Music theory gives each pitch its own name by measuring how many times it vibrates in a second. In basic music theory, the furthest we can zoom in is down to the individual pitches we hear in music and in the world around us. To fully understand something, you usually need to zoom in as far as you can to check things out on the smallest scale possible before you can fully comprehend the bigger picture of how it works. If you don’t have access to one, I recommend printing out a picture of the keys on the keyboard to help serve as a visual of how to understand basic music theory concepts. If you have a piano or keyboard around, use it as a guide to help you understand music theory. If you can memorize a few simple music theory rules and ideas, you’ll be able to gain an incredibly powerful new perspective on the art form of music, and you’ll be able to apply what you learn to whatever role you play in music. Well, don’t despair! I’m here to tell you that mastering the ins and outs of basic music theory is actually not that hard. If you’re a musician who learns by way of listening to how a piece of music sounds and feels, the task of learning how to understand basic music theory concepts might feel daunting or downright impossible. Yes, there are exceptions, but most serious musicians in it for the long haul take the time and energy to learn basic music theory because it gives context and agency to their craft. Music theory is a device purely meant to explain and describe the rules that govern music and the way it operates. Before I learned about it in school, basic music theory just seemed like a bunch of meaningless and detached rules and ideas menacingly floating around in the ether. I have to confess something: Maybe it’s just nostalgia getting to me, but after a decade since graduating from college with a degree in music composition the words “music theory” still manage to inspire a considerable amount of anxiety in me sometimes.

Piano music keys chart