this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2026
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Music: Theory and Practice

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This is a community to engage in musical theory and practice. What exactly does that mean?

To that end, this is simply a space for people of varying backgrounds and education to share music and their thoughts about music. Musical study via the history of music is also encouraged.

Rules:

  1. Standard GZD rules apply here

  2. No elitism tolerated. The value of music is ultimately determined by how socially necessary it is, i.e. how much people like it and interact with it.

  3. By the same token, no anti-intellectualism tolerated. Like anything in the world, music is something worthy of study that everyone can always learn more about.

  4. No Eurocentricism tolerated. Western (specifically German) music theory and practice being considered inherently superior to the music of other cultures is reactionary.

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Very informative (and funny!) video about West Asian (especially Iranian) music and what Orientalist music gets wrong from an actual Iranian musician.

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[–] chinawatcherwatcher@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

very interesting topic, i've always been kind of curious about this what with obvious orientalist films like aladdin and such. i'll put it on my watch later playlist, but if you had to sum it up in a sentence or two how would you?

[–] pyromaiden@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

So in essence Orientalism is a fusion of different styles and instruments from across North Africa, West Asia, South Asia, and even Southeast Asia that arose from the ignorance and indifference of Western composers and is maintained today largely by that same ignorance and indifference.

i see, so it overgeneralizes to the point of absurdity for anyone from any of those musical traditions, makes sense. thank you for the short summary!