Ray Harmony's Blog, page 16

Ed Sheeran Goes Djent

What does Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber’s song “I Don’t Care” have in common with the metal subgenre Djent? The answer is shocking and eye-opening, so click play to find out now! Subtitles/CC available.

Just before we jump in though, we wanna say a heartfelt Thank You for your lovely comments on our genre lesson last week, we’re so grateful, and we’re so touched that you feel the same way about genres. You know, we truly are honoured to be a part of this positive and open-minded Hack Music Theory community with you all. And by the way, if you missed last week’s genre lesson, please check it out, because this one is based on that one.

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
So, apparently we mispronounced Ed’s last name in our lesson last week. Oops! I guess we let the cat out the bag with that: so yeah, we’re not really fans of Ed’s music. He seems like a really nice guy, but his songwriting is just a little too predictable for us. If you dig his music though, that’s awesome. And if you don’t, that’s great too, cos that’s actually the whole point of this lesson. So, what can a Djent fan find to appreciate in Ed Sheeran’s music? Well, in the song “I Don’t Care” that he did with Justin Bieber, the whole track is built on a super syncopated rhythm, which doesn’t even play beat 1 (and by the way, syncopation is when you accent an off-beat). And not only do Ed’s bass and drums lock in to play this rhythm together, but the bass line starts by playing the root note for two bars. Now, here’s the shocker: super syncopated grooves chugged out on the root note are literally what Djent was named after.

So the main feature in Ed’s song also happens to be the main feature in a metal subgenre that’s the antithesis of Ed’s music. How crazy is that?! But, because the instrumentation is different, people sadly don’t hear this connection. And that was one of the genre truths we revealed in last week’s lesson: genre is sonic packaging. Change the instruments, and you change the genre. So if you take the syncopated rhythm from Ed’s song and play it on an 8-string guitar with distortion (or a 9-string, if you’re feeling very Djenty!), then you’re no longer playing pop, you’re now playing metal. And this is only one of countless examples of how you can use the music theory from a song in one genre to write a song in literally the opposite genre, but only when you peel back that sonic packaging first, so you can see the actual notes inside. And that process is exactly what we’ll be exploring in this new genre series. 

PRACTICAL
Alright, now you’re gonna learn how to use the music theory from Ed’s song to make your own Djent version, but remember, you can use the theory hack in this lesson to make music in any genre you want. And that is true for every video and podcast we have ever made, and there’s about 160 of them already, so tuck in! Right, for the example in this lesson, we’ll be using our version that we made earlier. So, start by setting up four bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 102 BPM. And that’s actually the original tempo of Ed’s song, so we didn’t even need to change the BPM to turn it into Djent. Also, Ed uses F♯ as his root, but we’re taking that way down to a low A.

STEP 1. CHUG & RUN
Ed’s syncopated rhythm is centred around beats 1a, 2+, 3a, and 4+. So we used the exact same rhythm to start with, and we also chugged it out on the root note (just like Ed), to prove exactly how Djenty his song is in its original form. So, over your first bar and a half, come up with a simple but super syncopated rhythm, something like that. Then, as if that wasn’t Djenty enough, Ed uses another classic Djent trick: he throws in a 1/16 note run after the one-note chugs, to add interest. So over beats 3 and 4 in your second bar, add a 1/16 note run. Ed simply uses an octave of the root note for his run, but we’ve taken this opportunity to do something less predictable, and we encourage you to do the same.

STEP 2. VARIATION
Now, you could just repeat these two bars and call it a day, but that would be too repetitive for our tastes, so we changed things up in our third and fourth bars to inject more variation and keep things fresh. They’re still based on the first couple bars, but we just added some extra chugs on the root note, and then we also added a 1/16 note triplet into our run at the end. And that’s it, we’ve now got Edjent!

MORE
Lastly, we get loads of people asking how to transition between sections, and also, how to structure and arrange songs. And while these are essential skills to learn, please understand that we can’t teach them for free, because that is our secret sauce which we teach in our online apprenticeship course. So, if you wanna learn how to go from a blank screen to a finished song, then join over 700 other music makers also on the course. And, it helps us pay the rent too, so it’s a win-win!

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

 

LEVELS
Level 1 - Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2 - Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3 - Practice making music using our lessons (PDF+MIDI+WAV)
Level 4 - Learn our secret art of song-whispering & finish your music

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 Ed Sheeran courtesy of Heinz

 
 

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Genre Explained - The Truth About Genres

There’s a ton of genres, subgenres and even subsubgenres, but in this lesson you’ll learn the truth about why none of them are real, even though they are.

