#1 Hack for Better Melodies
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- čas přidán 8. 08. 2024
- Learn how to make better melodies with this game-changing hack!
►FREE Book: HackMusicTheory.com/Books
►Online Courses: HackMusicTheory.com/Courses
►Songwriting & Producing PDF: HackMusicTheory.com/Bestsellers
0:00 Introduction
1:17 The Hack: Explanation
1:56 The Hack: Example
3:09 The Fault
4:51 The Rule
6:58 The Example
7:26 The Djend
THE HACK
First, to clarify. A fault is not a mistake. A fault is a weakness. In other words, an area for improvement. So, how do you know if your melody has faults?
Easy, you use our Melody Test, which is simply to play your melody on the piano. Yes, it really is that simple. Because, by stripping away all the fancy sound design, you’re left with just the bare notes. This exposes any and all faults in your melody. Then after fixing them, you change the instrument back to your fancy sound, and now you have a melody that doesn’t just sound good, it actually is good!
Alright, so let’s run our example through the Melody Test and see what faults are exposed. And please note, it’s absolutely essential that you hear the melody in its harmonic context, so always play the root note of each chord in your progression below your melody. Our example is in the key of A minor, which is all the white notes from A to A, and the chords in our progression are: Am, Cmaj, Gmaj, Fmaj.
As you can tell, stripping away the fancy sound design removes all distractions and forces our ears to focus exclusively on the notes. We can now hear that our melody has a lot of good qualities already, like its contour, motifs, and rhythm. And by the way, rhythm is usually the most overlooked element of a melody, so be sure to pay extra attention to that. And if you need help, just use our Melody Rhythm Rule.
THE FAULT
Okay that’s enough about the good qualities of our melody, let’s get to the fault. By using the Melody Test, we can now clearly hear (and feel) our melody’s fault. What is it? Our melody is lacking emotion! So, how do you add emotion to a melody? Easy, you use the 3rd note of each chord. You see, the 3rd note is the magic note that actually creates the happy sound in a major chord and the sad sound in a minor chord, so by playing 3rds in your melody, you strengthen it by emphasizing that emotional power!
For example, in our first chord, Am, the 3rd note is C, which we’re not playing. So, by simply moving the D (4) down to C (♭3), we emphasize the sadness of that underlying minor chord. Next, we added 3rds into our melody over the Cmaj and Gmaj chords as well, which emphasizes the uplifting nature of those major chords. In this melody, we felt that it would be “too much of a good thing” to emphasize the happiness of three major chords in a row, so we didn’t use the 3rd (A) in our melody over Fmaj. This neutral approach of not using the 3rd in our melody slightly dilutes the uplifting nature of that underlying major chord.
THE RULE
And that is a really important lesson. So important, in fact, that it’s part of our crucial 3rds Melody Rule, which is: In your melodies, use a 3rd to emphasize a major chord’s happiness or a minor chord’s sadness, and avoid using a 3rd when you want to dilute the underlying chord’s emotion.
It goes without saying that every note has an emotion, not just the 3rd. But, not all notes have the same level of emotional power, and the note that pulls at our heartstrings the most, is the 3rd. Remember though, a good melody must have a wide variety of notes, because a melody consisting of only 3rds may be strong in terms of its emotional power, but it will be utterly mind-numbingly boring!
Lastly, this test is super useful for all the other layers of your music too, which is why we also refer to it as the Piano Test. For example, if you want to know if your bass line has any faults, simply change the sound on your bass track to a piano, then solo it up and hit play. Once again, by stripping away the fancy sound design, you’re left with only the bare notes, which exposes any and all faults in your bass line. Then after you’ve fixed those faults, just change the sound back, and now you have a bass line that doesn’t just sound good, it actually is good!
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ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is the fast, easy and fun way to make music. Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate. Ray has been teaching music theory for 25 years, and along the way he's made music with Serj Tankian (System Of A Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), and many more!
COPYRIGHT & CREDITS
© 2021 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
Script & all music in video by Revolution Harmony
Book promo filmed & edited by Maurits Nienhuis
All stock footage courtesy of Pexels
►Free Book: HackMusicTheory.com/Books
Thank you for the amazing content!!! I don't know if you will remember but you gave me some awesome tips on the software that you use a few weeks ago. I have acquired several license and am learning that technology. Thank you again for your help!!!
Toby, how wonderful to see you again!! We're thrilled to hear that you're getting yourself set up to make awesome music, thanks so much for sharing! Please keep letting us know how you get on with your journey, and we wish you all the best :) Kate
@@HackMusicTheory your website seems to be down 🤷🏻♂️ I am interested in your apprenticeship program! I look forward to when it's back up and I can take a dive into it!
@@RobVan Hey R, yeah it just went down, but we're working hard to get it back online ASAP! So sorry for the inconvenience. If you'd like to email us, we'll keep you posted on when it's up and running again. Thanks big time for your interest in Hack Music Theory, we're super stoked and grateful to have you here in the community :)
@@HackMusicTheory it's back up and I just ordered! Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful information!!
I didn't realize djent pugs were such a mood, but I'm here for it.
