Ray Harmony's Blog, page 15

American Horror Story "1984" Bass Line (Music Theory)

With Halloween around the corner, horror movies and TV shows are flooding Netflix. So, it’s the perfect time to learn how to write spooky and scary soundtrack music like the creepy new American Horror Story 1984 theme song. 

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. We help you make great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel (or Podcast) and hit that bell to get notified every Friday, when we publish our new lesson. Also, if you’re new to our channel, be sure to download our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords” below. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

 
 

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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Halloween is coming! So in this lesson, you’ll learn the music theory secrets behind American Horror Story’s theme song, and how you can use them to write your own dark sounding bass lines. But first… tea!

INTRO
So, in this Halloween series we are revealing the music theory secrets that were used to make the new American Horror Story theme song sound so spooky! And by the way, if you missed last week’s lesson How to Write a Spooky Melody, check it out, cos we uncovered the mystery behind their creepy sounding lead melody. Right, now here are the two theory secrets that make the American Horror Story bass line so dark:

SECRET 1.  IT’S NOT THE BASS
The most shocking thing about their bass line is that it’s not shocking! I know this sounds totally counterintuitive, but it’s the truth. Seriously, if you mute everything else and listen to the bass on its own, it’s just a pretty normal bass line. So, what’s making it sound dark and creepy then? Well, it’s the harmony created by the bass line and the lead melody playing together. On that note, this melody above our bass line is the lead melody, which we covered last week. It’s on another track, so it’s muted here, we’re just using it for reference. Right, so as you learned in last week’s lesson, the ♭6 injects mystery into a melody, and the ♭5 brings the horror. So when the lead melody plays those notes, it’s essential the bass plays the root note below. Because remember, the emotion is in the harmony!

SECRET 2.  ARPEGGIOS
Okay, you’re probably still thinking: “Yeah but their bass line does sound a little creepy, there must be something in there?”. Well, there is one small element in the actual bass line that does make it sound a bit unsettled. What is it? Arpeggios. And by the way, an arpeggio is when you play a chord one note at a time. By moving through the notes of a chord like this, it creates movement in the melody, but not the harmony, as you’re still on the same chord. And when this is done descending (like they do in the American Horror Story bass line, by playing 5 ♭3 1 of the root chord), it gives us a sinking feeling that is unsettling in the context of all those creepy sound effects. And also, their opening arpeggio sounds kinda dark simply because it’s a minor chord. 

NEXT
So, now that you’ve got one section coming together, how do you write the other sections? Then, how do you transition between them (especially when they’re in different keys)? And then, how do you structure and arrange your song? These are issues many songwriters and producers struggle with, and that’s exactly why we made our online apprenticeship course, which guides you through every step of the music making process, from blank screen to finished song. So, if you wanna learn our secret method for writing (and finishing) great songs, which we don’t teach in these free lessons, then sign up now for this one-of-a-kind video course.

Thanks for reading/watching/listening, and we’ll see you next week!

Kate & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony)
Music Teachers & Producers in Vancouver BC, Canada

 

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This is our best-selling PDF, which includes MIDI file examples. Learn the essential hacks for songwriting & producing, like our Melody Checklist (the ultimate list of do's and don'ts for writing great melodies). You'll also learn how to write chord progressions, bass lines, riffs, counterpoint harmonies, and more!

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ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is a pioneering DAW method for making great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! Taught by multi-award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more! Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his method. On that note, the "Hack Music Theory" YouTube channel teaches relevant and instantly-usable music theory for producers, DAW users, and all other music makers (songwriters, singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc.) in all genres, from EDM to R&B, pop to hip-hop, reggae to rock, electronic to metal (and yes, we djefinitely djent!).

COPYRIGHT
© 2019 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony

American Horror Story "1984" Melody (Music Theory)

Halloween is coming! And with horror movies and TV shows flooding Netflix, it’s the perfect time to learn how to write spooky and scary soundtrack music like the creepy new American Horror Story 1984 theme song.

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. We help you make great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel (or Podcast) and hit that bell to get notified every Friday, when we publish our new lesson. Also, if you’re new to our channel, be sure to download our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords” below. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

 
 

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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Halloween is coming! So in this lesson, you’ll learn the music theory secret behind American Horror Story’s theme tune, and how you can use it to make your own spooky melody. But first… tea!

INTRO
If you’re watching the new season of American Horror Story, then you’ll have noticed that their creepy theme song has had an update, or rather a backdate. Just like Stranger Things, American Horror Story has taken us back to 1984, and their theme song perfectly reflects that with its lush synthesizers and big drums, all swimming in an ocean of reverb. Now, if you haven’t been watching, then you’re probably wondering: How can ‘80s music sound scary? Well, it’s all in the music theory! So, here are the 2 theory secrets that make the American Horror Story melody spooky:

SECRET 1.  THE ♭6
The ♭6 injects mystery into a melody, especially when it’s played over the top of your root note (which can be played in the bass). To hear this in action, simply play a high G over a low B root note. On that note, the American Horror Story theme song is in the key of B minor (B C♯ D E F♯ G A), so we’ll use it too. Now, unsurprisingly, the mysterious ♭6 also turns up in the X-Files theme song. So, the ♭6 is one semitone above the 5, and both X-Files and American Horror Story set up the ♭6 by playing the 5 before it, because the 5 sounds so normal that it makes the ♭6 even more mysterious.

SECRET 2.  THE ♭5
The ♭5 injects the horror into a melody, especially when it’s played over the top of your root note (which can be played in the bass). To hear this in action, simply play a high F over a low B root note. Now, if you’re thinking: “Whoa, that sounds out-of-key!”, then you’re right. The ♭5 is a non-diatonic note in the key of B minor, which means it’s not in the B minor scale. And unsurprisingly, the scary ♭5 turns up in every other horror movie soundtrack as well. Now, just like the American Horror Story melody emphasises that one semitone ascend from 5 to ♭6, it does exactly the opposite at the end of the melody, where 5 descends one semitone to the creepy ♭5.