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.

So, one of the most common questions we get is: Will your theory hacks work in my genre? As we get this question so often, we decided to dedicate a whole lesson to this genre issue. So, the answer to the question is… Yes, our hacks will work in your genre, because they work in all genres! And there you go, hope you enjoyed the lesson, and we’ll see you next week for another theory hack. Okay seriously though, the answer really is yes, but let’s explore why. So, in this lesson you’ll learn the truth about genres, then over the next few lessons we’ll analyze the music theory behind some examples that prove this truth. So if you wanna learn what Ed Sheeran’s music has in common with the metal subgenre Djent, and other such crazy but true genre facts, then be sure to subscribe and stay tuned.

Alright, first things first, why is genre so important to songwriters, producers, and music lovers in general? Well, it’s because our human brains have evolved to live in tribes, and genres create musical tribes, which in turn results in a divide between us (the insiders) and them (the outsiders). But, when you look at human history, anything that has ever created a divide between people is not good for anyone, and on the other hand, anything that brings people together is good for everyone. And it’s easy to see how music brings us together, but it’s just as easy to see how genres push us apart. Imagine two people walk past each other on the sidewalk, one’s wearing an Ed Sheeran shirt, the other’s in a Meshuggah shirt. You can guess very accurately what they’re thinking about each other, and it’s not “Hey we both love music so much we’re wearing shirts to show it, that’s awesome!”

Now, you may be thinking: Yeah but Ed Sheeran sux! That’s not the point here (and besides, there’s artists that suck in every genre), the point is: music connects us, while genres divide us. And accepting that truth will in no way diminish the enjoyment you get from your favourite genres, because when we dig deeper into the concept of genre, we find absolutely nothing wrong with it. The only problem is our attachment to, and identification with, specific genres. That’s the real issue.

Imagine how amazing the music industry would be if instead of only connecting with people in our genre, we extend our circle of compassion to include everyone. Also, genres are often born as a reaction (or an antithesis) to other genres. For example, you wouldn’t have metal if you didn’t have pop, and you wouldn’t have electronic music (played on virtual instruments) if you didn’t have organic music (played on real instruments). Just like night and day are opposites yet harmoniously coexist, so too do all genres and their opposites.

So now you know the first truth: Genre is far more about the tribe (i.e. the community and its culture), than it is about the actual music (i.e. the melodies, harmonies and rhythms). That’s why from a purely musical perspective, we can take a song in any genre and easily transform it into another genre, even its opposite. And that fact introduces the second truth: Genre also functions as music’s sonic packaging (i.e. its instrumentation and production).

Now, you may be thinking: Yeah, but genres do have musical characteristics that make them sound the way they do. And while there’s obviously an element of truth in that statement, it’s not enough to make the statement as a whole true. Here’s why: Those musical elements that people think are specific to a genre, can easily be found in other genres as well, except they’re not instantly recognizable due to a different context (i.e. a different sonic packaging). For example, that characteristic reggae rhythm (known as the skank) is often heard in EDM, but isn’t necessarily recognizable as a skank because it’s played on a synth instead of a guitar.

So, what’s the takeaway from all this? As a songwriter or producer, when you free yourself from the concept of genre, you free your music and the process by which you make it, because all songs at their core are just notes. And when you understand the relationships between all the notes and how they work together (in other words, music theory), you can apply that knowledge to making music in any genre, or a combination of genres, or no genre at all. And because genres come and go just like trends, it’s a waste of time focusing too much on something as fickle as genre. Instead, focus your time and energy on writing great melodies, harmonies and rhythms, cos great music is timeless!

And lastly, we have two questions for you (please answer in YouTube comments): What’s your favourite genre? And what do you love about it? Also, please help us spread the truth about genres by sharing this lesson with your music friends. Thanks for reading, we’ll see you next week! And remember: Music connects, genre divides.

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

 

LEVELS
Level 1 - Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2 - Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3 - Practice making music using our lessons (PDF+MIDI+WAV)
Level 4 - Learn our secret art of song-whispering & finish your music

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

 
 

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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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Opeth “Heart in Hand” Music Theory

 

Learn how to write a melody (or guitar riff) using modal mixture, as heard in Opeth “Heart in Hand” off upcoming album “In Cauda Venenum”. Subtitles/CC available.

