The Importance of Music Theory

It's a known command that we are to praise God with our voices. To quote just a couple places: Psalm 9:11 "Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people." Isaiah 12:5 "Sing to the LORD, For He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth." Have you thought about the importance of improving the instrument God has given you in order to be more faithful in your worship of Him? How about your children - are you raising worshipers of the living God? Do they know how to sing and do it well? If their overall education is important, then music theory should be included in their core curriculum right along with reading, writing and math.

There's an order to music - staffs, clefs, notes, measures, time signatures, scales, chords and intervals, to name just a few specifics, are used to put music together. Our God is a god of order- look around you and see His orderliness. Those who have been made in His image mimic this orderliness in producing music. It's a science to figure out the placement of notes. It's an art to produce beautiful music that singers can sing.

Perhaps you have heard of do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do? That's a scale! Did you know that scales consist of whole and half notes? Do you know what intervals are? Did you know that sharps and flats in the key signature have a certain order? You might say, "I'm not interested in all that stuff. I just want to sing!" Yes, you can sing, but will it be your best? Learning to follow along on a music score is foundational to good singing. It takes time and work, but is well worth it.

For a starting point you could go to lesson one on the 8notes website below and commit to memory the terms. Go to the subsequent lessons and learn as you go. One excellent way to really learn is to be in a group such as a music class, group lessons, or join with other families and learn together. Quite a few of us took "Music Fundamentals for Worship" at Caedmon http://www.caedmoncollege.org/classes/ this second semester. Brad McMurray was patient and inspiring as we went through many of the things mentioned above and more. It was challenging, yet fun and motivating! Learn the grammar of music to improve your singing so "that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" with more gusto!

http://www.8notes.com/school/theory/staff_clefs_ledger_lines.asp