Music Theory won't make you a Composer

Music theory is a helpful thing to know - at least at a fundamental level. It’s the grammar of music, and can aid in its analysis; but just like diagramming sentences isn’t writing, music theory isn’t composition. So why are theory and composition so often spoken of interchangeably - especially in the online music production space.
FREE Practical Guide to Composition eBook:
bit.ly/FREEcompositionguide
FREE Synthesis Workshop:
bit.ly/synthworkshop
Become a Patron to support the channel:
bit.ly/JNJmembership
My Sample Packs: store.fracturedcapstan.com/
My Music
Spotify: bit.ly/JNJSpotify
Apple Music: bit.ly/JNJAppleMusic
Bandcamp: bit.ly/JNJBandcamp
///////
Socials and Stuff:
/ jamesonnathanjones
/ jnathanjones
Video Equipment and Stuff:
Main Camera: amzn.to/3Y6KF2q
Other Camera: amzn.to/3I12Xwl
Wide Angle Lens: amzn.to/3HD3NOD
35mm Lens: amzn.to/3x0jL0n
SD Card: amzn.to/3JLurYu
Camera Tripod: amzn.to/3HDuYJh
Synth Table: amzn.to/40wZ8X0
Quick Release Camera Mounts: amzn.to/3X8g03u
Overhead Camera Arm: amzn.to/3Yu1Fj6
Overhead Tripod: amzn.to/3HDhyNo
Green Screen: amzn.to/3E7T4Ll
Ring Light: amzn.to/3JHhbUr
Organizer Shelf: amzn.to/3JLrWoY
RGB Floor Lamp: amzn.to/3l8cSY9
Desk Chair: amzn.to/3lfLd7v
Mic Stands: amzn.to/3Yqr4dt
Floor Edison Lamp: amzn.to/3YaxvBB

[@eddie2764]

“i was so afraid of doing things the wrong way that i never did anything” damn i felt this one

[@ernestbuckley8671]

Its funny because I grew up writing music starting at the age of 14, then I went to college and learned all the theory, Schenkerian Analysis, etc... and once I was aware of the "rules", it stagnated my created muse. In my third year or so I finally mustered up the nerve to ask one of my Professors why we had all these rules. He explained it the way you did and then he added, "Once you know the rules, you can break them." That freed me up again to write. Today, when I`m composing, I do my best to follow the rules. Why? As you mentioned, parallel 4ths, 5ths, and octaves just sound off. I guess thats what years and years of training your ear does. However, nothing beats those power chords when writing some rock tune. My point is: Learn the rules but don`t be afraid to break them.

[@bazookaman1353]

Some advanced music theory concepts are about breaking the more fundamental ones. Polytonality, polymodality, polychords and microtonality let you to follow your instinct and make your own rules.

[@gillianomotoso328]

There is room for parallel fourths and fifths when it comes to rock and modal music because they create a sense of near-unison or even tonal suspension.

[@thekingsmatter5845]

What's the point of learning the rules just to break them? 🤔 If the theory inhibits you then why should I inhibit my self by learning theory? I don't see the lesson in learning rules just to beeak them. 🫤

[@bazookaman1353]

@@thekingsmatter5845 You got it wrong. You don't break them just for breaking. You learn the fundamentals behind the theory and then selectly remove, modify or subvert the theory in accordance to your needs. Something that holds much more value than randomly hitting notes.

[@thekingsmatter5845]

@@bazookaman1353 Understood. Sounds a lot better explained that way 😄

[@atellsoundtheory8774]

What you are describing is precisely what happened to me. All the formal theory education sucked any inspiration out of me. It felt so much easier to improvise and compose before all the rule checks in the brain started to run in parallel and dictated the outcome. To make things worse, I tended to get stuck in simple diatonic schemes without the grit to use out-of-scale notes and harmonies. I went from just painting to painting with numbers and dull templates. And it took so long to find the confidence to throw it all out and start fresh without any inhibitions. I've only just arrived at this point and I'm rediscovering my own music now.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

I understand where you’re coming from, but for me it was more about learning to understand what the purpose of all of it was - and more importantly, what it wasn’t. I didn’t throw it all out, but certainly no longer try to analyze things while I’m in creative mode.

[@eugenes496]

what formal education usually does is, gives us an understanding from a different perspective, supposedly through a broaden comprehension of what is going on. It is not unusual for this extra amount of information to hamper the creative process because now there is an added need to justify the legitimate use of our imaginations. What some jazz composers do is they take the concepts of abstract applications of ideas from physical art and in the same way that a visual artist would throw paint onto a canvas say, throw sound into the air from their imaginations. In the mist of the chaos comes order, and once the idea is on paper, the fundamental elements that create a logical progression of sound intelligible to the concept of music, becomes the raw material from which to create.

[@SalvatoreCremeOfficial]

It took me more than 20 years studying, making and recording music, to understand that one of my first teachers was right when he tried to teach me more about improvisation than "composition" or theory, even when I knew I didn't want to go the performance route but rather the writing route. The truth is that getting better at improvisation, living life, and simply making more and more songs are the 3 things that have really helped me improve as a songwriter/producer

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Improvisation is an excellent tool for mining ideas. The refinement process is composition. The issue with relying only on improvisation is the tendency to rely on muscle memory and follow your hands only to places they’ve been before.

[@SalvatoreCremeOfficial]

@@JamesonNathanJones truly! I guess that's why subconsciously I started writing on instruments that are foreign to me. Do you recommend other ways to avoid falling into muscle memory?

[@JamesonNathanJones]

@@SalvatoreCremeOfficial That’s an effective method for sure. If it is an instrument you’re more comfortable with, improvise at a slower tempo and force your hands to go into uncomfortable places. Recording that process can be really helpful.

[@jordansherman7178]

@@JamesonNathanJones I understand the point you're trying to make about improvising. But, (in an overly simplistic way) if a person relies on muscle memory to improvise then they aren't really improvising. :)

[@Resonant_Beatz]

i like when u end up down a road of depression while explaining something

[@darktimesatrockymountainhi4046]

My experience was virtually opposite. A violinist by age 11, and a dedicated orchestra & instrument geek after that, I had minimal theory training & good natural talent for music & math. Somehow, I became fascinated by composing & arranging, and, while still in high school, spent much time scribbling out transcriptions & arrangements of music I heard. I knew both treble & bass clef, and memorized all the instrument transpositions, but my “original compositions” were of the most rudimentary & insignificant sort. I had tried to read some theory texts, but I needed a teacher or tutor. Going to college as a music major made the difference for me. Though a violin major, at first, I was eager to learn theory/solfège, work on improving my compositions, and get some piano skills. By third year, I switched to theory/comp and started to really feel free to create new music! I loved learning music theory, and it actually guided me & gave me a template by which I could write the music I wanted - then, of course, I began to disregard the rules…

[@jordansherman7178]

Yes...that's kind of what I was saying above (not that you have to read my other comments, of course.) Music theory was useful to you because you learned it when you had a reason and a purpose in mind for understanding it. The problem isn't music theory per se, but rather that it's often learned by rote or without a clear understanding on why or how it can be useful....