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
Legendary Swedish band Opeth (progressive metal) just dropped the lead single “Heart in Hand” from their upcoming thirteenth studio album. The song launches straight into a one-note groove that might seem disappointing to first-timers, but Opeth fans would know the band are merely laying a root-note foundation for something special to be built on. And we only have to wait until the fourth bar before that something special is introduced. What is it? A mind-blowing melody! What’s so great about it? Many things, but let’s start with the fact that Opeth play both the minor 3rd and major 3rd in their melody. And not only that, they play each 3rd for the exact same duration, giving their melody an equal amount of minor and major emotion. As if that wasn’t enough, the next thing you’ll notice is probably the dissonant ♯4 that suggests they’re in Lydian, which is a major mode as it has a major 3rd. However, the instantly-recognizable note combination of minor 7 and major 6 then suggests they’re in Dorian, which is a minor mode as it has a minor 3rd. And then, just to confuse things even more, they throw in a ♭2 that suggests Phrygian. So after all that, what mode is Opeth’s melody actually in? All of them! How? Well, Opeth are using a technique known as modal interchange (or modal mixture), which is just a fancy way of saying they wrote this melody by combining two or more modes that have the same root note, known as parallel modes. But, Opeth’s use of modal interchange only works because below their melody, they are exclusively playing the root note. For example, if they were playing a minor chord below, then the major 3rd in the melody would clash with the minor 3rd in the chord. But as it’s just the root note below, literally anything can go above!

MODES
And just a quick note before we jump into the practical. If you’re new to modes, then this lesson will be a little advanced for you. But, you can learn everything you need to know about modes in three simple hacks, which are available in our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click & scroll down). It also contains hacks on how to write guitar riffs, bass lines, chord progressions and melodies, and it comes with MIDI file examples too!

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 five bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 120 BPM. Opeth use E as their root note, so we’ll use it too. And by the way, the dark notes below are our root-note bass line (which is on another track). They’re all muted in this track though, they’re just there for reference.

STEP 1.  THE 3rds
Right, first things first, or rather, third things first. Arguably the best way to start mixing modes, is to play the major 3rd and the minor 3rd. People are not used to hearing music with both 3rds, so as soon as you play them both, your listeners will know that something special is happening. Also, try to play the 3rds for the same duration, like Opeth do, as that creates a potent 50/50 mix of major and minor.

STEP 2.  THE OTHERS
Now it’s time to use those characteristic modal notes. So, start by playing the ♯4 somewhere for that Lydian feel. Then, play the 6 and ♭7 somewhere to get that Dorian vibe. And then, play the 5 somewhere to stabilize the melody and provide your listeners with a brief moment of normality amongst the modal mixture madness. 

STEP 3.  1/16 NOTES
Lastly, for some extra spice, sprinkle in the ♭2 for that moody Phrygian sound, but be sure to play the 2 somewhere as well, for a little normality once again. And they go great before or after the root note, so throw in a couple roots as well.

REMEMBER
When writing your modal mixture melodies, remember: What you play after each 3 will be affected by that 3's major/minor quality. For example, in our version we play the 3 followed by the ♭7, so that ♭7 feels Mixolydian. But in Opeth's version, they play the ♭3 followed by the 6, so that 6 feels Dorian (not Ionian or Mixolydian) all because of the ♭3 before it. Magic tricks are fun, right?!

MORE
Right, so now you’ve got a modal mixture melody. Congratulations! But, if you wanna make a proper epic like Opeth’s song, then you’ll need many more minutes of music (there’s a lot of M’s in this lesson!). 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 check out our online apprenticeship course.

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

 

LEVELS
Level 1 - Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2 - Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3 - Practice making music using our lessons (PDF+MIDI+WAV)
Level 4 - Learn our secret art of song-whispering & finish your music

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 courtesy of loudersound.com/features/is-opeths-mi...

 
 

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Radiohead's Thom Yorke “ANIMA” Music Theory

Learn how to write a bass line, using a music theory hack from Thom Yorke (Radiohead) “Traffic” off his new album “ANIMA”. Subtitles/CC available.

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 Monday, 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!

INTRO
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has been rather prolific lately, and he’s back with another new album. “Anima” continues his journey into electronic exploration, and contains some mesmerising moments, like the hypnotic bass line in album opener “Traffic”, which we’ll be hacking in this video. What makes this bass line so hypnotic? Two things: depth, and syncopation (which is accenting an off-beat). Thom creates depth in his bass line by using a layering technique. And while most people think of layering as adding instruments, you can actually achieve the same effect in a bass line alone, without adding any tracks. You simply write two melodies that work together harmonically, then switch back and forth between them. And Thom assigns his top melody to beats 2+, 3+, and 4+, which results in a hypnotic pumping against his bottom melody that plays on the beats in between. 

