Ray Harmony's Blog, page 28
September 21, 2017
Up Your Verse Game (Tweak Your Modes)
Most verses in most songs these days are merely filler, something to stick in between the choruses. Verses can be captivating, though, and here's a hack for achieving this: Up Your Verse Game (Tweak Your Modes) – 8 min YouTube video.
The example song in this video is our new single, which is only out September 29th, but you can stream or download it for free right now: I is Love for You.
Lastly, we launched our new "Reality TV" show last week on Patreon, and we had an absolute blast! Thank you to all our patrons for your super positive feedback about this cutting-edge online apprenticeship project. And if you'd like to join our Patreon party, sign up here: Patreon.com/RevolutionHarmony.
We really hope you dig our new lesson, and if you wanna get your hands on all the vital theory hacks you need to write great songs, then please download our Hack Music Theory for Songwriting & Producing PDF.
Thank you for being brave and committing to make the world a better place through better music. Until next week, happy songwriting & producing!
Ray Harmony - Victoria BC, Canada
Songwriter | Producer | Teacher | Author
Follow Kate on Spotify | Follow Ray on Spotify
Write Great Songs from Start to Finish
We're ultra mega pumped to launch our exciting new Patreon-exclusive project today, where we'll be teaching how to write great songs from start to finish. Why? Well, we get tons of emails from frustrated songwriters and producers struggling with these three very common issues:
How to write verses and choruses that work together but don’t sound the same How to transition between different sections of a song, especially when they’re in different keys How to structure and arrange a whole song, so it flows perfectly from start to finish
These are epic topics, but they’re way too in-depth and time-consuming to teach on YouTube. So, that’s exactly why we’re now teaching these advanced hacks on Patreon.
In fact, we’re not just teaching our most advanced and tasty hacks on Patreon, we’re actually creating a weekly subscription-based reality-TV show, kinda like our very own “Hack Music Theory” Netflix.
You are invited into the Revolution Harmony studio for the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience, where you can watch every minute of how we write and produce our own songs, from start to finish.
But wait, that’s not all. Our Patreon project is not only for entertainment, this experience will help you to write and finish your own great songs!
So, if you’re ready to up your commitment and take your music to the next level, then head on over to Patreon.com/RevolutionHarmony
Thank you for being brave and committing to make the world a better place through better music. Until next week, happy songwriting & producing!
Kate & Ray Harmony - Victoria BC, Canada
Songwriters | Producers | Teachers | Authors
Follow Kate on Spotify | Follow Ray on Spotify
September 15, 2017
Hack Counterpoint & Write Unique Vocal Harmonies
Today on the Hack Music Theory show, we're super excited to reveal the conclusion video for our "Lines Through Lands" example song, which we've been teaching in our 3-Minute Theory series.
In this video, you'll learn how to Hack Counterpoint & Write Unique Harmonies (6-minute YouTube video), which is arguably the No.1 game-changer for all songwriters and producers, cos pretty much nobody uses counterpoint outside of classical music these days!
We really hope you dig our new lesson, and if you wanna learn more about counterpoint as well as get your hands on all the vital theory hacks you need to write great songs, then please download our Hack Music Theory for Songwriting & Producing PDF.
Thank you for being brave and committing to make the world a better place through better music. Until next week, happy songwriting & producing!
Ray Harmony - Victoria BC, Canada
Songwriter | Producer | Teacher | Author
Follow Kate on Spotify | Follow Ray on Spotify
Wooohooo!!! You're a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head over to your inbox now for your free download.
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“most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen” –DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder
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September 7, 2017
6 Hacks for Better Vocals (Lyrics & Melodies)
Be sure to hold on to your seat for today's Hack Music Theory show, cos it's an intense ride! In four wild minutes you'll learn our six hacks for better vocals, which Kate then beautifully demonstrates in our song "Lines Through Lands".
If you're a songwriter/producer, then these hacks are vital in order to get great vocals on your songs. And if you're not a musician, then you'll enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at how lyrics and melodies come together. So, buckle up and click Play.
Also, we're super pumped to share with you that we've just uploaded our brand new PDF: How to Write Chord Progressions using Chords Not in the Key (click & scroll down). So, if you wanna know how to use non-diatonic chords to spice up your progressions, then this one's for you!
We really hope you dig our new lesson, and if you wanna get your hands on all the vital theory hacks you need to write great songs, then please download our Hack Music Theory for Songwriting & Producing PDF.
Thank you for being brave and committing to make the world a better place through better music. Until next week, happy songwriting & producing!
Ray Harmony - Victoria BC, Canada
Songwriter | Producer | Teacher | Author
August 31, 2017
Dial A Bass Line (Give Writer's Block the Finger)
Last week we launched our new YouTube series Give Writer's Block the Finger, and since then we’ve been receiving the most heartwarming messages from people all over the world who’ve had Writer’s Block for months, even years, and after watching our video are now making music again! There are literally no words to describe how happy and humbled we are to hear this.
Today on the Hack Music Theory show, we're continuing our promise to you of curing Writer's Block once and for all, with a new hack that reveals how you can turn people/places/etc. into modes, and then into bass lines (or any other melodies). So, don't ever waste another minute staring at a blank screen again, just click Play and learn how to Dial A Bass Line.
We really hope you dig our new lesson, and if you wanna get your hands on all the vital theory hacks you need to write great songs, then please download our Hack Music Theory for Songwriting & Producing PDF.
Thank you for being brave and committing to make the world a better place through better music. Until next week, happy songwriting & producing!
Ray Harmony - Victoria BC, Canada
Musician | Songwriter | Producer | Teacher
August 24, 2017
Give Writer's Block the Finger! (Modes & Chord Progressions)
It's been a MASSIVE week for our Hack Music Theory show on YouTube, and we now have over 27,000 subscribers. WHOA!!! To celebrate, we want to make ourselves even more helpful.
