Ray Harmony's Blog, page 12

Why MIDI Packs Suck

 

Why MIDI Packs Suck! 

 

You’ve probably seen those ads for MIDI packs, right? You know the ones, where they’re trying to sell you premade chord progressions and melodies. Well, you’re about to learn why you should never ever use a MIDI pack. But first…

 

[image error]

 

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory, the fast, easy and fun way to make music! If you’re new to theory, or if you just want a refresher, then read our free book "12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords". It’ll give you a super solid music theory foundation in just 30 minutes. You can download the book below. Enjoy!

 

Just a heads-up. If you’re a subscriber, then this tutorial isn’t actually for you, it’s for your friend. Yeah, that friend who’s always starting their songs by dragging and dropping premade MIDI into their DAW. So, please share this with that friend of yours, because friends don’t let friends use MIDI packs.

 

[image error]

 

Whatever desperation drives a producer to start using MIDI packs, the result is always the same: They end up skipping most of the writing process. And companies that sell MIDI packs try to convince producers that that’s a good thing. But, the reason we write music is because we love writing music!

 

If someone offers you a product that will help you stop doing something you love doing, would you buy it? Of course not! So, why are producers taking the bait? Because they’re not loving the writing process. Why? In a word: Frustration! But why are producers frustrated with the writing process? Because they don’t have the theory knowledge to express themselves eloquently through their music, and that’s extremely frustrating.

 

That problem is easily solvable, though, and that’s exactly why we started Hack Music Theory back in 2016. The way music theory is traditionally taught, overcomplicates it and makes learning it time-consuming and boring. That’s why when Ray started teaching music theory way back in 1995, I made a promise to music that I would teach her language in a way that was fast, easy and fun.

 

And speaking of fun. Writing music is fun! In fact, for us music makers, it’s by far the most fun part of the process. So, think of it like this. Writing a song is like a party. It’s fun! Now, from that perspective. If someone tried to sell you a product that would guarantee you missed the party, would you buy it? Of course not!

 

[image error]

 

So, the moral of the story is this: If you find yourself tempted by a MIDI pack, that’s merely a sign that you’re frustrated with the writing process. But don’t skip the party, just because you’re frustrated. It’s your party. Don’t ever let anyone trick you into missing your own party! Simply take some time to learn music theory and how to apply it creatively to your own songs, then you’ll totally fall in love with the writing process, and you’ll never again be tempted to skip the fun part.

 

So, how do you learn music theory in a way that’s fast, easy and fun? Well I’m glad you asked, because it so happens that we’ve written a music theory book for you, which you can download for free. Yep, no strings attached, it’s all yours for free. And, it’ll only take you 30 minutes to read, then you’ll have a super solid music theory foundation. You can download the book below. Thanks for being here with us, and we’re stoked to hang out with you again soon!

 

 

Free Book   

Wooohooo!!! You’re a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head on over to your inbox now for your free download.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

 

“The most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen!” DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer. DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK /* Layout */ .ck_form { /* divider image */ background: #EAE9EA url(data:image/gif;base64,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) repeat-y center top; font-family: 'Montserrat'; line-height: 1.5em; overflow: hidden; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; border-top: none; border-top-color: #666666; border-bottom: none; border-bottom-color: #3d3d3d; -webkit-box-shadow: none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px;}.ck_form, .ck_form * { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;}#ck_subscribe_form { clear: both;}/* Element Queries — uses JS */.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { width: 50%; float: left; padding: 5%;}.ck_form.ck_horizontal {}.ck_form_content { border-bottom: none;}.ck_form.ck_vertical { background: #fff;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content, .ck_vertical .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; overflow: hidden;}/* Trigger the vertical layout with media queries as well */@media all and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form { background: #fff; } .ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none; } .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; }}/* Content */.ck_form_content h3 { margin: 0px 0px 0px; font-size: 0px; padding: 0px;}.ck_form_content p { font-size: 14px;}.ck_image { float: left; margin-right: 5px;}/* Form fields */.ck_errorArea { display: none;}#ck_success_msg { padding: 10px 10px 0px; border: solid 1px #ddd; background: #eee;}.ck_label { font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;}.ck_form input[type="text"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="email"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus { outline: none; border-color: #aaa;}.ck_checkbox { padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; display: block; clear: both;}.ck_checkbox input.optIn { margin-left: -20px; margin-top: 0;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt { margin-left: 4px;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt p { display: inline;}.ck_form .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; color: #fff; margin: 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px 8px; font-size: 18px; background: #c83232; -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ cursor: pointer; border: none; text-shadow: none; }.ck_form .ck_guarantee { color: #626262; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; display: block;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by { display: block; color: #aaa;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by:hover { display: block; color: #444;}.ck_converted_content { display: none; padding: 5%; background: #fff;}/* v6 */.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg { padding: 0px 10px;}@media all and (max-width: 403px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 30px; }}@media all and (min-width: 404px) and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 57px; }}

 

 

Pro Drum Fills in 4 Steps

 

 

Pro Drum Fills in 4 Steps

 

In this lesson you’ll learn our 4-step method for making better drum fills. We invite you to work along with us through these steps, so by the end of this lesson, you’ll also have a super tasty drum fill.

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory, the fast, easy and fun way to make music! If you’re new to theory, or if you just want a refresher, then read our free book "12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords". It’ll give you a super solid music theory foundation in just 30 minutes. The free download is below. Enjoy!

 

INTRO

In another lesson, we covered the 3 Types of Drum Fills: variation, tension, and notification. And, we also showed you where (and how) to use them in your music. Now in this lesson, we’ll share our 4-step method for actually writing those drum fills. And yes, this method works for all three types of fills!

 

STEP 1. ENDING

The first thing you need to do is the last thing! It sounds counterintuitive, but drum fills take your listeners through a percussive journey that has a beginning and an ending. Once you’ve decided on these two points in your music, then you write a drum fill that connects them. It’s sad how many producers don’t think about these beginning and ending points, and merely start and stop their fills at the predictable places. But that won’t be you!

So, how do you choose where to end your fill, and why do you have to choose the ending first? Well, the place where you end your fill will have an accent as a result, so you want to make sure that it’s a point in your music that you intentionally want to emphasize. Most producers end all their fills on beat 1, and while that’s a super strong place for an ending, when every fill ends on beat 1, it’s also super boring!

Listen to your music, it will tell you where it wants you to end each fill. And remember, you can end your fills before beat 1 or after beat 1. A drum fill should only end on beat 1 if that’s exactly what your music wants at that specific point.

In our example, we’re transitioning from the chorus to the bridge, so we need a notification fill to alert the listener to this upcoming change. The bridge has a natural accent on beat 2, so that’s definitely the best place to end our fill.

 

STEP 2. BEGINNING

Right, now that you know where your fill is ending, you can work backwards and figure out how long it needs to be and where it should begin. The way you choose a beginning point for your fill is different to how you just chose the ending. In this step, the first and most important thing to decide is how long your fill needs to be. There will be numerous naturally-occurring accents in your music where you could start a fill from, so trying to decide that way will only confuse you. Instead, loop up a few bars on either side of where your fill is going to be, then listen. The music will tell you how long the fill needs to be, which in turn tells you where to begin it.

And keep in mind, the length that your drum fill needs to be depends on which type of fill it is: variation, tension, or notification. Check out the 3 Types of Drum Fills lesson to learn all about that. Our fill is a notification fill, so it needs to be long enough to prepare the listener for the upcoming change, but not too long, otherwise it will build too much intensity. This led us to the perfect place to begin our fill: beat 2+ (in the last bar of our chorus). So, that makes our fill just less than one bar long.

 

STEP 3. SKETCH

Okay, so you know where your fill is ending, and where it’s beginning. Now it’s time to connect the dots! In this step, the first and most important thing to decide is the energy contour of your fill. Once again, this depends on which one of the three types of fills it is. But generally speaking, with your drum fills you’ll either want to increase the energy level, decrease it, or keep it more-or-less the same.

As we’re using a notification fill and going into a section with a higher intensity level, we need to increase the energy with our fill. To decide what your drum fill should do, loop up the same bars as you did before, close your eyes, and listen deeply. The energy contour will paint itself in your mind.

Once you know what the energy needs to do, you can start sketching the fill. Tasty fills tend to have a variety of note values, so have fun experimenting with that. But, because a drum kit has so many drums and cymbals, it’s easy to get distracted by all the possible combinations. So to stay focused, we recommend sketching out your fill using only the snare drum.

 

STEP 4 SPREAD

Right, so now that you’ve sketched out your fill on the snare drum, it’s time to finish things up by spreading out your fill over the whole drum kit. Remember though, a hit on the snare drum is far more intense than a tom or a kick, so be very very careful in this step not to mess up your energy contour.

We used the whole kit in our fill: snare, kick, toms, and cymbals. But, we kept coming back to the snare in order to sustain that momentum. As you can see, towards the end of our fill in the first bar of the bridge, we played the snare on beat 1. Without this vital snare hit, our fill would lose momentum over the bar line. If you feel that your fill is lacking momentum, it probably needs more snare hits. If, on the other hand, you feel it’s too intense, then it probably needs fewer snare hits.

After you’ve finished this step, double check that your final drum fill is still delivering the energy contour that you designed in step 3. If it is, then you’re done!

 

NEXT

If you need help making original beats, then check out our Hack Drum Beats PDF. It contains everything you need to know in one PDF. And, it's currently half price, as our biggest sale of the year is on right now (ends 12 December 2021). Enjoy! Thanks so much for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, you are truly valued, and we’re excited to hang out with you again soon!