SETUP
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 two bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 129 BPM. And Thom’s bass line is in G minor, so we’ll use it too. 

STEP 1. CHORDS
Musical depth is created from harmony, so when you wanna write a bass line with depth, write your chord progression first. And the chords in G minor that you can choose from, are: Gm, Adim, B♭maj, Cm, Dm, E♭maj, and Fmaj. In our progression, we play Gm for one bar, then Fmaj for half a bar, then Cm for one beat, and then we finish with B♭maj for one beat. 

STEP 2. LAYERS
Now it’s time to split your harmony into two layers: a top melody, and a bottom melody. Thom’s two layers are actually just the same melody played at different octaves, but we decided to kick it up a notch by writing two completely different melodies. We used the root note of each chord for our bottom melody, then we filled in the harmony with our top melody. For example, over the Fmaj chord, our bottom melody plays the root, then our top melody completes the harmony by playing 3, 5, and another 3 an octave higher. 

STEP 3. RHYTHM
Right, the last step is to assign rhythms to your two layers. Thom only plays his top melody on beats 2+, 3+, and 4+, which creates that hypnotic syncopation. So we used a similar rhythm for our top melody, but we added beat 2 as well. And in our second bar, to spice things up even more, we used a few 1/16 notes. The shortest note value Thom uses though, is an 1/8 note, so stick with that if you want something simpler.

MORE
Lastly, we get loads of people asking how to transition between sections, and also, how to structure and arrange songs. And while these are essential skills to learn, please understand that we can’t teach them for free, because that is our secret sauce, which we teach in our online apprenticeship course. So, if you wanna learn how to go from a blank screen to a finished song, then join over 700 other music makers also on the course. And, it helps us pay the rent too, so it’s a win-win!

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

 

LEVELS
Level 1 - Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2 - Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3 - Practice making music using our lessons (PDF+MIDI+WAV)
Level 4 - Learn our secret art of song-whispering & finish your music

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 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 Thom Yorke by Vittorio Zunino Celotto

 
 

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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Port Noir “Young Bloods” Music Theory

Learn how to write a drum beat, using a music theory hack from Port Noir “Young Bloods” (off their new album “The New Routine”). Subtitles/CC available.

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 Thursday, 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!

INTRO
Swedish band Port Noir recently released their new album “The New Routine”, which is one of the most underrated albums of the year, as this band has created a sound that’s totally up-to-date but also totally unique. They arrived at this super fresh sound by blending the melodies of pop, the synths of electronic, the guitars of rock, and the grooves of hip-hop. And as everything is built on this flawless foundation of epic grooves, that’s what we’ll be hacking in this lesson. So what makes this drummer so good? Well, he actually plays relatively simple grooves, but they’re so tasty that it’s physically impossible not to move to them. And the way he gets our bodies moving, is by offsetting his syncopated kicks with a solid backbeat snare, and then spicing everything up with incredibly creative cymbal patterns.

SETUP
Alright, now you’re gonna learn how to use this theory to make your own version. So, start by setting up four bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/32 notes, and your tempo set to 72 BPM. And in this lesson we’ll be hacking the chorus groove of their song Young Bloods.

STEP 1. KICK & SNARE
First things first, throw in the backbeat snare in every bar, which is on beat 2 and beat 4. This will give your groove momentum, and get those heads bobbing and feet tapping. Next, throw in the kick on beat 1 in every bar. This will provide a reference point for all your off-beat kicks, which you’re gonna get to next. Right, now it’s time to inject the syncopation (which is an accented off-beat), and that is what’s gonna get people seriously moving to your drums. And be sure to use a combination of off-beat 1/8 notes and off-beat 1/16 notes. This will add depth to your groove, and prevent your drums from getting boring. Also, change up a couple bars with a little variation on the kick. In this example, bars two and three have the same kick pattern, but bars one and four are different.

MORE
And by the way, if you wanna get your hands on our best drum hacks, then download our two Drum PDFs (click & scroll down) - the downloads include step-by-step PDF guides and multitrack MIDI files.

