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Hack Music Theory
Canada
Registrace 10. 12. 2012
Taught by multi award-winning college lecturer Ray Harmony, who's made music with multiplatinum Grammy-winning artists. Co-taught by Kate, Ray's protégé and wife. *UPDATE* New tutorials are exclusively available on our website!
How to Write DJENT Drum Beats
► Free PDF • hackmusictheory.com/djent
If you’ve been in the Hack Music Theory family for a while, you’ll know we love technical drum beats! And there probably ain’t nothin’ more tech’ than polymeters*. While polymeters were relatively popular with those bold “modern classical” composers of the early 20th century, they haven’t been used much since then.
And yes, over the last few decades there have been a few rare examples of polymeters in popular music. But, it wasn’t until a group of hairy Swedes with exceptional talent (otherwise known as Meshuggah) came along and re-popularised the polymeter. What made Meshuggah’s polymeters unique, though, is their genius idea of having their drummer’s hands (snare & cymbals) play in 4|4 as the one time signature, while his feet (kick) play in an odd time signature, like 17|16. The genius of the Meshuggah method is that listeners can nod (or mosh) along to the 4|4 time signature, while the odd time signature slithers around unpredictably. The brilliance of this can’t be overstated. They created a way to play in odd time while the audience dances in 4|4.
To get an idea of how weird odd time signatures sound without this method, listen to “March of the Pigs” by Nine Inch Nails. They alternate three bars of 7|8 with one bar of 4|4. And while we love this song, you have to have a relatively high level of music theory knowledge just to be able to dance along to it. That’s obviously not ideal for the average listener. Also, 7|8 isn’t even that weird. Meshuggah uses far weirder time signatures! But, because they’re playing them against 4|4, you can dance along.
Meshuggah’s method has become a favourite for prog/tech bands over the last couple decades, and TesseracT are one of them. Their new album “War of Being” kicks off with a great polymeter (in the track “Natural Disaster”) which finds them adding a few creative twists to Meshuggah’s method. So, inspired by “Natural Disaster”, here’s our 6-step method for making technical polymetric drum beats. But first… Tea!
*If you’re new to polymeters, it’s the term for playing in two (or more) time signatures simultaneously.
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ABOUT
Learn how to make good music in a DAW (digital audio workstation). Taught by Ray Harmony, a multi award-winning college lecturer who's made music with multiplatinum Grammy-winning artists, and his protégé wife, Kate.
CREDITS
© 2024 Revolution Harmony
Footage by Billie Woods
Music by Ray Harmony
If you’ve been in the Hack Music Theory family for a while, you’ll know we love technical drum beats! And there probably ain’t nothin’ more tech’ than polymeters*. While polymeters were relatively popular with those bold “modern classical” composers of the early 20th century, they haven’t been used much since then.
And yes, over the last few decades there have been a few rare examples of polymeters in popular music. But, it wasn’t until a group of hairy Swedes with exceptional talent (otherwise known as Meshuggah) came along and re-popularised the polymeter. What made Meshuggah’s polymeters unique, though, is their genius idea of having their drummer’s hands (snare & cymbals) play in 4|4 as the one time signature, while his feet (kick) play in an odd time signature, like 17|16. The genius of the Meshuggah method is that listeners can nod (or mosh) along to the 4|4 time signature, while the odd time signature slithers around unpredictably. The brilliance of this can’t be overstated. They created a way to play in odd time while the audience dances in 4|4.
To get an idea of how weird odd time signatures sound without this method, listen to “March of the Pigs” by Nine Inch Nails. They alternate three bars of 7|8 with one bar of 4|4. And while we love this song, you have to have a relatively high level of music theory knowledge just to be able to dance along to it. That’s obviously not ideal for the average listener. Also, 7|8 isn’t even that weird. Meshuggah uses far weirder time signatures! But, because they’re playing them against 4|4, you can dance along.
Meshuggah’s method has become a favourite for prog/tech bands over the last couple decades, and TesseracT are one of them. Their new album “War of Being” kicks off with a great polymeter (in the track “Natural Disaster”) which finds them adding a few creative twists to Meshuggah’s method. So, inspired by “Natural Disaster”, here’s our 6-step method for making technical polymetric drum beats. But first… Tea!
*If you’re new to polymeters, it’s the term for playing in two (or more) time signatures simultaneously.
---
ABOUT
Learn how to make good music in a DAW (digital audio workstation). Taught by Ray Harmony, a multi award-winning college lecturer who's made music with multiplatinum Grammy-winning artists, and his protégé wife, Kate.
