Ray Harmony's Blog, page 20

That West Coast Sound - Music Theory from Ice Cube "Arrest the President" (Everythangs Corrupt)

That classic West Coast sound is all about musical attitude. But how do you give your music attitude? Easy, you can do it, just put your back into it! Well that, and use the hack in this video. But first… tea!

Hello revolutionaries, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. This website helps you make great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit that bell to get notified every Saturday, when we publish our new video. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

THEORY
Ice Cube’s new single “Arrest the President” (from upcoming album "Everythangs Corrupt") that just dropped yesterday, is the epitome of that classic West Coast sound, which oozes attitude. It’s impossible not to move to this song, yet a simple melody carries the whole thang! What gives this melody so much attitude? Two elements. First, it uses the natural minor scale, which embeds toughness in the melody’s DNA. And second, it’s played staccato, which means the notes are short and sharp. These staccato hits give the music a hard edge, while all the space in between the notes gives the music a chill vibe. And it’s this juxtaposed tough-but-relaxed feel that creates the West Coast sound. This staccato technique is a G-funk favourite, and can be heard in many West Coast classics, like Dr Dre’s “Still D.R.E.” and 2Pac’s “California Love”. These songs, along with “Arrest the President”, can all be boiled down to their essence, which is a simple staccato piano part. And it’s interesting to compare these songs to an East Coast classic like Wu-Tang Clan’s “C.R.E.A.M.”, which also has a piano melody, but it’s legato, which means the notes are connected to each other and played without breaks in between them. I wonder if the more spacious West Coast sound is reflective of Los Angeles having more space, and perhaps the more dense East Coast sound is reflective of New York City being more built-up. What do you think? Is this a just coincidence, or is there something real here? Let us know by commenting (on YouTube) with “coincidence” or “real talk”.

Step 1 - Home
Set up two bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 95 BPM. “Arrest the President” is in the key of E♭ minor, so we’ll use it too. And the original melody actually only uses the 1, ♭3, 4, and ♭7, so we can also say that the melody is in the pentatonic minor scale, which is just the natural minor scale without the 2 and the ♭6. Now, there’s two sections to this melody. The first section locks in the root note, making it feel solid, while the second section moves away, giving it tension. You’ll also notice that the melody is doubled an octave lower, for a thicker texture. Right, so start by playing a 1/16 root note on beat 1 and beat 3 in your first bar, and on beat 1 in your second bar. And if you wanna throw in a little tease of what’s coming up, play a 1/16 that’s not your root note on beat 4a in your first bar, like we did with the ♭7. And by the way, if you need help with the basics, like scales, chords and spelling (which is when you use numbers for notes, like we’ve been doing), then download our free book below.

Step 2 - Away
Alright, now it’s time to create some tension, by moving away from the root. So, at the end of your second bar, play five notes from the scale. Start them on beat 2+, and make sure they’re all 1/16 notes, with 1/16 note rests in between. Lastly, if you want more tension, throw in the ♭5, like we did. And if you want even more groove, then grab one of the notes at the end of your second bar, and move it a 1/16 note to the left.

NEXT
Right, now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write a new section for it, and then, how do you transition between those two sections? Great questions, and if this is something you need help with, then check out our cutting-edge online apprenticeship course, where you’ll literally learn every step of the music making process, and most importantly, you’ll learn how to finish your songs! You’ll also gain access to our Private Network, which is a safe online space (i.e. social media platform) exclusively for our 400+ apprentices from 40+ countries. Our Network is a super supportive place for you to ask theory questions, share your music, get feedback, meet like-minded music makers, and collaborate! If all this sounds useful to you, then head on over to our Online Apprenticeship page now.

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

 

LEARN
Level 1: Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2: Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3: Learn our secret art of songwhispering & finish your music

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is the pioneering notation-free method for making great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé (and 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!).

(c) 2018 Revolution Harmony
All words and music in video by Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony

Photo of Ice Cube by Rebecca Cabage

 
 

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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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How to Write a Catchy Melody - Music Theory from Fuse ODG "Bra Fie" (feat. Damian Marley)

Do your melodies get stuck in the heads of everyone who hears them? If not, don’t worry, just watch this video and learn the instantly-usable hack that will ensure you write contagiously catchy melodies. But first… tea!

Hello revolutionaries, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. This website helps you make great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit that bell to get notified every Saturday, when we publish our new video. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

THEORY
In his new single “Bra Fie” (ft. Damian Marley) that just dropped this weekend, Fuse ODG breaks up his verses with the funkiest horns! This brass melody is so catchy that it takes over from the vocals, and functions as a secondary hook. What makes it so catchy? Three things. First, it’s in the pentatonic minor scale, which only has five notes. This makes the melody simpler, and therefore easier to remember. Second, it uses a motif, which is a short musical idea. Repeating a motif creates a pattern in the melody, making it even more memorable. And third, it uses rests. Unlike our DAWs, brass players need to breathe, and these rests create phrases that divide the melody into easily digestible chunks.