STEP 2. CYMBALS
Right, now that you’ve got a solid groove in place, it’s time to spice it up with hi-hats, and this is where things get really interesting. So start by deciding what syncopated kicks you wanna accent, and then add an open hat on those hits. And if you wanna add an open hat where there is no kick, that’s cool too. Now you’re gonna create a 1/16 note closed hat pattern around those open hats, which will lead into and out of them nice and smoothly. Next, you’re gonna add even more spice, by throwing in a few 1/32 notes on the closed hats. So between two 1/16 hits, add a 1/32 hit. This creates a little roll on the hats, and if you do them in a few different places, it’ll keep your groove totally fresh. Lastly, change your grid to 1/32 note triplets, and before one of your open hats, add a 1/32 note triplet roll that leads into that open hat. This is next level spice, and while your average listener won’t even notice it, your super fans will love it!

NEXT
Okay, so now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write the other sections? How do you transition between them (especially when they’re in different keys)? And, how do you structure and arrange your song? These are issues that many songwriters and producers struggle with, and that’s exactly why we made our online course Apprenticeship #1. So, if you wanna overcome these obstacles once and for all, then sign up now!

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

 

LEVELS
Level 1 - Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2 - Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3 - Practice making music using our lessons (PDF+MIDI+WAV)
Level 4 - Learn our secret art of song-whispering & finish your music

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 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 AW Wiberg courtesy of instagram.com/by_aw

 
 

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Black Eyed Peas “Be Nice” (feat. Snoop Dogg) Music Theory

Learn how to write an uplifting bass line, using a music theory hack from Black Eyed Peas “Be Nice” ft. Snoop Dogg (written by Adam Friedman for Songland TV show). Subtitles/CC available.

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 Thursday, 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!

INTRO
The new single “Be Nice” from The Black Eyed Peas (which was written by Adam Friedman for the Songland TV show), has a super fun bass line that’s not only the central focus of the song, but it’s also perfect for conveying the super positive message behind the lyrics. So what makes this bass line feel so good? Well, there’s a few things, like the fact that it’s built around an ascending line, which is literally uplifting. But far more interesting than that, is the fact that the bass line is in a minor key. And as you probably know, major keys are usually used in feel good songs like this. So how do they make a minor key feel so uplifting? Easy, they made the song for dancing, and when we move to music, we feel good. So to get people dancing, they used lots of syncopation in their bass line, and that makes it really funky. And by the way, syncopation is when you accent an off-beat. Also, most funk bass lines are actually in minor keys, cos funk’s favourite notes are the 1, the ♭3 and the ♭7. And lastly, to emphasise all those off-beats in the bass line, the drums accent all the 1/4 note beats by playing the classic four-on-the-floor groove.

SETUP
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 two bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 105 BPM. “Be Nice” is in the key of F minor, so we’ll use it too.

STEP 1. SYNCOPATION
Funkiness is all about syncopation. So to get people moving to your bass line, you have to accent lots of off-beats. If you don’t, it’ll sound rigid and stiff, and that ain’t gonna get anybody dancing! And for that reason, the best place to start writing a funky bass line, is with the rhythm, and more importantly, syncopation. And remember, great bass lines have a balance of notes on the beat and notes off the beat. So don’t just play everything off the beat thinking it’ll make your bass line extra funky, you gotta spank some of those 1/4 note beats as well! In our example, we’re playing beat 1 and beat 3 in each bar, and then everything else is syncopated.

MORE
And by the way, if you want our ultimate hack for funky bass lines, along with a MIDI file example, then check out our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click & scroll down). It also contains hacks on how to write great chord progressions, melodies, and more MIDI examples as well!

STEP 2. TWO LINES
Right, now it’s time to turn your rhythm into a bass line. And what’s cool about the bass line in “Be Nice”, is that it’s a 2-in-1. What I mean by that, is there’s actually two clearly defined lines playing together (obviously playing one-at-a-time though). The upper line carries the melody, while the lower line holds things down with one note (in the original, that note is C, the 5). And writing two lines like this will make your bass even more funky, as it mirrors the slap bass technique often used in funk.

VALUE
Now, as with many of the songs we hack, the vibe and the production are super cool, but when it comes to the actual music, the songwriters and producers often choose to sacrifice longevity for popularity. And for the record, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, because the value of music is different for everyone. If music has extrinsic value to you, then you’re making music as a way of achieving something, like a hit. On the other hand, if music has intrinsic value to you, then you’re making music purely for the joy of creating art. And this song is the perfect example of music that was made for extrinsic value, as it was written to be a hit.

