Why do you learn music theory?

Question

The truth is, though ai teach it, you don’t have to. It’s almost as useless as perfect pitch. And what I mean by that is it only makes you aware of what is presented in music by way of notation. It outlines what is being executed either visually, audibly or both. Other than that, it doesn’t do much else. You don’t have to know what a Minor 7 (b5) in order to play it. You just do. And to prove it, you have to realize at one point, there was no name for that chord. It wasn’t until someone had put a name to it that it was so. And with that, it’s just important to know that unless you want to continuously wrap yourself in the understanding of music you love, you don’t need to stress over it. It doesn’t make you less than. And your music or love of it is good enough.

But enough about me what do you think?!

Answer 1

I am going to have to disagree, albeit slightly, with some of the comments made by my colleagues. Music Theory is not learned via the written modality alone. Music Theory comprises a set of skills which far exceed the labeling of chords. Knowledge of music theory, as it is with any other subject, adds depth and even a sense of beauty to what we do as musicians. Not to mention that the types of intelligences (plural) developed while studying theory encompass mathematical intelligence, linguistic, even social when you make music with others.

Answer 2

The main reason we use music theory as musicians is for the simple deconstruction of context. It's very similar to English or Math. If you are given a text to read or an equation to solve and you don't know the proper procedures or the "context" of what you're doing then in reality what your doing putting pen to paper or numbers together that turn out to be irrational because there is a clear structure. The bases of music theory is to understand and deconstruct the structure. You are right that it can be useless in the sense of musicians who play by ear and like you said "just do it..." Although you have some bases to your argument that it can be seen as useless but if you're in a jazz scenario where most of the musician go off of charts and lead sheets then music theory is very important in understand the music composed and the music to be play within the context of style, tamber, and feel. So in the end of the day although it can be seen as useless, if you don't utilize it in any form you find yourself stuck as a musician and as a performer in certain circumstances.