Step 1 - Pentatonic
Set up two bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 99 BPM. “Bra Fie” is in the key of A minor, and the chord progression goes back and forth between Am and Dm, so we’ll do the same. And the dark notes at the bottom (below the melody) are the root notes of those chords, but they’re muted, they’re just there for reference. The pentatonic minor scale excludes the second and sixth notes of the natural minor scale, so in A minor, we omit the notes B and F. And it’s important to remember that we’re only using the pentatonic minor scale for our lead melody. Under our pentatonic lead melody, we’re still using the full seven-note natural minor scale for our chords, bass, and even our brass counterpoint harmony, which you’ll hear in the background.

Step 2 - Motif
Now, using mainly 1/16 notes, write a motif in your first bar. And the reason you wanna mainly use 1/16 notes, is that short notes inject energy into your motif, resulting in a vibrant melody. However, a motif with only 1/16 notes will get boring real quick, so be sure to use at least one longer note somewhere as well. Our motif consists of three 1/16 notes, followed by a dotted 1/8 note, and then finished off with four 1/16 notes. And regarding their pitches, we’re going 1 → ♭7 → 1 → ♭3 → 4 → ♭3 → 5 → 4.

Step 3 - Repeat & Rest
Next, copy and paste your motif into your second bar, then change the pitches of the second half of it, for variation. We kept the first three notes the same, but changed everything from our long note on. This creates the ultimate combination of familiarity and freshness, as the rhythm in your second bar will be familiar to your listeners, but the pitches will be fresh. And finally, throw in a few notes at the end of both bars to link everything up, but remember to leave some space for the melody to breathe.

NEXT
Right, now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write a new section for it, and then, how do you transition between those two sections? Great questions, and if this is something you need help with, then check out our cutting-edge online apprenticeship course, where you’ll literally learn every step of the music making process, and most importantly, you’ll learn how to finish your songs! You’ll also gain access to our Private Network, which is a safe social media platform exclusively for our apprentices (and we already have over 400 apprentices, from over 40 countries). Our Network is a super supportive place for you to ask theory questions, share your music, get feedback, meet like-minded music makers, collaborate, and more! So if all that sounds useful to you, then head on over to our Online Apprenticeship page now.

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

 

LEARN
Level 1: Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2: Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3: Learn our secret art of songwhispering & finish your music!

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is the pioneering notation-free method for making great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé (and 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!).

(c) 2018 Revolution Harmony
All words and music in video by Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony

Photo of Fuse ODG & Damian Marley courtesy of Off Da Ground Records

 
 

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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Scariest Music Theory Video on YouTube

Happy Halloween!

Are you brave enough to watch the Scariest Music Theory Video on YouTube?

You've been warned, so click at your own risk, and good luck ;)

Ray & Kate

How to Make Your Music Bounce - Music Theory from Bring Me The Horizon “wonderful life” (Amo album)

Does your music get bodies movin’, and the party started? If not, don’t worry, you just need to add some bounce. So in this video, you’ll learn a super easy yet super effective hack to bring da bounce to your music. But first… tea!

Hello revolutionaries, I’m Kate Harmony, this is Ray Harmony, and welcome to Hack Music Theory. This channel helps you make great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! If that sounds useful to you, then subscribe and hit that bell to get notified every Saturday, when we publish our new video. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

THEORY
In their new single “wonderful life” (from upcoming album "Amo") that just dropped this week, Bring Me The Horizon deliver a masterclass in how to make your music (and therefore your audience) bounce! They even manage to get “bounce” in their lyrics, with the line: “everybody knows I got bounce”. But first... what is “bounce”, and how’s it gonna get the party started? Quite simply, when a song has bounce, it makes you wanna bounce. In other words, it makes you wanna jump up and down. How? Well, there are numerous ways, but in this song, Bring Me The Horizon lock in their riff and kick drum, which both play dotted 1/8 notes that bounce over the 1/4 note pulse.

Step 1 - Bounce Notes
Set up four bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 86.5 BPM. The main riff in “wonderful life” is based around a low F and the F an octave higher, so we’ll do something kinda similar. Start by playing three dotted 1/8 notes on that low F. A dotted 1/8 note is equal to three 1/16 notes. Also, if you want, you can extend that last note by a 1/16 (like it is in the original). Right, now these three notes are your bounce notes, so copy and paste them into the other bars, so every bar bounces! Next, it’s time to bring in some higher notes to add depth to your riff, so add a few 1/16 notes at the end of each bar. We chose the ♭2, 7, 4, and ♭5 as the basis for ours. And if you want, you can add a little variation to these high notes in your third bar, and maybe even extend that 1/16 note run over the bar line and into your fourth bar, like we did. Lastly, if you’re playing this on a real guitar, throw in a little bend on the bounce notes. And by the way, if you need help with the basics - like scales, chords, and spelling (which is when you use numbers for notes, like we just did) - then download our free book below.