[@Birkguitars]

Great video. It puts me in mind of a quote from a different context. "Anxious, inexperienced writers ignore rules; rebellious, unscheduled writers break rules; an artist masters the form." This comes from Robert McKee and his book "Story. Substance, structure, style, and the principles of screenwriting". It also chimes with videos from 12tone. I often watch those and wonder whether the musicians who wrote the songs actually thought about their compositional choices the way they are analysed or just did something that they thought sounded kind of neat. And one last thought. I created a little guitar piece where my goal was to use only two fingers on my left fretboard hand. Years later I saw an interview where Paul McCartney said he did the same thing. But I then broke the rules and ended with FM7 to E. Because I thought it sounded kind of neat.

[@evelyntelevision]

I'm a guitarist who has been trying to learn piano on off for a while and I definitely agree that starting with piano is likely to set a better foundation for understanding music in the long run.

[@TraxtasyMedia]

lemme be honest. Two years ago, I thought the songs I composed were not good, because I had no idea about chord progressions, harmonics, notes, call and response, intervals, velocity, tonal range, octaves, scales, etc. I could go on with that list until eternity, but here's my point. I actually wanted to learn how to analyze music I like and know in what key the songs are I love. So I reached out to my aunt in law, who is a studied music psychologist and she gave me piano lessons about the basics. I always wanted to learn reading sheets, because that way it would be far more easy, to analyze music. So here I am after two years, watching that video, seeing a note sheet and still having tons of questionmarks above my head. Yes, theory helps to understand progresses, but to be fair, my composing didn't improve that much. I learned the difference between minor and major, woohooo but that's it.

[@niceheartwhitesuit]

Really great video! I'm primarily a songwriter who usually composes on guitar. I have no formal training, but my partner is a music educator and has begun teaching me theory for specifically the reasons you mentioned. Theory is not (generally) going to inspire ideas, but it can help you problem solve. As I've started incorporating more sonic elements into my writing with synths, drum machines, samples, etc... the theory I am learning helps me recognize when something is not working and gives me the tools to fix it. Please do more content like this!

[@alexandrekharlamov150]

The music theory is needed to become sensible to how voice leading, harmony, counterpoint, orchestration and other tools can help you amplify a certain mood. You're not supposed to just learn the rules, but rather, for example "how does adding an instrument affect the mood of the piece". Or "what effect does sudden switch from polyphony to unison create?". The counterpoint is needed to create lavish backgrounds instead of simple boring chords. Harmony allows you to fix a chord that does not "sound right". When you have a weak chord in the culmination of a piece, that just weakens the effect of the culmination. And if you know harmony, you can fix that, because the harmony teaches you the strong chord progressions that have a strong sense of direction, what is best to put in the lowest note of the chord, what note of the chord is best to double and what not to double and so on. Of course, you might have situations where a weak chord progression is needed, but how would you know which one is weak or which one is strong without music theory in the first place?

[@GalenDeGraf]

When I do music theory, I try to make it an activity that promotes creative exploration (as opposed to the "corpse forensics" method). I think you’ll dig what I do, and you can see some examples over on my channel.

[@MalMotorDedo]

I believe theory gives you tools to communicate ideas, identify problems and sometimes solve a problem w something you wouldn't come w if you are only composing. As a very intermediate guitarist, I've watched a lot of music theory vids about chords, time signatures and scales that have helped me composing. I would've never used a diminished chord in my life if it wasn't for the theory I learned (yes, I'm basic). Idk about advanced theory like the things ppl are learning in music school, but some basic theory does wonders for every composer IMO (yes, I may be saying obvious shit, sorry for that lol).

[@jordansherman7178]

To me what you're saying is that music theory was useful for you because you had a purpose in mind when you learned it. In my never humble opinion, that's exactly the point. It isn't necessarily whether or not one should learn music theory or at what level, it's WHEN we learn it and for what purpose. And, the dividing line in my (never humble) opinion, is that a person has to first decide that there's a reason they need the to learn more about music theory. They must decide there's a need for some additional information or some additional context or structure. And then in seeking the answer to whatever problem they are trying to solve for they look to and possibly find that answer in music theory. Or, they might not find the answer IN music theory but rather WHILE they are learning about music theory.

[@Station2Station-du2gh]

Music theory is to great music what Calculus(math) is the physical world. It's a way to retroactively explain things that weren't being considered during inception. Rick Beato (last week) did an analysis of Nirvana's song "you know you're right" and was breaking down the absolute genius of "this and that" theoretical techniques, suspensions and genius intervals - which we all know Kurt wasn't considering when writing the song. Theory is the answer to a question I didn't ask. Another great video, James. Thumbs up given. (yeah I still have my OG copy of hanon and czerny)

[@pleiadi666]

(I'm not a native english speaker) 1. Beato has good ears, but not good knowledge of music theory, even if he talks about Bach he knows almost nothing about him. 2. Let's say you are improvising with your instrument and you discover a combination of notes that you like, let's say for example you are making a suspension, if you know music theory you know that is called "suspension", but you are not just putting a label on it, you also know how to replicate that effect and you know how to make it sounds good ( maybe it already sounds good to your ears, but it could be even better if you know what you are doing), in other words you have a lot more control on what you are doing.