CREDITS
© 2024 Revolution Harmony
Footage by Billie Woods
Music by Ray Harmony
zhlédnutí: 1 093
Video
How to Write Sweeping Arpeggios
zhlédnutí 2,5KPřed 14 dny
► Free PDF • hackmusictheory.com/album/2639559/sweeping-arpeggios Do your arpeggios all sound rather similar? It’s a common problem for producers. Arpeggios are when you play a chord one note at a time, and it’s one of the best techniques for making your progressions more interesting. And while it’s definitely more rare to hear arpeggios than “block” chords in popular music genres, most of the ...
How to Write a Catchy Melody
zhlédnutí 3,6KPřed 2 měsíci
► Free PDF • hackmusictheory.com/album/2877864/catchy-melody British band GLASS ANIMALS are absolutely massive! At the time of writing this, they’re ranked 257 in the world on Spotify. Most artists as famous as them have achieved their success as a result of an obsessive striving for celebrity. However, Glass Animals seem to be obsessed with making catchy music instead. And not only that, their...
How to Write a Better Snare Rhythm
zhlédnutí 2,7KPřed 3 měsíci
► Free PDF • hackmusictheory.com/album/2806684/snare-rhythms While it’s normal to hear at least a few different kick patterns and hi-hat patterns in music nowadays, it’s rare to hear an interesting snare pattern. The rhythm assigned to this neglected element of the drumkit is almost always an afterthought. In 4|4 (which most music is in), the snare is usually one of these three rhythms: Regular...
How to Write a Heavy Bass Line
zhlédnutí 11KPřed rokem
Music Theory from Front Line Assembly "Mechanical Soul". ►FREE BOOK. Learn Theory in 30 Minutes: HackMusicTheory.com/Books 0:00 Step 1. Syncopated Octaves 0:39 Step 2. High Line 1:55 Step 3. Low Line 2:37 Final Example Step 1. Syncopated Octaves Set up one bar of 4|4 with your grid on 1/16 notes, and your tempo at 110 BPM. You’re gonna start by using only one note, and the octave of that note. ...
How to Write an Advanced Drum Beat
zhlédnutí 10KPřed rokem
Music Theory from Royal Blood "Mountains at Midnight". ►FREE BOOK. Learn Theory in 30 Minutes: HackMusicTheory.com/Books ►DRUMS PDF. Everything You Need to Know: HackMusicTheory.com/Drums 0:00 Step 1. Pattern 0:50 Step 2. Beat 2:13 Step 3. Pulse 2:39 Final Example Step 1. Pattern Set up two bars of 4|4 with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo at 136 BPM. Now, instead of starting to make...
How to Write a Locrian Bass Line
zhlédnutí 8KPřed rokem
Music theory from Rezz "Suffer in Silence". ►FREE BOOK. Learn Theory in 30 Minutes: HackMusicTheory.com/Books 0:00 Step 1. Basic 1:00 Step 2. Energy 2:01 Step 3. Next Level 2:43 Final Example Step 1. Basic Set up four bars with an 1/8 note grid, and your tempo at 97 BPM. You’re gonna start by writing a basic bass line that plays every 1/8 note. This creates momentum. We’re in B Locrian here, wh...
How to Write a Beautiful Chord Progression
zhlédnutí 14KPřed rokem
Music Theory from Sleep Token "Take Me Back to Eden". ►FREE BOOK. Learn Theory in 30 Minutes: HackMusicTheory.com/Books 0:00 Step 1. Beauty 0:46 Step 2. Chord Beat 1:55 Step 3. Bass 2:33 Final Example Step 1. Beauty Set your grid to 1/16 notes and your tempo to 113 BPM. We’re in the key of A minor here, which is just all the white notes from A to A. Right, so the first step to writing a beautif...
How to Write a Bass Line with Harmony
zhlédnutí 11KPřed rokem
Music Theory from GoGo Penguin "Everything Is Going to Be OK". ►FREE BOOK. Learn Theory in 30 Minutes: HackMusicTheory.com/Books 0:00 Step 1. Low 1:53 Step 2. High 2:38 Final Example Step 1. Low Harmony is when two or more notes are played together. And sadly, it’s rare to hear harmony in a bass line. The word “line” is actually used to convey the fact that it’s a melody, not a harmony. That’s ...
How to Write a Standout Melody
zhlédnutí 7KPřed rokem
Music Theory from PJ Harvey "A Child's Question, August". ►FREE BOOK. Learn Theory in 30 Minutes: HackMusicTheory.com/Books ►Songwriting & Producing (PDF): HackMusicTheory.com/Bestsellers 0:00 Step 1. First Impressions 1:30 Step 2: Second Impressions 2:44 Final Example Step 1. First Impressions There are many ways to write a standout melody, but it’s difficult to improve on the method PJ Harvey...