Lol, so good, right! Great to see you, Tyler, how's your music making going these days? Hope this finds you well, and we wish you a lovely week/weekend!
@@HackMusicTheory i got a contract with san Francisco based company usa , i make a deal , but i need you to produce 1 song
The piano test is GOLDEN. I've taught it to a few of my musical buddies. Lately I've been using the "one note rule" extensively and the rhythm of my melodies are improving drastically. Yall always have great tips, thanks a ton :)
You rock Spencer, we're pumped to hear you've been sharing the piano test! And good for you for putting the teachings to use, no wonder your music is getting better :) Have a lovely weekend! Kate
I do the one note to check the rhythm but with vocals instead cause more technique can be used like pronunciation. I also do a one note screamo to test my clean vocal's rhythm
Holy crap, this video's Djend was by far one of the most evil breakdowns I've heard in a long time
Awesome!! Thanks for your super kind words my friend, I'm so happy to hear you're digging The Djends :) More to follow, so stay tuned...
Hello!
I simply use this formula for making my melodies fancier : I play 2nd and 3rd back to back. Sometimes, it carries a "melodic minor" feeling, and it sounds amazing for emotional music. Sometimes, I use 3rd and 4th for the same result.
Lovely to see you, as always, Muhammadreza!! How's your new business going?! Sending you our very best wishes :)
6:57 that piano only pretty much sounds like the starting melody of an anime opening
Cool, GA Mujtoba!! What kind of music do you make? Thanks for watching and connecting, we hope to see you again soon for more music theory hacks! Have a great day :)
@@HackMusicTheory I'm glad that the creator of the video actually replied, it's pretty rare for me. I actually don't make music yet. But I'm really interested in these things so I stuck around for this series and I'm glad I did. Thanks, you have great day too. Also, can you please suggest me a free mobile app for music making? Mediocre quality will be fine, I'm not ready yet in investing on expensive tools and apps. My parents yet do not have credit cards (We don't really need them in day to day life, it's pretty useless to us so they didn't register for one).
@@HackMusicTheory Also thanks for the heart 💖
@@HackMusicTheory I use android by the way, so please recommend me one usable on the Android platform.
@@Po_124 I'm no expert but a really good app for music making is Bandlab, it's almost like an android version of garageband.
I reccomend trying to use a desktop for making music though, bandlab's pretty good on desktop, perfect for begginer music artists. If you want a more complex free DAW (digital audio workstation I think it meant? It's just any music making program) I know LMMS is pretty good and Cakewalk which is in a way more advanced version of Bandlab (made by the same people, initially a DAW that never got on the market and was instead put on the internet as a free program)
Despite how useful all of these tips are...as a metalhead, my favorite part of each video is the Djend. Please never stop that. This one was especially awesome.
Hey thanks for your kind words about The Djend, NUGGet3562, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of metal do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Ah, well while I love listening to metal, I don't actually have any equipment to make metal music with, but I do write chiptune music. I'm hoping to eventually be able to write progressive metal as that's my favorite kind to listen to.
Cool, thanks for sharing, NUGGet3562! What are your favourite prog bands?
By the way, our Djends are made entirely in the DAW with virtual instruments, so we definitely encourage you to start practising your prog music making skills! FYI - the guitar sound is from Steven Wilson's Ghostwriter library www.soundsonline.com/ghostwriter and the drums are from GetGood Drums' Modern & Massive library www.getgooddrums.com/collections/software/products/modern-massive-pack
And while all our hacks can be put to use in any genre, you'll find heavier hacks in our Metal Music Theory playlist: czcams.com/play/PLgYcaQlDpHN4CU-74EQ7NQnoDbHt8ZDH_.html
We're cheering you on in your music making, NUGGet3562, have a great week!
@@HackMusicTheory My top 3 prog bands are Haken, Dream Theater, and Teramaze! And that's a great idea! Maybe I could write chiptune music with some proggy ideas and see how it turns out. Thanks so much for the advice and for all you do! I always look forward to watching your videos when I see one in my recommended and if I really have a burning question, I know you guys have probably covered it. This channel is a godsend!
You're too kind, NUGGet3562 🙏 Yes, do give it a try, we'd love to hear how it turns out! Have you heard Leprous' new single? Epic, as always :)
You guys are fantastic. I can't believe the "little" changes you bring to your music to make it more amazing. I can't imagine that I will ever "know" all these myself without looking them up all the time... but at least I know where to go to get 'em! Thanks Ray & Kate for another great video.
Aww thank you, Cheryl, it's always lovely to see you! We're happy to hear you enjoyed this one, and yes, you can always count on us to be here for you and your music! Speaking of which, how's your music making going these days? Wishing you a lovely weekend, Cheryl, and sending you good vibes :) Kate
Wow, nice ending... went from pleasant melody to edgy bass outro
Haha, thanks Table-Top! Lovely to see you, and hope all's well with you. How's your music making going these days? Have a wonderful day :)
Thats cool! I've actually been using this piano trick for a while, I kinda figured it out myself so thats neat! keep making these videos, I love them!
Amazing!!! Thank you for watching and sharing, Elex, it means the world to us! Wishing you a lovely day :)
@@HackMusicTheory you too!
