Ray Harmony's Blog, page 13
May 27, 2021
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 :)
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May 13, 2021
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 :)
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Podcast
Listen below, or on any podcast app.
April 28, 2021
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 founderWe use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer. 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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 :)
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Podcast
Listen below, or on any podcast app.
March 2, 2021
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
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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.
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Podcast
Listen below, or on any podcast app.
October 1, 2020
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.
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“The most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen!” DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder
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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.
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
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Podcast
Listen below, or on any podcast app.
June 5, 2020
246 Melody Rule
246 Melody Rule
With the 246 Rule you can say goodbye to mediocre melodies forever. 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.
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Scroll down to listen to the podcast episode of this tutorial.
Most melodies these days are predictable and boring! That’s because most songwriters and producers don’t know music theory, and as a result, they actually end up following the rules without even knowing it. But, when everyone follows the rules, that’s boring! So, we created the 246 Melody Rule as a way to actually break the rules that result in boring melodies. Right, let’s decipher those numbers and get into it. A quick heads up though, the 246 Melody Rule is for intermediate songwriters and producers who are already comfortable writing melodies. If you’re not there yet, no problem at all, simply use the Melody Checklist in our Songwriting & Producing PDF, and your melodies will be elevated to a whole new level!
Right, so as you probably know, a triad is the most basic type of chord, which means it’s also the most popular type of chord (by far!). And as you probably know as well, a triad consists of three notes. For example, the Cmaj triad is made up of the notes C, E and G, which are numbered 1, 3 and 5, respectively. These are known as harmonic notes, as they form the harmony (i.e. the chord). Now, the numbers in our 246 Rule refer to the 2nd note, the 4th note and the 6th note. In other words, the notes that are not in the triad, but are still in the scale. The fancy term for these notes is “non-harmonic”, as they are not part of the harmony (i.e. the chord). And if you’re wondering about the 7, yes it’s also a non-harmonic note here because it’s not in the triad. However, the 7 is a whole different beast, so it’s not part of the 246 Rule, but more on that later.
First, we need to understand why most songwriters and producers are using the 2, 4 and 6 all wrong, despite the fact that they’re not actually wrong notes (cos they’re obviously still in the scale). It seems like a riddle, doesn’t it? Don’t worry though, the 246 Rule solves this issue once and for all! How? Well, when you play the 2, 4 or 6 in your melody, they create tension against your triad below, cos they don’t fit in completely. To hear this, play a triad and then play the 1, 3 and 5 above it as a melody. Those three notes fit in perfectly with your triad below, as they’re merely doubling what’s already there. Now, play a 2 in your melody. This note sits in between the 1 and 3, rubbing up against them and causing tension. And that brings us to the 246 Rule. When most songwriters and producers use the 2, 4 and 6, they resolve them down to the 1, 3 and 5, respectively. But, moving down a note after the 2, 4 and 6 is embarrassingly predictable! And on top of that, creating tension only to resolve it to the predictable note, kinda defeats the purpose of creating that tension in the first place.
For the record, there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing that sometimes. However, most songwriters and producers do that every time they use the 2, 4 or 6. The reason for that, is because they don’t know what to do with the tension they’ve created, so they simply follow where their ear leads them. And therein lies one of the biggest problems with popular music: songwriters and producers are making music by ear, but our ears will always lead us to the most predictable option. That is precisely why we need music theory. You see, for most songwriters and producers, making music feels like a mysterious (and often frustrating) journey through the dark, but it doesn’t have to be like that. Music theory is our flashlight that illuminates the way, revealing musical paths we could not see in the dark. And on that note, if you’re tired of all the trial and error, guesswork, and frustration involved in making music, then you can learn our secret song-whispering method, which we teach in our online apprenticeship course. More on that later, though.
Every time you use a 2, 4 or 6 in your melody, you have three options:
Go down to the predictable harmonic note Go up to the unpredictable harmonic note Go somewhere completely different!
Option 1 is what the rules say you should do, and it’s also what your ears want you to do, and that’s why most songwriters and producers instinctively use option 1 every time, but that’s sooo boring! Great music is all about the other two options.
