<give: music/art/knowledge> support the impactful work of :

<in place of war>

<backup tech>

<learn: music education> as a novice musician seeking guidance, i set out to answer the question: ‘what is music theory?’ i found a wonderful teacher in <guy michelmore>. his youtube site, <music theory in 16 minutes> invites you to “join composer guy michelmore as he explains the essentials of music theory in just 16 minutes! what is an octave? how do you make scales? what are intervals? what's the difference between major and minor? what is the circle of fifths?! all explained in less time that it takes to make and drink a fresh cup of tea.”

you will hear guy’s voice in the song <hole step> describing scales and patterns of intervals (“whole step, whole step, half step … whole step, whole step, whole step, half step”), from around the 4 minute mark of his instructional video.

michaelmore is also a former newscaster, the founder and ceo of <thinskspace education>, and accomplished composer of music for film and television (he was even nominated for an Emmy Award for his score to "the queen of trees" for the nature series on pbs!) on top of all of that, he’s a great teacher!

if you don’t have 16 minutes, here’s a much less enjoyable answer to the question, “what is music theory?”

music theory is the study of how music works. It acts as the grammar and syntax of a universal language, providing the tools and vocabulary needed to construct, analyze, and communicate musical ideas.The Core Building BlocksMusic theory categorizes sound into several foundational components:

<> pitch and notes: The basic frequencies of sound, named A through G, which repeat in cycles called octaves.

<> scales: Ordered sequences of notes (like major or minor scales) that establish the "key" or emotional backdrop of a piece.

<> melody: A linear succession of pitches that forms the memorable, distinct tune of a song.

<> chords and harmony: multiple notes played simultaneously to support the melody and provide emotional depth.

<> rhythm and meter: the heartbeat of music, determining when notes are played and how long they last.

<> notation: The visual symbols, such as staves and clefs, used to write down and read musical data.

<> form: The overarching blueprint or structural sections of a song, such as verse-chorus-bridge.

why musicians use it: rather than a rigid set of rules, music theory functions as a toolkit for creativity.