Music theory, do we need it or not?

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I have been thinking about music theory after working with some amazing instrumentalists, whose knowledge on the basics was very low. Of course, as a composer and copyist, I have music theory constantly shooting around my head, but it got me wondering, is it actually needed by a good musician?

Of course there are amazing professional musicians out there who can not read a note of music. There is also a whole new generation of producers and composers – who have been traditionally the theory superstars –  who do not need knowledge of the finer elements of music to put notes on paper. I’m not saying theory needs to be a foundation – unbounded creativity and following the ear in creating music should be paramount.

We learn to speak by ear as a child, then we go to school and we learn how to read and write. Then in later years we develop these skills further and it only increases our level of understanding and ability to communicate. The same goes for music, and with this in mind, the thought some have that knowledge of theory can restrict musical creativity is crazy.

Is being an absolute wizard of music theory going to make you a better musician? Put it this way, there are amazing musicians who severely lack good knowledge in music theory, but can get by just playing note after note. Little do they know what they’re missing! Similarly in creating a masterwork of your own at the piano, you can make something sound good but once you know what is happening musically, it suddenly comes alive and makes sense. To communicate effectively in music, whether it be via performing or writing, you need to have a good vocabulary in music. It is like English or any other language – speaking it is one thing, but once you are literate, it opens a whole new world of possibilities, allows you to actually understand what is happening, and allows you to express your musical ideas, and this, in turn, will dramatically accelerate your musical development.

So, instead of letting your students slip by, or being held back yourself, get up to play with music theory. You’ll be far better off for it. If you want to learn from me, here are the details.

  • http://music-theory.ascensionsounds.com Bob Reno

    I appreciate your thoughts, but like so many others, you insist on separating music theory from music. Music theory is understanding music better. No matter how good of a musician you are, learning music theory (or as you say, “being an absolute wizard of music theory”) will make you a better musician. I’ve taught music theory for 30 years to thousands of students. Not one student who has passed music theory is not a better musician.

  • http://music-theory.ascensionsounds.com Bob Reno

    I appreciate your thoughts, but like so many others, you insist on separating music theory from music. Music theory is understanding music better. No matter how good of a musician you are, learning music theory (or as you say, “being an absolute wizard of music theory”) will make you a better musician. I’ve taught music theory for 30 years to thousands of students. Not one student who has passed music theory is not a better musician.

    • http://www.ryanyouens.com/ ryanyouens

      Thanks for your comment. Great website you have by the way, heaps of good reading.

      Of course everything that we learn about music is music theory. I separated these in the hope to show that you can play and write (especially these days with wondrous software) amazing music without good knowledge in music theory.

      I will reword a sentence in the post, as what I was trying to say was not that you don’t need music theory to be a great musician, but rather there are great musicians who are lacking great knowledge in music theory. Now, if they are reading notes off a page they must have a fair amount of knowledge to put one note after the other, but there is so much more to know than that.

      • Rachel

        I think the point where you realise you need to understand more about theory is when you have an idea that you can’t play yourself either – because you don’t play the instrument or don’t have the expertise on your own instrument – and attempt to share it with someone else.

  • http://www.ryanyouens.com/ ryanyouens

    Thanks for your comment. Great website you have by the way, heaps of good reading.nnOf course everything that we learn about music is music theory. I separated these in the hope to show that you can play and write (especially these days with wondrous software) amazing music without good knowledge in music theory.nnI will reword a sentence in the post, as what I was trying to say was not that you don’t need music theory to be a great musician, but rather there are great musicians who are lacking great knowledge in music theory. Now, if they are reading notes off a page they must have a fair amount of knowledge to put one note after the other, but there is so much more to know than that.

  • http://www.facebook.com/mike.crowl Mike Crowl

    I agree entirely….the kids who play superbly on their instruments but don’t have some theory are missing out on ways in which they could create music way beyond what they already know. And there’s nothing more frustrating when you’re trying to write something down than not being able to figure out how demisemiquavers fit to the beat or how to work out 5 in the time of 4 and all those other tricky little things. On the other hand being able to create directly on your instrument and remember what you’ve done is a bonus too!

    • http://www.ryanyouens.com/ ryanyouens

      And there are far too many students like that!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/mike.crowl Mike Crowl

    I agree entirely….the kids who play superbly on their instruments but don’t have some theory are missing out on ways in which they could create music way beyond what they already know. And there’s nothing more frustrating when you’re trying to write something down than not being able to figure out how demisemiquavers fit to the beat or how to work out 5 in the time of 4 and all those other tricky little things. On the other hand being able to create directly on your instrument and remember what you’ve done is a bonus too!

  • http://www.ryanyouens.com/ ryanyouens

    And there are far too many students like that!!

  • Rachel

    I think the point where you realise you need to understand more about theory is when you have an idea that you can’t play yourself either – because you don’t play the instrument or don’t have the expertise on your own instrument – and attempt to share it with someone else.

  • Anonymous

    If studying music theory further “enlightens” a person with musical talent…then go 4it. Find yourself a suitably “trained” musician, someone who you can communicate with. Don’t despair if you have a “personality” problem with your very first music theory teachers. If you are a parent of a musically talented child you would do well try out various teachers until your child feels compatible with a particular teacher he/she can relate to. As a parent you will measure your own sucess in this respect when you see (and hear) your child “shine”. The mediocre teacher TELLS. The good teacher EXPLAINS. The superior teacher DEMONSTRATES. The great teacher INSPIRES.

    • http://www.ryanyouens.com/ ryanyouens

      Nice comments, thanks Brently.

  • Eugene

    For each of those great musicians who can’t read or write a note of music, there are 10,000 mere mortals who could learn music by discovering, learning, and playing music (theory) concepts on their chosen instrument. Unfortunately, many in the i-pod generation are content with being parrots, learning songs (or worse, bits of songs) by rote and looking for ‘I want it now’ shortcuts. We are bucking the trend in our advertising of the Kore Series at discoverlearnandplay.com – we literally say “this is not a gimmick or a shortcut” – it’s just great music education information presented sequentially and packaged for today’s learners. We’ve had great success using the series with our students at The Dallas School of Music and have found that they are more accepting of the material when they see how it works in the process of learning their instrument. I totally recommend including some sort of theory in your teaching – even if it is disguised a bit!

    • http://www.ryanyouens.com/ ryanyouens

      Absolutely agree. Great website – thanks for sharing and thanks for your comment Eugene.

  • Eugene

    For each of those great musicians who can’t read or write a note of music, there are 10,000 mere mortals who could learn music by discovering, learning, and playing music (theory) concepts on their chosen instrument. Unfortunately, many in the i-pod generation are content with being parrots, learning songs (or worse, bits of songs) by rote and looking for ‘I want it now’ shortcuts. We are bucking the trend in our advertising of the Kore Series at discoverlearnandplay.com – we literally say “this is not a gimmick or a shortcut” – it’s just great music education information presented sequentially and packaged for today’s learners. We’ve had great success using the series with our students at The Dallas School of Music and have found that they are more accepting of the material when they see how it works in the process of learning their instrument. I totally recommend including some sort of theory in your teaching – even if it is disguised a bit!

    • http://www.ryanyouens.com/ ryanyouens

      Absolutely agree. Great website – thanks for sharing and thanks for your comment Eugene.