If you’re wondering why our ears always lead us to resolve the 2, 4 and 6 down to the 1, 3 and 5, respectively, it’s because non-harmonic notes have a gravitational pull to the nearest and strongest harmonic note. And the strongest harmonic note is obviously the root, which is why the 2 wants to resolve down to the 1. The next strongest harmonic note is the 3, as it’s the note responsible for creating the major/minor quality of a chord. And that’s why the 4 wants to resolve down to the 3. And finally, the 6 wants to resolve down to the 5, as there’s no harmonic note directly above it, so there’s no other option (or so it seems to our ears).
[image error]
MIDI Screenshot: The boring and predictable way to resolve non-harmonic notes
Okay, so those are the resolutions that our ears will steer us towards. And because most songwriters and producers are making music by ear, we end up with most songs sounding the same. Seeing as you’re here, you’re obviously wanting more from your music. That’s what the 246 Rule gives you, cos when you use it, your melodies will contain non-harmonic notes, but in a way that’s not predictable and boring!
So now you know why the 246 Rule is a way to break the rules that cause boring melodies, but how does it actually work? Easy! The rule is to ensure that every melody you write includes the second and third options in that list (above). In other words, make sure that at least one non-harmonic note in your melody goes up to the unpredictable harmonic note, like we did over the Cmaj chord, by taking the 2 (D) up to the 3 (E). Also, make sure that at least one non-harmonic note goes somewhere completely different, like we did over the Dm chord, by taking the 2 (E) way up to a completely unexpected ♭7 (C).
It’s that simple! Doing these two things will ensure your melodies are not boring or predictable, so start applying the 246 Rule to your melodies today. One extra thing to consider though. If you want your music to appeal to a broader audience, you should probably use the first option in that list (above) somewhere in your melody as well. In other words, resolve at least one non-harmonic note to the predictable harmonic note.
Lastly, let’s talk about that unique non-harmonic note, the 7, also known as the leading note. And that’s not just a clever name. The gravitational pull on this note is far more than on any other non-harmonic note. The 7 is absolutely desperate to claw its way up to the root, and it’s willing to do anything to get there! Now, we love going against the stream and not resolving the 7, cos taking it somewhere other than the root note creates incredibly strong emotions in the listeners. A warning though, those emotions will include shock! And while we make music purely for art’s sake, we appreciate that you may actually want to build a career as a songwriter/producer, so that’s why we do not include the 7 in our 246 Melody Rule. If you use the 7 and don’t resolve it up to the root, you do so at your own peril, haha!
In our example, we wanted to inspire peace and calm in the listeners, so we did actually resolve the 7 to the root (and by the way, it’s a ♭7 here). However, we used two techniques to make this resolution fresh and unpredictable. Firstly, we didn’t resolve up to the root, instead, we played the root an octave lower. And secondly, we ended a phrase on the 7 and started a new phrase on the root, so there’s actually a rest in between those two notes, which the listener won’t be expecting either. You see, even when you choose to follow the rules, there’s still creative ways to break them!
By the way, if you like the chord progression in this example, you can learn how we wrote the specific piano part in our Chillout Chords video.
[image error]
MIDI Screenshot: Final melody using the 246 Rule
Next
Regarding the current situation around the world. As music teachers, we can’t offer much help through this difficult time. However, as most people are now stuck at home, what we can offer, is a meaningful and productive timeout from the difficulties. It’s with that intention in our hearts that we offer you 50% OFF our online course Apprenticeship #1. It contains 17 hours of video that teach every step of the writing process, from blank screen to finished song. You will literally learn everything you need to know in order to write great songs, and finish them! We know that most people are sadly on unpaid leave right now, so we hope this half-price offer helps alleviate some suffering, and we truly hope you and your families are all safe and healthy. Lastly, please remember that music is magic, so keep pumping those uplifting tunes! Thanks for being here, and until next time, happy songwriting and producing.
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Podcast
Listen below, or on any podcast app.