BE NICE
So, in their bass’ upper line, they simply ascend note-by-note through the scale. This makes it instantly appealing, cos the first time someone hears it they already know where it’s going, and the average person likes music that sounds familiar. The downside to writing predictable music though, is that people get tired of it quickly. But, if you’re aiming for a hit that doesn’t matter, because you only need it to be trending for a few weeks.

BE DIFFERENT
If you’re like us though, and you’re happy to sacrifice popularity for longevity, then write an upper line that people won’t be able to guess where it’s going on their first listen, as that will keep them coming back again and again!

NEXT
Okay, so now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write the other sections? How do you transition between them (especially when they’re in different keys)? And, how do you structure and arrange your song? These are issues that many songwriters and producers struggle with, and that’s exactly why we made our online course Apprenticeship #1. So, if you wanna overcome these obstacles once and for all, then sign up now!

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

 

LEVELS
Level 1 - Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2 - Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3 - Practice making music using our lessons (PDF+MIDI+WAV)
Level 4 - Learn our secret art of song-whispering & finish your music

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 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 James Hickey

 
 

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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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Dog Blood (Skrillex & Boys Noize) “Turn Off The Lights” Music Theory

Learn how to write a melody, using a music theory hack from Dog Blood (Skrillex & Boys Noize) “Break Law”, from their new EP “Turn Off The Lights”.

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 Thursday, 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!

INTRO
BREAK LAW (off the new Dog Blood EP from Skrillex & Boys Noize) contains an awesome Indian vocal sample, which instantly hooks you! The original vocal is obviously not by Dog Blood, but they’ve credited the late Indian composer Aadesh Shrivastava as a co-writer, so we think it’s originally from his song “Sona Sona” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBo2-e8Dnsg). Now, Skrillex and Boys Noize did a great job of finding and re-using this melody, cos it’s super catchy but it’s also super interesting, and those two elements are usually mutually exclusive. In other words, if you want a catchy melody, it can’t be too interesting otherwise people won’t be able to sing it, and therefore it won’t be memorable. And if you want an interesting melody, it can’t be too catchy otherwise it’ll become too familiar, and then it won’t be interesting anymore. So, how can this melody be both interesting and catchy? Well, the composer very cleverly wrote it to be both simple and complex. It’s simple in terms of its pitches, which makes it easy to sing and remember, but it’s complex in terms of its rhythm, which keeps it interesting even after countless listens. Also, here’s a bonus hack for you. The original melody is actually five bars long, and that’s another great method for writing interesting melodies: use an odd number of bars!

SETUP
Alright, now you’re gonna learn how to use this theory to make your own version. So, start by setting up four bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/32 notes, and your tempo set to 108 BPM. “Break Law” is in D Phrygian, so we’ll use it too.

STEP 1. PITCH
Right, so the “pitch” element is the one you’re gonna keep simple, in order to make your melody catchy. So, choose only three notes from D Phrygian, which is: D E♭ F G A B♭ C. The original melody uses G, A and B♭, but you can use any three notes from the scale. And if you want, you can choose a fourth note that will be used exclusively as a 1/32 note to decorate your melody, and provide some variation. The original melody uses C as its decorative note, but once again, you can use any note from the scale.

MORE
And by the way, if you need help writing melodies, then simply use the Melody Checklist in our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click & scroll down). It’s the ultimate list of dos and don’ts for writing great melodies. And on that note, just a quick reminder that our epic summer sale is finishing this Sunday (9 June 2019), so grab 33% OFF all our PDFs, lessons, and our online course.

STEP 2. RHYTHM
Now, the “rhythm” element is the one you’re gonna make more complex, in order to make your melody interesting. Remember, if your pitches and your rhythm are both simple, then people will get tired of your melody after a few listens. A more complex rhythm will give your melody depth, which will in turn give it longevity. So, here’s how it’s done. You actually write four melodic segments (known as phrases), which then come together to form your melody. But, and this is a very important but, in order to make your whole melody unpredictable and therefore interesting, make each phrase different, and don’t stick to the bar lines. For example, you can see our first phrase actually ends in the second bar, and our third phrase actually begins before the third bar. And lastly, in the Dog Blood track, the melody is played over a droning bass line that just keeps pounding that root note, so we’ll do that too.

NEXT
Okay, so now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write the other sections? How do you transition between them (especially when they’re in different keys)? And, how do you structure and arrange your song? These are issues that many songwriters and producers struggle with, and that’s exactly why we made our online course Apprenticeship #1. So, if you wanna overcome these obstacles once and for all, then sign up now!

