Where does music come from?
Music is supposed to be one of the greatest human mysteries, one of which says grow up and solve. Why does it exist? Why do we love it? You would think we had made some progress in figuring out these questions given the past two millennia of effort. If you're actually reading a book about 'music theory', you could leave with the impression that we really understand music. Musical theoretical books are full of mysterious mathematical corners and holes. But musical theoretical books are not by theory at all, not at least on 'theory' as a scientist knows.
Music Theory
Music theory is better described as accumulated musical knowledge, an inelegant stack of regularities for how music usually works, and rules for what seems to sound 'musical'. Such collections of musical knowledge are critical to our ultimate understanding of what music is and why it exists, but not because this knowledge is “theory”. Music theory is important because it concerns data. Lots of data. Millennia of Dates! Rhythm, beat, scales, chords, harmony, melody, timbre, dynamics, style and more.