[@christinethornhill]

I’m no musician….but listening to your fascinating talks on several different topics relating to music has me hooked. Having been an avid listener to many genres over the years, these are really appreciated in order to gain a greater degree of understanding . Thank you so much 🙏🏼👌🏼

[@ErwinSchrodinger64]

I have a similar story. I did my bachelors and masters in theoretical chemical physics. Once I started my doctorate studies, while I could do the theory, I now had to do REAL EXPERIMENTATION to test my theoretical models. Experimentation was a completely different monster. I thought theory and experimentation would coincide nicely. It didn't. In experimentation, you're not dealing with ideal conditions that make theory easy to utilize. Real world experimentation requires different equations, thought processes, and stress. I'm both humbled and happy with your comment that music theory and composition are not the same. However, like you stated, theory is still important. Currently, learning the major and minor scales (using Tenuto and Music Theory apps to practice everyday). I've realized, I don't necessarily have to learn to play them but just know what they are. Why? Because that's what everyone keeps telling me but I still don't see the importance of the scales. I just wish, as you learn the theory, you could apply to it music to understand its utility. I know with the sequencers I have, the Toraiz Squid and Squarp Hapax, in the configuration mode, the major, minor, modes like Dorian, and so forth are options. Hence, I know modes, scale, and so forth are vital in music education. Again, the hick up is how much do you have to know before you can start composing. I've actually created some simple compositions (by trial and error) and adding delay, reverb, modulation on a filter... which can make simple composition can sound grandiose. It's just hard to believe that trail and error has been the most helpful tool in my arsenal. What you stated here is so incredibly valuable, and you're the first producer that has had to make the claims you do about theory vs trail and error. I'm new to this game. Hence, I always listen to practitioners in the field. It's a hard lesson to learn in wisdom. Yes, please, more on your journey and what aspects of your musical journey have been the most pragmatic.

[@SineEyed]

Scales are important because all the relationships the notes you're gonna use have with each other are derived from the scale. The scale is the map with which you navigate the creation of music. But what is a scale? I'm curious what your answer would be, since you mentioned that your learning sources are telling you that you need to know what they are. With your current understanding, can you tell me what a scale is, or what you know it to be? If you telll me what you know about scales, it should give me an idea where you're at as far as what I might say to be helpful. What I'm trying to avoid is going over things you already know, or delving into aspects of theory that will just confuse the hell outta you for being too advanced. I'm happy to help if I can; I'm even happier if I can do so efficiently..

[@jordansherman7178]

My son starting writing his own songs and composing his own music when he was 12. And that was only after taking a handful of piano lessons and without understanding anything about music theory. What he did learn was how to use music software to produce songs and he began by creating different versions of existing songs. Over time he took drum lessons and taught himself how to play the guitar a little, but until recently he's resisted our offers to get guitar lessons or to take music classes. Notwithstanding that minimal formal background and lack of understanding of even basic music theory and concepts, he's written many wonderful compositions and songs. And, he's become pretty skilled as a producer (he's 16 now and has worked on some projects with a number of well-known, recording artists). The reason I mention this story is that what my son's progress showed me is that there's no "right" way to come at these things. I have taken a completely different approach to music from my son and could never do things in the way he did. But, what I think I've learned from him is that one needs to learn to experiment and be comfortable experimenting from wherever we are at the moment. Because the longer we wait to experiment the harder it gets. That being said, as long as we're pursuing deeper knowledge and understanding for the right reasons -- and not as a way to avoid the discomfort of being a newbie when it comes to improvising or composing -- then I think there's no reason to worry about how long it takes us before we improvise or compose.

[@TachyBunker]

I love the humor you put in and the slight comedy with playing and stopping that emotional music behind! And I'll disagree with some statements. Learning and making music theory is what got me from a small composer, doing things almost in a "random logic" to someone with an awesome toolbox to choose from. What I find though is that the more stuff you do, theory you learn about for new genres etc, the more you'll internalize them, with less need to label them more. Everything that I'm doing is coming from stuff I've analyzed, it's only combinations and questions but nothing inherently new. Synthesis theory, harmony theory, melody theory, and making your own theories for example about the making of sonic palettes or anything else... Music theory IS just the best way to become a better composer. Furthermore, music theory is what made most of today's music in the first place. It's thanks to scientists and mathematicians that most of Western music has this set of tools we use. And as long as you always seek practice, along with the theory you learn, you'll be good as a composer, for example knowing what a perfect fifth sounds like when you learn about its highly resonant value, on sounds with a harmonic spectrum.

[@scofair5551]

Good analysis. To paraphrase 'Too much technique may stifle creativity. '

[@MistyMusicStudio]

VERY well put 👏 As a music teacher, I can confirm this haha. I’ve got lots of students well versed in theory but no idea where to begin when putting a song together. Others (who critically listen to music on the regular) will begin writing catchy songs when they barely understand what a key is and only know 5 chords. Great point about piano being laid out in a way that’s conducive to music theory too. I started on guitar, gigged professionally, and even then felt like I only “sort of understood” music until I became proficient in piano 🎹

[@johnhill762]

Great comment.

[@mattoverholser5717]

I really get a lot out of your posts. Greatly appreciated. I've been a bassist for 50 years and have always wanted to compose. Your points are well taken. Thanks

[@intangible9838]

I think, what a lot of people dont unerstand about music theory is that it's not restrictions, or an idea to hold yourself up to, it is also not immediately going to make you a brilliant composer. Being a brilliant composer takes practice. Music theory is a tool to help you build your music, it is not required, but it is very useful.

[@calebfudrums]

dude I just found your channel and wow my hat is off. loving your humour, pacing, content, and delivery!

[@shinecurious]

Thank you very much for this video!I have never studied theory and was somehow still blessed with being able to improvise on the spot, something guided more by ear, heart, joy and curiosity. It also felt like magic just being able to pull music out of thin air (which isn't thin at all). I could relatively easy push through trial and error y until I had a piece of music. But the idea of not having studied music haunted me my entire life, making me learn disjointed bits and pieces of theory which in the end clogged up my ability for carefree creation. I had come to believe that there was an x- amount of knowledge that I needed to become fluent again, but the worst was, that I had become scared and boxed into the little amount of theory I possessed. Hearing from you and your professor, people who have been with theory most of their lives, that composition it is trial and error and the comparison of theory with a forensic department really gave me what I needed to hear, to regain trust in my joy, love and appreciation for creating music. Now it all just boils down to, courage, the passion for adventurous experiments and appreciation for what music is to me in this life. So, again, thank you for having made this video, it changed something for me today, blessings!

[@delpino-music]

I feel so aligned with your view and experience through music- I've been feeling exactly like this lately. Thank you for writing this comment, you literally materialized my thoughts.

[@somerandomdude3729]

Reminds me when my music teacher telling me about why I need to know the "rules" in music theory. He told me I must learn it so I may break those rules. At first it didn't make sense but this video gave me some insight to that.

[@lelapin7938]

Im a guitarist and a composeur ... and you re right ^^ Nice channel thx

[@amarug]

I think the full answer is, as almost always, "it depends". I have two good examples: A good friend of mine has had a musical gift since we were kids and he hates theory and can barely read notes. He can play many instruments and has composed whole film scores for smaller movies with the help one orchestrators etc that could turn what he pressed on a keyboard into something a 80 person orchestra could play. Music literally lives inside him. I am a biomedical engineer and I love music but I don't have that "natural gift". I still want to make some music as a hobby and I use theory to help me synthesize music in a more "mathematical" way. I think of emotions I want to produce, I know which chords and sequences are associated with them. I know how to turn chords more interesting, change the mood etc. I "doodle" in chosen scales to find interesting melodies and I know how to harmonize them. etc etc. So I might never be a great musician but it helps me to have fun with a hobby. To me, it is not only helpful but really the "main tool" I use for composing, while my prodigal friend doesn't know a thing about it put in words, it's all intuition.

