SgtThump":2xov3r4n said:
And I'm being totally serious when I ask this... But what exactly is the purpose of music theory? I always assumed it was to put the "right" sounding notes together to create different moods or whatever. I mean, I figured someone had to sit there however many hundreds/thousands of years ago and say that THESE specific notes sound "right" together, so this is a scale and it should be followed in this situation.
But yeah, like '63 Strat pointed out (I didn't take offense to it, seriously), I have NO music theory knowledge. I mean, sure I know where to play SAFELY on most situations, but that's it.
What is the purpose? Doesn't everything start with Human's analytical need to be able to break down thins to explain them?
Also, how do you pass on information? No different than language, why are there rules for grammar?
That said music theory isn't a set of never changing rules.
Take a tritone, you know b5...think Dokken

Or better, Jimi's Purple Haze
That interval, which happens to be the most important part of a dominant 7 chord, and basically Blues won't really exist without it...
Well, that used to be called the "devil's interval" and was forbidden to be used.
If you go by traditional theory the gazillion Rock tunes where the singer or lead guitar play a minor third over a major chord...that at one time woulda tweaked ears just as much as what Henry dos to a lot of folks.
Another one is...play a minor Blues...and see how many guys will play the b6 instead of the 6. As in f over an Am chord instead of f#. You can chase me out of a room with that f.