You guys blowed my mind with the minor and major chords which changes the emotions 🔥❤️
Awesome to hear, KISHOR, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Wow! This is a very good advice/trick. Thank you so much
This is incredible thanks so much
This video taught me more than anything else ive watched ever since i started diving into music theory!
Thank you for such amazing videos, guys :)
Awesome, happy to hear it, Paco, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
This is very, very cool, thank you so much for taking the time to put this one together and share the great ideas. I really enjoy your work, and learn so much from the two of you. Thank you! 🙏🙏🙏
Hi Charles, lovely to see you again, hope all's great your side! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed our new video! Thanks big time for being a part of the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you 🙏
Great vid, I like this concept. Emphasize and dilute is a good way to look at it. Thanks for sharing!
Pumped to hear you dig this one, Jay :)
Thank you both for sharing your knowledge in quick easy to understand videos!
Hey hey ojoyful1, lovely to see you again, hope all's great your side! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed our new video! How's your music making going these days? Thanks big time for being a part of the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you :)
2:03 You pointed out one of my crucial mistakes i used to do! I used to think all my melodies are too lame as i played them alone... I learned it the hard way... Thank you for pointing it out for easing the life of others !
Thanks so much for watching and connecting, MD Derrek, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Another extremely helpful video! You guys are awesome! Much love and many thanks
Aww, thanks so much, rtdude1, really appreciate your kind words and support :) Hope you're well, and we're sending you good vibes!!
This taught me so much in a short amount of time. A million thanks ♡
Thank you so much for these videos, they're very helpful and to the point
Happy to hear it, Holden, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
this channel never disappoints :D keep doing this stuff
Aww thanks so much F̷̢̍r̵͍͌a̴̹̔ń̷͙c̶̻̾õ̵̻, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Very cool channel. I've only watched a few but I'll certainly be back. You both have a real knack for explaining fundamentals in a way that's neither too technical or condescending. Cheers from new york!
Aww thanks so much Paul, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we look forward to seeing you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Love this! It's something I half found out about a while ago when I was noodling on the piano that I couldn't fully put my finger on. Now that I know exactly what it is, I'll be putting this to great use >:3
Happy to hear this was clarifying, Dysfunctional Tree, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
@@HackMusicTheory I write mainly just piano sheet things. It's cool that you respond to late-ish comments :D
Awesome, thanks for sharing, Dysfunctional Tree! We do our best to reply to every comment, because we're really grateful for everyone who watches and comments 😊 Have a great day!
As an independent self-taught producer in the midst of writing an industrial/darkwave/experimental haunted electronics EP - thank you very much! Absolutely indispensable advice and knowledge right here!
Many interesting ideas here! I never thought of dissecting a melody like this (and never came about your channel before!) 😎
Great to hear from you, Wolfgang, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
I loved the tip on working out the melody/harmony on piano. I often begin projects with this approach. It’s satisfying to run through presets with the MIDI written out. It acts as an anchor to your workflow. Otherwise you may end up browsing presets and noodling too much with no concrete melodic idea.
Thanks so much for stopping by and connecting, x i Ω h m, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
@@HackMusicTheory I’ve been a bassist for a long time and enjoy anything groove-oriented and head banging. I’ve been producing dance music for some three years: dubstep, future bass, house. Your channel is top notch! Thank you for the warm welcoming!
Cool, thanks for sharing, x i Ω h m, we love groove too!! We really appreciate you being here, and are cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great week :)
Great great great content! I'm very impressed and thank you so much for what you do.
Aww thanks so much TubeTexting, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
you guys blow me away with every video! 👏🏻 I salute you Kate & Ray 🤗
Aww thanks so much SEBAtv, and a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and have a lovely weekend :)
@@HackMusicTheory I aim to make progressive house and pop house. nothing to publish though, yet... 😅 hope you have a good start into the week! ☺️
Cool, thanks for sharing SEBAtv! You're definitely on the right track by learning music theory and how to apply it to your music :) All the best with your music making, SEBAtv, we're cheering you on! Have a great week :)
I appreciate what y’all do, recently got a groovebox and looking forward to applying all the great stuff I’ve learned
Aww thanks so much Cameron Corn, and a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
@@HackMusicTheory Not sure if that’s a legitimate question or not so I’ll just act like it is lol I’m a beginner guitarist getting into several kinds of electronic and guitar styles; have a great day!
Haha of course it's a legitimate question, we love getting to know the people in our community! Thanks for connecting and sharing, Cameron, we're stoked and grateful to have you here, and we're cheering you on with your musical journey :)
@@HackMusicTheory Thanks for the warm welcome!
You two make it easy to think outside the box great video!
Yay, awesome to see you again, PrplGhst! We're thrilled this one's got you thinking outside the box :) Have a great weekend!
Your videos are so epic and usefull !
Awesome, thanks so much Pawl4k, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Glad I stuck around to the final bit of the video, that was awesome!
Hey hey Tim, lovely to see you again, hope all's great your side! Happy to hear you dig Ray's new addition, I think this is the 3rd Djend he's made :) On that note, how's your music making going these days? All our best, Tim, have a great week!
This is great advice. And I love the pug ending!