Step 2 - Surprise Party
This step is so cool! Let me explain. Bring Me The Horizon know that this bounce will get boring if they keep repeating it, so they throw in one totally unexpected bounce, which is like a surprise party! So, in your second bar, move all (or some, we like did) of those higher notes to the left, by one 1/16 note. Then, extend the first note in your third bar to the left, by one 1/16 note. This creates the most exhilarating surprise bounce on beat 4a, which nobody will be expecting, so it keeps your party super fresh!

NEXT
Right, now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write a new section for it, and then, how do you transition between those two sections? Great questions, and if this is something you need help with, then check out our cutting-edge online apprenticeship course, where you’ll literally learn every step of the music making process, and most importantly, you’ll learn how to finish your songs! You’ll also gain access to our Private Network, which is a safe social media platform exclusively for our apprentices (and we already have over 400 apprentices, from over 40 countries). Our Network is a super supportive place for you to ask theory questions, share your music, get feedback, meet like-minded music makers, collaborate, and more! So if all that sounds useful to you, then head on over to our Online Apprenticeship page now.

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

 

LEARN
Level 1: Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2: Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3: Learn our secret art of songwhispering & finish your music!

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is the pioneering notation-free method for making great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé (and 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!).

(c) 2018 Revolution Harmony
All words and music in video by Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony

Photo of Oli Sykes (Bring Me The Horizon) courtesy of Emma Viola Lilja

 
 

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Uplifting Piano Chord Progression: Music Theory from Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (Mid90s Soundtrack)

When you try to write a "happy" chord progression, does it end up sounding cheesy, like the theme song for a kid’s TV show? Then we’ve got a hack for you that’ll turn your kid’s chords into mature and sincere progressions. But first… tea!

Hello revolutionaries, I’m Kate Harmony, this is Ray Harmony, and welcome to Hack Music Theory. This channel helps you make great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

THEORY
In their new song “The Start of Things” (from the “mid90s” soundtrack, which just dropped this weekend), Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross lift you up into the clouds with their ethereal piano part. How do they make their chord progression sound so uplifting, yet so sincere? Well, they play back and forth between the root chords of the two most uplifting major modes: Lydian and Ionian. They use D Lydian and A Ionian (which are relatives), and that creates the illusion of their progression being in both modes (which is double happy!). However, Lydian’s dissonant ♯4 counters that with its incredible tension, adding maturity and sincerity.

And by the way, if you need help understanding the modes, then check out the modes hack in our Songwriting & Producing PDF (click and then scroll down), which also contains all our top music making hacks! And if you need help with the basics first, then read our free book on scales and chords, which you can download below.

STEP 1:  LEFT-HAND (BASS)
Set up eight bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/8 notes, and your tempo set to 87 BPM. “The Start of Things” only uses two chords, Dmaj and Amaj, so we’ll use them as the basis for our version as well. Start by ping-ponging between a low D and the D an octave higher. Do this for two bars, and then do the same on A for two bars. Next, copy and paste those four bars into the second half. You’ll notice at the end of every second bar, we’ve moved a few notes. This is just to make the chord changes a little more interesting, so feel free to do that too. Now, Trent Reznor has a favourite technique (which we like to call “four-on-the-chords”), where he plays the 1/4 note pulse on the chords. This creates a pumping momentum over which he then plays (or sings) a beautiful melody. Trent’s four-on-the-chords technique aptly stretches back to his mid-90’s masterpiece “Hurt”. And you can definitely see that technique in action here, with those low 1/4 notes in the left hand.

STEP 2:  RIGHT-HAND (MELODY)
First things first, it is absolutely essential that over the Dmaj chord you play the ♯4 (which is G♯), as this is the magical Lydian note, and it’s super dissonant, so it will single-handedly prevent your melody from sounding like the theme tune for a kid’s TV show*. Other than that, be sure to play the 3 (which is F♯) for that happy vibe, and the 2 (which is E) for that dreamy vibe, then the rest is up to you. Next, over the Amaj chord, keep it simple and just play a couple notes, like we did with the 3 (which is C♯), and the 2 (which is B). Then finally, in the second half, build up your melody to a climax, perhaps a high 3 (which is C♯) over that last Amaj chord. And if you wanna kick up your build even more, throw in a few 1/16 notes, and maybe even some 1/32 notes (but don’t tell Trent about the 1/32 notes, that’ll be our little secret haha!).

*Yes kids, it’s true... The Simpsons theme tune uses the ♯4, but that’s a show for mummy and daddy!

