> Knowing how to spell doesn't make you a writer. Of course. But knowing how to spell is the first step towards learning to write -- my four-year-old will tell

> Knowing how to spell doesn't make you a writer. Of course. But knowing how to spell is the first step towards learning to write -- my four-year-old will tell you all about it. :-) Music theory is more than just spelling. It's also grammar -- it puts together rules for harmony and rhythm, and allows you to analyze music and communicate ideas by giving names to patterns (such as scales, chords, cadences, functions, meters, etc.) It allows you to learn for yourself how to break these rules and deviate from these patterns. You can learn the theory without learning the notation, which is quite common among guitarists. You can also make music without knowing any theory at all, but it is always more helpful to know some theory. > I think the parent is trying to explain that there's a cultural bias and inscrutability with respect to how music theory is taught. Maybe, but the parent is also trivializing what is commonly referred to as "music theory" by calling it just "jargon" and "non-theory junk."