NEXT
If you want the ultimate list of dos and don’ts for writing great melodies, then use the Melody Checklist, which is in our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click & scroll down). It also contains hacks on how to write chord progressions, bass lines, and all the other essential songwriting and producing hacks, as well as MIDI file examples.

Thanks for reading/watching/listening, and we’ll see you next week, when you’ll learn how to add a chord progression and bass line to your horror melody!

Kate & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony)
Music Teachers & Producers in Vancouver BC, Canada

 

Take Your Music to the Next Level

LEVEL 1 – FREE BOOK
"12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords" will give you a super solid music theory foundation in 30 minutes!

LEVEL 2 – SONGWRITING & PRODUCING PDF (click & scroll down)
This is our best-selling PDF, which includes MIDI file examples. Learn the essential hacks for songwriting & producing, like our Melody Checklist (the ultimate list of do's and don'ts for writing great melodies). You'll also learn how to write chord progressions, bass lines, riffs, counterpoint harmonies, and more!

LEVEL 3 – LESSON PACKS
After learning our essential hacks, it's time to put them to practical use and start writing some new songs. Lesson packs include step-by-step PDF guides to making music for different instruments and in different genres (electronic, metal, soundtrack, etc.), as well as multitrack MIDI files of the examples.

LEVEL 4 – ONLINE APPRENTICESHIP
Go from a blank screen to a finished song, in this online video course. Learn how to write new sections for an existing section, how to transition between sections in different keys, how to structure and arrange, and much more! This course has been called "life-changing" many times, so join 700+ music makers now (from all genres), who are learning Ray's secret hack: Song Whispering.

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is a pioneering DAW method for making great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! Taught by multi-award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more! Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his method. On that note, the "Hack Music Theory" YouTube channel teaches relevant and instantly-usable music theory for producers, DAW users, and all other music makers (songwriters, singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc.) in all genres, from EDM to R&B, pop to hip-hop, reggae to rock, electronic to metal (and yes, we djefinitely djent!).

COPYRIGHT
© 2019 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony

How to Write a Horror Melody

Halloween is coming! And with horror movies and TV shows flooding Netflix, it’s the perfect time to learn how to write spooky and scary soundtrack music like the creepy new American Horror Story 1984 theme song.

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. We help you make great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel (or Podcast) and hit that bell to get notified every Friday, when we publish our new lesson. Also, if you’re new to our channel, be sure to download our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords” below. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

 
 

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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Halloween is coming! So in this lesson, you’ll learn the music theory secret behind American Horror Story’s theme tune, and how you can use it to make your own spooky melody. But first… tea!

INTRO
If you’re watching the new season of American Horror Story, then you’ll have noticed that their creepy theme song has had an update, or rather a backdate. Just like Stranger Things, American Horror Story has taken us back to 1984, and their theme song perfectly reflects that with its lush synthesizers and big drums, all swimming in an ocean of reverb. Now, if you haven’t been watching, then you’re probably wondering: How can ‘80s music sound scary? Well, it’s all in the music theory! So, here are the 2 theory secrets that make the American Horror Story melody spooky:

SECRET 1.  THE ♭6
The ♭6 injects mystery into a melody, especially when it’s played over the top of your root note (which can be played in the bass). To hear this in action, simply play a high G over a low B root note. On that note, the American Horror Story theme song is in the key of B minor (B C♯ D E F♯ G A), so we’ll use it too. Now, unsurprisingly, the mysterious ♭6 also turns up in the X-Files theme song. So, the ♭6 is one semitone above the 5, and both X-Files and American Horror Story set up the ♭6 by playing the 5 before it, because the 5 sounds so normal that it makes the ♭6 even more mysterious.

SECRET 2.  THE ♭5
The ♭5 injects the horror into a melody, especially when it’s played over the top of your root note (which can be played in the bass). To hear this in action, simply play a high F over a low B root note. Now, if you’re thinking: “Whoa, that sounds out-of-key!”, then you’re right. The ♭5 is a non-diatonic note in the key of B minor, which means it’s not in the B minor scale. And unsurprisingly, the scary ♭5 turns up in every other horror movie soundtrack as well. Now, just like the American Horror Story melody emphasises that one semitone ascend from 5 to ♭6, it does exactly the opposite at the end of the melody, where 5 descends one semitone to the creepy ♭5.

NEXT
If you want the ultimate list of dos and don’ts for writing great melodies, then use the Melody Checklist, which is in our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click & scroll down). It also contains hacks on how to write chord progressions, bass lines, and all the other essential songwriting and producing hacks, as well as MIDI file examples.

Thanks for reading/watching/listening, and we’ll see you next week, when you’ll learn how to add a chord progression and bass line to your horror melody!

Kate & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony)
Music Teachers & Producers in Vancouver BC, Canada

 

Take Your Music to the Next Level

LEVEL 1 – FREE BOOK
"12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords" will give you a super solid music theory foundation in 30 minutes!

LEVEL 2 – SONGWRITING & PRODUCING PDF (click & scroll down)
This is our best-selling PDF, which includes MIDI file examples. Learn the essential hacks for songwriting & producing, like our Melody Checklist (the ultimate list of do's and don'ts for writing great melodies). You'll also learn how to write chord progressions, bass lines, riffs, counterpoint harmonies, and more!

LEVEL 3 – LESSON PACKS
After learning our essential hacks, it's time to put them to practical use and start writing some new songs. Lesson packs include step-by-step PDF guides to making music for different instruments and in different genres (electronic, metal, soundtrack, etc.), as well as multitrack MIDI files of the examples.

