If you want a series of books that constitute "music theory for nerds" -- building up music theory from a solid foundation of acoustics, and math -- try "Musimathics" by Gareth Loy. It is a great read.
It takes very little for granted. Now, sometimes you have to say "this is just the way it turned out" to explain Western music, but the best way to do so is to show some other ways it could have turned out, and show their role in non-Western music. Musimathics does that often.
It takes very little for granted. Now, sometimes you have to say "this is just the way it turned out" to explain Western music, but the best way to do so is to show some other ways it could have turned out, and show their role in non-Western music. Musimathics does that often.