Learning by copying

If you are playing a musical instrument you will know what I am talking about. When a musician hears a melody, a sweet chord progression, they can figure out what is going on in their head without even touching an instrument. If you can do that, I envy you. I am an amateur, I cannot do it. I have to pick up the guitar or sit at a piano and figure out what is going on note by note, chord by chord.

There is a lot of theory going on behind good music which only trained musicians can appreciate. Same goes for design. There is a lot of theory behind that slick UI you admire.