Stop Doing Music Theory

STOP DOING MUSIC THEORY • SOUNDS WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE GIVEN NAMES • NO REAL-WORLD USE found for SPECIES COUNTERPOINT • Want to analyze music? We had a tool for that, it’s called EARS • “That sound is an F SHARP. Those two tones are a TRITONE. These sounds are a HALF DIMINISHED SUBDOMINANT FIRST INVERSION” — statements dreamed up by the utterly Deranged LOOK at this REAL MUSIC THEORY that REAL MUSIC THEORISTS are THEORIZING, with all the pianos and staff paper we built for them (This is REAL MUSIC THEORY by REAL MUSIC THEORISTS) Exposition Introduction 1st theme(s) 2nd theme(s) closing theme(s) V (or III) transition or bridge Development any of all themes Recapitulation retransition 1st theme(s) 2nd theme(s) closing theme(s) Coda (optional) ?? ???? RIT “Go on the harpsichord and play a 4♭ for me please!” THEY HAVE PLAYED US FOR ABSOLUTE FOOLS!

The image humorously presents music theory as an absurd conspiracy, mocking the elaborate terminology, diagrams, Roman-numeral tables, and analysis used by theorists. It pretends that sounds should simply be heard with the ears, while treating concepts such as species counterpoint, tritones, inversions, sonata form, and a harpsichord instruction as evidence of derangement. The meme is sent as a reaction to overly complicated explanations or playful complaints about music theory. EN: The image humorously presents music theory as an absurd conspiracy, mocking the elaborate terminology, diagrams, Roman-numeral tables, and analysis used by theorists. It pretends that sounds should simply be heard with the ears, while treating concepts such as species counterpoint, tritones, inversions, sonata form, and a harpsichord instruction as evidence of derangement. The meme is sent as a reaction to overly complicated explanations or playful complaints about music theory.

• @pokupkabitka / 4207 2022-04-07