Hi Justin, lovely to see you again! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed the lesson and the pug! How's your music making going these days? Have a great day! Kate :)
Love your stuff, very helpful! Thank you!
Barely Alive and Figure both make dubstep, I was wondering if you could do a video on the music theory in a Figure or Barely Alive song. Thank you!
Thanks as always, another great hack!
Great to see you, HAZARDOUS88, we so appreciate your consistent support! Hope you are doing well, we're sending lots of good vibes your way :) Kate
@@HackMusicTheory I'm good, hope both of you are well!
Great tutorial!
Happy you enjoyed this one, Lodger! Thanks big time for being a part of the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks! Until next time, take care :)
nice tip...Thank you
We're super happy you enjoyed our video, Noxge B! What kind of music do you make? Thanks for taking the time to watch and connect, we hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)
Hi Kate & Ray! That's pretty simple hack but I did not think about it, thank you!
Hi Andrei, great to see you!! Yup, simple and effective :)
Have the creative juices started flowing again for you?
Hope you're well, and we wish you a lovely weekend :) Kate
@@HackMusicTheory I feel that I'll be up to something soon, thank you! Also, I've been working as a computer programming teacher at children's camp and I gave them some insights on music theory, they liked it very much. Would not be possible without you!
Wow, that's so cool Andrei, good for you!!
Wow, I am very grateful for this video! Thank you so much!!
Our pleasure, Bil'! Great to see you again, we really appreciate you being here in the HMT community! By the way, what kind of music do you make?
@@HackMusicTheorythank you for the amazing content, it's great being here! I haven't really found my neesh genre yet. But I try producing a range between hip-hop, pop, rock and electronical music.
Thanks for sharing, Bil'! We absolutely encourage music makers to explore different genres as it helps with inspiration and creativity! We did a video that might spark some thoughts, called "The Truth About Genres": czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html. We really appreciate you being here, and are cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great weekend :)
@@HackMusicTheory haha thanks 😊
Excellent content as usual. I consider myself as a musician with experience, but I always learn a little something new and interesting . Thanks!
Hey Cedric, lovely to see you again! How's the producing going these days?! Thanks big time for being a part of the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you, have a great day!
@@HackMusicTheory Thanks so much, I am inspired so producing in different genres, right now I am experimenting afrobeat. Some of your advices about bass lines and melodies are really on point!
Awesome, we're HUGE afrobeat fans! One of our all-time favourites albums is: Dele Sosimi - You No Fit Touch Am. If you don't know it, check it out ASAP, it's absolutely genius!! We haven't done any specific afrobeat videos, but we've done a few related ones, like this Drums video: czcams.com/video/OrCrlC54AGo/video.html and this African Rhythm & Chords video: czcams.com/video/qZn-M4CeNfE/video.html and this Melody video: czcams.com/video/i6DcLplfqis/video.html Hope these help, and thanks again for being here :)
@@HackMusicTheory ooh I think this is why I should say AfroPop maybe? As it seems there are two "genres", one is the good old "Afrobeat", the original one...and now we have "Afrobeats"... which is what I do, best example would be Wizkid...
Not exacly the same vibe, but maybe the roots are in fact the same, I don't know?
Haha oh yeah different genres, for sure! It's funny how much difference an "s" makes, right? Having said that though, we're massive afrobeats fans too! We're stoked to have you here in the Hack Music Theory community :)
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥Amazing
Haha, thanks, Prod by flores! What kind of music do you make? Thanks for taking the time to watch and connect, we hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)
Great stuff guys thanks so much! Hope you're doing well! Finally uploaded my new song "Just Another Mountain" last week! Months of effort but so worth it!
And thank you so much, Justin!! We are doing much better now that the heat wave has passed, phew, that was hot! How about you two? We're thrilled to hear you got your song recorded and published, massive congratulations!! Thanks, as always, for stopping by and connecting :) Have a great day, Justin!
Bestttttttt channel....wooww...
Make like this lessons class for us instead some utubers just make whatever only to make money whatever order they like melody by far this best teaching videos other tutorials sucked...
Really ur lessonsa about everything is great love it 🖤
Lol, we love your enthusiasm, TEDDY!! A warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Nice hack! Thanks for this! :)
Hi Ben, awesome to see you again, hope all's great your side! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed our new video! How's your music making going these days? And did you catch the Djend at the end? Ray's added a special touch ;) Take care and have a great weekend! Kate
Fantastic video as always!!!
We're super happy you enjoyed our video, Smaradav! What kind of music do you make? Thanks for taking the time to watch and connect, we hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)
@@HackMusicTheory I sometimes make electronica music (right term? No idea, but it is synth centered so yeah) but also dabble in classical and sometimes even combine them! Thank you for the kind words, take care as well!
Thanks for sharing, Smaradav, that's awesome that you don't limit yourself with genre! We also love combining genres, in fact we recently did a video on combining the elements of genres to create a whole new genre, you might dig it: czcams.com/video/dGa5Hdqaz6g/video.html And your comment made me think about another video we made that explores the concept of genre which you might find interesting: czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html
All the best with your music making, Smaradav, we look forward to hearing more from you in the future :)
Severely underrated channel. So glad I found this
Aww we're happy you found us too! Thanks so much for stopping by, Paper Mario, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Dope !!!!
