MUSIC THEORY in 12 minutes for nOOBS

Summary

In this humorous and informative video, the presenter aims to teach the fundamentals of music theory in just 10 minutes. Covering the musical alphabet, scales, intervals, chords, and key signatures, the video simplifies complex concepts with a light-hearted approach. It introduces the major and minor scales, explains the significance of intervals, and demonstrates how to create chords. The presenter also highlights the importance of music notation and the circle of fifths, encouraging viewers to engage with music theory from multiple angles to strengthen their understanding.

Takeaways

• 🎼 The musical alphabet consists of notes from A to G, with sharps and flats in between, except between E and F and B and C.
• 🔄 Enharmonic equivalents are notes that sound the same but are written differently, like F# and Gb.
• 🎹 A musical scale is a series of notes that span an octave; the C major scale follows the pattern W-W-H-W-W-W-H.
• 📏 Intervals are the distances between notes, with major and minor thirds being key to defining chord tonality.
• 😃 Major chords are uplifting and are made by playing the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of a scale.
• 😞 Minor chords have a sadder sound and are created by flattening the 3rd of a major chord.
• 👻 Diminished chords, created by flattening the 5th of a minor chord, are often used in metal and classical music.
• 😱 Augmented chords, which have a raised 5th, produce a creepy sound and are used in horror music.
• 🎼 Key signatures indicate the notes in a key, and the circle of 5ths is a tool for understanding musical keys and their relationships.
• 👀 Reading music is beneficial for understanding and absorbing musical ideas, and is essential for studying orchestration.
• 📝 The staff has notes on lines (EGBDF) and spaces (FAC E), which can be remembered with acronyms like 'Evil Guys Bring Danger Fun' and 'FACE'.
• 📚 The script encourages learning music theory through writing, singing, saying, and playing to reinforce knowledge from different angles.

Q & A

What is the main goal of the video?

The main goal of the video is to teach the core concepts of music theory in a short span of 10 minutes.

What does the instructor suggest to do at the crossroads at midnight?

The instructor humorously suggests meeting at the crossroads at midnight and handing over one's soul to get access to hundreds of YouTube video lessons, topical playlists, scale bible, chord bible, and more.

What is the musical alphabet and how does it work?

The musical alphabet consists of the notes A through G, with no 'Zed' or 'W' notes. It includes sharps and flats between each note, except between E and F and B and C.

What is an enharmonic equivalent and how does it work?

An enharmonic equivalent is when two notes have the same pitch but are labeled differently, such as F# being the same as Gb. It's achieved by either raising a note by a half step or lowering it by a half step.

What is the formula for constructing a major scale?

The formula for constructing a major scale is W-W-H-W-W-W-H, where 'W' stands for a whole step and 'H' stands for a half step.

How is a minor scale different from a major scale in terms of its formula?

A minor scale is constructed using the formula W-H-W-W-H-W-W, which differs from the major scale in the placement of the half steps.

What are intervals in music and why are they important?

Intervals are the distance between two notes and are important because they define the tonality of chords and the overall mood of the music.

How does a major chord differ from a minor chord?

A major chord differs from a minor chord by the third note; a major chord has a major third while a minor chord has a minor third, which gives the minor chord a sadder sound.

What is a diminished chord and how is it created?

A diminished chord is created by flattening the fifth of a minor chord, resulting in a very dissonant and scary sound, often used in metal and classical music.

What is the purpose of the circle of fifths and how does it help in understanding keys?

The circle of fifths is a diagram that illustrates each of the 12 musical keys, showing the relationship between them and the sharps or flats in each key, making it easier to understand and navigate through different keys.

Why is reading music important for musicians according to the instructor?

Reading music is important for musicians because it makes it easier to absorb musical ideas and understand how composers like Igor Stravinsky or John Williams orchestrate their music.

What are the notes on the lines of the staff and how can they be remembered?

The notes on the lines of the staff are E, G, B, D, and F. They can be remembered using the acronym 'Evil Guys Bring Danger Fun'.

What are the notes on the spaces of the staff and how can they be remembered?

The notes on the spaces of the staff are F, A, C, and E, which can be remembered by the word 'FACE'.

What is the instructor's advice for reinforcing musical knowledge?

The instructor suggests writing, singing, saying, and playing the music as a way to confirm and strengthen one's musical knowledge from different angles.