 

 

Free Book   

Wooohooo!!! You’re a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head on over to your inbox now for your free download.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

 

“The most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen!” DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer. DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK

/* Layout */ .ck_form { /* divider image */ background: #EAE9EA url(data:image/gif;base64,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) repeat-y center top; font-family: 'Montserrat'; line-height: 1.5em; overflow: hidden; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; border-top: none; border-top-color: #666666; border-bottom: none; border-bottom-color: #3d3d3d; -webkit-box-shadow: none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px;}.ck_form, .ck_form * { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;}#ck_subscribe_form { clear: both;}/* Element Queries — uses JS */.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { width: 50%; float: left; padding: 5%;}.ck_form.ck_horizontal {}.ck_form_content { border-bottom: none;}.ck_form.ck_vertical { background: #fff;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content, .ck_vertical .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; overflow: hidden;}/* Trigger the vertical layout with media queries as well */@media all and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form { background: #fff; } .ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none; } .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; }}/* Content */.ck_form_content h3 { margin: 0px 0px 0px; font-size: 0px; padding: 0px;}.ck_form_content p { font-size: 14px;}.ck_image { float: left; margin-right: 5px;}/* Form fields */.ck_errorArea { display: none;}#ck_success_msg { padding: 10px 10px 0px; border: solid 1px #ddd; background: #eee;}.ck_label { font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;}.ck_form input[type="text"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="email"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus { outline: none; border-color: #aaa;}.ck_checkbox { padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; display: block; clear: both;}.ck_checkbox input.optIn { margin-left: -20px; margin-top: 0;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt { margin-left: 4px;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt p { display: inline;}.ck_form .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; color: #fff; margin: 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px 8px; font-size: 18px; background: #c83232; -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ cursor: pointer; border: none; text-shadow: none; }.ck_form .ck_guarantee { color: #626262; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; display: block;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by { display: block; color: #aaa;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by:hover { display: block; color: #444;}.ck_converted_content { display: none; padding: 5%; background: #fff;}/* v6 */.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg { padding: 0px 10px;}@media all and (max-width: 403px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 30px; }}@media all and (min-width: 404px) and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 57px; }}

 

 

Podcast

Listen below, or on any podcast app.

3 Types of Drum Fills

 

 

3 Types of Drum Fills

 

In this lesson you’ll learn the three types of drum fills, where to use them, and how to make them. But first... Tea!

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory, the fast, easy and fun way to make music! If you’re new to theory, or if you just want a refresher, then read our free book "12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords". It’ll give you a super solid music theory foundation in just 30 minutes. The free download is below. Enjoy!

 

Intro

You know how in some movies there’s a narrator who guides the audience through the story? Well, drum fills act as a percussive narrator for our musical stories. For example, when a song is about to transition into a new section, a drum fill will narrate this upcoming change to the audience, thereby creating anticipation for it. All drum fills can be grouped into three types: variation, tension, and notification. Each type of fill has a different function. In other words, they each narrate something different to the listener. Alright, now let’s jump into each type of drum fill by exploring its unique function, and how to use it in your music.

 

Type 1. Variation

The function of a variation drum fill is to spice up a section. An example of where you’d use this type of fill in your music, is halfway through a 16-bar verse. Whenever you have a longer section without many changes, there’s a chance of losing your listener’s attention. A fill of this type will gently bring their attention back. You can simply add a few extra notes to your drum beat, that’ll do it. Go for subtlety, and avoid big fills (those will disrupt the flow of your section). We just threw in a few snares and toms, while keeping our kick and snare pattern the same.

 

Type 2. Tension

The function of a tension drum fill is to build up to something big. An example of where you’d use this type of fill in your music, is leading up to a bass drop (or a breakdown, in the metal genre). Whenever you want to build up the intensity to an energetic climax in your song, the best way to get there is with a fill of this type.

For that reason, it needs to be big and loud! And the longer the fill lasts, the more tension it builds. These fills are often on the snare drum, but you can use anything (or everything) in your kit. Tension fills typically start with 1/4 or 1/8 notes, and build into 1/16, 1/32, or even 1/64 notes, depending on the tempo. You can use whatever note values you want, though, as long as you keep building the tension.

We went with the standard approach, but made it more interesting by using toms, as well as a few 1/16 and 1/32 note triplets on the snare, at the very end of the fill.

 

Type 3. Notification

The function of a notification drum fill is to introduce something. An example of where you’d use this type of fill in your music, is transitioning from the verse to the chorus. Whenever you want to alert the listener of an upcoming change, use this type of fill. The size and speed of your fill depends on what it’s going into. If you’re transitioning into a higher energy section, then go bigger and faster. If you’re transitioning into a lower energy section, then decrease the overall intensity with a subtler and slower fill. And if you’re transitioning into a section with a similar energy level, then find the middle path between too much intensity and too little.

Also, notification fills aren’t only for transitions, you can use them anytime you want to introduce something new, like a new melody, or a new instrument. You can even use a notification fill to start a song, which is what we did in our example.

Lastly, drum fills are all about setting up an expectation in the listener. Remember though, your songs are your musical stories. You decide the plot. So, feel free to set up an expectation, but then take your listener somewhere totally unexpected. For example, use a tension fill to build towards a climax, then stop in total silence. Or, use a variation fill, but then suddenly change into a completely different section.

 

Next

If you found this lesson helpful, be sure to subscribe, as next time we’ll be giving you our step-by-step method for making drum fills. In the meantime though, if you need help making original drum beats, then check out our Hack Drum Beats PDF. It contains everything you need to know in one PDF. Thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, you are truly valued, and we’re excited to hang out with you again soon! Until then, we're sending you good vibes and gratitude :)

 

Free Book   

Wooohooo!!! You’re a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head on over to your inbox now for your free download.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

 

“The most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen!” DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer. DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK /* Layout */ .ck_form { /* divider image */ background: #EAE9EA url(data:image/gif;base64,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) repeat-y center top; font-family: 'Montserrat'; line-height: 1.5em; overflow: hidden; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; border-top: none; border-top-color: #666666; border-bottom: none; border-bottom-color: #3d3d3d; -webkit-box-shadow: none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px;}.ck_form, .ck_form * { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;}#ck_subscribe_form { clear: both;}/* Element Queries — uses JS */.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { width: 50%; float: left; padding: 5%;}.ck_form.ck_horizontal {}.ck_form_content { border-bottom: none;}.ck_form.ck_vertical { background: #fff;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content, .ck_vertical .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; overflow: hidden;}/* Trigger the vertical layout with media queries as well */@media all and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form { background: #fff; } .ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none; } .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; }}/* Content */.ck_form_content h3 { margin: 0px 0px 0px; font-size: 0px; padding: 0px;}.ck_form_content p { font-size: 14px;}.ck_image { float: left; margin-right: 5px;}/* Form fields */.ck_errorArea { display: none;}#ck_success_msg { padding: 10px 10px 0px; border: solid 1px #ddd; background: #eee;}.ck_label { font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;}.ck_form input[type="text"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="email"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus { outline: none; border-color: #aaa;}.ck_checkbox { padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; display: block; clear: both;}.ck_checkbox input.optIn { margin-left: -20px; margin-top: 0;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt { margin-left: 4px;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt p { display: inline;}.ck_form .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; color: #fff; margin: 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px 8px; font-size: 18px; background: #c83232; -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ cursor: pointer; border: none; text-shadow: none; }.ck_form .ck_guarantee { color: #626262; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; display: block;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by { display: block; color: #aaa;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by:hover { display: block; color: #444;}.ck_converted_content { display: none; padding: 5%; background: #fff;}/* v6 */.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg { padding: 0px 10px;}@media all and (max-width: 403px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 30px; }}@media all and (min-width: 404px) and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 57px; }}

 

 

Podcast

Listen below, or on any podcast app.

4-Step Hack for Dark Bass Lines

 

 

4-Step Hack for Dark Bass Lines

 

In this lesson you’ll learn a simple 4-step hack for writing dark and dissonant bass lines. We invite you to work along with us through the following steps, so by the end of this lesson, you’ll also have a finished bass line. But first... Tea!

 

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory, the fast, easy and fun way to make music! If you’re new to theory, or if you just want a refresher, then read our free book "12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords". It’ll give you a super solid music theory foundation in just 30 minutes. The free download is below. Enjoy!

 

Step 1. Setup

Start by setting up two bars of 4|4 on your bass track, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 80 BPM. After you’ve finished writing your bass line though, play it at a few different tempos and find the BPM that works best.

 

Step 2. Rhythm

Now it’s time to write a rhythm that’s gonna get those heads boppin! So, using only 1/16 notes (and lots of rests), draw in a rhythm that gets you moving. We’ll be using C as our root note, so for now, draw in all your notes on C.

Once you’ve got something down, loop up your two bars and put it on repeat. Does your rhythm get you pumped? If not, then keep playing around, cos writing a great rhythm is an essential step in writing a great bass line!

 

Step 3. Mode

Next, it’s time to choose a scale or mode that will reflect the mood you wanna convey through your bass line. We chose the Phrygian mode, as we felt like writing a heavy bass line that’s dark and dissonant. You can choose any mode though, it all depends on what vibe you wanna create. The steps in this lesson are still applicable.

C Phrygian: C, D♭*, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭

*Be sure to use the D♭ in your bass line, as that note is what gives Phrygian its dark sound!

 

And if you need help learning all the modes and their unique emotions, as well as how to use them, then check out the mode hacks in our Songwriting & Producing PDF / Course.

 

Step 4. Melody

Now that you’ve written your rhythm and you’ve chosen a mode, it’s finally time to get stuck into the melodic element of your bass line. So, have some fun and play around with moving the notes up/down on the MIDI grid. But, always double-check that every note you’ve moved off the root is in your chosen mode. 

And be sure to keep at least a few notes on C, as playing the root note is vital in anchoring your bass line into the mode - that’s the only way you’re gonna tap into its emotion! Also, try to create a contour for your bass line that spans an octave (or more), as a big range like that will help prevent your bass line from getting boring. 

Finally, when you’re happy with all the notes in your bass line, you can extend some of them, so they’re not all 1/16 notes anymore. And try to use a variety of note values, as that will make your bass line even more interesting!

