About Us
I began learning music theory and how to play the piano over 15 years ago. Like so many, I struggled. It took me a grueling three years to learn the fundamentals. I almost quit every other week.
I became highly motivated to figure out why learning music theory was so hard for most and why there was an unnecessarily high dropout rate. I felt that this issue is not only problematic for students but also has negative implications for music teachers and society as a whole.
So, 12 years ago, using my bachelor’s in education and the support of other musicians and teachers, I set off on a mission to create a better teaching methodology. My first five attempts failed, but four years ago, I had a breakthrough!
While working on a master’s degree in social theory, I was fortunate to be introduced to fractals; a tool used to study social systems as a way to predict and change behavior. The main thing to know about fractals is that the seemingly complex system is actually governed by one set of instructions. If you know the underlying set of instructions, then you can comprehend the whole. I began to wonder whether music was a fractal.
As it turns out, music is indeed a fractal. All music ever made, or ever will be made, is governed by one set of instructions, or what I call the one Unifying Concept.
All music theory, terms and topics, can be distilled down to this Unifying Concept: “Music is the Interplay of Consonance and Dissonance.” No matter what aspect of music we are discussing, it can be discussed in these terms.
Advantages of learning through this lens- (unifying concept):
- Distills music down to one unifying concept-demystifying music
- Provides a metaphor that anyone can relate to-providing an easy language to aid student comprehension-igniting a strong captivation with learning music
- Provides an organized overview of how every song, that has or ever will be, is composed- the blue print or architecture of music
- Illustrates not only how all music works but how everything is connected-providing narration and context
- Gives students a failsafe approach to any song. Even the most perceivably difficult symphonies can be viewed simply as layers of music elements; whereas each element has a range or sliding scale of consonance and dissonance for them to ‘interplay’ with- instilling a profound sense of confidence
- Denotes that music can be made with any number of elements. Students can start to express themselves instantly and throughout their entire learning experience -keeping them inspired and connected
- Illuminates the fact that all music theory, terms or topics are generally one of two things; either describing an element or a way to play the element-eliminating the intimidation associated with learning theoretical jargon
- Expedites the learning process by covering material that other methods might not cover for years- saving time, money and effort
Gives us a new practice paradigm:
- Students can learn one element at a time
- Experimenting and exploring each element-exhausting possibilities so they naturally desire their next lesson
- Simultaneously learning songs that exemplify the element they are learning
- Always knowing the theory of what they are practicing-a learning path that leads to music fluency
- Learn to read and write as needed or desired
This shift in practice will provide students with instant, continuous, gratification and joy-creating an upward and positive recursive loop.