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About
What is music theory?
Music theory is about learning how music works. That means learning how to write music clearly, notation for different instruments, notation for different genres, harmony etc.
Why study music theory?
- Learning to read music & how to write it down clearly
- Very helpful when making music with other people, particularly if you need to write music for different instruments
- Deeper understanding of music you are playing, leading to more enjoyment from your music
- Connect with other like minded musicians, much like learning a language
I'm more interested in just in playing, why should I bother learning to read music?
Learning to read and write music is not an "all or nothing" subject. A well presented piece of written music will tell you a huge amount of information other than just the notes to be played. So, even if sight reading a piece in real time seems like a far away goal at the moment, there is a lot you will be able to get from notation quite quickly once you get used to looking at the music whilst you play. Music notation started out as a guide to remembering tunes that had previously been learned. A little bit of study of theory will hugely expand the resources you have available to work on your playing, and will help you to understand more deeply what you're playing and enjoy it more.
Why do I have to write anything by hand when there's notation software?
Music notation software is widely available now and being able to use it well is a useful skill set. However, it is expensive and you (or your parents) may not want to invest in it yet. Musicians managed for hundreds of years writing music by hand, so it is entirely possible to get by without notation software. You will find there are a lot of situations in which people play and rehearse music where there isn't a handy computer and printer available. If something needs correcting in a rehearsal, you need to be able to write a part out quickly and neatly; you can't just pop home to print something out. Printers frequently run out of ink at the worst possible moment, and this is never a valid excuse for not having the right music with you.
How neat does it need to be?
Very neat and clear. If your handwriting is untidy, then musicians are much more likely to make mistakes when reading it. Getting good at writing music quickly and clearly by hand is a very important aspect of studying music notation, and the mark schemes of exams reflect this. If you don't pay attention to it you will lose marks when you come to do exams. If music is messily written, even a good sight reader will need to spend more time staring at the page while playing than they might do if it was neater, which means they can not look up at the conductor or other musicians as much. Also, the more attention a musician has to devote to deciphering your handwriting, the less they can devote to interpreting the music and expressing any emotion through it.