 

And it's as easy as that! Now you've got a dark and dissonant bass line. A heartfelt thank-you for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, you are valued and appreciated. Hope you enjoyed this lesson, and we're excited to hang out with you again soon. Until then, we're sending you good vibes and gratitude :)

 

Free Download   

Wooohooo!!! You’re a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head on over to your inbox now for your free download.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

 

“The most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen!” DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer. DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK /* Layout */ .ck_form { /* divider image */ background: #EAE9EA url(data:image/gif;base64,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) repeat-y center top; font-family: 'Montserrat'; line-height: 1.5em; overflow: hidden; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; border-top: none; border-top-color: #666666; border-bottom: none; border-bottom-color: #3d3d3d; -webkit-box-shadow: none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px;}.ck_form, .ck_form * { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;}#ck_subscribe_form { clear: both;}/* Element Queries — uses JS */.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { width: 50%; float: left; padding: 5%;}.ck_form.ck_horizontal {}.ck_form_content { border-bottom: none;}.ck_form.ck_vertical { background: #fff;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content, .ck_vertical .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; overflow: hidden;}/* Trigger the vertical layout with media queries as well */@media all and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form { background: #fff; } .ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none; } .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; }}/* Content */.ck_form_content h3 { margin: 0px 0px 0px; font-size: 0px; padding: 0px;}.ck_form_content p { font-size: 14px;}.ck_image { float: left; margin-right: 5px;}/* Form fields */.ck_errorArea { display: none;}#ck_success_msg { padding: 10px 10px 0px; border: solid 1px #ddd; background: #eee;}.ck_label { font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;}.ck_form input[type="text"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="email"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus { outline: none; border-color: #aaa;}.ck_checkbox { padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; display: block; clear: both;}.ck_checkbox input.optIn { margin-left: -20px; margin-top: 0;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt { margin-left: 4px;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt p { display: inline;}.ck_form .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; color: #fff; margin: 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px 8px; font-size: 18px; background: #c83232; -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ cursor: pointer; border: none; text-shadow: none; }.ck_form .ck_guarantee { color: #626262; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; display: block;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by { display: block; color: #aaa;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by:hover { display: block; color: #444;}.ck_converted_content { display: none; padding: 5%; background: #fff;}/* v6 */.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg { padding: 0px 10px;}@media all and (max-width: 403px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 30px; }}@media all and (min-width: 404px) and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 57px; }}

 

 

Podcast

Listen below, or on any podcast app.

#1 Melody Hack

 

 

#1 Melody Hack

 

Learn how to make better melodies with this game-changing hack!

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory, the fast, easy and fun way to make music! If you’re new to theory, or if you just want a refresher, then read our free book "12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords". It’ll give you a super solid music theory foundation in just 30 minutes. The free download is below. Enjoy!

 

The Hack

First, to clarify. A fault is not a mistake! Music is an art, so if you’re making music from your heart, then there cannot be any mistakes. But, when songwriters and producers don’t understand theory, which is the grammar of music, they’re not able to fully express themselves. Just like if someone was trying to write a poem in a language they didn’t speak. The resulting work of art will undoubtedly have weaknesses. And a fault is defined as a weakness. So, how do you know if your melody has faults?

 

The Test

Easy, you use our Melody Test, which is simply to play your melody on the piano. Yes, it really is that simple. Because, by stripping away all the fancy sound design, you’re left with just the bare notes. This exposes any and all faults in your melody. Then after fixing them, you change the instrument back to your fancy sound, and now you have a melody that doesn’t just sound good, it actually is good!

Alright, so let’s run our example through the Melody Test and see what faults are exposed. And please note, it’s absolutely essential that you hear the melody in its harmonic context, so always play the root note of each chord in your progression below your melody. Our example is in the key of A minor, which is all the white notes from A to A, and the chords in our progression are: Am, Cmaj, Gmaj, Fmaj.

As you can tell, stripping away the fancy sound design removes all distractions and forces our ears to focus exclusively on the notes. We can now hear that our melody has a lot of good qualities already, like its contour, motifs, and rhythm. And by the way, rhythm is usually the most overlooked element of a melody, so be sure to pay extra attention to that. And if you need help, just use our Melody Rhythm Rule.

 

The Fix

Okay that’s enough about the good qualities of our melody, let’s get to the fault. By using the Melody Test, we can now clearly hear (and feel) our melody’s fault. What is it? Our melody is lacking emotion!

So, how do you add emotion to a melody? Easy, you use the 3rd note of each chord. You see, the 3rd note is the magic note that actually creates the happy sound in a major chord and the sad sound in a minor chord, so by playing 3rds in your melody, you strengthen it by emphasizing that emotional power!

For example, in our first chord, Am, the 3rd note is C, which we’re not playing. So, by simply moving the D (4) down to C (♭3), we emphasize the sadness of that underlying minor chord. Next, we added 3rds into our melody over the Cmaj and Gmaj chords as well, which emphasizes the uplifting nature of those major chords.

In this melody, we felt that it would be “too much of a good thing” to emphasize the happiness of three major chords in a row, so we didn’t use the 3rd (A) in our melody over Fmaj. This neutral approach of not using the 3rd in our melody slightly dilutes the uplifting nature of that underlying major chord.

 

The Rule

And that is a really important lesson. So important, in fact, that it’s part of our crucial 3rds Melody Rule, which is: In your melodies, use a 3rd to emphasize a major chord’s happiness or a minor chord’s sadness, and avoid using a 3rd when you want to dilute the underlying chord’s emotion.

It goes without saying that every note has an emotion, not just the 3rd. But, not all notes have the same level of emotional power, and the note that pulls at our heartstrings the most, is the 3rd. Remember though, a good melody must have a wide variety of notes, because a melody consisting of only 3rds may be strong in terms of its emotional power, but it will be utterly mind-numbingly boring!

Just a heads up, we don’t have time here to get into why the 3rd is a magical note that brings the emotional strength, but if you’d like to know why, the answer is in Hack 9 of our free book.

Lastly, this test is super useful for all the other layers of your music too, which is why we also refer to it as the Piano Test. For example, if you want to know if your bass line has any faults, simply change the sound on your bass track to a piano, then solo it up and hit play. Once again, by stripping away the fancy sound design, you’re left with only the bare notes, which exposes any and all faults in your bass line. Then after you’ve fixed those faults, just change the sound back, and now you have a bass line that doesn’t just sound good, it actually is good! 

There’s obviously many different factors that cause faults in music, so if you want to avoid them all, then use our essential music making hacks, which are available in our Songwriting & Producing PDF / Online Course (if you prefer watching videos to reading PDFs).

Thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you, and we'll see you next time. Until then, we're sending you good vibes and gratitude :)

 

Free Download   

Wooohooo!!! You’re a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head on over to your inbox now for your free download.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

 

“The most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen!” DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer. DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK /* Layout */ .ck_form { /* divider image */ background: #EAE9EA url(data:image/gif;base64,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) repeat-y center top; font-family: 'Montserrat'; line-height: 1.5em; overflow: hidden; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; border-top: none; border-top-color: #666666; border-bottom: none; border-bottom-color: #3d3d3d; -webkit-box-shadow: none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px;}.ck_form, .ck_form * { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;}#ck_subscribe_form { clear: both;}/* Element Queries — uses JS */.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { width: 50%; float: left; padding: 5%;}.ck_form.ck_horizontal {}.ck_form_content { border-bottom: none;}.ck_form.ck_vertical { background: #fff;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content, .ck_vertical .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; overflow: hidden;}/* Trigger the vertical layout with media queries as well */@media all and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form { background: #fff; } .ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none; } .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; }}/* Content */.ck_form_content h3 { margin: 0px 0px 0px; font-size: 0px; padding: 0px;}.ck_form_content p { font-size: 14px;}.ck_image { float: left; margin-right: 5px;}/* Form fields */.ck_errorArea { display: none;}#ck_success_msg { padding: 10px 10px 0px; border: solid 1px #ddd; background: #eee;}.ck_label { font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;}.ck_form input[type="text"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="email"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus { outline: none; border-color: #aaa;}.ck_checkbox { padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; display: block; clear: both;}.ck_checkbox input.optIn { margin-left: -20px; margin-top: 0;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt { margin-left: 4px;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt p { display: inline;}.ck_form .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; color: #fff; margin: 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px 8px; font-size: 18px; background: #c83232; -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ cursor: pointer; border: none; text-shadow: none; }.ck_form .ck_guarantee { color: #626262; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; display: block;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by { display: block; color: #aaa;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by:hover { display: block; color: #444;}.ck_converted_content { display: none; padding: 5%; background: #fff;}/* v6 */.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg { padding: 0px 10px;}@media all and (max-width: 403px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 30px; }}@media all and (min-width: 404px) and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 57px; }}

 

 

Podcast

Listen below, or on any podcast app.

Counter Melody Rule

 

 

Counter Melody Rule

 

Learn how to avoid this common fault many songwriters & producers make in their backing melodies!

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory, the fast, easy and fun way to make music! If you’re new to theory, or if you just want a refresher, then read our free book "12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords". It’ll give you a super solid music theory foundation in just 30 minutes. The free download is below. Enjoy!

 

The Fault

To clarify. A fault is not a mistake! Music is an art, so if you’re making music from your heart, then there cannot be any mistakes. But, when songwriters and producers don’t understand theory, which is the grammar of music, they’re not able to fully express themselves. Just like if someone was trying to write a poem in a language they didn’t speak. The resulting work of art will undoubtedly have weaknesses. And a fault is defined as a weakness. So, what’s the fault in this backing melody?

Well, in order to answer that question, we first need to ask another question: What’s the purpose of a backing melody? You see, once we understand what a backing melody is supposed to be adding to the music, we’ll understand why this backing melody is weak. In other words, why it is not fulfilling its purpose.

So, backing melodies are most often used in hooks and choruses, when producers want to add depth to the music, which also thickens the sound. The idea is that this addition will make the section stand out. But, in order for a backing melody to add depth, it needs to be perceived by our ears as a new musical layer. Otherwise, it’ll merely be the lead melody’s shadow, which our ears will ignore. In the same way that when we’re walking down the street, our eyes ignore people’s shadows.

