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Music Theory and White Supremacy

Adam Neely · commentary · Watch on YouTube

Music theory, synthesis & productionSocial issues & culture

What it is

Adam Neely examines Phil Ewell's paper arguing Western music theory is framed by a white racial perspective. He covers North Indian theory, alternative frameworks, Schenker and responses to the paper.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN recommends it as the canonical video on how music theory is really the theory of one Western tradition, with the raga example.

  • 11 people recommended it
  • 11 different months
  • 4 strong recommendations
  • first 2020, last 2024

What HN commenters said

  1. “please watch this excellent video”

    Argues music theory is rooted in white supremacist ideas of authentic music.

    tobr, 2020-09 · Strong recommendation · in “Is Spotify Killing the Top 40?”

  2. “Totally worth the time.”

    Good video on the narrow Western view of music despite its title.

    Kye, 2021-03 · Strong recommendation · in “Music Software and Bad Interface Design: Avid’s Sibelius (2018) [video]”

  3. “I recommend Adam Neely on YouTube”

    Clear, engaging, skeptical take on political criticisms of music theory.

    shirleyquirk, 2023-03 · Strong recommendation · in “Ask HN: Tools to Learn Music Theory?”

  4. “he argues quite convincingly that 'music theory' is not the theory behind music but theory behind the particular subset of Western music”

    Argues music theory is really theory of Western music only.

    Pyramus, 2021-02 · Recommendation · in “Basic Music Theory”

  5. “Adam Neely has a great video[0]”

    How theoretical frameworks shape understanding of music, imposing European harmony standards.

    peterkos, 2021-03 · Recommendation · in “Deriving Keys from Chords in Music”

  6. “It's worth a watch if you're interested in music.”

    Music theory in the West equals 18th century European harmonic style.

    DavidVoid, 2021-04 · Recommendation · in “Sisters with Transistors”

  7. “Western music theory was intentionally designed around white supremacist ideals”

    Western music theory was designed excluding non-European contributions.

    krapp, 2021-06 · Recommendation · in “Stop overstimulating your mind with digital entertainment”

  8. “there _are_ genuine issues with how music theory and history are taught today”

    Genuine issues with how music theory and history are taught.

    gbanfalvi, 2021-09 · Recommendation · in “Why I left academia”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: music theory, western music, indian raga, schenker, ethnomusicology

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