[@synkrotron]

sod the music your video creation and editing techniques are impressive, Nathan 🙂

[@ChickyNYC]

I very much enjoy hearing about your musical journey, as well as your dive into instruments. Really great work and I hope you continue with it.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thanks so much! Definitely have more planned and on the way :)

[@thehomienicked8208]

I really enjoyed the other video. Looking forward to this one!

[@neilingle794]

Really interesting thoughts here! I'm guilty of feeling I have to fixate on theory. I'm constantly thinking about 'reverse engineering' songs to understand why they 'get me'. Part of my behaviour is that I'm just not a very good musician. However, I do have an ear for music, and a sizeable amount of my compositions have come from either trial and error, or from within dreams - typically just before waking up, I'll have a tune in my subconscious mind. If I catch it (i.e. hum into a recorder) within 10 mins of waking then I can progress it. If not, then it's gone forever (quite a profound thought). None of this involves crunching the theory! However, I still find myself reverse engineering my own tunes to figure out what the hell I did there! Maybe I should be following more intuitive clues - if an instrument is playing those notes, then best to avoid them with an other instrument... or deliberately break the rules by going there. Visual cues could be useful too - many DAWs allow you to layer tracks in the MIDI editor - then you can visually see overlaps / harmonies etc. None of this requires theory... but yet I still keep going back to understand the relationship between modes, scales, chords etc...

[@logrinn]

Most excellent video. I'm so happy I stumbled upon your channel. Subscribed and now off to download your ebook.

[@michaelkonomos]

LOVE IT!!! I feel like I am in school in a very good way. I am self taught and I think these videos will help me to better express myself. Thank you.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thanks as always for the support, Michael! I’ve really enjoyed re-exploring my own thoughts on these topics.

[@kimvin9]

Well I be damn or darn. You said exactly what I had thought although I only took piano for a month as a very small child. I figured most of music theory was unnecessary as well, especially when it comes to teaching you quickly how to compose music for an intro / 1st verse / 1st prechorus / 1st chorus ---- 2nd verse / 2nd pre chours / 2nd chorus --- 3rd verse / 3rd pre chorus / 3rd chorus / outro and maybe an interlude. Most piano teachers don't explain why to play this note with that note and what emotional feeling that playing certain notes make. They slowly teach you music theory basics with basic piano beginner lessons and charge $20 to $30for every freaking 30 minutes. A sleek way to rip off a new beginner at piano if you ask me. Instead of teaching the piano little secrets to new beginners by teaching when, where, and how to play exciting / sad / and or mid emotional chords & melodies on a piano. So, I discovered that little secret my self using the advice of a piano teacher who asked me: Do I know the scale I'm playing in / the relative major and minor / and the chord inversions of that scale? I figured everything else with a little research on emotional chords, and how to create exciting mid or sad emotional feelings with different key techniques in piano. You are so right about the music theory classes being too complicated.

[@DavidLilja]

This is super interesting. Keep them coming! I learnt something today -- so, thank you!

[@au66621]

I have been trying to teach myself music in order to be able to write music and to be able to compose music for film. And I had the feeling a lot that I am just capable to understand certain things about theory and therefore music was just not for me. For example the teacher who is by the way great and his channel is music matters - teaches that in when writing a melody in a minor key we have to use the melodic minor. That’s ok however he also adds that when the melody is ascending we have to use the melodic minor but when is descending we have to use the natural minor. But to harmonise all this I have to use the harmonic minor scale. I asked several times to explain how this works in practice only to have the answer to basically just use what sounds good?????? I am glad that You made this video because music has been my passion and I am not going to give up but it is very hard to work out what to study and practice to get where you want to be - in my case a film composer and to put together suites and just enjoy the creation of music. Having said that I think the next step will be studying music composition. Thanks

[@AliTalaatShehata]

That's exactly what I wanted to hear! Thanks for the advice!

[@__vidarr]

Great valuable content, once more. Keep on going! I think everyone here can understand your level of expertise around these topics and you are actually helping a lot more than you think. Thanks!

[@JamesonNathanJones]

I appreciate that Samuel!

[@VaChiee]

I really enjoyed this vid, its exactly what I needed to answer my current thoughts and blocks I've been struggling with

[@anothercouture]

These videos are really fascinating it's a topic I've never studied, so have nothing to reference. You're making it understandable and interesting keep them coming. 👏👏👏

[@konserwowy1092]

Speaking from a perspective of someone who always dreamt of making noise (I won't dare to call it "music" for a long time) but only recently started learning music theory, I'll say for me music theory IS composition. It's a way to put my disjointed ideas into coherent forms. I finally know what to do to get the sounds I want. :) Having said that, I get what you mean. I'm a professional visual artist and I know too much theory can be suffocating. But that's an expert's perspective. If you're only starting, knowledge is liberating. It turns out there's a language to all you want to say!

[@iskandar.bakshi]

great video!!! I really wonder your thoughts on ear training

[@MostlySoftware]

definitely going to be trying out this method. thanks for the insights!

[@alicec1533]

This! As someone who knows a lot of music theory, but feels _woefully_ unpracticed with composition, this makes sense. I think they can be co-constitutive skills, useful knowledge pools for eachother, but they _are_ separate skills

[@nebula0697]

The piano does lay it out so you always see the relationships but it's far easier to transpose on a guitar. My anecdote is that I sort of deduced the diatonic system before learning about it but was using non-diatonic chords and scale changes and knew they worked anyway, so it was a case of breaking that rule before I fully knew it. Naturally a bunch of rules also govern how you break the rules of diatonic harmony. Dred Scott of Alphabet Soup once told me "if it sounds good, play it".

[@ghaez]

Looking forward to it!

