music theory is witchcraft

Summary

This script delves into the symbolic representation of musical concepts through alchemy and geometry. It challenges the conventional understanding of music theory by illustrating how melodies and harmonies can be visualized as cyclical journeys. The script uses the circle of fifths, a fundamental music theory tool, to demonstrate how even foundational concepts can be flawed or 'magical' in nature. It encourages musicians to explore beyond traditional rules, emphasizing creativity and the joy of discovery in musical composition.

Takeaways

• 🌕 The moon's symbol in alchemy is a direct visual reference to the second most obvious cycle in the sky, which is unusual as cycles are typically represented by circles.
• 🎵 Music is described as a journey, often cyclical, involving establishing a home and then traveling away, which applies to both harmony and melody.
• 🎶 A melody that doesn't leave its starting point is considered just a tone, emphasizing the importance of movement in music.
• 🛤️ The concept of plotting a melody as a trip around a circle is introduced, with the idea that you can only go halfway into an octave before being drawn back towards the starting point.
• 🧂 The symbol for salt is used to illustrate a tritone, a dissonant interval in music, showing how shapes can represent musical concepts.
• 🔺 The shapes of triangles and squares are associated with augmented and diminished chords, respectively, indicating the liminal areas in the circle of notes.
• 🌀 The circle of fifths is a fundamental concept in music theory, but it's built on a slight inaccuracy, as the perfect fifth is off by a small percentage.
• 🔄 The circle of fifths is actually more of a spiral due to the slight discrepancy in the frequency ratio of the perfect fifth, leading to a Pythagorean comma.
• 🚫 The common misconception that music theory is a strict set of rules to follow is debunked, suggesting that it is more flexible and open to interpretation.
• 🧙‍♂️ Music is referred to as 'squishy witchcraft,' implying that it is more of an art form that allows for creativity and personal expression beyond strict theory.
• 💫 The speaker encourages the listener to have fun and experiment with music, suggesting that reinventing the wheel can be a part of the creative process.

Q & A

What symbol represents the moon in alchemy and why is it considered a direct visual reference?

The moon in alchemy is represented by a symbol where the ground intersects, which is a direct visual reference because it represents the second most obvious cycle in the sky, after the sun.

Why are circles commonly used to represent cycles?

Circles are commonly used to represent cycles because they are one of the most fundamental shapes that naturally depict a cycle, as they have no beginning or end and are continuous.

What is the relationship between music and movement according to the script?

According to the script, music is intrinsically about movement, with the journey often being cyclical. It involves establishing a home and then traveling away, typically returning to the home at some point.

How does the script describe the journey of a melody?

The script describes a melody's journey as a trip around a circle, where the destination note, such as C, is reached through various musical paths.

What is a tritone and how is it depicted in the script?

A tritone is a musical interval that spans three whole tones and is depicted in the script as a perfect bisection in the circle of notes, representing a dissonant pair.

How do the shapes of triangle, square, and isosceles relate to chords in the script's explanation?

In the script, the triangle represents an augmented chord, the square represents a diminished chord or two tritones, and the isosceles shape suggests movement forward, indicating the liminal areas of the musical circle.

What is the significance of the two triangles shape in the context of the script?

The two triangles shape, when rotated, represents the circle of fifths, which is a fundamental concept in music theory and analysis.

What is the 'circle of fifths' and why is it considered a cornerstone of music theory?

The circle of fifths is a concept in music theory that organizes notes in a circle, where each note is a fifth away from the last, creating a cycle that revisits all 12 notes. It is considered a cornerstone because it helps in understanding key signatures, modulation, and chord progressions.

Why does the script suggest that the circle of fifths is built on a lie?

The script suggests that the circle of fifths is built on a lie because the fifth used in music is slightly off from the perfect mathematical ratio of 3/2, causing the circle to actually be a spiral rather than a perfect circle.

What is a Pythagorean comma and how does it relate to the circle of fifths?

A Pythagorean comma is the difference between 12 perfect fifths and 7 octaves. It relates to the circle of fifths because the circle is off by approximately 24 cents due to the Pythagorean comma, indicating that the circle is not perfect but a spiral.

How does the script encourage the listener to approach music theory?

The script encourages listeners to view music theory not as a rigid set of rules but as a flexible guide, or 'squishy witchcraft', that can be creatively adapted and expanded upon to create unique musical experiences.