Hey Friend,

There are many twists and turns that can happen as you try to learn about the basics of music theory. People get uncomfortable whenever music theory is mentioned, especially those of us that have no formal training.

I wish it didn't sound so "academic." People hear the word "theory" and get freaked out about it because it's a word used in science and math, which tend to scare most folks. People also immediately equate music theory with reading sheet music and understanding what all the lines, dots and symbols mean.

Yes, music has its own language, and people generally shy away from learning new languages, but that isn't what music theory is. I want to hammer this idea home.

I've said it before -- the true meaning of music theory is the study of emotions.

Each note in a melody, every chord used in a progression, every harmony sung, every rhythmic value is designed to tell a story of what you feel. Also, each note in a musical key has been mapped to an emotion, and learning how to use those notes to move your audience is the secret to true musicianship.

So let's put this whole notion to rest that music theory is only for people going to music school.

If you're going to be a musician, it doesn't hurt to understand the basics of how music works. It also doesn't hurt to know how to read music that other musicians have written down for your convenience. But again, music theory isn't about knowing all the technicalities of music.

Listen, sound is extremely complex. There's a lot of science and math that goes into explaining the physical properties of sound. But you don't have to be a physicist to appreciate music. That's because it transcends physical properties and becomes much more considering how it affects us emotionally.

And sure, we can go to the root of any emotion and say it's just a chemical reaction caused by the mixture of various chemicals and receptors in the body. Scientists have been able to measure changes in the body that coincide with feeling emotions. 

But which you you rather dig into?

The formula of sound waves at specific frequencies hitting the body and triggering certain chemical reactions that cause you to feel a specific emotion at that moment in time? That almost makes it sound like I'm saying we're just flipping an electrical switch to turn something on or off.

How romantic, right? 

Or would you rather simply take the results of all that science and see music theory as the combination of melody, harmony and rhythm to create an emotional effect in your listener?

Fortunately the language of music is universal. The notes we use trigger the same feelings in humans across the globe. When notes (sound waves) are played or combined in specific ways, they elicit the same emotional feel. Your body already knows how to interpret music. You know how to feel based on the music you hear. 

Learning music theory is simply you mastering the art of creating combinations of melody, harmony and rhythm to translate what you feel into something others can hear.

That's what I'm trying to get across to you. Whether you can read sheet music or not, if you can make someone feel something by playing them a song, you get it.

Relax, music doesn't bite. Go with the flow, and let it Rock you!

Peace~

Dave