NEXT
Right, now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write a new section for it, and then, how do you transition between those two sections? Great questions, and if this is something you need help with, then check out our cutting-edge online apprenticeship course, where you’ll literally learn every step of the music making process, and most importantly, you’ll learn how to finish your songs! You’ll also gain access to our Private Network, which is a safe social media platform exclusively for our apprentices (and we already have over 400 apprentices, from over 40 countries). Our Network is a super supportive place for you to ask theory questions, share your music, get feedback, meet like-minded music makers, and more! So if all that sounds useful to you, then head on over to our Online Apprenticeship page now.

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

 

LEARN
Level 1: Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2: Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3: Learn our secret art of songwhispering & finish your music!

ABOUT
Learn how to make great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé (and wife) Kate Harmony. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory" and has been teaching music theory for 24 years, and along the way he's 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 Hack Music Theory method! While our YouTube lessons teach music theory for producers and DAW users, they are designed to accommodate all music makers (songwriters, guitarists, etc.) and all genres, from Electronic Music to R&B, Pop to Hip-Hop, Reggae to Rock, EDM/Dance to Metal (and yes, we djefinitely Djent!).

Photo of Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross by Michael Buckner/Deadline/REX/Shutterstock

 

 


 
 

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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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Better 4/4 Bass Lines - Music Theory from Run the Jewels “Let’s Go (The Royal We)” Venom Soundtrack

4/4 is the most common time signature for a good reason: it gets people moving! But that same reason means everyone uses it, which makes it kinda boring. So how can you make a 4/4 bass line that’s exciting? The hack comin’ up. But first… tea!

Hello music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony, and welcome to Hack Music Theory. This channel helps you make great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

THEORY
In their new single “Let’s Go (The Royal We)”, Run the Jewels use a standard 4/4 drum beat, with a kick on beat 1 and a snare on beat 3. But, when it comes to their bass line, that’s a whole different story! Let me explain. 4/4 contains four 1/4 notes, which are grouped in twos. This results in the expected (and therefore kinda boring) accents on beat 1 and beat 3. Now as you know, four 1/4 notes divide into eight 1/8 notes. So, instead of grouping the 1/8 notes in their bass line into the usual 4+4, Run the Jewels group them into 3+3+2, which creates unexpected (and therefore exciting) accents on beat 2+ and beat 4.

Please note: For the sake of this lesson, our example is very similar to the original song. Instead of copying the song though, explore how you can use this hack creatively with your own musical personality!

3+3+2 (Step 1)
Set up one bar of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/8 notes, and your tempo set to 128 BPM. “Let’s Go” is in the key of E♭ minor, so we’ll use it too. Right, so start by playing a low 1/8 note on beat 1, beat 2+ and beat 4. These low notes are the first note of each group, and this “melodic accenting” will ensure your listeners hear that 3+3+2 grouping. We need to do this, because that common grouping in 4/4 is so pervasive, that your listeners will need help hearing this unusual 3+3+2, especially if your drums are still playing that 4+4 grouping (like they are in this song).

Arpeggios (Step 2)
The bass line in “Let’s Go” is an ascending E♭m arpeggio that’s repeated, and once again, the reason this works so well is because it not only outlines the root chord, but it also outlines that 3+3+2 grouping. Right, now it’s time to fill in the missing notes. So for this example, let’s also start with an arpeggio on the root chord, to establish the key. We chose the 1, the ♭3 and an octave of the 1. And then in the second half, reuse a couple of those notes. We reused the 1, and an octave of the ♭3. Next, if you want some extra spice, switch it up by using a couple notes that are not in the root triad. We chose the ♭7 and the 2. Then lastly, to keep things fresh, you’ll probably wanna throw in a little variation at some point, too.

NEXT
Right, now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write a new section for it, and then, how do you transition between those two sections? Great questions, and if this is something you need help with, then check out our cutting-edge online apprenticeship course, where you’ll literally learn every step of the music making process, and most importantly, you’ll learn how to finish your songs! You’ll also gain access to our Private Network, which is a safe social media platform exclusively for our apprentices (and we already have over 400 apprentices, from over 40 countries). Our Network is a super supportive place for you to ask theory questions, share your music, get feedback, meet like-minded music makers, and more! So if all that sounds useful to you, then head on over to our Online Apprenticeship page now.

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

LEARN
Level 1: Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
Level 2: Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
Level 3: Learn our secret art of songwhispering & finish your music!

ABOUT
Learn how to make great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé (and wife) Kate Harmony. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory" and has been teaching music theory for 24 years, and along the way he's 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 Hack Music Theory method! While our YouTube lessons teach music theory for producers and DAW users, they are designed to accommodate all music makers (songwriters, guitarists, etc.) and all genres, from Electronic Music to R&B, Pop to Hip-Hop, Reggae to Rock, EDM/Dance to Metal (and yes, we djefinitely Djent!).