[@pixelplayground]

Man, I am really digging your latest videos. Valuable info and great presentation, thank you and keep up the good work! P.S. definitely keep the humour in there too, love it 😊

[@JamesonNathanJones]

🙏🙏

[@andycordy5190]

My first degree is in ceramics. It's a discipline requiring a lot of technical knowledge, craft skills, there is a plethora of historical styles and orthodoxies to be learned and hopefully one will get through all of that and find one's own mode of expression somehow. Although our department was somewhat looked down upon by the so-called 'fine arts' students, I learned enough about art school to realise that for all the theory and orthodoxy there was a maxim of great value "There's no right or wrong way to do something." That is to say, there are ways that work and ways that don't work. You choose. Personally, this has been the most liberating and enlightening outcome from my arts education. When I was writing songs in my twenties, my ex. ,who had had cello lessons to grade 8, heard one of my songs where my intro had a bold key change into the first verse. His response was "You can't do that!" I never played him another song and shortly after I gave up writing songs for about 35 years. IMHO the big question for any artist is "Is this working for you?" and not at all "Is this working for your audience?" Once I stopped making things for other people and started whatever the hell I wanted to make, I found an audience, or rather they found me.

[@AlamoCityCello]

Good stuff. Thanks!

[@elcorcoran]

Great content and perspective. Really helpful.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thanks Eddie!

[@andreiviievskyi2838]

What a beautiful music behind what you say! Thanks a lot!

[@DanIel-fl1vc]

Use syllables in words as starting point. This vi-de-o is good. 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 notes across 1 or two bars. Decide if the last note ends on high middle or low note, high note more intense music. Copy paste the two bars make the second one slightly different. Start humming and improvising and scramble everything. Like a jigsaw until you got a full melody line. About 32 bars. Chorus, verse, verse, intro, outro, lots of copy pasting so realistically about 16 bars slight variations. Harmonize, come up with progression from scale and remember the effects of different intervals. Create counterpoint line either by moving segments of melody line down one octave and filling in the gaps with notes that goes with underlying rhythm or improvise together music and carefully listen back to music until something bothers you about it. Add rhythmic lines like percussion, ostinato lines, riffs. Make sure intro and outro seamlessly transitions into the melody. Arrange the music to preferred genre. (Falling back on tropes makes a huge difference) Make sure the melody is exclusively played either high range or low range so the music doesn't become noisy because different parts are fighting over same ranges. The hardest part is the melody and harmony, you could work exclusively on the piano for most of this. Minimalism, ambient music and repeating rhythms is also a thing. You don't always need a melody or counterpoint.

[@brailyndsummers]

The way you're talking about feeling inhibited by all the theory you learned in school is something I thoroughly relate with. It seems that ever since I started leaning theory, I became less concerned with the feeling of the composition and instead acquired a laser focus on writing by the rules. I also was surprised to hear you mention that you harbored some sort of jealousy toward musicians and songwriters who were not academically or classically trained, because this is something I've found my self struggling with; especially as of late. I've been composing, in some fashion or another, going on almost 19 years. The last 10 or so with more of a focus working within DAWs. The thing that never fails to get me starting to contemplate my ability, however, is when I hear music that someone has made after only starting their hobby like 6 months or a year ago. To be honest, a lot of the time I think my music sounds like trash in comparison. Then to salt the wound I come to realize they know virtually nothing about theory or synthesis, recording techniques, arrangement, post production and can still cobble a piece of music together that I feel I couldn't have thought of in my wildest dreams. It's like I've acquired so much knowledge that it's actually debilitating me, and all I want to do is somehow regain the naïveté I see in many others.. Anyway.. I don't mean to sit here and type out a novel; believe me, I could. Lol. I just really wanted to let you know how fundamentally I connected with what you said in this here vidjya. -- Including being a southern boy. Yeehah, parter. 🤠

[@jonaskoelker]

I've been thinking about picking up composing again. I've thought up some exercises to do. Maybe these are completely trivial first-year stuff, maybe some inspire you. My main thought is that I want to learn things experientally first, conceptually second. So here are some inane drills: - Play every interval (minor second, major second, ..., up to whatever limit you choose). Turn your focus inwards. How does this interval feel? Write down three to five adjectives which capture your feeling. Review your notes every now and again. When you listen to music, see if your ideas about intervals in isolation work in context. - Do the same for every chord, in every inversion, and try leaving out each of the notes one at a time. - Transpose a piece to every possible key. Engage in the same thought process. - Formulate your own hypotheses ("pitch going up sounds triumphant"). Lots of them. Test them, by listening and judging. Most generally: I want to think about the elements of music that go into a composition and the decisions I make as a composer. I want to try them out, all of them, to develop a sense for how they feel. Here's one conjecture of mine: I've been told that too much predictability is boring which causes disengagement, and too little is chaotic which causes disengagement, Aristotelian golden mean yada yada. My enjoyment of food happens not when I'm full but when I'm eating; not when my calorie battery is large but when it's growing. I think we all experience some intrinsic reward when correctly predicting the world; or rather, not by being able to predict the world but by _becoming_ able to predict the music. Not after having reached a high level but when making progress. Thus, to hit the golden mean of predictability, introduce many new elements such that their arrival is unpredictable but their behavior (once they have arrived) is predictable. At least that's one strategy for maximizing the number of learning moments. Suggestion: take a lesson you've been told and think about the mechanism that makes it true. Then make a small piece which explores that mechanism. Sorry to hear your teachers didn't give you better practical advice.

[@brailyndsummers]

@@jonaskoelker That's some genuinely good advice, thanks!

[@jonaskoelker]

@@brailyndsummers I'm happy to hear it sounds helpful to you. After writing my previous comment, it occurred to me that I didn't state _why_ I picked _those_ exercises. Maybe that's valuable too. I assume composers want to compose a piece of music that _feels_ a certain way, and that the feeling is the goal. [Either your own feeling or someone else's; and in the latter case you probably use your own feeling as a proxy indicator for the feelings of the target audience. So in both cases you are guided by how the music feels to you.] I don't know of any good formula, model or theory that lets me _predict_ feelings from sheet music (or any other informational representation)-I have to _experience_ those feelings to know them. Hence my drill regimen: connect the most primitive building blocks (intervals, chords, etc.) to the ultimate outcome variable the only way I know how: experientially. [And then write stuff down and review your notes to reinforce your episodic memory of the feeling, but that's secondary; experiencing the feeling is primary.] My idea about composing a small piece which focuses on some technique, rule, idea, pattern or whatever is more of the same idea: it lets you observe the element and the feeling it elicits, in full context (at least for some value of "full context"). I get the impression that much of the theory and technique you've learned is prescriptions like "don't double up the octaves/fifths/..." without the _why_ being explained, at least not often. In other words, the connection between technique and the ultimate goal was lost, and therefore the technique or rule seemed arbitrary and without purpose. That's not to say the rules are bad, just that they weren't properly justified to you-i.e. in terms of their impact on your desired outcome.

[@s.b.2450]

Thank you! It was very motivational.

[@throwinglight2817]

You hit the nail in my head. Awesome!

