I struggle with music theory, but I really want to get into music. Do I have a good foundation?
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I’m interested in getting more seriously into music, possibly even studying something music-related, but I’ve always struggled with music theory and I’m not sure how much that should worry me.
I’m autistic, and I’ve noticed that I sometimes struggle with the way music is traditionally taught. I’m really bad at identifying notes/pitches when someone asks me to name them, and music theory has always been difficult for me to understand and remember.
When I was younger, I even had a choir teacher put me in the back because I struggled with hearing notes correctly, so I think that experience made me doubt myself musically.
But there are things I do notice and feel naturally when listening to music:
- I love singing and have always been drawn to music.
- If I know an artist well, I can often recognize their voice pretty quickly.
- When I hear a song, I can usually tell how it goes and remember the melody/rhythm, even if I couldn't tell you what the actual notes are.
- I can often tell when something sounds right or wrong to me, even if I don't know the musical terminology to explain why.
- I listen to a LOT of music and pay attention to different singers, vocal styles, production, languages, etc.
- I’m especially interested in the creative side of music — songwriting, artists, production, and the music industry.
- I genuinely want to learn. I’m considering getting a music theory tutor because I know I have gaps and I want to improve.
I also have performance anxiety, so singing in front of people is something I struggle with even though I really love singing.
So I guess my biggest question is: Can an autistic person who struggles with traditional music theory still become good at music?
I’m wondering if I might have some musical instincts that I just don't know how to put into theory yet. Maybe I simply need to learn it in a way that works for how my brain processes information.
I’d especially love to hear from autistic musicians or anyone who struggled with theory/ear training when they started but still went on to pursue music.
I really want to give myself a chance at this, but I’m scared that being bad at theory means I’m just not musically capable. 😭