WHIDDON: Music theory isn't as theoretical as you might think - Kenora Miner & News
kenoraminerandnews.com
Music theory looks like abstract nonsense on a page — but it's actually a cognitive map of how the human brain predicts, craves, and resolves sound.
Cognitive Schema TheoryEmbodied CognitionPattern RecognitionUniversal Grammar
Theory Briefing
- Music theory begins as cryptic dots and symbols, yet encodes the universal patterns our brains use to make sense of sound.
- Once decoded, music theory reveals why certain chord progressions feel tense or resolved — a direct window into auditory expectation theory.
- The article argues theory is less abstract rule-set and more a practical grammar, mirroring how linguists frame language acquisition as innate pattern recognition.