[@kkeytone]

I remember having conversations with you regarding your lessons with Z. I was impressed with the things he was teaching you and it helped me to look at music differently. If I recall correctly, you began writing music and then finding the text that fits. I still think that approach is the correct one.

[@stefanherzog]

Please more videos like this! I think it'd be filling a gap on synth related KZbin.

[@use0fweapons]

thank you for this video and the ebook. for a long time, i thought the two were the same and understanding theory would help me write but thats really just not the case.

[@nathanbarajas9174]

These are the kind of videos that help me rethink me approach to learning music and how I connect to the process, thanks!

[@DanielMahlknecht]

Insightful and nuanced perspective that motivates to compose, thanks!

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thanks Daniel 🙏

[@prschuster]

A lot of people write songs with very little knowledge of theory other than knowing what key they are in, and what chords go with it, so they don't get to break rules that they never learned to begin with.

[@MotorHolmes]

Love this discussion! ❤

[@marcgrauss3425]

Nice video again, congrats ! I am very interested by this subject with a complete opposite experience than yours : I was a self taught guitarist who switched to keyboard, because I realized its simple and logical layout. I also did it to escape guitar "positions" and scales when soloing and to escape "mechanical" soloing and went for composing instead melodic solos coming out of my head rather than my hands. I learned on KZbin these last two years some theory related to composing which helped me finishing or enriching many pieces I was stuck with. You mentioned so many topics I made by myself, including analyzing nice pieces and apply the "recipes" I discovered to my own work. I discover you channel with pleasure and I hope you will keep on with this series. I guess (hope?😊) that you will gradually come up with practical examples.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thanks Mark! The video in the end screen and my free pdf composition guide (linked in the pinned comment) have more practical examples and actionable advice. More to come for sure!

[@eyvindjr]

My experience is the complete opposite! I loved learning about all kinds of musical concepts, weird time signatures, chords, rhythms, scales etc, and wasted no time getting to play around with them myself! I am sorry if your teachers failed to bring that out in you. "Music theory" is usually referring just knowing the very basic musical terminology, bedroom musicians often don't even know what is the difference between a major an minor scale and basic intervals. As a result, their music will always be limited, and it will be very hard to communicate with others. Complex academic analysis, on the other hand, is more questionable, but if you want to write like Wagner, you must know what he was doing. Not knowing your craft is not cool.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

I think you may have misunderstood my point here. I’m not anti-theory, and have studied it quite extensively. It does have very applicable uses, but it is typically analytical in nature rather than creative. Definitely good information to know, but not always helpful when staring at a blank page. I didn’t fully understand the difference until studying composition 1-on-1 with a composer. It is a different mindset.

[@eyvindjr]

@@JamesonNathanJones This depends on how you define "music theory". I understand you can question if knowing if a DD chord is German or Italian matters, but today, many young musicians can't read sheet music and don't understand how basic scales and chords are constructed. You will also struggle changing keys if you don't know the circle of 5ths, which is at the very foundation of western music. This is why being critical of knowing theory in general is a very slippery slope. Both playing and writing music is a craft, and it must be worked at to be learned, including "boring" basic theory.

[@amanthatthinks]

An untalented but experienced music theorist can write captivating music. A super talented naive composer cannot. Not for so long atleast.

[@Arhidilius]

Thanks for putting into words things every musician should know, but no one on youtube is able to tell. There is a great advice about theory and creativity I've got from book on story, my english isn't great, so I hope translation is coherent enough: When creating go from abstract to concrete, make a plan with knowledge of what you love in art and what is truth to you, and after structure for piece is ready - you should write piece with creativity, and then you should correct it with theory, and then you should repeat until it's done.

[@travisguide4516]

Great video as always loved every minute

[@samborn7120]

Jameson. All of the pieces playing on the background.. Yours? Absolutely beautiful!

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Yes! Thank you 🙏

[@richardjose8700]

I enjoyed the video ~ on the idea of composition as a process of trial and error; I've heard people put forward the idea that people have two modes (and may switch between them): listening to what was played then reacting and conceptualizing (audiating?) the sound and then reproducing it. I'm curious if you do both as part of your compositional process and whether the ratio between the two has shifted with time.

[@uffevonlauterbach]

I'm kind of on the opposite end of what you were talking about. When I was learning to play the piano in college, there was some music theory involved. It was pretty basic, though. And the whole point I wanted to learn how to play the piano was so I could compose my own music. I took a music fundamentals class because I wanted to learn music theory. So I had to take that class first and pass it to proceed. While I did pass, I never went further. I ended up taking all the knowledge I had and went from there. While I can only tell someone what certain chords are, I went out of my way to learn more music theory, because I want to imitate a video game compose. I believe music theory can make you a better composer. I pretty much tell anyone who wants to compose to at least learn the basics just so they have a general idea of how they can make their music more interesting. Funnily enough, when I was telling my brother about music theory, to him, it sounded like it was limiting. In some ways, I can see how someone might think that. But I think it allows you to explore more options when composing.

[@zy6708]

plz is there a video or whatever anywhere with someone who is composing a music and tell us everything they do and why, why don't i see that

[@MartinSc76]

This is poetry, discovery and enlighting in one :) All the best!

[@DrJ3RK8]

I agree with you completely! Creative pursuits come from feelings, one's condition, life experience. Theory is a tool to help one achieve turing that into music. (not the only tool either...) They're not mutually exclusive. (grew up on 14 years of classical piano as well, from a world travelling symphony pianist). She tried and tried to teach me theory, but none of it ever sank in. I just told her what I wanted to learn to play, then she helped me learn and commit to memory. I got the music, while the theory floated right out of my head. I do study a bit more theory now, because I'm at a place where it can help me go a bit beyond a plateau that I hit at some point in my composing. I don't think it's deficient, but I know I can be better. Not heavily, but I go look things up when I think it might help. Like reference material, more than blueprints. I also found that having that classical background (such as it was due to my broken brain :D ) has been more of a hinderance to creating new music than helpful. It does give me starting points, but sometimes I fall into a classical rut, that doesn't lend itself to a style of music that I'm working on. I find it hard to be funky or jazzy sometimes, or let go enough to create a minimal techno track or something like that because I've got all these busy musical notions in the back of my brain buzzing around. I've developed ways to deal with that, but it comes up occasionally. The one thing that I wish I could do, as dumb as it sounds, is have someone shout out a key and progression, and I join into the jazz. :D (I'm not a jazz muscian, but I think you get what I'm saying.) I can write music of many styles, but couldn't play with other musicians on the fly like that. Collaborate yes, but just join into people playing, not really. Maybe a bit, but.... Really enjoying your videos BTW.