LEVEL 4 – ONLINE APPRENTICESHIP
Go from a blank screen to a finished song, in this online video course. Learn how to write new sections for an existing section, how to transition between sections in different keys, how to structure and arrange, and much more! This course has been called "life-changing" many times, so join 700+ music makers now (from all genres), who are learning Ray's secret hack: Song Whispering.

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is a pioneering DAW method for making great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! Taught by multi-award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more! Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his method. On that note, the "Hack Music Theory" YouTube channel teaches relevant and instantly-usable music theory for producers, DAW users, and all other music makers (songwriters, singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc.) in all genres, from EDM to R&B, pop to hip-hop, reggae to rock, electronic to metal (and yes, we djefinitely djent!).

COPYRIGHT
© 2019 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony

How to Transition between Sections of a Song

Do you struggle to write B sections? Do you struggle to transition between sections and finish your song? Then learn about the Frankenstein method and the Song-whispering method.

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. We help you make great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel (or Podcast) and hit that bell to get notified every Friday, when we publish our new lesson. Also, if you’re new to our channel, be sure to download our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords” below. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

 
 

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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Okay, so you’ve written two sections, but now, how do you transition from one section to the other? Well, there’s a couple different methods you can use, and we’ll introduce you to both of them in this lesson. But first… tea!

INTRO
So, over the last few weeks, we’ve been asking you what part of the writing process you struggle with. Firstly, thank you sincerely to everyone who took the time to share, we read every single comment. Secondly, we have great news for all of you! We already have resources available to help with every problem that was shared, so let’s jump in! Now, almost all of these musical problems can be grouped into a handful of categories, which we’ll address over a couple of lessons. By far the most common issues you raised, were writing new sections for existing sections, and transitioning between sections. These issues are totally related, so we’ll cover both in this lesson.

LESSON
Right, so there’s two completely different approaches to writing transitions. We like to call them the Frankenstein method, and the Song-whispering method. The Frankenstein method is when you have different sections that were not written with the intention of being joined, but later you decide you wanna stitch ‘em together. Then on the other hand, the Song-whispering method is when you write one section and allow it to whisper to you where it wants to go next, then from those whispers you write the transition and the next section. Both methods work, but the Frankenstein method forces sections together, whereas the Song-whispering method allows new sections to grow out of existing sections.

I used to use the Frankenstein method a lot when I was a young songwriter, but the more I matured, the less I used it, and nowadays I don’t use it at all. I believe that for a song to reach its full potential, it has to be given the opportunity to grow organically in whatever direction it wants. And that belief is the reason why I created the Song-whispering method, because when you master this method, it feels like your music is literally writing itself!

Now, on a very practical level, you’re probably wondering what to do if you have two sections that were not written with the intention of being joined. Well, instead of forcing them together, we recommend turning each of those sections into separate songs, which will allow them both to grow into their full potential. Having said that though, if you’re determined to Frankenstein them together, then you can, and it’s at least a great way to practice modulating (i.e. changing key). And if you need help with modulating, then check out the ultimate Modulation hack in our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click & scroll down). It will empower you with the three most effective ways to change between any two keys.

And if your two sections are in the same key already, then they’ll transition into each other relatively smoothly as is. So, a drum fill and perhaps a variation in the melody should be enough for a decent transition. However, the most powerful transitions will almost always involve modulating, as that freshness you get from a new key is vital in the overall longevity of a song. So on that note, if your two sections are in the same key, maybe they shouldn’t be joined after all.

Now, when you use the Song-whispering method, your song will guide you to the new key that it wants to move into, which will make the modulation sound natural and effortless. Okay, so now the big question is: How do you do this Song-whispering thing? Well, not only does it take many hours to teach Song-whispering, but it’s also our secret sauce that we sell, so we can eat, pay the rent and keep making these free lessons for you. So if you wanna learn how to become a Song-whisperer, then do our online Apprenticeship, which is a 17-hour video course that guides you through every step of the music making process, from blank screen to finished song. If that sounds useful to you, then sign up now!

THANKS
Thank you once again for sharing your struggles with us. We really hope this lesson helped, and we’ll get to the rest of your music making problems next week. Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you next time!

Kate & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony)
Music Teachers & Producers in Vancouver BC, Canada

 

Take Your Music to the Next Level

LEVEL 1 – FREE BOOK
"12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords" will give you a super solid music theory foundation in 30 minutes!

LEVEL 2 – SONGWRITING & PRODUCING PDF (click & scroll down)
This is our best-selling PDF, which includes MIDI file examples. Learn the essential hacks for songwriting & producing, like our Melody Checklist (the ultimate list of do's and don'ts for writing great melodies). You'll also learn how to write chord progressions, bass lines, riffs, counterpoint harmonies, and more!

LEVEL 3 – LESSON PACKS
After learning our essential hacks, it's time to put them to practical use and start writing some new songs. Lesson packs include step-by-step PDF guides to making music for different instruments and in different genres (electronic, metal, soundtrack, etc.), as well as multitrack MIDI files of the examples.

LEVEL 4 – ONLINE APPRENTICESHIP
Go from a blank screen to a finished song, in this online video course. Learn how to write new sections for an existing section, how to transition between sections in different keys, how to structure and arrange, and much more! This course has been called "life-changing" many times, so join 700+ music makers now (from all genres), who are learning Ray's secret hack: Song Whispering.

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is a pioneering DAW method for making great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! Taught by multi-award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more! Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his method. On that note, the "Hack Music Theory" YouTube channel teaches relevant and instantly-usable music theory for producers, DAW users, and all other music makers (songwriters, singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc.) in all genres, from EDM to R&B, pop to hip-hop, reggae to rock, electronic to metal (and yes, we djefinitely djent!).

COPYRIGHT
© 2019 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony

3 Steps to Add Chords to a Bass Line

Do you have a bass line, but now you wanna learn how to write a chord progression for it? Then simply use these 3 steps!

