For me it’s time signatures in music. I grew up playing instruments, played in several orchestras, etc. But no matter how many times someone tries to explain time signatures to me, it makes no sense. I don’t understand why people place such importance on it. To me, notes have a pitch and a duration, maybe some dynamics. That’s it. I don’t understand why people try to needlessly complicate it. It doesn’t give you anything.
My wife will hear a song and go “Oh neat, it’s in 5/8.” And I’m like “How tf do you know that, and why does it matter?”
Music et al. I can recognise talent, I can recognise good music, bad music, and music I dislike.
But for the love of von Neumann, I can’t make heads or tails of musical theory, let alone translate it to an instrument. I even suck at Guitar Hero.
I can relate, I’m an avid listener to music. I’ve tried playing guitar and piano but I cannot manifest it somehow.
Music theory ditto. I usually love nerdy mathy content but somehow music theory finds no place to, well… resonate in my brain.
Mine is similar. I adore music but I can’t lock into a melody to save my life. Songs I love & have heard a hundred times before—I’ll try to hum or whistle along with them and I’m all over the place. It’s like I’m purposely trying to sound bad — but that’s actually the very best I can do.
Do you find music not amusing, or just can’t “sync up” with others’ peoples opinions of it?
No, it’s not that. Consuming music, having an opinion about it isn’t the issue.
It’s when it comes to MAKING it is when I throw in the towel.