Music Theory
Music theory is a set of principles and rules that describe the structure, composition, and performance of music, including elements like harmony, melody, rhythm, and form. It provides a framework for understanding how music works, enabling analysis, creation, and communication among musicians. While often associated with classical and academic contexts, it applies broadly across genres from jazz to pop and electronic music.
Developers should learn music theory when working on audio software, digital audio workstations (DAWs), music generation algorithms, or game sound design to create more musically coherent and expressive outputs. It's essential for projects involving music notation, audio synthesis, or interactive music systems, as it helps in implementing features like chord progressions, scales, and rhythmic patterns programmatically.