12tone: music theory made fun

A few days ago, I was talking about music theory with a friend of mine who is a great bass player. I have a lot to learn in that area but I’ve always been frustrated about how this topic is usually taught.

Anyways, that’s when my friend told me about the 12tone Youtube channel. The host is a great teacher and can explain basic concepts as well as complex harmonies so that anyone can understand.

And it’s fun too! Every video is another story where elephants (drawn by the host on a staff sheet) figure out why such an arrangement transmits such or such feeling when we listen to it.

The “Building Blocks” series is particularly great. Even if you know nothing about music, all the concepts even the simplest ones are defined so you miss a step (or a beat, if you prefer).

I also love the “Understanding Music” videos, explaining what makes a particular song so impossible to forget about. Songs such as Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd and Africa by Toto are analyzed. It feels great to put a name on musical concepts that make us love those songs without really being able to explain why. Well, thanks to 12tone, now you know why :)

Anyway, go check it out, it’s just great!