[@andy-simmons]

Awesome video, man! Diagramming sentences is a great analogy.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thanks Andy!

[@kimlodrodawa123]

The ear compose the music. Theory writes it to a sheet. ;) IMHO theory keep people stuck into certain patterns, like being locked up in a small room and never able to discover the universe.

[@russellvitranoiii3504]

This was a very interesting video and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I was a general music major in college (after changing said major a few times... long story); I completely understand what you're saying, but I did find those music theory classes fascinating. Growing up, I played the piano by ear starting around age 7 but didn't have lessons until much later (about age 12 or 13), so if I got stuck on the notes, I was just stuck. This sort of led to my own composition in the sense that I was making up for what I couldn't hear, but it wasn't until I did start taking those theory classes that I was able to understand not only what those missing notes were but why. I know you're not saying theory has no place in composition, and some artists rely far too heavily on it (like those lame-os who compose strictly with the I-V-IV-III chord progression), but it did help me. Also, knowing about theory has deepened my own appreciation of some particular bands, including the Beach Boys. Brian Wilson is definitely a musical genius and was completely ahead of his time. I'd say the same about Frédéric Chopin and Scott Joplin. Even the Moonlight Sonata, when you think about it, is an entire piece of broken chords. I couldn't start fully appreciating things like this until I took those theory classes. Sorry to go on such a long rant, but music is one of my favorite things of all time. Thanks again for this video.

[@moderncannibal9708]

I Think you provide tremendous value as you decode the world of theory. As a "guitarist" I thank you. I might take piano lessons. Keep it up young man.

[@RussPaladino]

Excellent advice. I think that listening is greatly undervalued in college theory education (at least it was in the place that I attended). I've been listening to all kinds of music since I was a very young child because my Dad was a musician, and he loved all kinds of great music. So I grew up hearing all the pop, rock and RnB of my life and times, but also more harmonically and melodically complex music as well. My Dad sat me down at 5 years old and put on John Coltrane's My Favorite Things to see what my reaction was. It didn't sound foreign to my ears, I guess because I'd heard it before around the house. In that way, I believe we encode "theory" into our being simply by listening first. If you can hear it, it's there. From a practical standpoint I think it's more about figuring out what I'm hearing in my head, or what I've played or composed, after the fact. It definitely has it's utility, and sometimes setting up rules prior to composing can be a great way to milk maximum creativity. However, the ears are everything and theory (for me) is an afterthought.

[@kimvin9]

I downloaded your practical guide to composition. Its very informative and interesting to be so short. I don't read sheet music very well. However, I can see what you are saying. Do you have a video showing you playing piano examples of your practical guide composition book? If so can you paste the link in the reply? Thanks again.

[@despot666]

If you ever did a full composition course, I’d buy it in an instant.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

www.jamesonnathanjones.com/compositioncourse :)

[@auedpo]

Very salient point here - "Using a proven forumla to eliminate some of your decisions and focus your creative energy" As someone who holds degrees in Compositio and Music Theory, I have come to a similar conclusion that you present in your video. What I find to be a huge block is that so many individuals try and 'sell' theoretical concepts as tool to compose with. In finding things like the Schillinger System of Musical Composition, my eyes were opened - so to speak. No longer was I trying to apply an analytical concept to something that didn't exist. (In your analogy, tying to identify the body before there was even a crime scene) I was instead, using tools and methods to CREATE musical material. It got me back into the frame of mind or creation rather than analysis. I, too, would not trade my theory knowledge away. Similarly, I have not sat down to do a full analysis of a piece since finishing school - and I think that much of my composition and music making is better off for it. I was watching a video of a marble sculptor last night, they referred to the process of sculpting and changing out/sharpening/selecting tools as like driving a car. Over time, the concept of shifting gears, using your blinker, the pedals, all becomes second nature and you can then see more of the scenery around you. In the same way, in learning how to CREATE musical material and let the ideas of Circle of Fifths progressions, modification of a primary theme, modulatory section become second nature rather than the prime focus, you free yourself to once again be the composer and to be the creator. Visit the SSMC discord if you're interested. discord.gg/KUbMnCKmd4 Thanks for a great video! It's been a lot of fun watching your channel this past year or so.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Great points here! Thank you!

[@andy-simmons]

Just joined the Discord and started looking this over. This system is massive! Looks super interesting. I've been playing around with rhythmic and harmonic symmetries lately, both of those popped up in the introductory video I just watched. Thanks for the link.

[@jscj2066]

Another great video!! 🖤🤍🖤🤍

[@jordansherman7178]

I wonder if the issue is the way in which music theory is taught or learned. Because anything learned by rote lacks the deep connection, understanding and spontaneity to enable creativity. It would seem best if people have a clear understanding for why they are learning music theory and have a clear purpose for how they will use that information when it's learned. On the other hand, music theory is likely least useful (and most counterproductive) if it's learned because we think or someone tells us we "should". Because if we understand what music theory is and how it can be used, we'd also be clear that learning music theory is a separate (but connected) activity from learning how to compose. The concept seems quite clear when Jameson points out the analogy using music, specifically with learning grammar and learning how to write. Along those lines, I'd point out that one doesn't need to understand grammar to begin writing. And, of course, focusing too much on grammar or structure can stifle writing or creativity. Perhaps it might help to think about the difference between learning to play an instrument from written music versus learning to improvise. With the right approach those separate activities can compliment each other. With the wrong approach they can become impediments to each other. Finally, I wonder if the problem of learning music theory is one of timing, goals, and progress. What I mean is that it's quicker and easier to make progress if we learn by rote without too many questions or too deep an understanding. For example, when I learned to play an instrument in grammar school my teacher wrote the fingerings on the sheet music. That certainly was faster and allowed for greater progress (in some senses) than taking the time to teach or have me learn how to read or understand sheet music And I guess what I'm saying is that at times there can be a lot of pressure on people (from outside or inside) to make "progress" and sometimes that can get in the way of learning things well.

[@anonymouscantor7036]

I play classical guitar and piano, and I find that having different forms of visualization helps my creativity. Honestly though, if I was to choose only one "instrument" to study composition upon it would be neither of these, but choir. My vocal experience in choirs is more essential to my compositional methods than any instrumental experience, and this certainly was true also of composers like Bach, Palestrina, and Mozart whose greatest works are his choral Requiem and his operas. Choirs are the historical basis of all harmonic development in Western art music, and almost every major composer in the classical tradition learned how to compose from SATB choir ideas. The theories of harmony developed by Palestrina's understanding of chord voicing, further developed of course by Bach are the basis of this, which explains why ideas of harmonic strength and weakness were the center of the voicing ideas in this tradition. Understanding harmonic weakening ismade possible when movements between triadic chords are conceived of as a confluence of four voices. Choir music is the basis of pretty much the entire common practice tradition, even when it writes for instruments. This is why almost all orchestras are arranged into Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass orchestration even when the music is entirely instrumental. It is also what makes the integration of choral and instrumental music possible in operatic genres. It was only upon learning the rules and history of this tradition that it was possible for me to break the rules consciously rather than unconsciously, and this was freeing, rather than limiting.