May 1, 2020
Chillout Chords
How to Write Chillout Chord Progressions
In this tutorial you'll learn how to write chord progressions for the Covid-19 era (and beyond), using our 6-step success formula. 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
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DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK
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Scroll down to listen to the podcast episode of this tutorial.
Right, let’s talk about success. First things first, though. We measure “success” in terms of how helpful your work is to the world. Measuring success in terms of fame and fortune is so last millenium! And seeing as you’re here, we know that you’re a forward-thinker, so here’s how you can succeed in this Covid-19 era, and beyond.
Listening to music is arguably the easiest and quickest way for someone to transform their psychological state, which in turn transforms their physiological state. So, in these stressful times we’re all living in, it’s vital that us songwriters and producers write and release music that can calm anxious minds and relax tense bodies. This is a very real way that we can all help, because when people calm down, they trigger their parasympathetic nervous system, which then upregulates their immune system. So, a calmer world is literally a healthier world! And in stressful times, people intuitively listen to music that calms them, which is like self-medicating, except there are no side-effects! And this explains why streams in the classical genre have gone up during the Covid-19 era, while streams in almost every other genre have gone down.
Now, in order to write calming music, you need to choose a calming scale. We chose D Dorian, which is all the white notes from D to D. We used the Dorian mode because it conveys a sad-but-hopeful emotion, and sharing hope in these sad times is life-changing. And by the way, if you wanna learn everything you need to know about the modes, their emotions, and how to use them, then download our Songwriting & Producing PDF. It also contains all our other essential music making hacks.
Alright, now that you’ve chosen your scale/mode, it’s time to choose your chords. There are no rules here, you can play any chords in your key, but remember this: When you’re writing music to help people chill out, you need to think differently. For once, you actually don’t wanna make music that stands out, as that would stimulate the listener’s mind, instead of relaxing it. Having said that though, if you write something that totally blends into the background, then you’ll lose the listener’s attention and their mind will wander back into a place of fear and anxiety. Also, you don’t wanna lose your artistic voice, just cos you’re making musical medicine. So, the magic happens on the middle path between “background music” and “art music”!
We created this balance by doing the following. On the “background” side of things, we started by choosing four chords, which is the most common number of chords in a progression. That familiarity is very calming for listeners. Our chords are: Dm→Cmaj→Fmaj→Gmaj. Next, we reinforced that familiarity by using a predictable harmonic rhythm. Harmonic rhythm is simply where each chord begins and ends. We play each chord for exactly two bars. And that brings us to the most important element of writing calming music: Pace. Most songwriters and producers think of a song’s pace as its tempo, but the BPM is only half the story. Lots of songwriters and producers use slow BPMs and think they’re making chillout music, but then they change chords every couple beats, and that faster-paced harmonic rhythm prevents their music (and their listeners) from relaxing. So remember, chillout music needs a slow BPM and a slow harmonic rhythm!
[image error]
MIDI Screenshot: Calming chord progression written using our 6-step success formula (see below)
Okay, so now that you’ve ensured your song is gonna sound calming and comforting to your listeners, you need to prevent it from blending into the background. So, on the “art” side of things, we did the following. We started by using the odd time signature 3/4. This time signature is probably the most common of the odd times, so that makes it feel a little different but without being weird. Also, it’s worth noting here that our chord progression already sounded a bit different because it’s in the Dorian mode, not the usual major or minor scale.
Next, we created even more interest by playing our chords in a slightly unusual way. Instead of playing them as regular block chords (where the notes are played together), or arpeggios (where the notes are played one at a time), we used a combination of these two techniques. We play our root note first, then follow it with two higher notes that are played together. This allows for lots of space (i.e. rests), which makes the progression sound even more chill. We actually used this way of playing the chord as a motif, by playing the rest of the chords this way too. And if you’re new to motifs, they’re short ideas you repeat to give your music structure and make it more memorable.