Photo of Run the Jewels by The Come Up Show from Canada CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

 
 

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Ultimate Groove Hack - Music Theory from Twenty One Pilots “Trench”

Do you listen to your favourite artists and wonder why their music grooves more than yours? Well that ends now, cos the hack in this video is gonna make your music groove big time. But first… tea!

Hello music makers, I’m Kate Harmony, this is Ray Harmony, and welcome to Hack Music Theory. This channel helps you make great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! The theory hack in today’s video is from the new album “Trench” by Twenty One Pilots. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

THEORY
In their song “Morph”, Twenty One Pilots create a hugely deep groove between the bass and drums, which you can’t help but move to. Now, some may argue it’s because they’re playing real instruments and not virtual instruments, but you can easily create this groove with a computer as well. How? Well, program skeleton bass and drum parts using 1/8 notes, then flesh them out with 1/16 note triplets. Then, move all your MIDI a tiny bit off the grid to the right, which makes everything a split second late.

Please note, for the sake of this lesson, our example is very similar to the original song. Instead of copying the song though, have fun exploring how you can use this theory hack creatively with your own musical personality, so it sounds like you!

1/16 Triplets (Step 1)
Set up four bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/8 notes, and your tempo set to 90 BPM. “Morph” is in the key of C♯ minor, and the bass line is centred around the root note, played at different octaves. So, start by writing a repeating octave pattern on your root. Now, change your grid to 1/16 note triplets. Then, add a few 1/16 note triplets, but be sparing, as you want your bass line to have lots of space to breathe. And in our version, we put a couple of these 1/16 note triplets on the ♭7 to spice things up. Finally, towards the end of your bass line, add a non-diatonic note (which is a note that is not in the scale). Twenty One Pilots used the major 7, but we’re using the ♭2. And the reason for using a non-diatonic note is because it breaks the “rules”, and that adds to the cool factor of your bass line.

Play It Cool (Step 2)
So you know how cool people arrive at the party a little late, right? Well, cool music arrives at the beat a little late, too. Seriously, it’s true! If you wanna instantly make your music cooler, just move everything a split second off the grid, to the right. This loosens up that rigid feel we always get from making music on the grid. If you want a rough guide when moving your music off grid, change your grid to 1/128 note triplets, select all your MIDI, then zoom in and move everything to the right by about half of a 1/128 note triplet. Now I know what you’re thinking: If this hack is that cool, then why doesn’t everyone use it. Well, some genres (e.g. house music) are built on perfectly in-time drum beats, and therefore this hack isn’t appropriate. Okay, now last but not least, when you’ve totally finished your bass line, then use the same hack on your drums.

NEXT
Right, now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write a new section for it, and then, how do you transition between those two sections? Great questions, and if this is something you need help with, then check out our cutting-edge online apprenticeship course, where you’ll literally learn every step of the music making process, and most importantly, you’ll learn how to finish your songs! You’ll also gain access to our Private Network, which is a safe social media platform exclusively for our apprentices (and we already have over 400 apprentices, from over 40 countries). Our Network is a super supportive place for you to ask theory questions, share your music, get feedback, meet like-minded music makers, and more! So if all that sounds useful to you, then head on over to our Online Apprenticeship page now.

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

 

LEARN
1: Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
2: Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
3: Learn our secret art of songwhispering & finish your music!

ABOUT
Learn how to make great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé (and wife) Kate Harmony. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory" and has been teaching music theory for 24 years, and along the way he's 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 Hack Music Theory method! While our YouTube lessons teach music theory for producers and DAW users, they are designed to accommodate all music makers (songwriters, guitarists, etc.) and all genres, from Electronic Music to R&B, Pop to Hip-Hop, Reggae to Rock, EDM/Dance to Metal (and yes, we djefinitely Djent!).

Photo of Twenty One Pilots by Brad Heaton

 
 

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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How to Write a 2-in-1 Bass Line - Music Theory from Rationale “One By One”

Bass lines need to be low, cos that’s the whole point of them, but this restriction can very easily result in boring bass lines. So how can you break out of that limiting range, while still keeping your bass low? The answer comin’ up. But first… tea!

Hello music makers, we are Kate and Ray Harmony, and welcome to Hack Music Theory. This channel helps you make great music that stands out, so you can get discovered!