Thanks, Catchy Beatz, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
sick video, the tip makes heaps of sense!
We're super happy you enjoyed our video, saithemusicguy! What kind of music do you make? Thanks for taking the time to watch and connect, we hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)
@@HackMusicTheory wow! your responses are awesome guys, mad respect. i try and make parody videos about different rap / trap artists. looking forward to your next video, have already learned heaps and can tell you put a lot of effort into your content creation!!
Aww thank you for your enthusiasm, saithemusicguy, and for sharing about your music! We're thrilled to hear you're learning lots, it always makes us happy to be helping other music makers :) Have a great week, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!
Killer groove at the end..you need another class on that..one..
Aw thank you kind sir, I'm super happy to hear you enjoyed The Djend. I didn't think people would keep watching the video all the way to the very end, so I let my hair down with this one haha! Many more Djends to come, so stay tuned my friend :)
ps. Kate here, just listened to your new tune and wanted to tell you I really love the bridge section!! Have a great weekend Franz :)
@@HackMusicTheory This happens because I have 2 great Teachers for inspiration...just saying
Aw you're far too kind Franz, we're so lucky to have you in our apprentice family :)
You r amazing
You're too kind, thank you, light out, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Thank you this was helpful to have in my Gmail and now my melodies are soo much better
Yay, so great to hear, Madhav, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Well I usually make edm and future bass music and was having trouble making melodies to I downloaded your free book then I got the notification for this hack and I just had to see it
Awesome, thanks for sharing, Madhav, that's awesome that you've got the free book! We're sorry to hear you're having troubles making melodies, but you're on the right track by learning music theory and how to apply it to your music, just keep practicing, it'll get easier :) For more help, you can also check out our Hack Melody playlist where we've collected all our melody hacks in one place: czcams.com/play/PLgYcaQlDpHN5-tLZyRc33FJfmsoU5WBjQ.html All the best with your music making, Madhav, we're cheering you on! Have a great week :)
Awesome video Harmony's!
Although the pug made me cry... tears of endearment.
Incidently, what's it's name?
Hi Mark, great to see you! Happy to hear you enjoyed this one, love the tears of endearment :) As for the pug, we think Djug might be an appropriate name ;)
Hope all's great your side, have a great day! Kate
okay wait question is it okay to to use a 3rd in a melody that doesnt have that note in the scale ? say the 3rd note is an F key , but im playing in E minor , which doesnt have the F key . is it okay to use F anyways ? or will that be bad ?
THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN!!!!IF YOU CAN DO MORE HOW TO TRANSITION BETWEEN SECTIONS!!!THANK YOU!
Hey hey TATEOSIAN ARA, so lovely to see you again, hope all's great your side! We'd love to know what kind of music you make?
We know that many music makers struggle with transitions, so we made this video, which is an overview of the two methods you can use for transitions: czcams.com/video/Hv2Fgck_F5I/video.html Hope that helps TATEOSIAN ARA, and we please know we're cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a wonderful day :)
@@HackMusicTheory Thank you very much!I make pop music and like very much orchestral and cinematic too.Thank you again!!!
Awesome, TATEOSIAN ARA, thanks so much for sharing! Take care and have a great week :)
Nice!
Hey hey Nebroski, lovely to see you again, hope all's great your side! By the way, what kind of music do you make? We wish you a wonderful day!
@@HackMusicTheory everything's great here, and I hope all's well on your side too!
I make experimental bass like Flume & Eprom, and sometimes I work on little Soul-ish Industrial type beats like Tyler the Creator. Thanks for asking!
Very cool, thanks so much for sharing, Nebroski, happy to hear you're great! Take care :)
Gold!
Aww thanks so much, Preston! By the way, what kind of music do you make? Thanks big time for being a part of the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you! Have a great day :)
@@HackMusicTheory I like music like Lorn or dark, dungeon dubstep. I need help writing interesting basslines
Good stuff, Preston, thanks for sharing! We've got quite a few videos on writing dark music, but here's a great one to get you started, it's about writing super interesting (and dark) bass lines using modified modes: czcams.com/video/mhDpPJffURg/video.html And if you wanna go deep, then here's our entire Hack Bass playlist: czcams.com/play/PLgYcaQlDpHN7Twwmm8cGLglMN-ys6QYQf.html Hope these help, and we hope to see you back here again on our next video :)
Can you do videos applying all these hacks to different genres of music?
Hey hey nimrod, thanks big time for being a part of the Hack Music Theory community :) Regarding applying our hacks to different genres, we actually did a video covering this topic which you can check out here: czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html We're cheering you on in your music making journey, nimrod :) Take care and have a great week!
Hey I have a question - is there any music theory to dubstep drops, and if so, could you do a video on it? I've been trying to write good drops and have been completely unable yo set up good drops.
Thank you!!
Your wish is our commend :) Here you go... czcams.com/video/7C5qXLevkB8/video.html
@@HackMusicTheory Thank you!!
