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[Video] Prescriptivism and Descriptivism in Music Theory (and why you should learn it)

HaVIC5

HaVIC5

Aug 22, 2003
1,567
199
Brooklyn, NYC
adamneely.com
#1
I made this video for my younger students who needed a kick in the right direction towards the importance and overarching reach of theory in practice.



Rather than your typical lecture on "SCALES ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE," I go into the descriptive model of music theory, and explain how frequency sweeps in builds in EDM are similar to dominant prolongation in Classical Sonata form. Also, why parallel 5ths can be totally awesome, despite what your AP Theory teacher told you.

Enjoy, guys! Thanks for watching, and let me know what you think, or what you'd like to hear more of.
 
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#3
Great video. I don't know a lot of music theory but I do know more than my bandmates. It really helped the other day when trying to get an unusual vocal melody working. It helped us figure out a chord change needed at the end of the chorus to work with a tension in the vocal melody. The singer was very happy with the outcome. Her intonation went from wonky to spot-on in that section. It's come in handy compositionally in other places too. Mostly just to get some fresh ideas. Of course in the end, the only thing that matters is if the applied theory serves the song.

(NOTE: It is very hard to get drummers to sit quietly while bass and guitar players discuss possible chord progressions. :) )
 
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#5
Excellent info. I think you talk a little fast, but I like what you have to say.
Graphics are very good, as well.
Interesting tidbit on the grammar Nazi comparison. Did you know Dan Blocker who played Hoss on Bonanza was a high school English teacher before becoming an actor?
 
#8
HaVIC5 said:
The "talk fast" thing is intentional, I don't actually talk that fast, obviously, but it's kicked up a notch by the quick edits. It's part of the whole "YouTube" style of vlogging with fast edits and cuts. Not everybody's cup of tea, I understand, but thanks for watching!
Click to expand...


Gotcha.

That said, the quick cuts were really funny. You did a great job with that, especially for people like myself who have the attention span of a gnat.
 
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#9
I'm loving these videos Adam. As for the talking fast thing, I used to purposely talk slow on Youtube videos and then realised I just didn't sound natural. You sound fine. I followed everything and the style is great. I actually 'laughed out loud' a couple of times which is probably the only time that's ever happened to me while watching a music instruction video. Especially one on music theory!
 
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#12
markjsmithbass said:
As for the talking fast thing, I used to purposely talk slow on Youtube videos and then realised I just didn't sound natural. You sound fine.
Click to expand...

When people are talking on youtube vids, I almost always play them at double speed. In addition to saving time, it makes people sound drunk when you have to put it back to normal.


Also, Adam, your video is awesome. It bugs when people shun knowledge, but I can deal with that. What REALLY irritates me and makes me angry is when they encourage other people to be just as ignorant! BAH!
 
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#14
I had a friend tell me that learning to read music would limit his creativity. This was before I had really learned anything about bass or music. I had to call him on it though. I told him that was like a poet refusing to learn to read so that his creativity wouldn't be limited. Nice video, I especially liked concept of prescriptive vs descriptive.
 

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