The music theory hack in today’s video is from the new single “One By One”, by the artist, Rationale. Quick but crazy story for you: When we were swiping through the New Music Friday playlist on Spotify this morning, to decide what song to hack for this video, we swiped and the Rationale single came on, and I was like “Wait! What the…?!”, that’s my old student from London haha, so I’m totally buzzing right now! #ProudTeacher. And you won’t believe it, but the exact same thing happened last week with another one of Ray’s former students. They all seem to keep turning up on the New Music Friday playlist, how amazing is that?! Anyway, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

THEORY
A bass line is the foundation upon which all other melodies and chords are built. Therefore, a bass line has the dual purpose of functioning as your song’s musical ground, as well as its lowest melody. However, so many bass lines these days only fulfill the former purpose, resulting in a solid foundation, but with no melodic interest. To achieve both of these roles simultaneously, use the theory hack from “One By One”, where Rationale grounds his bass line into the root note of each chord, before launching it into the melodic air for a few high notes. This creates an awesome 2-in-1 bass line that carries out both its foundation and melodic duties. And please note, for the sake of this lesson, our example is very similar to the original song. Instead of copying the song though, have fun exploring how you can use this theory hack creatively with your own musical personality, so it sounds like you!

Step 1 - Ground
Set up two bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 94 BPM. Next, you need to choose four chords from a minor key. The original song is in E minor, so we’ll stick with that. The chords we chose are: Em, Gmaj, Dmaj, Am. Now, each chord is played over two 1/4 note beats. The first beat will be used to ground into the root note, and the second beat will be used to fly away, but more on that in Step 2. Next, delete the second 1/4 note beat of each chord. Then, over that first 1/4 note beat of each chord, play the root note a couple times, with a rest in between. And be sure to play one root note of each chord on an off-beat 1/16 note, which is called syncopation, and that adds groove!

Step 2 - Air
Right, now that you’ve grounded your bass line, it’s time to launch it into the melodic air. So, over the second 1/4 note beat of each chord, you’re gonna allow your bass line to break free of its low-notes-only restriction, and elevate its range and melodic interest with some high notes. So, choose three ascending/descending notes from your scale, and play them in a higher octave over your first chord. Then do something similar over your third chord. And these are all 1/16 notes. Also, be sure to start on the off-beat, for even more syncopation. Then over your second chord, you’re actually not gonna go higher,cos that’ll be too much of a good thing. So, just add in a couple low notes there. And then finally, over your last chord, use the same three notes that you used over your third chord, but reverse their order.

NEXT
Right, now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write a new section for it, and then, how do you transition between those two sections? Great questions, and if this is something you need help with, then check out our cutting-edge online apprenticeship course, where you’ll literally learn every step of the music making process, and most importantly, you’ll learn how to finish your songs! You’ll also gain access to our Private Network, which is a safe social media platform exclusively for our apprentices (and we already have over 400 apprentices, from over 40 countries). Our Network is a super supportive place for you to ask theory questions, share your music, get feedback, meet like-minded music makers, and more! So if all that sounds useful to you, then head on over to our Apprenticeship page now.

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

 

LEARN
1: Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
2: Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
3: Learn our Secret Art of Song-Whispering & finish your music!

ABOUT
Learn how to make great music that stands out, so you can get discovered! Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé (and wife) Kate Harmony. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory" and has been teaching music theory for 24 years, and along the way he's 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 Hack Music Theory method! While our YouTube lessons teach music theory for producers and DAW users, they are designed to accommodate all music makers (songwriters, guitarists, etc.) and all genres, from Electronic Music to R&B, Pop to Hip-Hop, Reggae to Rock, EDM/Dance to Metal (and yes, we djefinitely Djent!).

Photo of Rationale from the cover of "One by One"
Courtesy of Best Laid Plans Records

 
 

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African Rhythm & Chords - Music Theory from NAO “Drive and Disconnect”

You want people moving to your music, right? But, are you bored of using the same old four-on-the-floor drum beat to achieve that. Well, then you need to add an African flava to your rhythm (and your chords!), as heard in the new single “Drive and Disconnect” (from upcoming album "Saturn"), by the unique and inspiring artist NAO. And full disclosure here: Yes, I am British, but, I’m an immigrant. I was actually born and raised in Africa, so African music is in my blood, so I’m super stoked to share a little taste of it with you. But first… iti!

Hello revolutionaries, and welcome to the Hack Music Theory channel. This is our New Music Friday show, where we trawl through the new releases every week to find the hottest theory hacks for your weekend studio session! So, if that sounds useful to you, then please subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell to get notifications. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

THEORY
Africa is the motherland of dance music. So while electronic dance music has had booties shakin’ for decades, music from the motherland has been moving people (physically and emotionally) for millennia. Now, there are countless types of traditional music in Africa, but the two main elements that connect them, are syncopated rhythms and strong melodies. Remember, chords (like you hear in most songs these days) are actually a relatively new addition to music that originated in Europe. So, traditional African music is all about that rhythm and melody. To add this African flavour to your music, create a syncopated rhythm on top of your four-on-the-floor drums, and turn your chords into arpeggios (that are also syncopated). 