I loved end credits
Hey thanks so much พงษ์อนันต์ ศรีทองกุล, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Learned something
Awesome, tha exception!! Wishing you a great weekend :)
Best music channel.
Wow, thanks so much Why Lie, and a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
@@HackMusicTheory I "attempt" to create in all the genres. I write hip hop/rnb songs though. Your tutorials/game is straight to the point and your advertising YOURSELF not vsts. Thank you for the free pdf. Hopefully a bundle deal is coming for them ALL.
Thanks for sharing and for your kind words, Why Lie! We love that you don't limit yourself with genre and style :) You might like our "Truth About Genre" video: czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html We're thrilled you've helped yourself to our free PDF and yes, a PDF bundle! We've been meaning to do it for ages, so thanks for the motivation, stay tuned :) We really appreciate you being here, and are cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great week :)
Hi Why Lie, hope you had a great weekend! A quick note to say that the PDF bundle is available now: HackMusicTheory.com/Lessons. Thanks again for the motivation! Kate :)
I liked the djend!
Willian! So great to hear from you my friend! How's it going, how's the music making going these days?
You've got some great sportsmen playing for Switzerland! We're looking forward to watching Federer's match later today :)
Hope all is well with you, Willian, have a lovely day! Kate :)
@@HackMusicTheory I am not making music lately. Always busy with something.. but thanks to you guys I got inspired today. I will dust off my guitar and practice this hack!
Today is Federer and tomorrow Switzerland is playing Spain in the Eurocup! Cheers!
Happy to be an inspiration for a dust-free guitar, Willian :) Also we're happy Federer is through to the 3rd round tomorrow! Wishing you a music filled weekend :) Kate
Dear friends, love it, as always, but I've a silly question: is not a fault to use more than 3 step down/up when creating melodies?
Hello Fernando, lovely to see you again, hope your music theory studies are going well! Happy to hear you enjoyed this one :) As always, when it comes to your own music you can do whatever you want, however, if you want our guidance on the issue, we actually made a specific video about that: czcams.com/video/gQNgsKSOhN0/video.html By the way, I meant to ask last time you commented about where in Africa you were born? Hope you're well, have a lovely weekend :) Kate
@@HackMusicTheory Hello Kate, very kind of you answering me and support me with more details (video lessons). I'm ok and trying to do some music, using real instruments like Bass and Guitars and adding also a few virtual instruments. I like what I've been doing, but for now is just for me :-) I was born in Angola and then I'd to go to Portugal due the civil war. With 19 I went to London to live with my father but I hated the weather and so, I've returned back to Lisbon. 11 years from now I'm leaving in a small city close to Barcelona. If you decide to visit Barcelona, ping me for a beers, or a tea :-) Cheers, keep safe!!
Hi Fernando, we love hearing that you're finding a balance of real instruments and VSTs! Thank you for sharing a little more about yourself, I can absolutely understand about wanting to live in a warm, sunny place. We get a lot of rain and cold on the West Coast of Canada, I wish there was somewhere in Canada that was warm and sunny all year round, haha! And thank you for the lovely offer of a tea date in Barcelona :) Cheers! Kate
Hey guys, I just got a laptop recently and was wondering what kinda DAW y’all use?
Hey hey, Cameron, great to see you again! Hope this finds you well, and congrats on your new laptop :) We use Reaper and are big fans of the software. All the best with getting everything set up, Cameron, and we hope you have a great week!
@@HackMusicTheory Got it, thanks a bunch and you too!
What software are you using? Would you happen to know what genres of music this DAW lends itself to or could it be all types of music. Thanks!
Hi esther2208, thanks so much for watching and connecting! We use Reaper and are big fans of the software. What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
@@HackMusicTheory I don’t make any yet but I’m about to take my first dive into it. I love the type of music that the b-52s make. Kind of hard to put them in a category although they have been put under the American new wave umbrella. Definitely would love to make something to that effect. For contrast, I also am in love with Sheryl crows 2nd album (self-titled). The production value on it is incredible and edgy.
Thanks for sharing, esther2208! We absolutely encourage music makers to explore different genres as it helps with inspiration and creativity! We did a video that might spark some thoughts, called "The Truth About Genres": czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html. We really appreciate you being here, and are cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great weekend :)
Thank you guys!! I can’t stop thinking of your videos 😂😂😂 and already caught that video on Friday ;) great stuff!! Music is all the same which helps me because tbh I can be dismissive of certain genres.
Haha, awesome, esther2208, that makes us really happy!
i'm so stealing this.
Right on, Jason, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
hi ! what software is the one you use in your videos? thanks.
