The Pillars of Global Music Theory
With this site I aim to investigate areas of music theory, music composition, musicology, ethnomusicology, and other topics that interest me. Sometimes this may simply be a place for me to jot down ideas and resources or I may put in some time to really dig into a topic. Perhaps others will find some use in this collection of articles.
Brandon
Latest Articles on Musical Topics
- The Sound of Belonging: What Ancient Music Teaches Us About Modern Well‑Being
I’ll admit it: I tried to write this article with ChatGPT. It felt hypocritical, and frankly, the result wasn’t very good. The AI writing read smoothly on the surface, but it lacked substance and became extremely repetitive. This is a good thing. AI’s downfall is an opportunity for me to write my own words on… Read more: The Sound of Belonging: What Ancient Music Teaches Us About Modern Well‑Being - Ears Tuned for Birds, Living in a World of Engines
In 2011, an estimated one million healthy life years were lost from traffic-related noise in the western part of Europe only. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/who-compendium-on-health-and-environment/who_compendium_noise_01042022.pdf?sfvrsn=bc371498_3 As evidenced by the statement above, the sonic environment is much more important for our health than most of us think! My interest in soundscapes comes from a triangulation of my pursuits as… Read more: Ears Tuned for Birds, Living in a World of Engines - From Noise to Nature: A Guide to Rewilding Our Sonic Lives
The term rewild classically refers to restoring ecosystems or letting nature take care of itself—reducing human management to restore biodiversity and ecosystem processes. In recent years, I’ve noticed the concept expanding into human life—diet, movement, sleep—with the essential argument being that we’ve become disconnected from our evolutionary environments, leading to stress and disconnection. Importantly, rewilding… Read more: From Noise to Nature: A Guide to Rewilding Our Sonic Lives - Why Music Means More Than Words
One night during college, I was in the mood to create. I lit some candles and incense and turned off the lights. I sat at my old Kimball piano and struck a single note—soft, lingering. I leaned into the body of the upright to hear the sound waves and harmonics. I was simply exploring sound.… Read more: Why Music Means More Than Words - Listening Is the Work: Why attention, not control, is the heart of real creativity.
Rick Rubin, the illustrious music producer, said something in an interview that’s been echoing in my head. He was talking with Rick Beato about drum sounds—what records have the best ones, which ones he loves. Rubin answered, “AC/DC.” Then he paused. He said that early in his career, he would try to recreate the sounds… Read more: Listening Is the Work: Why attention, not control, is the heart of real creativity. - No Solo, No Self: Music as an Expression of Buddhist Values
Buddhism has always had a complicated relationship with music. In early Buddhist texts, the Buddha warned that music could pull people away from mindfulness and clarity. It could stir emotions and cravings. But even with that warning, sound still plays a role in Buddhist practice. I’ll focus primarily on Theravada Buddhism since that is where… Read more: No Solo, No Self: Music as an Expression of Buddhist Values - Who Gets the Solo?
How Music Reflects—and Reinforces—Individualism At some point in history, the melody became the main character in Western music. Since then, we’ve rarely looked back. Walk into almost any concert in the Western world (or globally!)—whether a stadium show or a quiet coffee shop—and you’ll likely see the same thing: one person leads the music while… Read more: Who Gets the Solo? - When Music Loses Its Maker: AI, Intent, and the Efficiency Illusion
I. What Do I Really Think About AI and Music? What do I have to say?What do I feel? This is not a technical breakdown of AI tools or a hot take about copyright. This is about something deeper—something that starts in the gut, not the brain. Because when I think about AI creating music,… Read more: When Music Loses Its Maker: AI, Intent, and the Efficiency Illusion - Not Yet, Not Gone: Suspensions in Music and Life
A suspension is a point of potential that is followed by a result that causes redefinition of what led up to the suspension and resolution. For example a series of tonic chords don’t demand reinterpretation, but put a dominant leading to the dominant with a suspension and now those repeated tonic chords take on new… Read more: Not Yet, Not Gone: Suspensions in Music and Life - The Quiet End: Piano, Pianissimo, and Listening
There is a sound that exists at the edge of silence. It is not absence but presence, a fragile vibration that seems to hover just beyond reach. To hear it, you must lean in—not just with your ears but with your whole being, as though the act of listening itself could amplify its existence. This… Read more: The Quiet End: Piano, Pianissimo, and Listening