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. We help you make great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel (or Podcast) and hit that bell to get notified every Friday, when we publish our new lesson. Also, if you’re new to our channel, be sure to download our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords” below. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

SERIES
►Episode 1 (Drums)
►Episode 2 (Bass)

 
 

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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Okay, so you’ve got a great bass line, but now, how do you write a great chord progression on top? That’s what you’ll learn in this lesson. But first… tea!

INTRO
Over the last couple of lessons we’ve showed you the workflow needed to overcome that blank screen and get a new song started in minutes, so if you missed those, check ‘em out. Right, now you’re at the point where you have a solid section with bass and drums, but it’s not finished yet. You still need to add that vital musical ingredient: Chords. So, follow these 3 steps to add a chord progression:

STEP 1. ROOTS
Just a quick heads up if you missed last week’s lesson, our bass line here is in the key of G minor, with a few chromatic notes. Right, so start by copying and pasting your bass line into your chords track, then muting it. That’s just there for reference. Now, the first thing you need to do is decide what chords you wanna build above what notes. And the obvious thing to do is to approach each note in your bass line (excluding chromatic notes) as the root note of a chord, for example, G would be the root note of Gm. And this approach is great for most notes, but try switch it up on at least one note, which is what we did here at the end, where we decided to build Dm above A in the bass. In other words, we approached that A as the 5 of the chord (D F A). For every longer note in your bass line, you usually wanna think of it as the 1 or 5 of a chord, cos those are the most stable notes. But then on the other hand, you usually wanna ignore all those quicker notes that you added to your bass line in step 3 of last week’s lesson. Those are what we call non-harmonic notes, they’re not part of the harmony, they’re just there to make it a better melody.

STEP 2. RHYTHM
Right, so now you need to decide where your chords are going to change. This is known as harmonic rhythm, in other words, the rhythm of the chords. And we created an interesting harmonic rhythm by placing some of our chord changes on off-beats. This step is sadly left out by most songwriters and producers these days, and as a result, most chord progressions have a super boring harmonic rhythm, like changing on the predictable beat 1 or beat 3. Remember, no matter how great the chords are in a progression, it’ll end up getting boring if the harmonic rhythm is too predictable. And finally, once you’ve decided on your harmonic rhythm, simply fill in the triads.

STEP 3. FLOW
Now, while that’s sounding good, it’s definitely not sounding great, yet! And that’s why this next step is such a game-changer, and that is to smooth out your chord changes, so you don’t get those disjointed jumps from one chord to the next, like we have now. There are two ways to do this, depending on whether you have a common note, like between Fmaj and Cm (as both chords have the note C), or, if you don’t have a common note, like between Gm and Fmaj. We’ve made two lessons specifically on how to use both of these methods, so check them out at the links below. And once you’ve done that, you’ll not only have chords that all flow beautifully into each other, but you’ll also have added a melodic element to your progression. Adding a melodic element to chord progressions is sadly another step that most songwriters and producers don’t do nowadays, so simply by applying this step to your chord progressions, your music will easily stand out!

►Make Chord Changes Flow (with common notes)
► Make Chord Changes Flow (without common notes)

NEXT
So, now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write the other sections? Then, how do you transition between them (especially when they’re in different keys)? And then, how do you structure and arrange your song? These are issues many songwriters and producers struggle with, and that’s exactly why we made our online apprenticeship. This video course guides you through every step of the music making process, from blank screen to finished song. So, if you wanna learn our secret method for writing (and finishing) great songs, sign up now!

Kate & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony)
Music Teachers & Producers in Vancouver BC, Canada

 

Take Your Music to the Next Level

LEVEL 1 – FREE BOOK
"12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords" will give you a super solid music theory foundation in 30 minutes!

LEVEL 2 – SONGWRITING & PRODUCING PDF (click & scroll)
This is our best-selling PDF, which includes MIDI file examples. Learn the essential hacks for songwriting & producing, like our Melody Checklist (the ultimate list of do's and don'ts for writing great melodies). You'll also learn how to write chord progressions, bass lines, riffs, counterpoint harmonies, and more!

LEVEL 3 – LESSON PACKS
After learning our essential hacks, it's time to put them to practical use and start writing some new songs. Lesson packs include step-by-step PDF guides to making music for different instruments and in different genres (electronic, metal, soundtrack, etc.), as well as multitrack MIDI files of the examples.

LEVEL 4 – ONLINE APPRENTICESHIP
Go from a blank screen to a finished song, in this online video course. Learn how to write new sections for an existing section, how to transition between sections in different keys, how to structure and arrange, and much more! This course has been called "life-changing" many times, so join 700+ music makers now (from all genres), who are learning Ray's secret hack: Song Whispering.

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is a pioneering DAW method for making great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! Taught by multi-award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more! Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his method. On that note, the "Hack Music Theory" YouTube channel teaches relevant and instantly-usable music theory for producers, DAW users, and all other music makers (songwriters, singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc.) in all genres, from EDM to R&B, pop to hip-hop, reggae to rock, electronic to metal (and yes, we djefinitely djent!).

COPYRIGHT
© 2019 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony

How to Turn an Idea into a Section

Do you have an idea for a song, but you don’t know where to go next? Then learn how to write a song like a pro, with this new workflow series.

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. We help you make great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel (or Podcast) and hit that bell to get notified every Friday, when we publish our new video. Also, if you’re new to our channel, be sure to download our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords” below. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

 
 

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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Okay, so you’ve got an idea for a song, and you’ve got it programmed into your DAW, but what do you do next, and how do you turn that idea into a section? That’s what you’ll learn in this lesson. But first… tea!