Hi Mario, thanks so much for watching and connecting! We use Reaper and are big fans of the software. What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
@@HackMusicTheory Thanks for the tip. I don't make music I study harmony and related topics.
dont different cultures have different views on emotionality on different types of chords? i.e major n minor being 'happy' or 'sad' is a western thing and not necessarily seen in different parts of the world. appreciate you guys replying to a lot of viewers, don't see that a lot nowadays
Hey atelier, thanks for connecting, and welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! That's a GREAT question, and here's the answer. In 2009 the isolated Mafa tribe of Cameroon and Nigeria, who’d never been exposed to any music outside of their rural community, were involved in a historic study to find out if they also felt major as happy and minor as sad. They did! So, the Mafa people finally ended this ongoing debate by evidencing a non-cultural human response to music. This is due to the sound waves vibrating more harmoniously in majors than in minors, proving that we truly are all hardwired to feel music as a universal language - genres are merely dialects :)
Hi I know you probably get this question a lot but what program are you using in your videos
Hi Donovan, thanks so much for watching and connecting! We use Reaper and are big fans of the software. What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
@@HackMusicTheory I have been thinking about trying to make music but I am still very new to most things. I would love to make alternative music but I am interested in many different genres. I stumbled onto your videos and just by watching a few I felt that I learned more about music making than I had since quarantine started. If you have any advice as to where someone new with little to no music experience would start to trying to make music, it would be very appreciated.
Awesome Donovan, we're thrilled to be a part of your music making journey! We love hearing that you're open to many genres and we absolutely encourage music makers to explore different genres as it helps with inspiration and creativity! We did a video that might spark some thoughts, called "The Truth About Genres": czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html.
To begin with, we'd suggest, if you haven't already, downloading our free music theory book, '12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales and Chords'? It'll give you a solid music theory foundation to work from, and it's a super fast and fun read! You'll find it here: HackMusicTheory.com/Books.
From there, in order to get a feel for writing a section of music, we'd suggest you watch these 3 playlists, which are all series:
1. How to Write a Song: czcams.com/play/PLgYcaQlDpHN63jnHQaWD6M3-zuhtMjyMm.html
2. How to Write a Christmas Song (this is relevant even if you're not writing a Christmas song): czcams.com/play/PLgYcaQlDpHN7u7BQRj6zD9FvCxTGbrnYw.html
3. Masterclass: czcams.com/play/PLgYcaQlDpHN5Poc5pUuvFlb7dqaJ37AFw.html
While watching those playlists you may want to start making your own chord progressions and melodies.
If you don't already have a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), here's a video of the top DAWs of 2021 to get you started: czcams.com/video/8aRx4HMLY5Q/video.html You'll also need Virtual Instruments (VSTs). If you're looking for some free VSTs here's a video with some options: czcams.com/video/EMNv1KTTk7E/video.html. If you have a budget, we recommend Native Instruments as being the best value for money. Their Komplete Essentials is a great starting point, and only a small financial commitment: www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/bundles/komplete-11-select
Then you might consider our Songwriting & Producing course, where you'll learn step-by-step how to make music with all the layers working together (you'll find it here: hackmusictheory.com/books).
Then after some practice, when you're ready to make full songs, we'd suggest taking a look at our online apprenticeship. It consists of 17 hours of unedited video which captures every second of the songwriting process, from blank screen to finished song, while also teaching every single step and theory hack along the way. You'll learn how to start songs, make new sections for existing sections, transition between sections & finish your songs! You can find out more here: HackMusicTheory.com/Courses.
And there you go, that would be our advice on how to get started making music!! Hope that helps, Donovan, we wish you all the best, and please do let us know how you get along with your music making! Take care and talk soon :)
Ever since I started watching your videos, the process of making music has become way less daunting.
Hey hey Lesedi, it always makes us happy to know that our hacks are helping music makers! What kind of music do you make? Thanks for being here in the Hack Music Theory community, have a great week!
@@HackMusicTheory At the moment I make [alternative]hip-hop/trap, taking inspiration from other genres I like. But I don't want to be genre-bound, I want to make anything I feel like making.
Thanks for sharing, Lesedi, we love that you don't limit yourself with genre! You might like our "Truth About Genre" video: czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html
All the best with your music making, Lesedi, we look forward to hearing more from you in the future :)
What is the benefit of calling an A min scale an A min scale instead of a C maj scale?
Hi Lawrence, great question! Ray covers this in his free music theory book, '12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales and Chords' which you can download from our website: HackMusicTheory.com/Books. Thanks so much for watching and connecting. Until next time, happy music making! Kate :)
What daw is that
Hi Tyson Nevills, thanks so much for watching and connecting! We use Reaper and are big fans of the software. What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
Hey love your videos, what software is used when making and giving the examples on screen?
REAPER. It's technically $60, but many people get away with just using it for free, just like WinRAR.
Hi Vortrux, thanks so much for watching and connecting! A warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community :) As Blah! kindly pointed out, we use Reaper and are big fans of the software. What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
👍 - _also_ for the YT algo!
Thanks big time, Jost! Hope you're well, and we're sending you good vibes :)
@@HackMusicTheory Thanx a lot! 🧡
here is another rule worth to apply for all the videos on this channel - hit the "like" right in the beginning and watch carefully till the end!
You're too kind, Wojtekstach, thank you for your support, as always! Hope this finds you and your family enjoying the Polish summer! All our best to you, Kate :)
@@HackMusicTheory there is no too much kindness in it. I do respect HMT a lot for presented content and the form how it is presented
Aww thank you, Wojtekstach 🙏 Have a wonderful weekend :)
1:40 what piano sound track is that
Hey hey BFHPET, thank you sincerely for taking the time to watch our video and connect, we truly appreciate it! The piano we always use, which is absolutely gorgeous and we highly recommend it, is: www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/keys/the-grandeur. Take care and happy new year!
