Music theory is hard for people who give up quickly, but easy for those who stick with it.
Plan to buy a book on music theory or take a course? But what if it’s hard? What happens if you can’t finish the class?
What do you think? What if you don’t try at all? Where will you be then?
Learning music theory can be challenging, but the hardest part is just getting started. Let go of all the “what if” questions and possible scenarios that might never come true.
Just move forward one step at a time. That’s the only thing you need to do. Here is some inspiration to help you get started.
Is Music Theory Hard?
Some parts of music theory can be hard to understand, while others are pretty easy. This depends on how much you know about music. If you’ve taken lessons, you may already know a few things about music theory. In this way, people who sing or play an instrument find it a little easier to learn.
Most people who want to learn about music theory can either sing or play an instrument. Their goal is to learn how to read, write, or play music better. When music theory is broken down into its smallest parts, it is much easier to understand.
The best way to start is to pick one part of music to work on first. Most of the time, pitch and rhythm are good places to start. Learn to read the notes on the staff. Then, pay attention to the note values and how they work together to make different rhythms.
Dynamics is easy to get the hang of. Next, practice this area to help you feel better about your developing skill sets. Listen to different kinds of music and notice when the volume changes.
Can you sing or hum a song? If that’s the case, you just found the tune. This is the part of a song that people remember the most.
Do you hear some chords? Learn how to put together chords and play them in a way that is supporting the melody line. We call this harmony.
The part of a piece of music that keeps coming back is called its “form.” Think about how a song is put together and how it’s organized. Does it have a beginning, a middle, or an end? A verse, a chorus, or a bridge? Learning how music is put together helps you write your own songs much faster. If you write songs, you might already be doing this.
The tonality of a song is a certain note that keeps coming up over and over again. This pitch can be heard at the beginning and end of a song, as well as in other places. A song’s key or tonal center helps keep it from sounding like chaos or noise.
How many chords are there or how few? Texture is how thick or thin a sound is. If there is only melody and no harmony, the texture is either very thin or not there at all. People say that music with heavy chords has a thick or rich texture. This makes it sound more interesting and different.
Timbre or tone color is what makes each instrument sound different. Every voice and instrument makes a unique sound. Some timbres sound brighter, fuller, or deeper than others. All of it depends on the instrument, the person playing it, and their voice. All of this makes things more interesting and memorable.
Some of these things are probably already familiar to you. You may have noticed this when listening or playing. That means you already have experience with music, which will help you learn music theory.
Is Music Theory Harder than Rocket Science?
Music theory is definitely not harder than rocket science. Some people like to use fancy words to make themselves feel better about themselves. This makes it seem like music is harder to learn than most other things. (Even Wikipedia makes it sound like it’s hard to learn.) This isn’t the case. It’s just words that can be made simpler.
People who like to intimidate or impress others by making themselves look smarter should find something else to do. Anyone of any age can learn how music works. Don’t let your imagination run away from you. It’s not as hard as you might think.
Is Music Theory Too Hard to Try?
Music theory is never too hard to try. Don’t let it intimidate you. Try it, and then try it again. To do well with it, you need to keep going and be determined. Never give up.
Related Reading on Music Theory
✅ Why is Music Theory So Hard?
✅ How Long Does it Take to Learn Music Theory?