INTRO
In last week’s lesson How to Start Writing a Song we showed you the workflow for starting a new song and getting it up and running in minutes, so if you missed that, check it out. So now we’re at the point where we have an idea, and it’s programmed into our DAW, but how do we grow that idea into a whole section? Easy, just follow these 3 steps:

STEP 1. RHYTHM
Right, so open your drum track that you wrote from last week’s lesson, then copy the rhythm of its most interesting bit. For ours, that’s definitely the irregular cymbal pattern, as our kick pattern is just a simple four-on-the-floor. However, if you went with a simpler cymbal pattern and a more interesting kick pattern, then copy the rhythm of your kicks instead. Next, paste that rhythm into your bass track, and move it to the note you want to make your root. And if you just hit play right now, you’ll notice it’s already sounding pretty damn cool.

STEP 2. CHORDS
Now that you’ve got the rhythm for your bass line, it’s time to choose a mode, and assign pitches to this rhythm that outline a chord progression. I know, you’re probably thinking: Chords?! Yep, in order to write a great bass line, you need to be thinking about its harmony, which will in turn start writing your chord progression for you (and that’s actually next week’s lesson, where you’ll learn how to finish this section). Right, so we went with the Aeolian mode, and the chords we chose are: I → ♭VII → IV → ♭III. Also, be sure to change chords on interesting beats, instead of the predictable beat 1 and beat 3.

STEP 3. MELODY
Alright, now that you have the harmony for your bass line, it’s time to turn that into a melody, cos a bass line that only plays the root note of each chord is a boring bass line. Now, there’s many ways to turn this into a melody, but they all involve adding some notes to create an interesting melodic contour. We actually chose the very conventional Aeolian mode in step 2, because we wanted to add chromaticism here, which is extra spicy, so there was no need for a spicy mode to start with. And by the way, chromaticism is just a fancy way of saying you’re playing one or more notes that are not in your mode. We added the ♭2, 7, ♭5, and 3. And this passing note at the end here looks like a chromatic note, but it’s not, it’s just the 2.

NEXT
If you wanna learn everything you need to know about modes in three simple hacks, then check out our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click & scroll down). It also contains hacks on how to write bass lines, chord progressions, riffs, melodies, counterpoint harmonies, and more, and it comes with MIDI examples too!

Kate & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony)
Music Teachers & Producers in Vancouver BC, Canada

 

Take Your Music to the Next Level

LEVEL 1 – FREE BOOK
"12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords" will give you a super solid music theory foundation in 30 minutes!

LEVEL 2 – SONGWRITING & PRODUCING PDF (click & scroll)
This is our best-selling PDF, which includes MIDI file examples. Learn the essential hacks for songwriting and producing, like our Melody Checklist (the ultimate list of do's and don'ts for writing great melodies). You'll also learn how to write chord progressions, bass lines, riffs, counterpoint harmonies, and more!

LEVEL 3 – LESSON PACKS
After learning our essential hacks, it's time to put them to practical use and start writing some new songs. Lesson packs include step-by-step PDF guides to making music for different instruments and in different genres (electronic, metal, soundtrack, etc.), as well as multitrack MIDI files of the examples.

LEVEL 4 – ONLINE APPRENTICESHIP
Go from a blank screen to a finished song, in this online video course. Learn how to write new sections for an existing section, how to transition between sections in different keys, how to structure and arrange, and much more! This course has been called "life-changing" many times, so join 700+ music makers now (from all genres), who are learning Ray's secret hack: Song Whispering.

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is a pioneering DAW method for making great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! Taught by multi-award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more! Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his method. On that note, the "Hack Music Theory" YouTube channel teaches relevant and instantly-usable music theory for producers, DAW users, and all other music makers (songwriters, singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc.) in all genres, from EDM to R&B, pop to hip-hop, reggae to rock, electronic to metal (and yes, we djefinitely djent!).

COPYRIGHT
© 2019 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony

How to Start Writing a Song

Are you suffering from Writer’s Block, or do you simply waste a lot of time when starting a new song? Then learn how to write a song like a pro, with this new series!

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. We help you make great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit that bell to get notified every Friday, when we publish our new video. Also, if you’re new to our channel, be sure to download our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords” below. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory. But first… tea!

 
 

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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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When you sit down to start writing a new song, do you find yourself staring at a blank screen for a while, only to end up scrolling through your feed? If so, then this series will get your new song started now, by turbocharging your workflow!

INTRO
One of the most common obstacles to overcome as a songwriter or producer, is where to start. This is a huge issue, cos most music makers waste a ton of time when starting new songs. Just imagine how many more songs you could write if you didn’t waste all that time! So, while there are obviously many ways to start, the following 3 steps can always be counted on to get you up and running in minutes.

STEP 1. TEMPO
First things first. You need to decide on how fast or slow you want your new song to be. I encourage you to close your eyes and move to the heartbeat of your unborn song. This takes some practice, but you’ll eventually get to the point where you can even dance to your unwritten music. For now though, you could just pick a song you’ve been digging recently, then go to a song BPM website to find out its tempo, and then simply input that BPM into your DAW.

STEP 2. TIME
Next, you wanna decide on your time signature. Most songs are in 4/4, so we’ll stick with that for now. If you want something odd though, then check out our lesson on odd time signatures (linked above). Now, just cos you’re in 4/4, doesn’t mean it has to be boring. There are many ways to spice up 4/4, and we’ve done a lesson on that too (which is also linked above), but here I’m using 1/16 note triplets.

STEP 3. DRUMS
Finally, it’s time to get to the music making, and starting with a drum groove will give you instant inspiration, while also creating the feel that will underpin your song. So, start with your kick and snare, then add cymbals afterwards. Most kick and snare patterns these days are pretty simple, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, cos that leaves space for the other instruments. But, be sure to do something interesting with your cymbals. And writing an irregular pattern, like I’ve done here on the hats, is a great way to make your drum groove really interesting, without being too busy.