Considering one of the biggest problems that songwriters/producers have, is writer’s block, we decided to launch what's arguably our most helpful video series yet. So, if you're a songwriter/producer and want to eliminate the debilitating problem of writer's block forever, this video is for you. But first... tea!
We really hope you dig our new lesson, and if you wanna get your hands on all the vital theory hacks you need to write great songs, then please download our Hack Music Theory for Songwriting & Producing PDF.
Lastly, after numerous requests to turn our most popular videos into step-by-step PDF guides, for easy referencing, we're slowly starting to roll 'em out. So, here's our "6 Hacks for Better Bass Lines" PDF & MIDI (scroll to bottom of page). By the way, this video has now clocked up an unbelievable 120,000 views!
Thank you to infinity and beyond for your support, we are deeply grateful and humbled. Until next time, happy musicing!
Ray Harmony - Victoria BC, Canada
Musician | Songwriter | Producer | Teacher
August 17, 2017
Pitch (melody/harmony) & Rhythm
It’s another super special episode today, as we’re celebrating the one-year anniversary of my first book Hack Music Theory, Part 1 being published. Yay!!! Well actually, we’ve been working so hard lately, we kinda forgot the anniversary. Oops!
Here we are though, about a month late, but ready to celebrate. And what better way to do that than with a little author reading, and what better place to start than the beginning. So, click play to hear me reading chapter one: Pitch (melody/harmony) & Rhythm. But first... tea!
By the way, if you wanna get yer hands on Hack Music Theory, Part 1, you can grab the ebook or paperback from the links below:
eBook/PDF: RevolutionHarmony.com/Books
Paperback: Amazon.com/dp/1988410002
Thank you for being brave and committing to make the world a better place through better music. Until next week, happy songwriting & producing!
Ray Harmony - Victoria BC, Canada
Musician | Songwriter | Producer | Teacher
August 10, 2017
How to Write a Great Melody: Development & Variation
In every melody, there's another melody hiding, just waiting to be found and freed! So, today on the Hack Music Theory show, you'll learn Ray's songwriting hack for developing and varying melodies. Whether you're writing a vocal melody or a bass line, this hack will ensure it fulfills its potential. But first... tea!
Just a heads up to our wonderful patrons. We're launching a super exciting new patron-only project over on Patreon in September, so stay tuned for details. And if you wanna join our Patreon party, get on over to Patreon.com/RevolutionHarmony
We really hope you dig our new lesson, and if you wanna get your hands on all the vital theory hacks you need to write great songs, then please download my Hack Music Theory for Songwriting & Producing PDF.
Thank you for being brave and committing to make the world a better place through better music. Until next week, happy songwriting & producing!
Ray Harmony - Victoria BC, Canada
Musician | Songwriter | Producer | Teacher
Wooohooo!!! You're a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head over to your inbox now for your free download.
There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.
“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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August 3, 2017
Funk up Your Songs with Slap Bass
There ain't nothin' funkier than a bit of slap bass, so this week on the Hack Music Theory show, Ray reveals how to hack this technique and turn your songs into dancefloor fillers. But first... tea!
Just a heads up to our wonderful patrons. We're launching a super exciting new patron-only project over on Patreon in September, so stay tuned for details. And if you wanna join our Patreon party, get on over to Patreon.com/RevolutionHarmony
We really hope you dig our new lesson, and if you wanna get your hands on all the vital theory hacks you need to write great songs, then please download my Hack Music Theory for Songwriting & Producing PDF.
Thank you for being brave and committing to make the world a better place through better music. Until next week, happy songwriting & producing!
Ray Harmony - Victoria BC, Canada
Musician | Songwriter | Producer | Teacher
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“most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen” –DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder
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July 27, 2017
Walking Bass Lines (feat. our new single "Nostalgic for Nashville")
You won't believe what we did... We made a country song! Wait, before you click the unsubscribe button, this is not mainstream country, this is seriously alternative country! In fact, it's not really country music at all, but we did take some of the main elements of country and we made a song that's our take on the genre.
This idea came from the enigmatic and prolific songwriter LLL, and resulted in another unique collaboration with her, titled Nostalgic for Nashville. The single features Kate on lead vocals, LLL on backing vocals, Ray on guitar, and Tony Holroyd (Ray's brother) on drums, with artwork by the phenomenal Maria Picassó. Listen to our new single on Spotify
Nostalgic for Nashville has a super fun walking bass line with a shuffle rhythm, which will get your foot tapping for sure, so Ray decided to dive into the music theory behind that section in today's Hack Music Theory show.
In this episode, you'll learn how to melodically liberate your bass lines to walk around below your chords, without sounding like you're practising scales! Also, discover how to rhythmically free up your bass to shuffle wildly, instead of marching orderly.
By the way, we spent over 20 hours creating this video lesson for you. So if you find it helpful, please consider supporting our work. We want to continue making free weekly music theory videos, and if you become a patron for just a couple bucks a month, you help make this workload sustainable for us. If you're interested, please visit Patreon.com/RevolutionHarmony
We really hope you dig our new lesson, and if you wanna get your hands on all the vital theory hacks you need to write great songs, then please download my Hack Music Theory for Songwriting & Producing PDF.
Thank you for being brave and committing to make the world a better place through better music. Until next week, happy songwriting & producing!
Kate & Ray Harmony – Victoria BC, Canada
Musicians | Songwriters | Producers | Teachers
Wooohooo!!! You're a mere 30 minutes away from being even smarter than you already are. Just head over to your inbox now for your free download.
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“most brilliant, fast, easy & fun music theory book I’ve ever seen” –DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby founder
We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer.
DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK
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