Lastly, to make our progression extra calming, we started it with a dreamy add9 chord, which we then used as a motif as well. And if you’re new to add9 chords, you can make them by simply adding the 2 to a triad. For example, our first chord is Dm(add9), which is the Dm triad (D, F, A) plus the 2 (E). Now, add9 chords are obviously four-note chords, which create a thicker texture. And while that’s great in some songs, we wanted to keep our texture thin and spacious here, so we left out the 5 of our Dm(add9) chord. When you use chords with four or more notes, leaving out the 5 is a great way of keeping your texture thin. Because, and no disrespect to the 5 here, it doesn’t bring anything special to the chord, it merely fills it out.
So, to summarise everything, here’s our success formula for chord progressions in the Covid-19 era:
Choose a consonant scale (i.e. avoid Phrygian, Locrian, etc.) Write a somewhat predictable chord progression Use a slow and predictable harmonic rhythm Incorporate at least two elements that are slightly unusual Create a motif, and repeat it regularly Optional extras: rests, add9 chords
Alright, now it’s your turn to step up! So, we’ve got a chillout challenge for you: Write a calming chord progression using this formula, then stay tuned for next time, when you’ll learn how to add a relaxing melody. For now though, let’s have a listen to our calming chords that upregulate the immune system. And that is true success! Just before the playthrough though, we’d love to share one more thing with you.
Next
Regarding the current situation around the world. As music teachers, we can’t offer much help through this difficult time. However, as most people are now stuck at home, what we can offer, is a meaningful and productive timeout from the difficulties. It’s with that intention in our hearts that we offer you 50% OFF our online course Apprenticeship #1. It contains 17 hours of video that teach every step of the writing process, from blank screen to finished song. You will literally learn everything you need to know in order to write great songs, and finish them! We know that most people are sadly on unpaid leave right now, so we hope this half-price offer helps alleviate some suffering, and we truly hope you and your families are all safe and healthy. Lastly, please remember that music is magic, so keep pumping those uplifting tunes! Thanks for being here, and until next time, happy songwriting and producing.
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Podcast
Listen below, or on any podcast app.
Pandemic Producing: Covid Chords
Pandemic Producing: Covid Chords
In this tutorial you'll learn how to write chord progressions for the Covid-19 era (and beyond), using our 6-step success formula. 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
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Scroll down to listen to the podcast episode of this tutorial.
Right, let’s talk about success. First things first, though. We measure “success” in terms of how helpful your work is to the world. Measuring success in terms of fame and fortune is so last millenium! And seeing as you’re here, we know that you’re a forward-thinker, so here’s how you can succeed in this Covid-19 era, and beyond.
Listening to music is arguably the easiest and quickest way for someone to transform their psychological state, which in turn transforms their physiological state. So, in these stressful times we’re all living in, it’s vital that us songwriters and producers write and release music that can calm anxious minds and relax tense bodies. This is a very real way that we can all help, because when people calm down, they trigger their parasympathetic nervous system, which then upregulates their immune system. So, a calmer world is literally a healthier world! And in stressful times, people intuitively listen to music that calms them, which is like self-medicating, except there are no side-effects! And this explains why streams in the classical genre have gone up during the Covid-19 era, while streams in almost every other genre have gone down.
Now, in order to write calming music, you need to choose a calming scale. We chose D Dorian, which is all the white notes from D to D. We used the Dorian mode because it conveys a sad-but-hopeful emotion, and sharing hope in these sad times is life-changing. And by the way, if you wanna learn everything you need to know about the modes, their emotions, and how to use them, then download our Songwriting & Producing PDF. It also contains all our other essential music making hacks.
Alright, now that you’ve chosen your scale/mode, it’s time to choose your chords. There are no rules here, you can play any chords in your key, but remember this: When you’re writing music to help people chill out, you need to think differently. For once, you actually don’t wanna make music that stands out, as that would stimulate the listener’s mind, instead of relaxing it. Having said that though, if you write something that totally blends into the background, then you’ll lose the listener’s attention and their mind will wander back into a place of fear and anxiety. Also, you don’t wanna lose your artistic voice, just cos you’re making musical medicine. So, the magic happens on the middle path between “background music” and “art music”!