How to Write a Locrian Riff
zhlédnutí 12KPřed rokem
Music Theory from Metallica "72 Seasons". ►FREE Book. Music is easy with this: HackMusicTheory.com/Books 0:00 Step 1. Octaves 0:42 Step 2. Mode 1:49 Step 3. Melody 2:20 Locrian vs. Phrygian 2:50 Final Example 2:59 Guitar Playthrough Step 1. Octaves Set your grid to 1/16 notes and your tempo to 97 BPM. You’re gonna start by writing a creative pattern using only octaves. If you’re writing this on...
How to Write a Catchy Melody
zhlédnutí 17KPřed rokem
Music Theory from Beastie Boys "Sure Shot". ►FREE Book. Music is easy with this: HackMusicTheory.com/Books ►Songwriting & Producing PDF: HackMusicTheory.com/Bestsellers 0:00 Step 1. Scale 1:31 Step 2. Rhythm 1:58 Step 3. Contour 2:25 Final Example Step 1. Scale There are two types of catchy melodies: annoyingly repetitive ones you can’t stop singing but actually hate, and awesome ones that are ...
How to Write a Bass Line with Energy
zhlédnutí 10KPřed rokem
Music Theory from The Chemical Brothers "No Reason". ►FREE Book. Music is easy with this: HackMusicTheory.com/Books 0:00 Step 1. Rhythmic Energy 0:51 Step 2. Melodic Energy 2:24 Final Example Step 1. Rhythmic Energy There’s a super energetic bass line in the new single “No Reason” by The Chemical Brothers. To write a bass line like this, you need a lot of movement. Not just rhythmic movement, b...
How to Write a Lydian Melody
zhlédnutí 16KPřed rokem
Music Theory from Depeche Mode "Ghosts Again". ►Free Book: HackMusicTheory.com/Books ►Songwriting & Producing PDF: HackMusicTheory.com/Bestsellers 0:00 Intro 0:18 Step 1. Mode 0:36 Step 2: Roots & 3rds 2:03 Step 3: Variations 2:29 Final Example Intro Simple music can be great music. Depeche Mode’s lead single “Ghosts Again” from their new album “Memento Mori” is proof. It has a well-written and...
How to Write a Polymetric Drum Beat
zhlédnutí 6KPřed rokem
Music Theory from Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre. ►Free Book: HackMusicTheory.com 0:00 Step 1. Kick in 7 1:20 Step 2. Snare in 4 2:26 Playthrough Step 1. Kick in 7 The new Periphery single “Atropos” (from the album Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre) opens with a classic djent polymeter, which we love! Staying true to Meshuggah’s original polymeter recipe, the kick is in odd time while the sn...
Wrong Notes for Better Chord Progressions
zhlédnutí 12KPřed rokem
Wrong Notes for Better Chord Progressions
Red Hot Chili Peppers HACK for Better Bass Lines
zhlédnutí 8KPřed rokem
Red Hot Chili Peppers HACK for Better Bass Lines
Steven Wilson: How to Increase Creativity
zhlédnutí 9KPřed rokem
Steven Wilson: How to Increase Creativity
Steven Wilson: Common Songwriting Mistake
zhlédnutí 67KPřed rokem
Steven Wilson: Common Songwriting Mistake
Steven Wilson: The Songwriting Process
zhlédnutí 24KPřed 2 lety
Steven Wilson: The Songwriting Process
Thats quite informative. More important than 90% of other tutorials
it has been awhile!. Glad yall are back!
what drumkit vst?🙏
We use GetGood Drums. We LOVE them!!! And no, we're not sponsored by 'em, we happily paid for it. Here's the kit we used in this example: www.getgooddrums.com/collections/software/products/modern-massive-pack
@@HackMusicTheory yes, its fire!
Can you cover Owl city,s glided melody like in the song fireflies?
Great to see you sharing more videos! Keep up the good work, and you'll hit one million subscribers in no time :)
What is the software used?
We use Reaper www.reaper.fm but there are lots of free DAWs as well, so if you're new to making music in a DAW, then try a few free ones first to see what you like :)
This is great but are you planning to bring back the slightly longer more in depth videos?
Not sure. Those videos were very shallow. These PDFs are not only step-by-step tutorials, but each step also goes more in-depth into the theory. As a result, these PDFs are significantly more helpful :)
@@HackMusicTheorybut we, and personally I, would like to see you, it is not necessary to go into music material, just, you know, some talk and tea...
Good to see you back (in my feed).
► Free PDF • hackmusictheory.com/djent
the DJEND
Haha yeah this was a particularly fun one :)
yo this fire
Nice work Love it
Nice
"When I look into your eyes..."
this is actual psychological studies in music, awesome!
This sounds like sonc music
THIS IS BEAUTIFUL
GOD, I am an ameteaur game dev, and I was having such a bad time even starting with making music for my game because everything sounded the same, and this video came like the saviour I needed ! You guys are a god sent!
