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Ask HN: Tools to learn music theory?

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Re: Ask HN: Tools to learn music theory?

#81

Post by leetrout »

raincole wrote: post #70
tarsinge wrote: post #44

For years I made the error of learning music theory without enough ear training. You have to hear and feel the theory, it's not only intellectual. Then I found 2 exercises are all I needed for playing and composing music by ear: - Functional intervals / scale degrees: https://tonesavvy.com/music-practice-exercise/220/functional... . If you start tone deaf like me checked "Fixed Key", learn all the intervals, then res…

Tonesavvy looks like an ugly clone of https://tonedear.com/ear-training/intervals

> ToneSavvy, the for-teachers version of this website

On the page you linked

Re: Ask HN: Tools to learn music theory?

#82

Post by lmpdev »

I learnt music theory informally from 19-21 so have a "mature student" perspective

I'm not a musician but can happily converse with musicians, play basic piano and bass, as well as use any DAW

For properly learning music theory the best approach IMO is learning to grok the Piano

The layout of 88 keys and adaptability of the piano will probably always be the best way to truly understand most western music theory concepts

You can explore every major aspect of music theory (rhythm, melody and harmony) in a very deep but approachable way

Beyond sight reading I'd pick up a fake book of basic lead sheets (I personally love The Real Book)

The biggest breakthrough for me was practicing as many extended chord voicings (inverting chords that have more than three notes) so you can begin to feel what music theory concepts work in different musical contexts

Music theory are tools for the toolbox, you can augment them and create truly novel works over time

Re: Ask HN: Tools to learn music theory?

#83

Post by bitcoinmoney »

tarsinge wrote: post #44

For years I made the error of learning music theory without enough ear training. You have to hear and feel the theory, it's not only intellectual. Then I found 2 exercises are all I needed for playing and composing music by ear: - Functional intervals / scale degrees: https://tonesavvy.com/music-practice-exercise/220/functional... . If you start tone deaf like me checked "Fixed Key", learn all the intervals, then res…

I thought tone deaf was permanent. Can you link Fixed Key? Is it an app?

Re: Ask HN: Tools to learn music theory?

#84

Post by lmpdev »

endymi0n wrote: post #28
H1Supreme wrote: post #16

Here's a few tips from a self-taught musician who couldn't read sheet music if you paid me to: - Analyze songs that you like. While reading sheet music (as other's have mentioned) is certainly a good approach, take time to find songs you actually enjoy listening to. If the song is guitar driven (as many are in today's popular music), you can find "tabs" online. They're a little weird to decipher at first, but you'll…

Came to say that nothing really beats the bottom-up approach you mention, but there WERE some top-down tools over my career that really helped me too: - Understanding the circle of fifths (and just doing the exercise of playing a simple melody completely through it) - Understanding the natural tones scale and its mathematical properties (simpler intervals with low integer fractions -> „nicer“ sounding intervals) - Un…

Don't forget chord voicings!

Absolutely vital for harmony and basic arrangement

Re: Ask HN: Tools to learn music theory?

#85

Post by kylecazar »

bitcoinmoney wrote: post #83
tarsinge wrote: post #44

For years I made the error of learning music theory without enough ear training. You have to hear and feel the theory, it's not only intellectual. Then I found 2 exercises are all I needed for playing and composing music by ear: - Functional intervals / scale degrees: https://tonesavvy.com/music-practice-exercise/220/functional... . If you start tone deaf like me checked "Fixed Key", learn all the intervals, then res…

I thought tone deaf was permanent. Can you link Fixed Key? Is it an app?

It's a setting in the 'Advanced Settings' section of the app OP linked.

Re: Ask HN: Tools to learn music theory?

#86

Post by bajsejohannes »

levicole wrote: post #14
pil0u wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Flash cards are not great here since you loose context That's exactly why I staled and wrote here, the flashcard system felt off to me. Thank you for your detailed feedback, it's really helpful. It's good to read that there is no secret sauce for theory either.

I really think it depends on what level you're at. If you're still struggling to identify notes on the staff, then flash cards are just fine. If you're struggling to identify the intervals or triads, also still fine. If you can do that easily, then forego the flash cards and start analyzing Bach chorales. But I'll restate what I said elsewhere, I think ear training is much more important once you get past the basics.…

I'm curious; why would you recommend the Nashville Number System over Roman Numerals (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_numeral_analysis)? Seems like the latter is much more widely used. Maybe I'm in a different bubble than you...

Re: Ask HN: Tools to learn music theory?

#89

Post by saint_yossarian »

arjvik wrote: post #37

Lots of people suggesting great ways to get around reading sheet music! But what's a way of getting fast at reading sheet music? I picked up the piano again after quitting several years ago, and one thing I'm really struggling with is glancing at sheet music and being able to play a phrase—I need to step out one note at a time. And I'm hopeless with ledger lines, I have to stick my face close and count the lines to s…

I've had good success using a mobile app which supports MIDI, the app displays random notes and I can play them on a keyboard. There's an immediate feedback loop which I think makes this type of learning very efficient.

There are probably many apps like this, I went with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.binaryguil...

Re: Ask HN: Tools to learn music theory?

#90

Post by nickd2001 »

shirleyquirk wrote: post #47

I grew up in a family of classical musicians, got a degree in music, and was briefly a professional classical musician myself. So my advice may be very out of touch with the experience of someone learning for the first time, but my experiences learning beyond European classical music theory left me feeling insulted. The basics of music theory are presented as though they are the foundations upon which all subsequent…

Adam Neely link is fascinating. Thanks for that. The things one learns on HN eh? ;)
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