Step 1 - Rhythm (African Drums)
Set up two bars of 4/4, with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo set to 116 BPM. Then, start by throwing a kick on every 1/4 note beat, and that’s your four-on-the-floor. Next, it’s time for the syncopation, which is when you accent the offbeat. So, add syncopated snare drums on beat 1a and beat 2+ (we used two different snare drums for those, to add depth). Then do the same snare pattern in bar 2. And lastly, sprinkle in a few more syncopated notes on the toms and hats, and your drums are done!

Step 2 - Chords (African Guitar)
NAO’s song is in G minor, but to keep things simple, we’re in A minor here, cos A minor is just all white notes. Now, choose two chords for your progression (we chose Am and Gmaj), then instead of playing them as block chords, play them one note at a time (which is an arpeggio), and lock those notes into that syncopated rhythm you just made, especially accenting beat 1a and beat 2+. Also, remember to let your arpeggios breathe, by adding some rests. And lastly, to spice things up even more, add in some extra notes that are not in the chords. For example, the D and B over our first Am chord, and the Gs over our second Am chord. And with that, you’re done!

NEXT
Right, now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write a new section for it, and then, how do you transition between those two sections? Great questions, and if this is something you need help with, then check out our cutting-edge online apprenticeship course, where you’ll literally learn every step of the music making process, and most importantly, you’ll learn how to finish your songs!

You’ll also gain access to the Hack Music Theory Network, which is a private social media platform exclusively for our apprentices (and we already have over 400 apprentices, from over 40 countries). The Network is a super supportive place for you to ask theory questions, share your music, get feedback, and more. So if all that sounds useful to you, then head on over to our Apprenticeship page now.

Also, please note that we intentionally wrote our example to be very similar to the original version, but we did that for the sake of this lesson. So, instead of copying the artist, please explore how you can use this hack creatively with your own musical personality, so it sounds like you! Alright, that’s it! We really hope this video inspired and empowered you, and if it did, please drop us a comment on YouTube. We love hearing from you! Thanks for joining the Hack Music Theory revolution, and we’ll see you next week!

Enkosi kakhulu :)

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

 

LEARN
1: Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
2: Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
3: Learn our Secret Art of Song-Whispering, and effortlessly finish your music!

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is the pioneering notation-free method for making great music. Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé (and 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), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), 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 Hack Music Theory method! While these Hack Music Theory YouTube lessons teach music theory for producers and DAW users, they are designed to accommodate all music makers (songwriters, guitarists, etc.) and all genres, from Electronic Music to R&B, Pop to Hip-Hop, Reggae to Rock, EDM/Dance to Metal (and yes, we djefinitely Djent!).

Photo of Nao by Eva Pantel

 
 

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WTF is a Melodic Rhythm? - Music Theory from Architects “Hereafter”

Learn what "melodic rhythms" are, and how you can use them to inject primal energy into your music, like Architects does in their new single “Hereafter” (from upcoming album "Holy Hell").

Hello revolutionaries, and welcome to the Hack Music Theory channel. This is our New Music Friday show, where we trawl through the new releases every week to find the hottest theory hacks for your weekend studio session! So, if that sounds useful to you, then please subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell to get notifications. Alright, it’s time to open your DAW to hack music theory.

GIVEAWAY
We’ve got a super special show for you today, as we’ve partnered with the mighty GetGood Drums for an exciting giveaway of their brand new drum library: Modern & Massive! And just for the record, this is not a sponsored video (we don’t do any sponsored content on our channel), we bought our copy of Modern & Massive, but because it’s literally the best drum kit sounds we’ve ever heard, we just had to share ‘em with you! And there’s an interesting story behind why we chose this video for the giveaway. Yes indeed, Dan Searle (the amazing Architects drummer) actually recorded his drums for the new album in the same studio that the Modern & Massive drum library was recorded in. And on top of that, the genius behind GetGood Drums, Adam “Nolly” Getgood, also engineered and mixed the new Architects album. So if you love Dan’s drum sound, you need this library! And if you don’t win in our giveaway, just buy a copy like we did, it’s so worth it. You can enter our giveaway by subscribing to our channel and to the GetGood Drums channel (over at YouTube.com/GetGoodDrums). Then, drop us a comment on the above video and tell us why you should win the Modern & Massive drum library. We’ve got two copies to give away, which means our favourite two comments will both win. So, make those answers really sincere, or really funny! We’ll announce the winners in next week’s video.