We created this balance by doing the following. On the “background” side of things, we started by choosing four chords, which is the most common number of chords in a progression. That familiarity is very calming for listeners. Our chords are: Dm→Cmaj→Fmaj→Gmaj. Next, we reinforced that familiarity by using a predictable harmonic rhythm. Harmonic rhythm is simply where each chord begins and ends. We play each chord for exactly two bars. And that brings us to the most important element of writing calming music: Pace. Most songwriters and producers think of a song’s pace as its tempo, but the BPM is only half the story. Lots of songwriters and producers use slow BPMs and think they’re making chillout music, but then they change chords every couple beats, and that faster-paced harmonic rhythm prevents their music (and their listeners) from relaxing. So remember, chillout music needs a slow BPM and a slow harmonic rhythm!
[image error]
MIDI Screenshot: Calming chord progression written using our 6-step success formula (see below)
Okay, so now that you’ve ensured your song is gonna sound calming and comforting to your listeners, you need to prevent it from blending into the background. So, on the “art” side of things, we did the following. We started by using the odd time signature 3/4. This time signature is probably the most common of the odd times, so that makes it feel a little different but without being weird. Also, it’s worth noting here that our chord progression already sounded a bit different because it’s in the Dorian mode, not the usual major or minor scale.
Next, we created even more interest by playing our chords in a slightly unusual way. Instead of playing them as regular block chords (where the notes are played together), or arpeggios (where the notes are played one at a time), we used a combination of these two techniques. We play our root note first, then follow it with two higher notes that are played together. This allows for lots of space (i.e. rests), which makes the progression sound even more chill. We actually used this way of playing the chord as a motif, by playing the rest of the chords this way too. And if you’re new to motifs, they’re short ideas you repeat to give your music structure and make it more memorable.
Lastly, to make our progression extra calming, we started it with a dreamy add9 chord, which we then used as a motif as well. And if you’re new to add9 chords, you can make them by simply adding the 2 to a triad. For example, our first chord is Dm(add9), which is the Dm triad (D, F, A) plus the 2 (E). Now, add9 chords are obviously four-note chords, which create a thicker texture. And while that’s great in some songs, we wanted to keep our texture thin and spacious here, so we left out the 5 of our Dm(add9) chord. When you use chords with four or more notes, leaving out the 5 is a great way of keeping your texture thin. Because, and no disrespect to the 5 here, it doesn’t bring anything special to the chord, it merely fills it out.
So, to summarise everything, here’s our success formula for chord progressions in the Covid-19 era:
Choose a consonant scale (i.e. avoid Phrygian, Locrian, etc.) Write a somewhat predictable chord progression Use a slow and predictable harmonic rhythm Incorporate at least two elements that are slightly unusual Create a motif, and repeat it regularly Optional extras: rests, add9 chords
Alright, now it’s your turn to step up! So, we’ve got a chillout challenge for you: Write a calming chord progression using this formula, then stay tuned for next time, when you’ll learn how to add a relaxing melody. For now though, let’s have a listen to our calming chords that upregulate the immune system. And that is true success! Just before the playthrough though, we’d love to share one more thing with you.
Next
Regarding the current situation around the world. As music teachers, we can’t offer much help through this difficult time. However, as most people are now stuck at home, what we can offer, is a meaningful and productive timeout from the difficulties. It’s with that intention in our hearts that we offer you 50% OFF our online course Apprenticeship #1. It contains 17 hours of video that teach every step of the writing process, from blank screen to finished song. You will literally learn everything you need to know in order to write great songs, and finish them! We know that most people are sadly on unpaid leave right now, so we hope this half-price offer helps alleviate some suffering, and we truly hope you and your families are all safe and healthy. Lastly, please remember that music is magic, so keep pumping those uplifting tunes! Thanks for being here, and until next time, happy songwriting and producing.
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Podcast
Listen below, or on any podcast app.
April 8, 2020
80/20 Bass Rule
80/20 Rule for Better Bass Lines
In this tutorial, you'll learn the secret 80/20 bass rule that will forever change the way you write bass lines. 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.
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Scroll down to listen to the podcast episode of this tutorial.
Right, so here’s what a regular bass line sounds like, and this was written in the same way that most bass lines are written these days:
[image error]
MIDI Screenshot: Bass exclusively playing root note of each chord – this is not a bass line!