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

 

LEVELS
Level 1 - Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2 - Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3 - Practice making music using our lessons (PDF+MIDI+WAV)
Level 4 - Learn our secret art of song-whispering & finish your music

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 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 courtesy of ukf.com/news/watch-skrillex-tempa-t-b...

 
 

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

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Wu-Tang Clan “Of Mics and Men” Music Theory

Learn how to write a bass line using a music theory hack from Wu-Tang Clan “Seen a Lot of Things” (from “Of Mics and Men” EP).

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 Thursday, 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!

INTRO
“Seen a Lot of Things” (off Wu-Tang’s new EP) contains a music theory gem that’s as effective as it is hidden. Seriously, most people listening to this track won’t even notice this gem, but they’ll feel it for sure! And the reason they’ll feel it, is because it has to do with the 3rd note of the root chord. Remember, the 3rd in a chord is the note that determines whether that chord is major or minor. When the 3rd note is three semitones above the root, it’s a minor chord, and when the 3rd note is four semitones above the root, it’s a major chord. Now, Wu’s track is in the key of D minor, so the root chord is obviously Dm, and that’s the chord they use first in their four-bar loop. But, here’s where things get interesting. They change some of the Dm chords into Dmaj chords. And that’s crazy cool on its own, but they don’t stop there. The chords in their progression are not actually full chords, they’re “power chords”, which consist of only the root and the 5th, so on their own, “power chords” are not major or minor, cos they’re missing the 3rd. So, the way they change the Dm to Dmaj is by changing the 3rd note in the bass line, from F (the minor 3rd) to F♯ (the major 3rd). This also means that the same chord progression works over both bass lines, the one with F, and the one with F♯. And even the vocal melody in the chorus avoids that 3rd note as well, which means the same melody works over both choruses, despite the first chorus using Dm and the second chorus using Dm and Dmaj. And that makes the second chorus feel way more uplifting than the first chorus. Super clever!

SETUP
Alright, now you’re gonna learn how to use this theory to make your own version, and what you see on the screen right now is our version that we made earlier. So, start by setting up four bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 86 BPM. And as you know, Wu’s track is in the key of D minor, so we’ll use it too.

STEP 1. MINOR
Okay so you’re gonna start by writing a bass line using the D natural minor scale: D E F G A B♭ C. Now, be sure to play a long D in bars one and three, which will anchor your bass line into the root note, and therefore the key. And in bars two and four, make sure you play a relatively long F. Then you can fill out the rest of your bass line with other notes from the scale. But, in the first half, don’t play B♭, cos that’s the minor 6th so it will lock you into that minor vibe, which will then mess up step two.

MORE
And by the way, if you need help writing bass lines, lead melodies, chord progressions and everything else, then download our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click & scroll down). It’s your one-stop-source for everything you need to make great music now! And just before we jump into step two, a quick heads up. The sun is shining here in Vancouver and it’s feeling a lot like summer, and you know what that means: it’s time for our epic summer sale! So, everything on our website is now 33% OFF. And yes, that includes our online apprenticeship course, which you will SAVE $50 on. Are you ready to invest in yourself, and take your music to the next level? Then get involved now, and use the discount code “summer” at the checkout. The sale ends on Sunday, 9 June 2019. Enjoy!

STEP 2. MAJOR
Alright, here comes the clever bit. Take that relatively long F you played in bar two, and move it up to F♯. With that one simple tweak, you’ve now turned Dm into Dmaj. But remember, in the chord progression above this note, you need to be playing a D “power chord”, which is just the notes D and A. And now you have two versions of your bass line: the original version, and this new uplifting version. So, play around with using both versions throughout your track in order to change up the vibe.

NEXT
Okay, so now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write the other sections? How do you transition between them (especially when they’re in different keys)? And, how do you structure and arrange your song? These are issues that many songwriters and producers struggle with, and that’s exactly why we made our online course Apprenticeship #1. So, if you wanna overcome these obstacles once and for all, then sign up now!

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

 

LEVELS
Level 1 - Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2 - Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3 - Practice making music using our lessons (PDF+MIDI+WAV)
Level 4 - Learn our secret art of song-whispering & finish your music

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 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 RZA by Todd Heisler/The New York Times

 
 

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Slipknot “Unsainted” Music Theory

Learn how to write melodies in counterpoint, using a music theory hack from Slipknot “Unsainted” (off their upcoming album “We Are Not Your Kind”).

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 Thursday, 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!

