12tone

12tone is a YouTube channel and online publication dedicated to music theory and analysis. It produces long-form video essays that explore how music works, focusing on harmony, melody, rhythm, form, and the relationship between composers’ choices and listeners’ experience. While the channel often analyzes popular and contemporary music, its examples span a wide range of genres, including classical repertoire, film scores, and video game soundtracks.

The channel emphasizes rigorous, example-driven explanations. Videos typically present clear arguments with musical demonstrations, score excerpts, diagrams, and step-by-step reasoning. Topics commonly covered include tonal function, voice leading, modulation, meter, texture, and form, with an emphasis on how theory relates to listening and interpretation rather than merely stating rules.

Format and audience: 12tone’s productions are known for thorough, well-structured analysis delivered in a accessible yet technically informed style. The host and collaborators aim to make advanced music-theory concepts understandable to a broad audience, including students, educators, and musicians, while preserving nuance and depth.

Impact and scope: 12tone has become a notable voice in online music education, contributing to discussions about analytic methods, interpretation, and the applicability of theory to real-world music. Its work encourages viewers to engage critically with music, re-examine familiar pieces, and develop a more contextual understanding of how composers craft musical meaning.