And that brings us to our backing melody’s fault: It’s shadowing our lead melody, which is just a polite way of saying that it’s copying our lead melody. And nobody likes a copycat, especially lead melodies! The result of our backing melody being nothing more than a shadow, is that it does not fulfill its purpose: to add depth.

 

The Fix

Right, so now you’re probably thinking: How can I write backing melodies that will be perceived as new musical layers, so they actually add depth? Easy! You write your backing melodies using counterpoint. What’s counterpoint? Well, counterpoint is the technique of adding musical layers by writing melodies with countering contours.

For example, if we take the first bar of our section, and instead of having our backing melody copy the contour of our lead melody, we change our backing melody so it counters the contour of our lead melody. Now, there’s numerous ways to counter a melody, but the best way is to literally go in the opposite direction. We do that here when our lead melody goes from B down to G, while our backing melody goes in the opposite direction, from A up to B. And we do it again when our lead goes from G up to A, while our backing goes from C down to B. And by the way, our example is in the key of A minor, which is all the white notes from A to A, and the tempo is 95 BPM.

When a lead melody and backing melody move in opposite directions, that’s called contrary motion, and it’s just one of the ways to write counterpoint. If you wanna learn all the ways and how to use them to write countering melodies, then check out the counterpoint hack in our Songwriting & Producing PDF, which also includes all our other essential music making hacks, as well as MIDI examples.

Finally, to add even more musical depth, play around with countering your lead melody’s rhythm, too. You’ll notice in our example, there’s a few times where our backing melody plays a different rhythm to our lead melody. The most obvious example of this is in the beginning of our second bar (see MIDI below), where the lead melody plays one long note, and the backing melody counters that with four short notes. And remember, you don’t have to always have both melodies playing at the same time. You’ll hear in our final example that there’s a couple of places where our backing melody has a rest, in order to give our lead melody some space.

 

Lastly, we love the life lesson that counterpoint teaches us. One melody can be completely and utterly opposite to another melody, yet they coexist in beautiful harmony. And not only do they coexist peacefully, but the music would be weaker without both melodies. In these extremely polarized times we’re living in, we find this lesson so helpful when encountering people with drastically different views to ours. They counter us to create communal counterpoint, and together our different ways make society stronger. The only caveat to this, though, is that both melodies need to be in key, otherwise they’ll create dissonance against the underlying harmony. So as long as both people’s ways are in key, in other words, they’re not creating dissonance against nature’s harmony (like racism does, and sexism does, and so on), then the world is a better place thanks to that societal counterpoint.

 

The Rule

Right, to conclude. Our Counter Melody Rule is that your backing melody should add depth to your music, by countering the contour of your lead melody. And the way you do that, is by using the magic technique known as counterpoint. Thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you, and we'll see you next time. Until then, we're sending you good vibes and gratitude :)

 

Free Download   

Wooohooo!!! You’re a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head on over to your inbox now for your free download.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

 

“The most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen!” DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer. DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK /* Layout */ .ck_form { /* divider image */ background: #EAE9EA url(data:image/gif;base64,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) repeat-y center top; font-family: 'Montserrat'; line-height: 1.5em; overflow: hidden; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; border-top: none; border-top-color: #666666; border-bottom: none; border-bottom-color: #3d3d3d; -webkit-box-shadow: none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px;}.ck_form, .ck_form * { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;}#ck_subscribe_form { clear: both;}/* Element Queries — uses JS */.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { width: 50%; float: left; padding: 5%;}.ck_form.ck_horizontal {}.ck_form_content { border-bottom: none;}.ck_form.ck_vertical { background: #fff;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content, .ck_vertical .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; overflow: hidden;}/* Trigger the vertical layout with media queries as well */@media all and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form { background: #fff; } .ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none; } .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; }}/* Content */.ck_form_content h3 { margin: 0px 0px 0px; font-size: 0px; padding: 0px;}.ck_form_content p { font-size: 14px;}.ck_image { float: left; margin-right: 5px;}/* Form fields */.ck_errorArea { display: none;}#ck_success_msg { padding: 10px 10px 0px; border: solid 1px #ddd; background: #eee;}.ck_label { font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;}.ck_form input[type="text"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="email"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus { outline: none; border-color: #aaa;}.ck_checkbox { padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; display: block; clear: both;}.ck_checkbox input.optIn { margin-left: -20px; margin-top: 0;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt { margin-left: 4px;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt p { display: inline;}.ck_form .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; color: #fff; margin: 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px 8px; font-size: 18px; background: #c83232; -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ cursor: pointer; border: none; text-shadow: none; }.ck_form .ck_guarantee { color: #626262; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; display: block;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by { display: block; color: #aaa;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by:hover { display: block; color: #444;}.ck_converted_content { display: none; padding: 5%; background: #fff;}/* v6 */.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg { padding: 0px 10px;}@media all and (max-width: 403px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 30px; }}@media all and (min-width: 404px) and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 57px; }}

 

 

Podcast

Listen below, or on any podcast app.

Melody Rhythm Rule

 

 

Melody Rhythm Rule

 

Learn how to avoid this rhythmic fault that many songwriters and producers make in their melodies. But first... Tea!

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory, the fast, easy and fun way to make music! If you’re new to theory, or if you just want a refresher, then read our free book "12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords". It’ll give you a super solid music theory foundation in just 30 minutes. The free download is below. Enjoy!

 

The Fault

Firstly, just to clarify. A fault is not a mistake! Music is an art, so if you’re making music from your heart, then there cannot be any mistakes. But, when songwriters and producers don’t understand theory, which is the grammar of music, they’re not able to fully express themselves. Just like if someone was trying to write a poem in a language they didn’t speak. The resulting work of art will undoubtedly have weaknesses. And a fault is defined as a weakness. So, what’s the fault in this melody?

Well, it sounds completely lifeless, right? It’s totally lacking in vital energy. What’s causing that? Rhythm! Or rather, a lack thereof. Unfortunately for rhythm, it’s usually the overlooked element in a melody. Indeed, songwriters and producers often seem to forget that melody actually contains two elements: pitch and rhythm. To hear this in action, just listen to the New Music Friday playlist on Spotify every week. It’s clear that the rhythms of most melodies are an afterthought, at best.

I’ve worked with countless songwriters and producers who’ve ended up at the horribly frustrating point of wanting to delete a melody, cos they just can’t get it sounding right. Up until that point though, they’d spent all their time trying to fix the pitches, but they’d not once considered that maybe it’s the rhythm that needs fixing. So, after bringing their attention to the forgotten element of rhythm, a few small tweaks later, and they’ve fallen in love with the exact same melody they were about to delete. So next time you’re frustrated and tempted to delete a melody, try experimenting with its rhythm instead, and see if you can save it!

 

The Fix

Now you’re probably wondering what exactly makes a good rhythm. Well first, it’s important to remember that a rhythm is a pattern in time. And just like with all other patterns, our human brains get bored if there’s too much repetition, and they get overwhelmed if there’s too much variety. Therefore, good rhythms (like all good patterns), enjoy a pleasing yet interesting balance of repetition and variety.

Most melodies these days do not have any problem with repetition, it’s the lack of variety that causes their weakness. Variety in a melody is created by using many different note values, and most importantly, syncopation. Syncopation is when you accent an off-beat, and it puts a real spring in your melody’s step, bringing it to life.

For example, in the first three beats of our rhythm, we moved two on-beat notes to off-beats. The difference that this small tweak makes to our melody is truly unbelievable! You can hear it’s already being revived, and we’re only in the first bar.

And by the way, our example is in the key of A minor, which is all the white notes from A to A, and the tempo is 95 BPM.

Now, you’re probably wondering how to tell if your melody’s rhythm is boring. Easy, you give it the one-note test. You see, removing the pitch element of your melody will expose its rhythm. In other words, if your melody is captivating when played on one pitch, then it has a good rhythm. If it sounds boring on one pitch, then you need to work on its rhythm.

 

The Rule

So to conclude. Our Melody Rhythm Rule is that your melody should still sound good when played on only one pitch. And the best way to do that is to ensure that your melody’s rhythm balances repetition and variety, and includes some syncopation.

Lastly, if you need more help writing melodies, then simply use our "Melody Checklist", which tells you exactly what to do and what not to do in your melodies. The "Melody Checklist" can be found in our Songwriting & Producing PDF. Thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you, and we'll see you next time. Until then, we're sending you good vibes and gratitude :)

 

 

Free Download   

Wooohooo!!! You’re a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head on over to your inbox now for your free download.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

 

“The most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen!” DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer. DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK /* Layout */ .ck_form { /* divider image */ background: #EAE9EA url(data:image/gif;base64,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) repeat-y center top; font-family: 'Montserrat'; line-height: 1.5em; overflow: hidden; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; border-top: none; border-top-color: #666666; border-bottom: none; border-bottom-color: #3d3d3d; -webkit-box-shadow: none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px;}.ck_form, .ck_form * { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;}#ck_subscribe_form { clear: both;}/* Element Queries — uses JS */.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { width: 50%; float: left; padding: 5%;}.ck_form.ck_horizontal {}.ck_form_content { border-bottom: none;}.ck_form.ck_vertical { background: #fff;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content, .ck_vertical .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; overflow: hidden;}/* Trigger the vertical layout with media queries as well */@media all and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form { background: #fff; } .ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none; } .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; }}/* Content */.ck_form_content h3 { margin: 0px 0px 0px; font-size: 0px; padding: 0px;}.ck_form_content p { font-size: 14px;}.ck_image { float: left; margin-right: 5px;}/* Form fields */.ck_errorArea { display: none;}#ck_success_msg { padding: 10px 10px 0px; border: solid 1px #ddd; background: #eee;}.ck_label { font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;}.ck_form input[type="text"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="email"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus { outline: none; border-color: #aaa;}.ck_checkbox { padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; display: block; clear: both;}.ck_checkbox input.optIn { margin-left: -20px; margin-top: 0;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt { margin-left: 4px;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt p { display: inline;}.ck_form .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; color: #fff; margin: 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px 8px; font-size: 18px; background: #c83232; -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ cursor: pointer; border: none; text-shadow: none; }.ck_form .ck_guarantee { color: #626262; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; display: block;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by { display: block; color: #aaa;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by:hover { display: block; color: #444;}.ck_converted_content { display: none; padding: 5%; background: #fff;}/* v6 */.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg { padding: 0px 10px;}@media all and (max-width: 403px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 30px; }}@media all and (min-width: 404px) and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 57px; }}

 

 

 

Want More?