Great video from a geat channel! Using the third or the fifth of a chord in the bass, though, does raise the subject of inversions. It’s definitely not a topic that could have been covered in detail in a 7’37” video, but I feel it would have done no harm just to mention it for the record.
Thanx a lot! 👍💚
Hi Kate & Ray! That's something new and I'm going to try it, thank you :)
much obliged for the new upload. wondering if you're good at identifying instrument sounds, even if they are sampled sounds? i'm working on a soundfont using samples from a game, and i have trouble with identifying some of the sounds, because i want to get the samples properly named and organized by categories.
Good show, enjoying it over some coffee now and tea later.
I'm in love. Haven't been here in a while! ❤❤💯
Remove the "how to write" and "s" and then you'll be advertising honestly Edit: they literally just advertised, this is an ad
It's an ad for a FREE PDF, which is an in-depth, step-by-step tutorial that took us two weeks to make. We're working for free, and you're complaining about that? Can you please explain how this offends you?
Also, we've got over 200 FREE video tutorials here on CZcams. The reason we're focusing on PDF tutorials now, is because there are too many distractions on CZcams, it's not a good place to learn. Our community has told us that the PDF tutorials we're doing are far better for learning, because they're in-depth, and a lot of people print them out and work through them off-line. Why don't you try our free PDF before complaining about it?
@@HackMusicTheory I'm not exactly offended in the way you may think. The title as of right now is "how to write sweeping arpeggios". The video features _a_ sweeping arpeggio, but the video only contains an ad for where one could find out how to write a sweeping arpeggio. If the video contained a brief and non-descriptive tutorial to give just enough interest to how to make a sweeping arpeggio and then the ad, I'd believe it was a great video. And, I'm not complaining you're doing free work, (because this and the PDF being free is not the problem) the problem is the title implies that you explain how to make a sweeping arpeggio. It does not do that. If you retitled the video to something along the lines of "we've got a free PDF you should check out because you can find out how to make this cool arpeggio", it would be a good video because it would be accurate to the contents of the video.
@@HackMusicTheory I really appreciate your PDF tutorials. Thank you for making them available.
Right
Beautiful work!
► Free PDF • hackmusictheory.com/album/2639559/sweeping-arpeggios
Thank u very much 💯❤️
Thanks this helped a lot!
Which software / website are you using to make your music?
We use www.reaper.fm but there's lots of free Digital Audio Workstation's too, just search CZcams for best free DAWs :)
I think it's more three issues. Very similar tone, mixing/fx, and songwriting. I think it sounds heavy, but if it's dynamically flat and samey the ear will tune out. You mix guitars tuned to e, in a well arranged song, it will bang! And I use tunings as low as drop e on 8s.
i swear to god i’ve heard that in hotline miami
Hello from belgium, on my way to watch a lot of your videos to improve my composing skills (still no idea what kind of music I make, but I love it)
Aw thanks my friend, I'm so happy to hear you're finding the videos helpful. Really appreciate you being here, and welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! Ray :)
I actually prefer your version. I can listen to the last seconds over and over. It sounds so melancholic...
so would it be a nice strategy to make a melody out of one-note rythm layout instead of making one and cheking it after?
Thank you!!! I find it so hard to make music in GarageBand. I already sort of knew the one-note rule, but I often get into the pitfall of it sounding way too even to be interesting, and sometimes avoiding things I shouldn't like rests or offbeats. I'm thankful for having been recommended such a helpful and straightforward video!
Interesting how Mikael Akerfeldt has the same approach in Opeth’s latest albums :)
the book is insane, it is litterally what i was looking for, a simple yet complete way to understand the therms and what the hell im suppose to look for x) and it is a great introduction, now i can research my shit and i finally understand what was blocking me for now months x) im not even paid to say this lol
im a beginner composer, and your vids help a lot! :)
humans hate predictability, suprise essential in good music
The Djend !
the single note melody is an amazing trick. Definitively Im using it from now on
Our brains get bored if there's too much repetition Minimalism 💀
0:45 since when did bunny walter white and eminem make a baby
Dubstep producer here and this is exactly how I write all of my basslines. Write the drums, lay down the bassline rhythm with a single note, then add variations to the notes. And that’s just the sub, then I’ll chop that midi clip up and start designing different synth patches for different segments of the midi and layering those over the sub.
Man your introduction sentence at 1:26 was just gold!! Loved the quote <3
The melody at the start sounded exactly how keyboard players write them. I heard these turned into lines by AI versions of known singers; I highly recommend this approach to see the staggering contrast between melody lines written by singers for the character of the singer, versus lines formulated by tip-tapping notes from a scale. My advice? Practice these rhythm hacks with your voice with whatever lyrics come to your lips.
T.