It’s in the key of A minor, so that’s all the white notes from A to A, and the chords are: Am→Em→Cmaj→Dsus2. Now, because most songwriters and producers don’t know about the secret 80/20 bass rule, most bass lines nowadays simply copy the chord progression by playing the root note of each chord. So in the example you just heard, the bass copied the chords by playing: A→E→C→D. But, that is not a bass line, that is merely the root note of each chord. And that is not a musical approach to bass, it’s a sonic approach, because the bass is so boring that it actually blends into the background and is heard as a frequency, not an instrument!
When we approach bass from a musical perspective, we realise that it obviously wants (and deserves) its own melody. However, this is where we run into the bass paradox: To give the bass an independent melody, it needs to venture off the root note of each chord, but if it does that, then it takes away the music’s stability as it’s no longer providing a solid foundation for the other instruments. So, how can you write a bass line that’s both a solid foundation and also an independent melody? That’s where the 80/20 bass rule comes in. It’s so simple: it is the percentage of time spent on root notes versus the percentage of time spent on other notes.
Root notes in the bass build a solid foundation, but it’s the non-root notes that transform the bass into an independent melody. This is the magic bass balance. Get it right, and your bass lines are pure magic! Get it wrong, and it could literally ruin your whole song. If your bass spends too much time on root notes, it’ll be nothing more than a frequency. On the other hand, if your bass spends too much time on non-root notes, it’ll step forward into the spotlight like a diva and start stealing attention from your lead melody. Remember, the spotlight is only big enough for one!
So, what’s the perfect ratio? 80% roots, 20 % non-roots. And obviously every song is different, and every section within every song is different, but the 80/20 rule will ensure that every bass line you write starts out in the sweetspot, then you can adjust the percentage up or down, depending on what the other instruments are doing. For example, if there isn’t a lead melody in a section, then there’s space for your bass to step forward and take the spotlight, without any musical fights! However, if a section has a lead melody and a backing melody, then your bass should definitely spend a little more time on root notes, for extra stability. In our example, our bass line is 81% root notes and 19% non-root notes. And of course, you don’t actually have to calculate the exact percentage, just get it somewhere in the 80/20 sweetspot.
[image error]
MIDI Screenshot: Bass line with about 80% roots and 20% non-roots (highlighted)
And by the way, if you want our step-by-step guide for writing great bass lines, then download our Songwriting & Producing PDF, which also contains all our other essential music making hacks.
Finally, let’s talk about those non-root notes. There are three possibilities for these: harmonic notes, non-harmonic notes, and non-diatonic notes. Harmonic notes are notes that are in the chord. For example, over the Am chord, the harmonic notes are A, C and E. And A is obviously the root, so the options are C and E. Next, non-harmonic notes are notes that are not in the chord, but are still in the scale. So over the Am chord, the non-harmonic notes are B, D, F and G. Then lastly, non-diatonic notes are not in the chord either, but they’re not even in the scale. These notes are super spicy, so in the same way that you don’t add chili peppers to every meal, you don’t wanna add non-diatonic notes to every bass line. In our example, we do actually play a non-diatonic note (C♯) under every other Dsus2 chord. But, it’s just a 1/16 note. That’s like throwing a tiny sliver of chili pepper into the pot for flavour, not for heat. Okay now I’m hungry, but before we head off to cook up a yummy vegan chili, let’s have a listen to the Before & After of our bass line, so you can hear what a game-changer this 80/20 bass rule is. Just before the playthrough though, we’d love to share one more thing with you.
Next
Regarding the current situation around the world. As music teachers, we can’t offer much help through this difficult time. However, as most people are now stuck at home, what we can offer, is a meaningful and productive timeout from the difficulties. It’s with that intention in our hearts that we offer you 50% OFF our online course Apprenticeship #1. It contains 17 hours of video that teach every step of the writing process, from blank screen to finished song. You will literally learn everything you need to know in order to write great songs, and finish them! We know that most people are sadly on unpaid leave right now, so we hope this half-price offer helps alleviate some suffering, and we truly hope you and your families are all safe and healthy. Lastly, please remember that music is magic, so keep pumping those uplifting tunes! Thanks for being here, and until next time, happy songwriting and producing.