Sign up for our newsletter, and get tutorials like this delivered to your inbox.

Wooohooo!!! You're now one small step away from joining the Hack Music Theory revolution. Just head on over to your inbox, open the email we've sent you, click the link to confirm, and you're in!

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Email Address SUBSCRIBE/* Layout */ .ck_form.ck_naked { /* divider image */ background: transparent; line-height: 1.5em; overflow: hidden; color: #666; font-size: 16px; border: none; -webkit-box-shadow: none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px; text-align: center;}.ck_form.ck_naked p { padding: 0px;}.ck_form, .ck_form * { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;}.ck_form.ck_naked .ck_form_fields { width: 100%; float: left; padding: 3%;}/* Form fields */.ck_errorArea { display: none; /* temporary */}#ck_success_msg { padding: 10px 10px 0px; border: solid 1px #ddd; background: #eee;}.ck_form.ck_naked input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked input[type="email"] { font-size: 16px; font-family: Montserrat; text-align: center; padding: 10px 8px; width: 34%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 0px; -webkit-border-radius: 0px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ margin-bottom: 5px; height: auto; float: left; margin: 0px; margin-right: 1%; height: 42px;}.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus { outline: none; border-color: #aaa;}.ck_form.ck_naked .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; color: #fff; margin: 0px; padding: 9px 0px; font-size: 16px; background: #c83232; -moz-border-radius: 0px; -webkit-border-radius: 0px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ cursor: pointer; border: none; text-shadow: none; width: 30%; float: left; height: 42px; }.ck_converted_content { display: none; padding: 5%; background: #fff;}/* max width 500 */ .ck_form.ck_naked.width500 .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; float: none; margin-top: 5px; } .ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="email"] { width: 49%; } .ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="email"] { margin-right: 0px; width: 50%; }/* max width 400 */ .ck_form.ck_naked.width400 .ck_subscribe_button, .ck_form.ck_naked.width400 input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked.width400 input[type="email"] { width: 100%; float: none; margin-top: 5px; }.ck_slide_up, .ck_modal, .ck_slide_up .ck_naked, .ck_modal .ck_naked { min-width: 400px;}.page .ck_form.ck_naked { margin: 50px auto; max-width: 700px;}/* v6 */.ck_slide_up.ck_form_v6, .ck_modal.ck_form_v6, .ck_slide_up.ck_form_v6 .ck_naked, .ck_modal.ck_form_v6 .ck_naked { min-width: 0 !important;}.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg { padding: 0px 10px;}@media all and (max-width: 403px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_naked { padding-top: 0px; }}@media all and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_naked + .ck_close_link { color: #fff; top: 10px; }}.ck_form_v6.ck_slide_up .ck_naked + .ck_close_link { right: 10px; top: -5px;}@media all and (min-width: 600px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_slide_up .ck_naked + .ck_close_link { right: 35px; }}

 

 

 

Podcast

Listen below, or on any podcast app.

Stepwise Melody Rule

 

 

Stepwise Melody Rule

 

Learn how to avoid this common fault many songwriters and producers make in their melodies. But first... Tea!

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory, the fast, easy and fun way to make music! If you’re new to theory, or if you just want a refresher, then read our free book "12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords". It’ll give you a super solid music theory foundation in just 30 minutes. Enjoy!

 

   

Wooohooo!!! You’re a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head on over to your inbox now for your free download.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

 

“The most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen!” DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer. DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK /* Layout */ .ck_form { /* divider image */ background: #EAE9EA url(data:image/gif;base64,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) repeat-y center top; font-family: 'Montserrat'; line-height: 1.5em; overflow: hidden; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; border-top: none; border-top-color: #666666; border-bottom: none; border-bottom-color: #3d3d3d; -webkit-box-shadow: none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px;}.ck_form, .ck_form * { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;}#ck_subscribe_form { clear: both;}/* Element Queries — uses JS */.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { width: 50%; float: left; padding: 5%;}.ck_form.ck_horizontal {}.ck_form_content { border-bottom: none;}.ck_form.ck_vertical { background: #fff;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content, .ck_vertical .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none;}.ck_vertical .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; overflow: hidden;}/* Trigger the vertical layout with media queries as well */@media all and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form { background: #fff; } .ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { padding: 10%; width: 100%; float: none; } .ck_form_content { border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa; }}/* Content */.ck_form_content h3 { margin: 0px 0px 0px; font-size: 0px; padding: 0px;}.ck_form_content p { font-size: 14px;}.ck_image { float: left; margin-right: 5px;}/* Form fields */.ck_errorArea { display: none;}#ck_success_msg { padding: 10px 10px 0px; border: solid 1px #ddd; background: #eee;}.ck_label { font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;}.ck_form input[type="text"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="email"] { font-size: 16px; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 8px 8px; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ height: auto;}.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus { outline: none; border-color: #aaa;}.ck_checkbox { padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px; display: block; clear: both;}.ck_checkbox input.optIn { margin-left: -20px; margin-top: 0;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt { margin-left: 4px;}.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt p { display: inline;}.ck_form .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; color: #fff; margin: 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px 8px; font-size: 18px; background: #c83232; -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ cursor: pointer; border: none; text-shadow: none; }.ck_form .ck_guarantee { color: #626262; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; display: block;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by { display: block; color: #aaa;}.ck_form .ck_powered_by:hover { display: block; color: #444;}.ck_converted_content { display: none; padding: 5%; background: #fff;}/* v6 */.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg { padding: 0px 10px;}@media all and (max-width: 403px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 30px; }}@media all and (min-width: 404px) and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link { top: 57px; }}

 

Scroll down to listen to the podcast episode of this tutorial.

 

THE FAULT

Right, first things first. We intentionally use the word “fault” in this context, because music is an art, so technically there can’t be any mistakes. But, and it’s a big but, there can definitely be faults, as faults are weaknesses. And unfortunately, when songwriters and producers compose by ear, their music ends up with many faults!

For the record, though, it’s not their fault. It’s the fault of our current music education system that focuses on classical and jazz, which are irrelevant for most songwriters and producers. This means they struggle finding resources to learn relevant music theory, which often results in them composing music by ear instead. This is a huge problem in the music world, and it was the inspiration for us launching Hack Music Theory back in 2016, so songwriters and producers could finally have a place to learn theory that’s actually relevant to the music they make!

Now, let’s get back to that melody. So, what is the theory fault here? Well, it contains more than three stepwise notes from the scale. In the beginning of the melody, it goes: E, D, C, B. And in the middle of the melody, it goes: E, D, C, B, A.

We refer to this as the “practising scales” fault, because whenever a melody goes stepwise through the scale (up or down), it literally sounds like the producer accidentally hit the Record button while they were practising their scales.

This fault is extremely common, as songwriters and producers who compose by ear don’t have the confidence that theory gives you to experiment, so they tend to play it safe and stick with a lot of stepwise movements. You see, our ears will always be led by musical gravity to the predictable note, like resolving the 7 up to the 8. Boring! If we wanna make cool music that stands out, we need to use theory!

And by the way, if you were wondering, our example is in the key of A minor, which is all the white notes from A to A, and the tempo is 100 BPM.

 

THE FIX

You know what’s interesting? Now that you’re aware of this fault, you’ll start noticing it everywhere. It really is sad how common it is! But, there’s a super easy hack to fix this fault. All you have to do is change a note (or two) in each scale segment, to break up that stepwise movement.

In our example, we only had to change one note in each segment to fix this fault. After this tweak, our melody now has no more than three stepwise notes, which is the maximum you want. It’s truly amazing how changing just one note can have such a massive impact on a melody!

 

THE RULE

So to conclude, our Stepwise Melody Rule is to have no more than three stepwise notes in your melodies (unless for some good reason, you really really want that). Lastly, if you need more help writing melodies, then simply use our "Melody Checklist", which tells you exactly what to do and what not to do in your melodies. The "Melody Checklist" can be found in our Songwriting & Producing PDF. Thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you, and we'll see you next time. Until then, we're sending you good vibes and gratitude :)

 

 

 

Want More?

Sign up for our newsletter, and get tutorials like this delivered to your inbox.

Wooohooo!!! You're now one small step away from joining the Hack Music Theory revolution. Just head on over to your inbox, open the email we've sent you, click the link to confirm, and you're in!