THEORY
Rhythm is ancient and primal, as our ancestors were almost certainly banging on things long before they were blowing into bone flutes. Now, fast forward over 40,000 years, and the colossal opening riff of the new Architects single “Hereafter” has this same primal energy to it, because it would function just as well if it was played on one pitch. This makes it a "melodic rhythm", which is a musical concept whereby a memorable rhythm is usually composed first, then pitches are assigned to the notes afterwards. Examples of "melodic rhythms" range from Beethoven’s 5th symphony to Architects new single. The difference between a "melodic rhythm" and a melody, is that a "melodic rhythm" is still recognizable when its melody is removed, or when the pitches are all changed. And that’s exactly why our example in this video still sounds like the “Hereafter” riff, even though we’ve changed all the pitches. 

Step 1 - Pulse & Backbeat
Set your grid to 4 bars of 4/4, at a tempo of 121 BPM. Now, we’re gonna start by giving your creation a heartbeat. So, hit a cymbal (we chose the china) on every 1/4 note beat. This is your beast’s pulse! Next, it’s snare time. And Architects drummer, Dan Searle, went with a super groovy halftime backbeat here, which is when you spank the snare on beat 3, instead of the regular beat 2 and beat 4. 

Step 2 - 16ths & Variation
Ah yeah, it’s kick time! So, we’re gonna get this party started with a bunch of 1/16 notes on the kick, for momentum, and throw a few on the snare too. And you only need to program 2 bars, cos then you just copy and paste ‘em into bars 3 and 4. Also, be sure to use syncopation, for maximum groove! Syncopation is when you play an off-beat, but not the on-beat just before it. And on one of your syncopated 1/8 note kicks, hit a crash as well, to really accent that off-beat. And for the ultimate syncopation, don’t play a kick on beat 1 of bar 2 and bar 4. Yeah this is such a sick trick from Dan, and it takes this groove to a whole new level! Then the final bit of Step 2 is to simply add one 1/16 note to bar 4, to give it some variation, so it rolls around to the beginning. 

Step 3 - Triplets
So many rhythms these days consist of straight notes only, which is fine, but sprinkling a few triplets into a rhythm that’s mainly straight notes, is just so tasty, as they’re totally unexpected! So, change your grid to 1/16 triplets, and get sprinkling. Don’t overdo it though, once per bar is plenty! 

Step 4 - Melody
Lastly, now that your rhythm is pumping, it’s time to turn it into a "melodic rhythm". So copy and paste your kick and snare rhythm into a guitar, bass or synth track, and then extend all the notes to the right, so there’s no rests in between the notes. Next, move the notes up and down to create your melody. And if you’re going for something heavy like Architects, then use dissonant intervals, which are the intervals of 1 semitone, 3 semitones, 6 semitones, 8 semitones, 10 semitones, and 11 semitones. And with that, you’re done!

THANKS
Lastly, thanks big time to everyone who made this video possible: Nolly, Matt, Misha, and our good chum Dez (who’s not only part of GetGood Drums, he’s also in one of our favourite bands: Good Tiger), and big thanks to our studio wizard Meyrick de la Fuente (from the band Exist Immortal) for mixing and mastering the example in this video, and last but definitely not least, thanks to the mighty Malcolm Shoolbraid (who’s the drummer from Thigma) for doing the playthrough. And by the way, Thigma’s debut album (which was produced by Ray), is coming out soon, so check out their link below, cos if you dig Architects, you’ll dig Thigma. Finally, please note that despite the live drummer in the playthrough video, all the drums you’re hearing are the programmed MIDI drums with 100% of the sounds coming from the Modern & Massive library, we just wanted a drummer in the playthrough, so all the non-drummers watching can see the pattern being played.

NEXT
So, now that you’ve got one section down, how do you write a new section for it, and then, how do you transition between those two sections? Great questions, and if this is something you need help with, then check out our cutting-edge online apprenticeship course, where you’ll literally learn every step of the music making process, and most importantly, you’ll learn how to finish your songs! Also, please note that we intentionally wrote our example to be very similar to Architects, but we did that for the sake of this lesson. So, instead of copying Architects, please explore how you can use this hack creatively with your own musical personality, so it sounds like you! Alright, that’s it! We really hope this video has inspired and empowered you, and if it has, please drop us a comment on YouTube. We love hearing from you! Thanks for joining the Hack Music Theory revolution, and we’ll see you next week!

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

 

LEARN
1: Read our free book (below) & watch our YouTube videos
2: Read our "Part 1" book & "Songwriting & Producing" PDF
3: Learn our Secret Art of Song-Whispering, and effortlessly finish your music!

ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is the pioneering notation-free method for making great music. Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé (and 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), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), 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 Hack Music Theory method! While these Hack Music Theory YouTube lessons teach music theory for producers and DAW users, they are designed to accommodate all music makers (songwriters, guitarists, etc.) and all genres, from Electronic Music to R&B, Pop to Hip-Hop, Reggae to Rock, EDM/Dance to Metal (and yes, we djefinitely Djent!).

Photo of Architects courtesy of Epitaph Records

 
 

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