When you learn how to play an instrument in a meaningful capacity, it allows you to have an entirely different relationship with music.
If you don’t play an instrument, you are not likely to understand musical theory. This isn’t necessarily a problem, nor is it my way of saying that people who don’t play an instrument are inferior to those who do. However, the absence of theory hinders a better relationship with music.
In other words….
Someone who doesn’t understand theory can never appreciate music as much as someone who does.
All of us are capable of passion, enthusiasm, and interest. These are not qualities that only experts possess. Yet, when you learn to play an instrument, you can focus your enthusiasm with a critical lens. All of a sudden, your favourite tunes feel more accessible. No longer is that song just something you can only sit back and admire. Now you can immerse yourself in it. You can recognize the chords, the key, time signature, the scales, the effects, the instruments, and sometimes even the exact models of those instruments. Now, you belong to the world of music.
These books still give me PTSD. I hated practicing the piano
By bringing yourself closer to the level of the artist, you appreciate what they are doing even more. Or, conversely, you realize how lousy a particular song is.
Music is one of the few things that gets more artistic as you get more scientific about it. I don’t think there are many other things like that. Usually, ignorance is bliss, but theory and creativity go hand in hand with music. Think of theory as the tools on your belt. The more of them you have, the more things you can do, and you can do them better. This is equally true for listening to music and creating it yourself.
What happens next?
You get hooked on exploring the world of music, and you go down all these rabbit holes. Suddenly, you are listening to things that you never would have otherwise. The best part of it is the open-mindedness that comes with knowledge.
One of the kindest things my mother did for me was sign me up for the piano. As a youngster, I hated it. My mom and I used to have arguments about me not practicing or lying about it. Before too long, I started to enjoy it and somehow went all the way in the Royal Conservatory program. I also learned the guitar, bass, trumpet, and drums. So, for me, a song has never been just a song. It’s the gateway to a whole world there for all of us to explore.
Griffin