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Email Address SUBSCRIBE/* Layout */ .ck_form.ck_naked { /* divider image */ background: transparent; line-height: 1.5em; overflow: hidden; color: #666; font-size: 16px; border: none; -webkit-box-shadow: none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow: none; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px; text-align: center;}.ck_form.ck_naked p { padding: 0px;}.ck_form, .ck_form * { -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box;}.ck_form.ck_naked .ck_form_fields { width: 100%; float: left; padding: 3%;}/* Form fields */.ck_errorArea { display: none; /* temporary */}#ck_success_msg { padding: 10px 10px 0px; border: solid 1px #ddd; background: #eee;}.ck_form.ck_naked input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked input[type="email"] { font-size: 16px; font-family: Montserrat; text-align: center; padding: 10px 8px; width: 34%; border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */ -moz-border-radius: 0px; -webkit-border-radius: 0px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */ margin-bottom: 5px; height: auto; float: left; margin: 0px; margin-right: 1%; height: 42px;}.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus { outline: none; border-color: #aaa;}.ck_form.ck_naked .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; color: #fff; margin: 0px; padding: 9px 0px; font-size: 16px; background: #c83232; -moz-border-radius: 0px; -webkit-border-radius: 0px; border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */ cursor: pointer; border: none; text-shadow: none; width: 30%; float: left; height: 42px; }.ck_converted_content { display: none; padding: 5%; background: #fff;}/* max width 500 */ .ck_form.ck_naked.width500 .ck_subscribe_button { width: 100%; float: none; margin-top: 5px; } .ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="email"] { width: 49%; } .ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="email"] { margin-right: 0px; width: 50%; }/* max width 400 */ .ck_form.ck_naked.width400 .ck_subscribe_button, .ck_form.ck_naked.width400 input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked.width400 input[type="email"] { width: 100%; float: none; margin-top: 5px; }.ck_slide_up, .ck_modal, .ck_slide_up .ck_naked, .ck_modal .ck_naked { min-width: 400px;}.page .ck_form.ck_naked { margin: 50px auto; max-width: 700px;}/* v6 */.ck_slide_up.ck_form_v6, .ck_modal.ck_form_v6, .ck_slide_up.ck_form_v6 .ck_naked, .ck_modal.ck_form_v6 .ck_naked { min-width: 0 !important;}.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg { padding: 0px 10px;}@media all and (max-width: 403px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_naked { padding-top: 0px; }}@media all and (max-width: 499px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_naked + .ck_close_link { color: #fff; top: 10px; }}.ck_form_v6.ck_slide_up .ck_naked + .ck_close_link { right: 10px; top: -5px;}@media all and (min-width: 600px) { .ck_form_v6.ck_slide_up .ck_naked + .ck_close_link { right: 35px; }}

 

 

 

Podcast

Listen below, or on any podcast app.

5-Second Intro Rule

 
5-Second Intro Rule

 

Learn how to use our 5-Second Intro Rule to instantly capture the attention of your listeners, so your songs don’t get skipped. But first... Tea!

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory, the fast, easy and fun way to make music! If you’re new to theory, or if you just want a refresher, then read our free book 12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords. It’ll give you a super solid music theory foundation in just 30 minutes. Enjoy!

 

 
 

Wooohooo!!! You’re a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head on over to your inbox now for your free download.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

 

“The most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen!” DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer. DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK /* Layout */
.ck_form {
/* divider image */
background: #EAE9EA url(data:image/gif;base64,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) repeat-y center top;
font-family: 'Montserrat';
line-height: 1.5em;
overflow: hidden;
color: #000000;
font-size: 16px;
border-top: none;
border-top-color: #666666;
border-bottom: none;
border-bottom-color: #3d3d3d;
-webkit-box-shadow: none;
-moz-box-shadow: none;
box-shadow: none;
clear: both;
margin: 0px 0px;
}

.ck_form, .ck_form * {
-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;
-moz-box-sizing: border-box;
box-sizing: border-box;
}

#ck_subscribe_form {
clear: both;
}

/* Element Queries — uses JS */

.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields {
width: 50%;
float: left;
padding: 5%;
}

.ck_form.ck_horizontal {
}

.ck_form_content {
border-bottom: none;
}

.ck_form.ck_vertical {
background: #fff;
}

.ck_vertical .ck_form_content, .ck_vertical .ck_form_fields {
padding: 10%;
width: 100%;
float: none;
}

.ck_vertical .ck_form_content {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
overflow: hidden;
}

/* Trigger the vertical layout with media queries as well */

@media all and (max-width: 499px) {

.ck_form {
background: #fff;
}

.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields {
padding: 10%;
width: 100%;
float: none;
}

.ck_form_content {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
}

}

/* Content */

.ck_form_content h3 {
margin: 0px 0px 0px;
font-size: 0px;
padding: 0px;
}


.ck_form_content p {
font-size: 14px;
}

.ck_image {
float: left;
margin-right: 5px;
}

/* Form fields */

.ck_errorArea {
display: none;
}

#ck_success_msg {
padding: 10px 10px 0px;
border: solid 1px #ddd;
background: #eee;
}

.ck_label {
font-size: 14px;
font-weight: bold;
}

.ck_form input[type="text"] {
font-size: 16px;
text-align: center;
margin-top: 20px;
margin-bottom: 0px;
padding: 8px 8px;
width: 100%;
border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */
-moz-border-radius: 4px;
-webkit-border-radius: 4px;
border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */
background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */
height: auto;
}

.ck_form input[type="email"] {
font-size: 16px;
text-align: center;
margin-top: 0px;
margin-bottom: 15px;
padding: 8px 8px;
width: 100%;
border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */
-moz-border-radius: 4px;
-webkit-border-radius: 4px;
border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */
background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */
height: auto;
}

.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus {
outline: none;
border-color: #aaa;
}

.ck_checkbox {
padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px;
display: block;
clear: both;
}

.ck_checkbox input.optIn {
margin-left: -20px;
margin-top: 0;
}
.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt {
margin-left: 4px;
}
.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt p {
display: inline;
}

.ck_form .ck_subscribe_button {
width: 100%;
color: #fff;
margin: 0px 0px 0px;
padding: 8px 8px;
font-size: 18px;
background: #c83232;
-moz-border-radius: 4px;
-webkit-border-radius: 4px;
border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */
cursor: pointer;
border: none;
text-shadow: none;
}


.ck_form .ck_guarantee {
color: #626262;
font-size: 12px;
text-align: center;
padding: 5px 0px;
display: block;
}

.ck_form .ck_powered_by {
display: block;
color: #aaa;
}

.ck_form .ck_powered_by:hover {
display: block;
color: #444;
}

.ck_converted_content {
display: none;
padding: 5%;
background: #fff;
}


/* v6 */

.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg {
padding: 0px 10px;
}

@media all and (max-width: 403px) {
.ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link {
top: 30px;
}
}

@media all and (min-width: 404px) and (max-width: 499px) {
.ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link {
top: 57px;
}
}

 

Scroll down to listen to the podcast episode of this tutorial.

 

Which one of these song intros grabs your full attention? Listen to examples in video/podcast. Both intros are cool, but it’s definitely the second intro that captures our full attention! Why? Well, because it contains a totally surprising element: a reggae rhythm sung by a choir. What genre is that? Where’s this song going next? What other surprises are waiting for me if I keep listening? After only five seconds of music, our brains are already full of questions. And we’re an incredibly inquisitive species; we need answers to those questions, and the only way to get them is to keep listening. 

Now, you may be wondering why it’s so important to catch people’s attention in the first five seconds of your song. Well, there’s about 40,000 new songs being uploaded to Spotify every day, and the result of this overwhelming and never-ending stream of new music, is that a quarter of all songs get skipped in their first five seconds. That is why it’s more important now than ever before to make your music stand out from the crowd. Seriously, this is literally the first era in human history where a piece of music has needed to grab the listener’s full attention in under five seconds. And while we could have endless discussions about the negative repercussions of this change, it is the way it is and we can’t change that, so our time is far better spent thinking creatively within this new limitation. 

And by the way, if you’ve seen big artists releasing new singles that have long intros where nothing much happens, and you’re wondering why they don’t have to use the 5-Second Intro Rule. Well, it’s because those artists already have loyal fanbases who will happily listen through their long intros, because they trust them. It’s all about trust. If you’re an up-and-coming artist though, you don’t have that privilege yet, so you still need to earn your listener’s trust. Once you’ve done that though, and you’ve also built yourself a loyal fanbase, then you can throw the 5-Second Intro Rule out the window, too. But until then, this rule is your best friend! 

Okay, so now you’re probably thinking to yourself: How on earth do I capture the listener’s full attention in under five seconds? Well, there is arguably no better way to do that, than to create your own original never-before-heard genre. And how on earth do you do that? Well stay tuned, as we’re about to reveal all.

 

STEP 1. PARENTS

The most important thing to remember when it comes to creating a new genre, is that all genres are born from parent genres. I guess now is as good a time as any to have a little chat about the birds and the bees. You see, when a genre loves another genre, they mingle and exchange features, which results in a baby genre being born. So, when it comes to creating a new genre, your first step is to select the parents. 

As you know, we love all genres equally here at Hack Music Theory, so to help us choose our parents, we turned to Spotify. In December, Spotify gives you a summary of your year’s listening, and apparently Ray’s top genres were Reggae, Electronic, Djent, and... Choral. Hey, don’t judge! There’s no better way to start the day than a few slow nasal breaths, and a few Bach chorales. Seriously, try it. You’ll feel so much calmer throughout the day, and when you inevitably get stressed later, just take a few breaths and remember that peaceful feeling you got earlier from those beautiful Bach chorales. If you’re up for some morning counterpoint with your coffee (or tea), we recommend the album Bach 333: 4-Part Chorales (Vol. 1).

 

STEP 2. FEATURES

Right, so now that you’ve selected your parents (for us, they are: Reggae, Electronic, Djent, and Choral), step two is to choose what features from those parents you want to carry forwards into your offspring genre. And yes, your new baby genre can have more than two parents, this is the 21st century after all! 

This step may require some research to uncover what truly makes the parent genres sound the way they do. But remember, musical features can be detached from the instruments they’re commonly played on. For example, we took the Reggae skank, which is that off-beat rhythm usually played on the guitar or keyboard, and we gave it to our choir (well, our choir plugin).

By detaching the Reggae skank from its usual instruments and moving it to a choir, we totally surprise our listeners, which instantly intrigues their brains and gets them asking all kinds of questions, and that ensures they will keep listening beyond our intro. And by the way, our example’s in A minor, so that’s just all the white notes from A to A. 

Next, we added the most characteristic feature from Djent, which is a polymetric guitar riff. If you’re new to the term polymeter, it’s just the fancy way of saying that you’re playing in two or more time signatures simultaneously. In our example, that’s happening cos our guitar riff is playing in a cycle of 7|16 for four bars then 4|16 for one bar, while all the other instruments are playing in 4|4. To integrate this polymeter with the other instruments, we played our guitar pattern on the kick drum as well. This makes the whole section more punchy too!