PS
The example in this lesson is actually from Ray's new song, which he wrote yesterday while taking notes on the process, so we can share the workflow with you in this new series. So stay tuned for next week, when you’ll learn how your drum groove will now start writing your bass line for you!

Kate & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony) 
Music Teachers & Producers in Vancouver BC, Canada

 

RELATED VIDEOS
►Give Writer’s Block the Finger
►Odd Time Signatures
►How to Spice Up 4/4

 

Take Your Music to the Next Level

LEVEL 1 – FREE BOOK
"12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords" will give you a super solid music theory foundation in 30 minutes!

LEVEL 2 – SONGWRITING & PRODUCING PDF (click & scroll)
This is our best-selling PDF, which includes MIDI file examples. Learn the essential hacks for songwriting and producing, like our Melody Checklist (the ultimate list of do's and don'ts for writing great melodies). You'll also learn how to write chord progressions, bass lines, riffs, counterpoint harmonies, and more!

LEVEL 3 – LESSON PACKS
After learning our essential hacks, it's time to put them to practical use and start writing some new songs. Lesson packs include step-by-step PDF guides to making music for different instruments and in different genres (electronic, metal, soundtrack, etc.), as well as multitrack MIDI files of the examples.

LEVEL 4 – ONLINE APPRENTICESHIP
Go from a blank screen to a finished song, in this online video course. Learn how to write new sections for an existing section, how to transition between sections in different keys, how to structure and arrange, and much more! This course has been called "life-changing" many times, so join 700+ music makers now (from all genres), who are learning Ray's secret hack: Song Whispering.

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is a pioneering DAW method for making great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! Taught by multi-award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more! Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his method. On that note, the "Hack Music Theory" YouTube channel teaches relevant and instantly-usable music theory for producers, DAW users, and all other music makers (songwriters, singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc.) in all genres, from EDM to R&B, pop to hip-hop, reggae to rock, electronic to metal (and yes, we djefinitely djent!).

COPYRIGHT
© 2019 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony

How to Write a Song Intro like a Legend

Learn how to use a music theory hack from Bob Marley “Could You Be Loved” to write a legendary song intro that won’t get skipped!

WELCOME
Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. We help you make great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit that bell to get notified every Friday, when we publish our new video. Also, if you’re new to our channel, be sure to download our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords” (link below). Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory. But first… tea!

THEORY
The opening riff in “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley & The Wailers creates a truly legendary intro! Despite being written 40 years ago, “Could You Be Loved” is more relevant than ever, because its intro hooks us in the first five seconds. And with a quarter of all songs on Spotify getting skipped in their first five seconds, it’s absolutely essential to have a great intro, and that’s exactly what we can learn from this legendary song. What makes this intro so remarkable? Four things: First, it’s simple. Second, it’s singable. Third, it’s interesting. And fourth, it teases. Now let’s explore these in more detail. The riff is simple, because it consists of only three notes: the 1, 2 and ♭3. And that makes this riff extremely easy to sing, which makes it extremely catchy. But, while the melodic side of the riff is simple, the rhythmic side is really interesting, which prevents it from getting annoying. And that is vital, because catchy music that gets annoying after a few listens will be nothing more than a trend. For music to become legendary, it needs to be simultaneously catchy and interesting, and “Could You Be Loved” is the perfect example of that! And lastly, this intro hooks us by confidently teasing, without giving everything away, like so many artists do these days in a desperate attempt to avoid that five second skip.

PRACTICAL
Alright, now you’re gonna learn how to use the music theory from “Could You Be Loved” to make your own legendary intro. And remember, just like all our lessons, you can use this theory hack to make music in whatever genre you want. And to show this, in our playthrough at the end, we’ll switch from Reggae to EDM without changing the riff, chords, bass or drums. Okay, so for the example in this lesson, we’ll be using our version that we made earlier. So, start by setting up two bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 103 BPM. “Could You Be Loved” is in the key of B minor, so we’ll use it too.

STEP 1. PITCH
This is the element that you wanna keep simple, so choose only a handful of notes for your riff. We centred ours around the 1, ♭3, 2, and ♭7, then we threw in the 5 and ♭6 at the end for variation. And be sure you also change something in your second bar, just for a little variation. Lastly, you wanna play the root note a few times in each bar, in order to establish it as your home and anchor your riff into the key.

MORE
And just a quick heads up before we get to Step 2. If you need help writing riffs, melodies, chord progressions, bass lines, counterpoint harmonies, and more, then check out our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click & scroll down). It also comes with MIDI file examples!

STEP 2. RHYTHM
This is the element that you wanna make more interesting, to prevent your catchy riff from getting annoying. And the way we do that is by using syncopation, which is when you accent an off-beat. Now, in order to create that syncopation, you’ll want a few 1/8 note and 1/16 note rests in your riff, which also gives it space to breathe. Lastly, here’s a little bonus hack for you. Start your song with four bars of your riff on its own, which will hook and tease your listeners. Then, drop your bass and drums in bar five. And finally, bring your vocals in a couple bars after that.

NEXT
Right, so now you’ve got a Bob-inspired intro. Congratulations! But, if you wanna make a legendary song like “Could You Be Loved”, then you’ll need many more minutes of music! So, if you wanna learn how to write other sections (verse/chorus/bridge) for an existing section, how to transition between sections (especially when they’re in different keys), and how to structure and arrange your song, then join our online apprenticeship course.

Kate & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony)
Music Teachers & Producers in Vancouver BC, Canada

 

Take Your Music to the Next Level

LEVEL 1 – FREE BOOK
"12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords" will give you a super solid music theory foundation in 30 minutes!

LEVEL 2 – SONGWRITING & PRODUCING PDF (click & scroll)
This is our best-selling PDF, which includes MIDI file examples. Learn the essential hacks for songwriting and producing, like our Melody Checklist (the ultimate list of do's and don'ts for writing great melodies). You'll also learn how to write chord progressions, bass lines, riffs, counterpoint harmonies, and more!