[@blkrbbt]

Your videos got me to buy a Prophet... can i ask what that 3 tier stand is behind you? I have a couple synths stacked up on a table... haha

[@crocky6996]

Something that taught me a lot was jazz solo improvs. With the bass and rhythm already established, it was about time I could get a catchy melody that could accompany very well whatever the original song was. Ofc, I only took music seriously for like two years, and now that I have to learn how to actually write those bass and rhythm is where I'm having trouble

[@GunnerVFox]

So, this is great video that is very interesting to me, and the reason for that is because it appears you learned something (and explained it here) that i was suspecting . Keep in mind, i just started really trying to be a musician 2 years ago, and that i am self-teaching (which means i am learning slowly from a teacher who is an idiot), so mi i composing at a very simple level that is primarily through trial and experimentation. What i am actually getting at is i have found that learning music theory to be very helpful as a tool or roadmap of music that gives me directions to explore in. Its given me a structure to build from so i don't have that blank canvas "choice paralysis" which you seemed to be describing. Thank you for sharing this, JNJ

[@rolandberendonck3900]

Wow! what a cool video and even more what a mind blowing story. And Yes! I like to see and hear more of this 😊

[@VRNocturne]

My relationship with music theory is rather young and it showed me how little I ever learned about music even though I took violin in K-12 school. It was like a new world opened up to me. And so was music composition. So I guess I sort of learned both at the same time by roaming KZbin and learning from both theory and composition videos. But I'm glad I found this video, because I was feeling somewhat restricted or at least in an information vacuum because every type and culture of music has it's own "grammar", just like every language does. So in trying to learn these other styles, I'm more interested in composition than theory, and due to the info vacuum, I pretty much had to go this route and trial and error.

[@mayfly552]

Bring it on!

[@els1f]

I love this so much! The Circle of fifths is a powerful tool that is REALLY useful, but like you are saying it's like a diagram of sentences, paragraphs and story outlines vs writing a book. Your channel is amazing🙌✌️

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thank you!

[@parlefeuproject3115]

merci for the download :)

[@nopenada3449]

Good advice. Only now, after nine released albums, am I studying music theory more intently, in hopes of being able to more skillfully compose music that reflects the emotions behind my inspiration. I've been flying by the seat of my pants since Day One. It's time that I more fully understand the language and how to more clearly articulate what I'm trying so say... in my music, not my writing, because I can't write worth a steaming crap. Great video. More, please.

[@user-cx8qf1lb8n]

very good tip thank you

[@salif130]

Superbe vidéo très instructif et explicite, merci.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

🙏🙏

[@robertmellang6998]

I quit playing the electric organ so I could go play with the other dropouts. Now I play guitar. I could read music when I was in grade school. Now I just play guitar.

[@reaganharder1480]

Self taught guitarist here. Regarding your comment about piano being better for learning theory with... in terms of the "book knowledge" theory, piano is definitely better, and actually a lot of guitar teachers will teach very little classical theory at all. But in terms of the application of theory for the instrument itself, i think guitar makes more sense, and i think that is best summed up in the beauty of the Nashville chord system. You designate the key and everything is easily understood with I IV V etc (at least, once the player has learned to think that way. With so much guitar teaching being so light on theory, a great many guitarists would likely have no idea what the 3rd of C major is). If you really wanted, you could play a whole song with barre chords, change the key, and the only thing you have to change is where on the neck you play it.

[@clarenceshim4339]

James such a compelling video, thank you sooo much, i like u have done some piano theory when i was a kid, i was improvising early on doing my own pieces of music, and so i got away from sight reading, now its very challenging to sight read, i can honestly say i could hear faster than most guys can read, what you said was true, you just gotta take something you like and use the structure, the alarm bells went off when you made this point, thanks again for your insight, Shimi the Entertainer, Rochester NY may 12 2024

[@henryjraymondiii961]

Some of us who are compelled into rebellion on a deep level, keep an obvious and sub consious theasarus of rules all over the emotional spectrum. We HATE them! This forms the basis for what can be creative rule breaking. An outlet for this pent-up explosive talent is difficult to sphinkter with imaginary "faucets". This can even result in...comedy of expression. I feel that I have been way over-constrained throughout my life, and I am compelled to write songs and fashion the arrangements. They do seem original to others and naturally to me. However, it becomes second nature aparently to alarm others of that which may prevent liberty both macro and micro. This seems to form wave patterns in my musically undertrained mind. What we DO know is a constant surprize for me. Like a late birthday gift. Thank you for these precious videos!

[@synapticschism]

Hi, first video of yours I saw, pretty cool. I'm a hobbyist musician for many years and I learned music theory as a kid. I always saw music theory as a language I could use when speaking with other musicians or reminding me of some thing I listened on some track. I think that we are on a weird moment for music theory. On one hand it is "sold" on places like KZbin as a super-power that all the greats knew. On the other hand it is demonized for commercial purposes. I think that if we look at it as just a tool, a language or a grammar like you said, everything would be much simpler.

[@MeditativeInstruments]

Labels and rules are merely self-imposed restrictions. Restrictions can be very good: we have traffic rules because experience has shown they are needed for safety; we have music rules because experience has shown that *most* people's ears are pleased by certain sound combinations and displeased by others. But there are no labels and rules in reality, which is one of the reasons why "learning the rules" (i.e. formal education) doesn't impart the same lessons as experiencing reality directly and discovering which "rules" work with you and assist your creative process.

[@prestonjackson9086]

Ya the real trick is an engaging motif Then to fill in the blanks is an insurmountable task of either intuition and what anyone else has done before you which in effect could be theoretical or you simply wore out a record learning note for note what Bill Evans just played.Which actually seems counterintuitive because Mozart didn’t even have an 8 track

[@JamesonNathanJones]

If I understand you correctly, I think trying to be “original” is too creatively paralyzing. Nothing is original. Mozart wrote in the “Common Practice Period,” meaning there were very specific guidelines in place that composers followed. It was very formulaic. And even within those limitations he found ways to be remarkably creative, and if he chose to step outside the lines a bit it was with purpose.