Right, next up is our Electronic parent. And nothing says Electronic music better than a synth, so we added a super dancey line on a massive stereo synth. Then at the end of our section, we threw that synth melody up an octave and added a few variations, to keep it evolving.

 

STEP 3. SURPRISE!

In order to truly create a new genre, you need at least one feature to completely and utterly stand out in the most unexpected way. You see, some genre features fit in so well to other genres that they don’t actually sound new or unusual. For example, our Djent guitar riff sounds right at home in our new genre, so while that feature is certainly adding to the flavour, it’s not really creating a new genre. For a genre to be categorized as new, it needs to be different from all the genres that already exist, and that requires your new genre to have at least one totally surprising and unusual feature. And the best way to do that, is to look at which parent genres are the most opposite, or at least, the most different. 

In our example, Djent and Choral look like opposites at first glance, cos Djent is a subgenre of Metal, which is all about ultra-heavy guitars, and Choral is all about beautiful voices. However, on closer inspection, it turns out that choir plugins are not that uncommon in Djent, as they’re sometimes used in the background of tracks to add atmosphere and fill them out sonically. Also, some Djent bands even have a bit of Classical influence, which is another reason why the Djent and Choral combination doesn’t sound unusual. But, when we go below the surface and into the essence of our parent genres, we realise that Choral and Reggae are actually the most opposing genres. The reason for that, is because Choral tends to be legato, which means the music is flowing and has lots of long notes without breaks between them, while Reggae is super syncopated and has lots of short notes with breaks between. And that is why we’ve got a choir singing the Reggae skank, cos that off-beat rhythm containing all those short notes with breaks, is completely and utterly opposite to how a choir would normally sing. 

And just a quick caveat about selecting your parents. They need to be different genres, and not just different subgenres. For example, if you’re into Electronic music, don’t choose tropical house, glitch hop and dubstep as your parents. As cool as that will sound, the result will still be 100% Electronic, which is not a new genre. And there’s already countless subgenres in each genre, so while creating another new subgenre is great, it definitely won’t capture most people’s attention. On the other hand, if you select the parent genres: Electronic, Celtic, and Polka, now that is a new genre, which will definitely grab attention! And beyond that, it will also get people talking and sharing the music, which is how an artist grows their fanbase.

 

STEP 4. BPM

After combining your selected features to create your new genre, experiment with the BPM. You wanna use a tempo that could work in your parent genres, unless a shocking BPM is part of your new genre surprise! We went with 82 BPM for ours. 

 

STEP 5. THE 5-SECOND RULE

Now, this is the vital step! If you don’t do this, you’ve wasted all your hard work creating a new genre. We call this step the 5-Second Rule, because as you know, a quarter of all songs get skipped in their first five seconds. So, as much as we love the idea of saving the best for last, when it comes to getting people to listen to your music, it is absolutely essential that you instantly reveal your genre surprise. And don’t just reveal it, throw it right into the spotlight of your opening bar. In other words, strip back your intro to just those features from opposing genres that will totally surprise your listeners. In our example, as we mentioned earlier, the most surprising feature is a choir singing that Reggae skank, so we stripped everything back to just choir and drums. The reason for the drums being there is to get people moving, cos if you can also get those feet tapping in the first five seconds, you’ve got an even better chance of people listening to your whole song. 

And on that note, if you’re just using drum loops or basic patterns at the moment, we highly recommend you start making attention-grabbing beats instead. If you need help doing that, you can use our Hack Drum Beats PDF. Also, if you need help writing better melodies, chord progressions, bass lines, and everything else, then use our Songwriting & Producing PDF, cos all the essential music making hacks are in there, including our game-changing “Melody Checklist”.

 

STEP 6. NAME

New genres need new names. This is not only super fun and creative, but naming your new genre also gives fans a tangible and memorable way to tell their friends about your music. With our parents being Reggae, Djent, Electronic, and Choral, we decided to name our offspring: Djentronic Reggchor. And yeah, there’s very little chance of this new genre catching on, but that’s great, cos it means our genre will remain unique and continue grabbing listeners’ attention. Thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you, and remember to download your Free PDF.

 

 

 

Want More?

Sign up for our newsletter, and get tutorials like this delivered to your inbox.

Wooohooo!!! You're now one small step away from joining the Hack Music Theory revolution. Just head on over to your inbox, open the email we've sent you, click the link to confirm, and you're in!

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Email Address
SUBSCRIBE/* Layout */
.ck_form.ck_naked {
/* divider image */
background: transparent;
line-height: 1.5em;
overflow: hidden;
color: #666;
font-size: 16px;
border: none;
-webkit-box-shadow: none;
-moz-box-shadow: none;
box-shadow: none;
clear: both;
margin: 0px 0px;
text-align: center;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked p {
padding: 0px;
}

.ck_form, .ck_form * {
-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;
-moz-box-sizing: border-box;
box-sizing: border-box;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked .ck_form_fields {
width: 100%;
float: left;
padding: 3%;
}
/* Form fields */

.ck_errorArea {
display: none; /* temporary */
}

#ck_success_msg {
padding: 10px 10px 0px;
border: solid 1px #ddd;
background: #eee;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked input[type="email"] {
font-size: 16px;
font-family: Montserrat;
text-align: center;
padding: 10px 8px;
width: 34%;
border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */
-moz-border-radius: 0px;
-webkit-border-radius: 0px;
border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */
background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */
margin-bottom: 5px;
height: auto;
float: left;
margin: 0px;
margin-right: 1%;
height: 42px;
}

.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus {
outline: none;
border-color: #aaa;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked .ck_subscribe_button {
width: 100%;
color: #fff;
margin: 0px;
padding: 9px 0px;
font-size: 16px;
background: #c83232;
-moz-border-radius: 0px;
-webkit-border-radius: 0px;
border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */
cursor: pointer;
border: none;
text-shadow: none;
width: 30%;
float: left;
height: 42px;
}


.ck_converted_content {
display: none;
padding: 5%;
background: #fff;
}

/* max width 500 */

.ck_form.ck_naked.width500 .ck_subscribe_button {
width: 100%;
float: none;
margin-top: 5px;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="email"] {
width: 49%;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="email"] {
margin-right: 0px;
width: 50%;
}

/* max width 400 */

.ck_form.ck_naked.width400 .ck_subscribe_button, .ck_form.ck_naked.width400 input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked.width400 input[type="email"] {
width: 100%;
float: none;
margin-top: 5px;
}

.ck_slide_up, .ck_modal, .ck_slide_up .ck_naked, .ck_modal .ck_naked {
min-width: 400px;
}

.page .ck_form.ck_naked {
margin: 50px auto;
max-width: 700px;
}


/* v6 */

.ck_slide_up.ck_form_v6, .ck_modal.ck_form_v6, .ck_slide_up.ck_form_v6 .ck_naked, .ck_modal.ck_form_v6 .ck_naked {
min-width: 0 !important;
}

.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg {
padding: 0px 10px;
}

@media all and (max-width: 403px) {
.ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_naked {
padding-top: 0px;
}
}

@media all and (max-width: 499px) {
.ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_naked + .ck_close_link {
color: #fff;
top: 10px;
}
}

.ck_form_v6.ck_slide_up .ck_naked + .ck_close_link {
right: 10px;
top: -5px;
}

@media all and (min-width: 600px) {
.ck_form_v6.ck_slide_up .ck_naked + .ck_close_link {
right: 35px;
}
} 

 

 

Podcast

Listen below, or on any podcast app.

Kick Drum Rule

 

 

Kick Drum Rule

 

The "Kick Drum Rule" ensures your drum beats not only groove, but also stand out from the crowd. But first... Tea!

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory, where we help you make great music that stands out! And if you’re new to theory, or if you just want a refresher, then read our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords”. It’ll give you a super solid theory foundation in just 30 minutes.

 

 
 

Wooohooo!!! You’re a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head on over to your inbox now for your free download.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

 

“The most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen!” DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer.

DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK


/* Layout */
.ck_form {
/* divider image */
background: #EAE9EA url(data:image/gif;base64,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) repeat-y center top;
font-family: 'Montserrat';
line-height: 1.5em;
overflow: hidden;
color: #000000;
font-size: 16px;
border-top: none;
border-top-color: #666666;
border-bottom: none;
border-bottom-color: #3d3d3d;
-webkit-box-shadow: none;
-moz-box-shadow: none;
box-shadow: none;
clear: both;
margin: 0px 0px;
}

.ck_form, .ck_form * {
-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;
-moz-box-sizing: border-box;
box-sizing: border-box;
}

#ck_subscribe_form {
clear: both;
}

/* Element Queries — uses JS */

.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields {
width: 50%;
float: left;
padding: 5%;
}

.ck_form.ck_horizontal {
}

.ck_form_content {
border-bottom: none;
}

.ck_form.ck_vertical {
background: #fff;
}

.ck_vertical .ck_form_content, .ck_vertical .ck_form_fields {
padding: 10%;
width: 100%;
float: none;
}

.ck_vertical .ck_form_content {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
overflow: hidden;
}

/* Trigger the vertical layout with media queries as well */

@media all and (max-width: 499px) {

.ck_form {
background: #fff;
}

.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields {
padding: 10%;
width: 100%;
float: none;
}

.ck_form_content {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
}

}

/* Content */

.ck_form_content h3 {
margin: 0px 0px 0px;
font-size: 0px;
padding: 0px;
}


.ck_form_content p {
font-size: 14px;
}

.ck_image {
float: left;
margin-right: 5px;
}

/* Form fields */

.ck_errorArea {
display: none;
}

#ck_success_msg {
padding: 10px 10px 0px;
border: solid 1px #ddd;
background: #eee;
}

.ck_label {
font-size: 14px;
font-weight: bold;
}

.ck_form input[type="text"] {
font-size: 16px;
text-align: center;
margin-top: 20px;
margin-bottom: 0px;
padding: 8px 8px;
width: 100%;
border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */
-moz-border-radius: 4px;
-webkit-border-radius: 4px;
border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */
background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */
height: auto;
}

