I have always found it intriguing that the 12 musical notes in Western music, also known as the chromatic scale, can be combined and arranged in various ways to create infinite melodies and chord progressions.
The notes can be played at different pitches, rhythms, and durations and can be used in different keys and modes. Different styles and genres of music may use the notes in unique ways, resulting in a wide variety of sounds and melodies. And we haven't yet touched upon techniques such as counterpoint, harmony, and dissonance to create more complexity and interest in music.
And yet, there are only 12 notes.
From Beethoven's 4-note opening of the 5th symphony (which only uses two different notes), to earworm melodies that we can't get out of our heads, those inventive combinations of tones, rhythms, and harmonies give us millions of different musical pieces to enjoy.
Music. The 12-note wonder.
