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  • hey, welcome to 12tone.

  • a while back I did a video about what music theory was and what it means to me.

  • I had a lot of fun making it and led us to some really interesting conversations with y'all,

  • so today I wanted to try another slightly more philosophical topic.

  • I talked about why I study music theory, now I want to look at why I think you should.

  • I get asked about this every once in a while, and it tends to come from two types of people:

  • non-musicians wondering why they should care, and self-taught musicians worried that learning the rules

  • will mess with their personal style.

  • they're both important, but they're actually pretty different questions,

  • so for this video I'm just gonna focus on the first one.

  • if you're never gonna write or arrange a song, if you don't play an instrument or work somewhere in the industry,

  • why does music theory even matter?

  • what's the point?

  • well, the thing is, music is everywhere.

  • it surrounds us.

  • it's an inescapable part of our lives.

  • over the course of your lifetime, how many times do you think you've gone an entire day

  • without hearing music? it's on the radio when you drive to work,

  • it's in your headphones, when you're at the gym,

  • it's in the background of parties you go to, movies you watch,

  • and stores you shop at.

  • it's worked its way into every nook and cranny of our society, and when we interact with something that often,

  • it's probably something worth knowing about.

  • sometimes, though, people are concerned that if they learn too much about technique

  • they'll lose sight of the art and beauty of music, but I can tell you from experiences

  • that's just not true.

  • to quote Carl Sagan, "It does no harm to the romance of the sunset to know a little bit about it.”

  • I can tell you a song gave you chills because of a well-placed appoggiatura

  • or a deceptive resolution, but just because I have a name for it

  • doesn't mean it didn't send a shiver down my spine too.

  • understanding theory, composition, and arranging lets you listen more actively,

  • and it gives you a deeper appreciation, letting you identify not just that something moved you, but how and why.

  • it makes you a partner in the experiences, instead of just a passenger.

  • but not all music is technically advanced.

  • some people worry that learning too much theory will ruin their enjoyment of simple songs,

  • but again, in my experience, that doesn't happen.

  • if anything, understanding the complex side makes simplicity more impressive.

  • I've found I enjoy listening to pop music a lot more than I did when I started studying.

  • there's a lot of subtlety and nuance that goes into a good pop song:

  • they have to be completely unique while still sounding like everything else.

  • it's a really tough tightrope to walk.

  • there's also a difference between appreciation and passion.

  • learning theory has definitely made me appreciate jazz more, but if I want to unwind,

  • I'm still gonna listen to the same Rob Zombie songs I did when I was a teenager,

  • 'cause that's the music I love.

  • I didn't lose that; I just found new things I liked too.

  • and if that's not enough, there's also a utilitarian argument.

  • lots of different jobs intersect with music, from marketing to film to event planning.

  • you might have friends in a band, or maybe your son produces a youtube series about music theory, mom.

  • there are plenty of reasons you might be interacting with musicians,

  • so even if you don't use it yourself, knowing how to talk about music has value.

  • you know, in case you weren't convinced by the whole "surrounding yourself with beauty" thing.

  • there is a potential downside, though.

  • I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, it's become hard to turn my active listening habits off.

  • whenever I hear music, I'm deconstructing arrangements, learning melodies,

  • and writing counterlines in my head.

  • I can't help it.

  • it makes listening to music more rewarding, but it also makes it distracting.

  • listening to music takes effort now, and if I don't feel like putting that effort in

  • I can't really enjoy it.

  • background music tends to bug me, and I try to avoid it when I can.

  • on the other hand, I know plenty of composers and musicians who are the complete opposite:

  • they always want to be surrounded by music no matter what they're doing.

  • and really, unless you're working with music every day like I am, I doubt this'll be a problem for you anyway,

  • but it's worth recognizing that learning theory will change how you think about music.

  • that's kinda the point.

  • so what do y'all think?

  • I assume most of our regular viewers are musicians of some sort, but if you're not, why do you

  • want to learn this stuff? and if you are a musician, why do you think others should?

  • I mean, do you think others should? is there a point to lay people learning our craft,

  • or should we be trying to scare them away so they don't replace us?

  • let me know your thoughts, and feel free to share this video

  • if you know someone who still needs a little convincing.

  • anyway, thanks for watching! if you want to help make these videos possible,

  • please consider supporting 12tone on Patreon.

  • you can also join our mailing list for scans of all our episodes,

  • like, share, comment, subscribe, and keep on rockin'.

hey, welcome to 12tone.

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