LEVEL 3 – LESSON PACKS
After learning our essential hacks, it's time to put them to practical use and start writing some new songs. Lesson packs include step-by-step PDF guides to making music for different instruments and in different genres (electronic, metal, soundtrack, etc.), as well as multitrack MIDI files of the examples.

LEVEL 4 – ONLINE APPRENTICESHIP
Go from a blank screen to a finished song, in this online video course. Learn how to write new sections for an existing section, how to transition between sections in different keys, how to structure and arrange, and much more! This course has been called "life-changing" many times, so join 700+ music makers now (from all genres), who are learning Ray's secret hack: Song Whispering.

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is a pioneering DAW method for making great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! Taught by multi-award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more! Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his method. On that note, the "Hack Music Theory" YouTube channel teaches relevant and instantly-usable music theory for producers, DAW users, and all other music makers (songwriters, singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc.) in all genres, from EDM to R&B, pop to hip-hop, reggae to rock, electronic to metal (and yes, we djefinitely djent!).

COPYRIGHT
© 2019 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony
Thumbnail photo of Bob Marley by Denis O’Regan/Getty Images

 
 

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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TOOL Polymeters • Fear Inoculum (Drums & Bass)

Instead of watching reaction videos, why not learn a music theory hack from the new TOOL song, and how to use it to write odd time signature bass lines and drum beats! Subtitles/CC available.

WELCOME
Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. We help you make great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit that bell to get notified every Friday, when we publish our new video. Also, if you’re new to our channel, be sure to download our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords” (link below). Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory. But first… tea!

THEORY
In Tool’s epic ten-minute title track “Fear Inoculum”, there’s a standout section that starts at 5:49. We covered the guitar riff in last week’s lesson, so if you missed that please check it out, because the polymeter is actually created from that riff (which alternates between 12|8 and 5|4), playing over the bass and drums (which are in 11|8). While the riff sounds like it’s slowing down and speeding up (due to the pulse changing), the time signature of the rhythm section is constant. So, in this polymeter, those two layers line up with each other every second bar. This results in a super tasty syncopation when the bass and drums accent beat 1 of every other bar of 11|8, because the guitar doesn’t even play that beat. In fact, the 11|8 rhythm section perfectly lines up with the riff’s 12|8 bar right up until that twelfth 1/8 note, which then becomes beat 1 for the bass and drums, but not for the guitar.

PRACTICAL
Alright, now you’re gonna learn how to use this theory to make your own version. And for the example in this lesson, we’ll be using our version that we made earlier. So, start by setting up one bar of 12|8 and one bar of 5|4, with your grid set to 1|8 notes, and your tempo set to 150 BPM.

STEP 1. DRUMS
First things first, you’re probably wondering why you just set your time signature to 12|8 and 5|4, instead of 11|8. Well, the reason for that is so you can actually see the polymeter. In other words, setting your grid like this will reveal that super tasty syncopation, which results from this polymeter. Because, as you’ll notice in the second bar, beat 1 of the rhythm section is an 1/8 note earlier than beat 1 of the guitar. Right, so start by playing closed hats on all the 1/8 notes, except for one of them, which will be an open hat. Then, between any two hats, add a 1/16 closed hat for some spice. Next, add snare hits on the fourth 1/8 note and the tenth 1/8 note in each bar. This will ensure your listeners hear the 3+3+3+2 grouping that Tool use in their rhythm section. And finally, add kicks wherever you want, except for where there’s already a snare.

MORE
By the way, if you want help writing better drum grooves, then we’ve got two Drum PDFs (click & scroll down) for you, which both come with MIDI file examples as well!

STEP 2. BASS
As we mentioned in last week’s lesson, Tool are in the A Phrygian mode here, which is: A B♭ C D E F G. So you can choose any of those notes for your bass line, but start each bar on A, and be sure to also include B♭ and C, to get that dark Phrygian vibe. Now, regarding rhythm. The grouping here is the same as your drums: 3+3+3+2. And you wanna play 1/8 notes exclusively to match the energy of your drums, but include a few 1/8 note rests as well, to keep the rhythm fresh.

NEXT
Right, so now you’ve got a Tool-inspired rhythm section. Congratulations! But, if you wanna make a proper epic like “Fear Inoculum”, then you’ll need many more minutes of music! So, if you wanna learn how to write other sections (like a bridge) for an existing section, how to transition between sections (especially when they’re in different keys), and how to structure and arrange your song, then join our online apprenticeship course.

Kate & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony)
Music Teachers & Producers in Vancouver BC, Canada

 

Take Your Music to the Next Level

LEVEL 1 – FREE BOOK
"12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords" will give you a super solid music theory foundation in 30 minutes!

LEVEL 2 – SONGWRITING & PRODUCING PDF (click & scroll)
This is our best-selling PDF, which includes MIDI file examples. Learn the essential hacks for songwriting and producing, like our Melody Checklist (the ultimate list of do's and don'ts for writing great melodies). You'll also learn how to write chord progressions, bass lines, riffs, counterpoint harmonies, and more!

LEVEL 3 – LESSON PACKS
After learning our essential hacks, it's time to put them to practical use and start writing some new songs. Lesson packs include step-by-step PDF guides to making music for different instruments and in different genres (electronic, metal, soundtrack, etc.), as well as multitrack MIDI files of the examples.

LEVEL 4 – ONLINE APPRENTICESHIP
Go from a blank screen to a finished song, in this online video course. Learn how to write new sections for an existing section, how to transition between sections in different keys, how to structure and arrange, and much more! This course has been called "life-changing" many times, so join 700+ music makers now (from all genres), who are learning Ray's secret hack: Song Whispering.