.ck_form input[type="email"] {
font-size: 16px;
text-align: center;
margin-top: 0px;
margin-bottom: 15px;
padding: 8px 8px;
width: 100%;
border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */
-moz-border-radius: 4px;
-webkit-border-radius: 4px;
border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */
background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */
height: auto;
}

.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus {
outline: none;
border-color: #aaa;
}

.ck_checkbox {
padding: 10px 0px 10px 20px;
display: block;
clear: both;
}

.ck_checkbox input.optIn {
margin-left: -20px;
margin-top: 0;
}
.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt {
margin-left: 4px;
}
.ck_form .ck_opt_in_prompt p {
display: inline;
}

.ck_form .ck_subscribe_button {
width: 100%;
color: #fff;
margin: 0px 0px 0px;
padding: 8px 8px;
font-size: 18px;
background: #c83232;
-moz-border-radius: 4px;
-webkit-border-radius: 4px;
border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */
cursor: pointer;
border: none;
text-shadow: none;
}


.ck_form .ck_guarantee {
color: #626262;
font-size: 12px;
text-align: center;
padding: 5px 0px;
display: block;
}

.ck_form .ck_powered_by {
display: block;
color: #aaa;
}

.ck_form .ck_powered_by:hover {
display: block;
color: #444;
}

.ck_converted_content {
display: none;
padding: 5%;
background: #fff;
}


/* v6 */

.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg {
padding: 0px 10px;
}

@media all and (max-width: 403px) {
.ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link {
top: 30px;
}
}

@media all and (min-width: 404px) and (max-width: 499px) {
.ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_close_link {
top: 57px;
}
}

 

Scroll down to listen to the podcast episode of this tutorial.

 

99% of producers in popular music these days program drum beats that sound like every other producer’s beats. This is mainly because they use the same handful of kick drum patterns. In fact, many producers even import one/two-bar drum loops as the foundation for new songs. But, when we try to write creative music on top of a generic one-size-fits-all foundation, we will never reach the artistic heights we can by writing our own original drum beats!

And original drum beats don’t just form a unique foundation for your music, they also weave themselves into your other layers and actually influence what you write for those other instruments.

To prove how a creative drum beat can bring your music to life, we’ll use a super boring chord progression for our example. In fact, this is one of the most overused progressions in popular music. But, after we apply our Kick Drum Rule to the drum beat, you’ll witness a total transformation as this predictable rubbish is turned into a vibrant and captivating section, all thanks to the drums!

But first, here’s what it sounds/looks like with a generic one-size-fits-all drum beat.

 

[image error]

MIDI Screenshot:  Generic drum beat, like you hear in most songs

 

So, what is our Kick Drum Rule? Well, before we get to that, we need to do a quick overview of the drum kit and each element’s function.

 

KIT

There are four elements to the drum kit: cymbals, snare, toms, and kick. The main function of the cymbals is to connect the drum beat with the pulse of the song (i.e. 1/4 notes in the 4|4 time signature). The snare is the main injection of energy for a drum beat, so where you play your snare will determine how energetic the section feels. Toms add variety to your drums. And lastly, the kick drum brings the groove to a drum beat. And by the way, drum beats are also known as drum grooves or drum patterns.

 

ELEMENT

FUNCTION

Cymbals

Pulse

Snare

Energy

Toms

Variety

Kick

Groove

 

We’re focusing on the kick in this lesson, but if you wanna go deep and learn how to use each of the four elements based on their specific functions, then read our new PDF: Hack Drum Beats. This PDF is your ultimate guide to writing captivating drum beats, and it also comes with MIDI file examples.

 

[image error]

 

Alright, let’s jump in! So, for our example we’ve set up eight bars, and as almost all popular music is in the 4|4 time signature, we’ll use it too.

 

KICK

So as you know, the kick’s function is to bring the groove to a drum beat. But what exactly is groove? Well, there are many different definitions, but we define groove as being a rhythm that contains a magic balance of on-beat notes and off-beat notes (i.e. syncopation). Unless you’re specifically going for a rigid four-on-the-floor drum beat, too many on-beat notes will make your drums sound stiff. On the other hand, too many off-beat notes will make your drums sound like a mess, so you gotta find that magic sweet spot!

As you’ll have noticed by now, the cymbals and snare are fairly limited in their possibilities. They have very specific functions, and they need to stick to those. For example, if you switched their roles and played the pulse on the snare and a backbeat on the hats, your drum beat would sound backwards and completely wrong to most people.

 

[image error]

MIDI Screenshot:  If the hats and snare switch functions, the drum beat sounds wrong

 

This limitation is not good news for creative people like you. However, there is one element of a drum beat where we can get away with almost anything... Yep, the kick drum!

And with that, it’s finally time to reveal our Kick Drum Rule, which is to write an interesting kick drum pattern at least four bars long. As the kick is the only element in a drum beat where you can express whatever you want (without it sounding wrong), don’t waste this golden opportunity for total creative freedom!

Now, there are tons of different ways to get artistic and express what you want through your kick drum pattern, but remember that its job is to bring the groove, so play around with a combination of on-beat and off-beat notes. Most importantly though, is to break free from those extremely limiting one/two-bar drum loops, so be sure your kick pattern is at least four bars long.

 

[image error]

MIDI Screenshot:  Example of a four-bar creative kick pattern containing on-beats and off-beats

 

Arguably the best way to inject a massive dose of creativity into your kick pattern, though, is to use a polymeter. If you’re new to the term “polymeter”, it’s just the fancy word for playing in two or more time signatures at once. Okay so now you’re probably thinking: but that’s gonna sound really weird! And full disclosure here, it can sound weird, if that’s what you want. On the other hand, if you want it to sound accessible (like we did in our final example, which is below), then that’s easy to achieve! And if you want a step-by-step guide to creating a polymeter in your drums, then that’s also in our new Hack Drum Beats PDF.

Alright, let’s have a listen to a Before & After playthrough now (click Play above for the video, or below for the Podcast), where the Before version uses a generic kick pattern like most songs, and the After version uses our Kick Drum Rule with a polymeter. We hope you found this lesson helpful, and thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, we appreciate you!

 

[image error]

MIDI Screenshot:  Final drum beat with fills

 

 

 

 

Want More?

Sign up for our newsletter, and get tutorials like this delivered to your inbox.

Wooohooo!!! You're now one small step away from joining the Hack Music Theory revolution. Just head on over to your inbox, open the email we've sent you, click the link to confirm, and you're in!

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Email Address


SUBSCRIBE

/* Layout */
.ck_form.ck_naked {
/* divider image */
background: transparent;
line-height: 1.5em;
overflow: hidden;
color: #666;
font-size: 16px;
border: none;
-webkit-box-shadow: none;
-moz-box-shadow: none;
box-shadow: none;
clear: both;
margin: 0px 0px;
text-align: center;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked p {
padding: 0px;
}

.ck_form, .ck_form * {
-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;
-moz-box-sizing: border-box;
box-sizing: border-box;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked .ck_form_fields {
width: 100%;
float: left;
padding: 3%;
}
/* Form fields */

.ck_errorArea {
display: none; /* temporary */
}

#ck_success_msg {
padding: 10px 10px 0px;
border: solid 1px #ddd;
background: #eee;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked input[type="email"] {
font-size: 16px;
font-family: Montserrat;
text-align: center;
padding: 10px 8px;
width: 34%;
border: 1px solid #d6d6d6; /* stroke */
-moz-border-radius: 0px;
-webkit-border-radius: 0px;
border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */
background-color: #fff; /* layer fill content */
margin-bottom: 5px;
height: auto;
float: left;
margin: 0px;
margin-right: 1%;
height: 42px;
}

.ck_form input[type="text"]:focus, .ck_form input[type="email"]:focus {
outline: none;
border-color: #aaa;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked .ck_subscribe_button {
width: 100%;
color: #fff;
margin: 0px;
padding: 9px 0px;
font-size: 16px;
background: #c83232;
-moz-border-radius: 0px;
-webkit-border-radius: 0px;
border-radius: 30px; /* border radius */
cursor: pointer;
border: none;
text-shadow: none;
width: 30%;
float: left;
height: 42px;
}


.ck_converted_content {
display: none;
padding: 5%;
background: #fff;
}

/* max width 500 */

.ck_form.ck_naked.width500 .ck_subscribe_button {
width: 100%;
float: none;
margin-top: 5px;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="email"] {
width: 49%;
}

.ck_form.ck_naked.width500 input[type="email"] {
margin-right: 0px;
width: 50%;
}

/* max width 400 */

.ck_form.ck_naked.width400 .ck_subscribe_button, .ck_form.ck_naked.width400 input[type="text"], .ck_form.ck_naked.width400 input[type="email"] {
width: 100%;
float: none;
margin-top: 5px;
}

.ck_slide_up, .ck_modal, .ck_slide_up .ck_naked, .ck_modal .ck_naked {
min-width: 400px;
}

.page .ck_form.ck_naked {
margin: 50px auto;
max-width: 700px;
}


/* v6 */

.ck_slide_up.ck_form_v6, .ck_modal.ck_form_v6, .ck_slide_up.ck_form_v6 .ck_naked, .ck_modal.ck_form_v6 .ck_naked {
min-width: 0 !important;
}

.ck_form_v6 #ck_success_msg {
padding: 0px 10px;
}

@media all and (max-width: 403px) {
.ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_naked {
padding-top: 0px;
}
}

@media all and (max-width: 499px) {
.ck_form_v6.ck_modal .ck_naked + .ck_close_link {
color: #fff;
top: 10px;
}
}

.ck_form_v6.ck_slide_up .ck_naked + .ck_close_link {
right: 10px;
top: -5px;
}

@media all and (min-width: 600px) {
.ck_form_v6.ck_slide_up .ck_naked + .ck_close_link {
right: 35px;
}
}

 

 

 

Podcast

Listen below, or on any podcast app.