INTRO
Slipknot’s new single “Unsainted” begins with a totally unexpected women’s choir, which sings the chorus melody, but without the lyrics. These “aahs” cleverly deliver the melody before the vocalist even starts singing, so by the time he comes in, the chorus is already familiar. It’s essential that Slipknot hook listeners in the first few seconds, cos this song is the lead single from their upcoming album, and this intro does exactly that. But, as effective as it is, what actually makes this song special is their use of counterpoint, which is the technique of writing melodies that counter each other and result in distinctive musical layers.

SETUP
Alright, now you’re gonna learn how to use this theory to make your own version, and what you see on the screen right now is our version that we made earlier. So, start by setting up four bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/8 notes, and your tempo set to around 100 BPM. The intro and chorus of “Unsainted” is in the key of B minor, so we’ll use it too.

STEP 1. CHORDS
Now I know what you’re thinking: “Wait, what? Chords? I thought we were talking about melodies here?” We are, but, the best counterpoint always creates powerful harmony from the individual melodies playing simultaneously. So the easiest way to start writing a counterpoint section, is to choose your chords first. And the chords in B minor are: Bm, C♯dim, Dmaj, Em, F♯m, Gmaj, and Amaj. Also, you can use F♯maj (instead of F♯m), if you wanna use the harmonic minor like Slipknot do here.

STEP 2. COUNTERPOINT
Alright, now that you’ve got your chord progression down, it’s time to turn it into counterpoint. And when writing counterpoint, you can have as few as two simultaneous melodies, or, as many as you want. In this lesson, we’ll just be doing two (which is known as two-part counterpoint, and that’s what you see here), but in the playthrough at the end of this video, if you listen carefully, you’ll hear a third melody coming in, which will demonstrate what three-part counterpoint sounds like. Now, when writing two-part counterpoint, a great place to start is to outline each chord by playing its root and 3rd. For example, we’re starting our chord progression on Bm, and you can see we’re playing the root of the chord (B) in the low voice, and the minor 3rd (D) in the high voice. But then over our last chord, F♯maj, we’re doing the opposite: we’re playing the root of the chord (F♯) in the high voice, and the major 3rd (A♯) in the low voice. Right, now that you’ve got your chords outlined, you can start adding in some other notes to create your final melodies. And remember, the high voice will be your lead melody, so that can have more notes than the low voice, which will be your bass melody, so keep that a little simpler.

And by the way, if you need help writing melodies, no problem, just use our Melody Checklist, which is the ultimate list of dos and don’ts for writing great melodies. It’s available in our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click & scroll down), which also includes the other essential hacks you need to write great music, like our ultimate counterpoint hack.

NEXT
Okay, so now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write the other sections? How do you transition between them (especially when they’re in different keys)? And, how do you structure and arrange your song? These are issues that many songwriters and producers struggle with, and that’s exactly why we made our online course Apprenticeship #1. So, if you wanna overcome these obstacles once and for all, then sign up now!

 

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

 

LEVELS
Level 1 - Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2 - Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3 - Practice making music using our lessons (PDF+MIDI+WAV)
Level 4 - Learn our secret art of song-whispering & finish your music

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 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 courtesy of https://www.kerrang.com/the-news/core...

 
 

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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5 Time Signatures in 1

Over the last few weeks, we've been making music from scratch (while on camera), and sharing the unedited footage on YouTube. We did this to expose the best kept secret in music... when you understand theory, making music is not only easy, it's super fun too! In today's video, we reveal the final music, which is an epic polymeter containing 5 time signatures in 1. You gotta hear it to believe it. But first... Tea!

 

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 Thursday, when we publish our new video.

The music making process is shrouded in secrecy and always takes place behind closed doors, cos writing music in front of people (or while on camera) is a very vulnerable thing to do, so nobody does it. But, we are here to change that once and for all! Our passion is to reveal that there is nothing mysterious or elusive about making music, it’s merely a simple step-by-step process fuelled by theory and creativity, which we can teach you right now! To learn more, click here.

Okay, so after watching this video, you'll know how to write one section, but how do you write the other sections? And then, how do you transition between all the sections (especially when they’re in different keys)? And then, how do you structure and arrange your song? Well, these are issues that many songwriters and producers struggle with, and that’s exactly why we made our online apprenticeship course. So, if you wanna overcome these obstacles once and for all, then our course is definitely for you!

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

 

LEVELS
Level 1 - Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2 - Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3 - Practice making music using our lessons (PDF+MIDI+WAV)
Level 4 - Learn our secret art of song-whispering & finish your music

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 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

 
 

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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“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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