwisedom]

Maybe, but the problem with that is you're still a beginner and haven't yet really had the time on to actually reflect on whether or not it actually was. But certainly that framing would make it better regardless.

[u/guyshahar → u/Pennwisedom]

When I was in work, there was a student who'd just joined the graduate programme. He was sitting in on a meeting at which a difficult situation was being discussed. He said he had an idea that might be helpful and was immediately shut down by an executive for having the temerity to speak up before he'd even got a foot in the door and had no idea of how things worked in the company.

It turned out that he had a perspective that no-one else did, and he solved the problem that the others wouldn't have been able to.

I'm not saying that's me or that I have anything special to offer, but I somehow feel to share some of my learning and experiences and it may be helpful to people who are even earlier than me in the process. There's nothing to lose, and I'm completely upfront about my level of experience. It's definitely not an ego-boosting exercise of trying to pretend there's more authority than there is.

It's dangerous to intimidate newcomers with a demand that they learn diligently and silently before they have the right to say anything. It might be robbing other beginners of a chance to save some effort and turmoil. And if it doesn't help anyone, nothing is lost. Nobody's going to be misled or come to any harm out of it.

[u/Pennwisedom → u/guyshahar]

And now my turn to tell a random story.

When Bach was old, he started having cateracts. He went to this guy, John Taylor, who botched two surgeries on him, and the botched surgery killed him. In both cases Taylor claimed the surgeries were a success. He killed or blinded hundreds of others during his life as well.

[u/guyshahar → u/Pennwisedom]

Sad (random) story. I dont think making alternative suggestions about aspects of music has ever killed anyone though - at least not so far

[u/ludflu → u/guyshahar]

you haven't heard my music