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Ask HN: How Can I Learn Music Theory?

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Re: Ask HN: How Can I Learn Music Theory?

#91

Post by Sharlin »

ses1984 wrote: post #83
zozbot234 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Here's how I approach it: forget about all the historic naming like "perfect fifths" and just think in terms of the modern 12-note equal temperament. You actually want to learn these names, because they characterize the diatonic scale. Basically, pick seven contiguous notes on the circle of fifths, you get the pitch-class set of a diatonic scale. Then put the notes in the set in pitch order, and pick a tonal center…

Why does sharp or flat want to step up or down? I took a few years of music lessons (granted light on theory) but I never heard this idea. Is this exclusive to notes that are not in the current key? For example the f# in Gmaj doesn't want to step up to G any more than B wants to step up to C in Cmaj.

But B does want to step up (or resolve) to C, the tonic of the C major scale. Similarly with F# to G in G major.

Re: Ask HN: How Can I Learn Music Theory?

#93

Post by billfruit »

Timpy wrote: post #75
LessDmesg wrote: post #33

Here's how I approach it: forget about all the historic naming like "perfect fifths" and just think in terms of the modern 12-note equal temperament. Every note is a number, e.g. 440 Herz = 69, the standard guitar tuning has strings from 40 to 64, etc. Every interval is an integer, up an octave is +12, major chord is a triple of {x, x+4, x+7}, minor seventh chord is {x, x+3, x+7, x+10} etc. Then, as a the second game…

If you foresee any need to communicate with other musicians I strongly recommend you don't forget about the "historic names". They're not historic, I'm a band leader and I use them constantly when communicating to my band members. Every musician in the local scene knows the difference between a Cmaj7 and a C7. If you train your brain to equate "C plus 7" as a fifth you're going to damage fluency greatly. Homebrewing…

Yes, but often improving the notation can make the concept more accessible to new comers, and many terms is usage among musicians can be rather u nintiuitive.

Re: Ask HN: How Can I Learn Music Theory?

#94

Post by gavinheavyside »

tomduncalf wrote: post #32

The Waay iOS app provides a nice intro: https://www.tenkettles.com/ There are a couple of books aimed towards electronic music producers I thought were quite good, this one is fairly short but to the point with some good examples of real world uses of the topics it covers: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Music-Theory-Electronic-Producers-p... , this one is more comprehensive: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Theory-Computer-Musicia…

The Ravenspiral guide?

https://www.scribd.com/doc/5220863/Ravenspiral-Guide-to-Musi...

Re: Ask HN: How Can I Learn Music Theory?

#96

Post by Yajirobe »

zozbot234 wrote: post #64
Yajirobe wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> C# was totally different from Db whats the difference between them?

Historically, they sounded different, so they wouldn't even be acoustically in-tune w/ the same notes. Each would only be in tune with its nearby notes on the "extended" cycle of fifths.

What does this mean for a piano keyboard, for example? Is the fact that it's the same key related to the fact that a piano cannot be perfectly tuned?

Re: Ask HN: How Can I Learn Music Theory?

#97

Post by impendia »

I took a year-long course in music theory as an undergrad; I loved it, and learned a great deal!

I recommend sitting in on a university music theory course if it all possible. But, if not, I can at least recommend the textbook we used: Kostka and Payne's Tonal Harmony. If you want to learn slowly, from the beginning, it's a great resource.

Our instructor told us that, by the end of the first semester, we would be writing four-part chorales and that we'd sound like Bach. That sounded thoroughly ridiculous and I thought he was full of shit. But, no, he was right -- after a semester I was able to do precisely this.

Re: Ask HN: How Can I Learn Music Theory?

#99

Post by NikolaNovak »

I'm in similar position; I've "Tinkered" with Guitar for many many years; and with Piano/Synths more recently; but never gained an actual satisfying deep level of understanding.

Went through all the typical self-learning resources: Udemy courses, Youtube videos, books, blogs, tutorials, forums, etc.

In the end I followed the oft-given advice and got a teacher. I was explicit that I did not want to necessarily follow standard curriculum - I wanted a music equivalent of a "good math teacher" - one with enough comfort and breadth to go places with me if I have questions and explore areas of interest. I am literally GIDDY with excitement now. The teacher is not my sole source of knowledge - maybe 30% - but provides direction, explanations, motivation, ties concepts in, and honestly provides accountability ("I will practice this scale / review this concept before next class") that keeps me going.

I resisted it for much too long thinking that in this day and age there are enough resources not to need an old-fashioned teacher; and indeed I wouldn't recommend an old-fashioned teacher; but a flexible and knowledgeable expert for completely invaluable for me.

Re: Ask HN: How Can I Learn Music Theory?

#100

Post by billfruit »

This isn't even vaguely related, but as someone who has never dabbled in music but had a bit of skill at drawing/painting, I have always wondered if there was some scheme to explain and produce music visually by drawing or painting. For example in such a scheme one would compose a piece of music by creating an aesthetically pleasing drawing in that visual formalism, rather than by how it sounds to the ear as musicians do. Essentially a scheme of music creation directed by the eye rather than ear. Is there something like that out there?
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