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Podcast
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March 24, 2020
Changing Chords Rule
Changing Chords Rule
Are your chord progressions a bit boring? Well don’t worry, cos in this tutorial you’ll learn the one thing you need to change in order to bring your chord progressions to life. And, it only takes a few seconds to change! 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.
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Scroll down to listen to the podcast episode of this tutorial.
So here’s a chord progression that’s similar to a few songs we heard in the new releases this week. It’s in the key of A minor, so that’s all the white notes from A to A, and the chords are: Am→Em→Cmaj→Dsus2 (hear example in video/podcast). It sounds pretty good, cos we’ve re-arranged the notes around the common note E, which is on top of every chord. By the way, if you wanna learn about that, check out our Songwriting & Producing PDF. So yeah, these chords all flow smoothly into each other, and that’s the main reason why it sounds nice. But (and it’s a big but!), if you listen to this chord progression a few times, it gets boring real quick!
[image error]
MIDI Screenshot: Solid but boring chord progression (Am→Em→Cmaj→Dsus2)
This example highlights how you can have a really solid chord progression, yet it still isn’t enough to catch the listener’s attention. So, what’s missing from this chord progression? Rhythm! Well, to be precise: harmonic rhythm. Harmonic rhythm is simply the rhythm of the chords in your progression. You can think of it as where each chord starts, and how long it lasts. Now, most songwriters and producers don’t know about harmonic rhythm, so they just do it by ear, which almost always results in a predictable harmonic rhythm. And a predictable harmonic rhythm is one of the best ways to bore your listeners. That’s why we’re sharing this hack with you, cos friends don’t let friends use boring harmonic rhythms!
Okay let’s get to it! Start by setting up a loop that contains at least two cycles of your chord progression. Why not one? Well, most songwriters and producers just loop their chord progression as it is, which means their harmonic rhythm is the same every time their chord progression repeats. Unless you have an incredibly interesting chord progression though, that’s also gonna get boring real quick! This hack essentially turns a two-bar progression into a four-bar progression, or a four-bar progression into an eight-bar progression. So, to take your chord progressions to the next level, use a different harmonic rhythm every second time.
Right, now it’s time to create your two interesting harmonic rhythms, one for each progression in your loop. Depending on your tempo, you’ll probably want the grid set to 1/8 notes, but if your BPM is really slow, then set your grid to 1/16 notes. Next, just play around with moving the starting point and ending point of each chord, and see where that takes you. There are no rules, but we recommend finding a balance between chords that start on the beat, and chords that start off the beat. This approach will keep your progression accessible, but also super fresh!
[image error]
MIDI Screenshot: By simply changing the harmonic rhythm, that boring progression is now totally captivating!
And remember: Everything is connected! So the bonus of having an interesting harmonic rhythm, is that it will result in a far more creative lead melody on top of your chord progression, and a far more captivating bass line and drum beat underneath. This hack is about a lot more than just your chord progression! Alright, now let’s have a listen to the Before & After of our progression, so you can hear the massive difference that an interesting harmonic rhythm makes (hear example in video/podcast). Just before the playthrough though, we’d love to share one more thing with you.
Next
Regarding the current situation around the world. As music teachers, we can’t offer much help through this difficult time. However, as most people are now stuck at home, what we can offer, is a meaningful and productive timeout from the difficulties. It’s with that intention in our hearts that we offer you 50% OFF our online course Apprenticeship #1. It contains 17 hours of video that teach every step of the writing process, from blank screen to finished song. You will literally learn everything you need to know in order to write great songs, and finish them! We know that most people are sadly on unpaid leave right now, so we hope this half-price offer helps alleviate some suffering, and we truly hope you and your families are all safe and healthy. Lastly, please remember that music is magic, so keep pumping those uplifting tunes! Thanks for being here, and until next time, happy songwriting and producing.
Want More?
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Podcast
Listen below, or on any podcast app.
