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Music is the art medium that communicates interiority, being only perceived by the ears, and received by the mind. A strict approach to understanding music will consequently always have something lacking as music theory, in essence, is primarily descriptive and not prescriptive. The tendencies and practices in music are only observed and cataloged upon analysis, after the fact. It is the hearts and minds of human beings that shape and weave melodies, harmonies, and rhythms together into meaningful tapestries, imbued with the interior landscapes of their immediate experiences.
Much of the theory in this book is based upon the European classical tradition, starting around the early 18th century. The content is designed to get you started in understanding the relationships of the tones and rhythms, and in unpacking the inherent properties of sound in the process, and then, perhaps, music in general.
For the purposes of this book all principles are presented assuming equal temperament, the prevalent tuning system for over 300 years. The word “tone” and “note” may sometimes be used interchangeably, but generally “tone” refers to the audible sound, and “note” refers to the written symbol. Other terms can be consulted in the glossary. The deeper mathematics behind temperament and the tuning of scales are covered in Harmonograph, by Anthony Ashton.
I hope this book will reveal how the underlying harmonic template of sound acts as an organisational framework from which the fabric of music is woven, influencing our perception of accord, discord, tension and release, telling a story, making a journey.