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is a pioneering DAW method for making great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! Taught by multi-award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more! Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his method. On that note, the "Hack Music Theory" YouTube channel teaches relevant and instantly-usable music theory for producers, DAW users, and all other music makers (songwriters, singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc.) in all genres, from EDM to R&B, pop to hip-hop, reggae to rock, electronic to metal (and yes, we djefinitely djent!).

COPYRIGHT
© 2019 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony
Thumbnail photo of Danny Carey by Lloyd Bishop / NBC

 
 

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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TOOL “Fear Inoculum” Music Theory (Guitar Riffs)

Can you believe it? After 13 years, there’s finally new music from Tool. So in this lesson you’ll learn a music theory hack from TOOL “Fear Inoculum”, and how to use it to write your own odd time signature riffs and polymeters! Subtitles/CC available.

WELCOME
Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. We help you make great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit that bell to get notified every Friday, when we publish our new video. Also, if you’re new to our channel, be sure to download our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords” below. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory. But first… tea!

THEORY
In Tool’s epic ten-minute title track “Fear Inoculum”, there’s a standout section that starts at 5:49. Its foundation is a super tasty 11|8 drum groove (which we’ll hack next time, so stay tuned). The bass line in this section is also in 11|8 and locks in with the drums, creating a tight and energetic rhythm section. Above that, Adam Jones plays some classic Tool-style guitar, centred around the open A string. But the coolest thing about his riff, is that it’s not in 11|8, it alternates between 12|8 and 5|4. This makes the riff feel like it’s speeding up and slowing down, because 12|8 has a pulse of dotted 1/4 notes, while 5|4 has a faster pulse of 1/4 notes. And all this is happening in that polymeter of the guitar playing 12|8 and 5|4 against the rhythm section playing 11/8, which creates crazy syncopation!

PRACTICAL
Alright, now you’re gonna learn how to use this theory to make your own version. And for the example in this lesson, we’ll be using our version that we made earlier. So, start by setting up four bars that alternate between 12|8 and 5|4, with your grid set to 1|8 notes, and your tempo set to 150 BPM. Tool uses A Phrygian for this section, so we’ll use it too.

STEP 1. THE 12|8
The magic of this riff is as much in the rhythm as it is in the pitches, so you’ll write the rhythm first, then add the pitches afterwards. We’ll start with the bar of 12|8, which consists of four dotted 1/4 notes. And if you’re new to dotted notes, a dotted 1/4 note equals three 1/8 notes. Now that you’ve got the rhythm for your 12|8, it’s time to assign pitches. Adam used the Phrygian mode here, cos it has a dark vibe. And if you’re new to modes, A Phrygian is: A B♭ C D E F G. So choose any of those notes, but be sure to start on the open A string, and include the ♭2.

MORE
By the way, if you wanna learn everything you need to know about modes in three simple hacks, then check out our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click & scroll down). It also contains hacks on how to write guitar riffs, bass lines, chord progressions, melodies, counterpoint and more, and it comes with MIDI examples too!

STEP 2. THE 5|4
Now, here’s the bit where your riff is gonna sound like it’s speeding up, cos the pulse changes to 1/4 notes in this bar. So, for your rhythm, you can play a combination of 1/4 notes and 1/8 notes. And the more 1/8 notes you play, the more energy you’ll inject. Then after you’ve written your rhythm, it’s time to assign pitches, and once again, you can play any notes from A Phrygian, but be sure to include A and B♭. And here’s a couple bonus hacks. To get that classic Tool sound, you can create some harmonic dissonance by lengthening the low A in your 12|8 bars, so the other notes are played over the top of it. When you hit that high B♭ over that low A, it’s so Tool! But if you want even more Tool, then bend into that high B♭ from the high A.

NEXT
Right, so now you’ve got a Tool-inspired riff. Congratulations! But, if you wanna make a proper epic like “Fear Inoculum”, then you’ll need many more minutes of music! So, if you wanna learn how to write other sections (like a bridge) for an existing section, how to transition between sections (especially when they’re in different keys), and how to structure and arrange your song, then join our online apprenticeship course.

Kate & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony)
Music Teachers & Producers in Vancouver BC, Canada

 

Take Your Music to the Next Level

LEVEL 1 – FREE BOOK
"12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords" will give you a super solid music theory foundation in 30 minutes!

LEVEL 2 – SONGWRITING & PRODUCING PDF (click & scroll)
This is our best-selling PDF, which includes MIDI file examples. Learn the essential hacks for songwriting and producing, like our Melody Checklist (the ultimate list of do's and don'ts for writing great melodies). You'll also learn how to write chord progressions, bass lines, riffs, counterpoint harmonies, and more!

LEVEL 3 – LESSON PACKS
After learning our essential hacks, it's time to put them to practical use and start writing some new songs. Lesson packs include step-by-step PDF guides to making music for different instruments and in different genres (electronic, metal, soundtrack, etc.), as well as multitrack MIDI files of the examples.

LEVEL 4 – ONLINE APPRENTICESHIP
Go from a blank screen to a finished song, in this online video course. Learn how to write new sections for an existing section, how to transition between sections in different keys, how to structure and arrange, and much more! This course has been called "life-changing" many times, so join 700+ music makers now (from all genres), who are learning Ray's secret hack: Song Whispering.

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is a pioneering DAW method for making great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! Taught by multi-award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more! Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his method. On that note, the "Hack Music Theory" YouTube channel teaches relevant and instantly-usable music theory for producers, DAW users, and all other music makers (songwriters, singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, etc.) in all genres, from EDM to R&B, pop to hip-hop, reggae to rock, electronic to metal (and yes, we djefinitely djent!).

COPYRIGHT
© 2019 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
All content (script & music) in video by Revolution Harmony
Thumbnail photo by Mick Hutson

 
 

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