@@HackMusicTheory hey i meant the song in the bagground
Hi BFHPET, sorry for the late reply and for my misunderstanding your question! That background music is from our Thom Yorke tutorial that you can watch here: czcams.com/video/kqcJ_E3jwNc/video.html Have a great weekend :) Kate
@@HackMusicTheory thank you
@@HackMusicTheory the melody is beutifuel
Can you guys have a one shot payment for all books or like a subscription offer or something
I would love to read all of them
You guys are making lit content
Hey thanks so much for watching and for your kind words, Chetan, a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Yes, a PDF bundle! We've been meaning to do it for ages, so thanks for the motivation, stay tuned :) We really appreciate you being here, have a great week!
Hi Chetan, hope you had a great weekend! A quick note to say that the PDF bundle is available now: HackMusicTheory.com/Lessons. Thanks again for the motivation! Kate :)
PUGZ 4 LIFE!!! I’m on my third.....they are ALL the best dog in the world.
Yay Pugs!! What's your pug's name? Thanks so much for stopping by and for your energy, it's much appreciated! Have a great day :)
I'm trying all evening but the video won't load.
Hi Giorgo, so sorry to hear that the video won't load! Are our other videos loading for you? How about other channel's videos?
after watching some of these videos i... want to write music. but i can't. at all.
Hi, WebMafia, thanks for stopping by! Happy to hear these lessons are inspiring, and if you ever do want to give music making a try, please know you're on the right track by learning music theory and how to apply it to music! We're cheering you on if you do decide to give it a go, and if not, you're always welcome here, along with many of our other subscribers who don't make music either :) Take care and have a great weekend!
video not loading ):
Edit: it loaded when it was sleep time for me! ):
Edit: watched it anyway, going to sleep now!
Happy to hear you got the video loaded, -Cubo-, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
@@HackMusicTheory IDK what music genres are music but ill narrow it down. my songs have no lyrics or singer, it's going to have a smooth synth and it doesn't have regular traditional instruments its all on my computer.
Cool, thanks for sharing, -Cubo-! We absolutely encourage music makers to explore different genres as it helps with inspiration and creativity! We did a video that might spark some thoughts, called "The Truth About Genres": czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html. We really appreciate you being here, and are cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great day :)
I always composed on piano, turns out it was a great idea!
Awesome, Ma'ar Gareth The Chaotic Bard, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)
@@HackMusicTheory Hello, thanks for many useful videos 😁 I play symphonic/progressive metal and I'm preparing to release the first song.
Cool, thanks for sharing Ma'ar Gareth! What are your favourite bands? And did you watch to the end of this video? In our newer videos we've added fun "Djends" as a treat for subscribers ;) By the way, while all our hacks can be put to use in any genre, you'll find heavier hacks in our Metal Music Theory playlist: czcams.com/play/PLgYcaQlDpHN4CU-74EQ7NQnoDbHt8ZDH_.html We're cheering you on with your first release, Ma'ar Gareth, and here's to many more! Have a great week :)
@@HackMusicTheory thanks! I saw almost all your videos. My favourite bands are Tesseract, Septicflesh, Devin Townsend and Eluveitie
Wow, that's an epic achievement, Ma'ar Gareth!! Thanks so much for watching and for your support, it means the world to us 🙏
hi ray and harmony , i have made deals with 3 records company , 2 in mexico and one in the usa san francisco , please i need a hack and another tip , ...send me a mail
Congratulations, Menaceri, we're over the moon excited for you!! We're wishing you all the best and sending you good vibes!
but now i do get an mexican pesos in my pant
Thankksss aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
We're super happy you enjoyed our video, synth errrrr! What kind of music do you make? Thanks for taking the time to watch and connect, we hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)
@@HackMusicTheory I make tearout or heavy dubstep
Thank you:)
Cool, thanks for sharing synth errrrr!! Have a great weekend :)
@@HackMusicTheory 🙏🙏🙏✨✨
I was happy and learning so much, until the video ended. 🤬👍🏿
Hi Marco, sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the djent ending of our video. At Hack Music Theory we absolutely encourage all music makers to explore different genres, as it helps with inspiration and creativity! We'd love it if you watched our video called "The Truth About Genres": czcams.com/video/Mr5iWrVIX0c/video.html. We really appreciate you being here, Marco and are cheering you on in your music making journey! Have a great week :)
thanks for replying, you might have misunderstood my failed attempt at humor. All i meant was that i was enjoying the video and wished it had been longer, that's all. Anyway, I look forward to checking out more of you guys vids because I'm definitely on musical mission.
Haha, my bad, Marco, thanks for the humorous attempt! We love that you're enjoying our videos and send you a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! A musical mission sounds awesome! What kind of music are you making?
Kate :)
@@HackMusicTheory - I play amplified blues harmonica. My mission is to perform it over multiple genres while still keep in bluezy. For instance, I might take pieces from Johann Pachelbel to Miles Davis to Led Zeppelin to World Music and reinvent them with lyrics from Willie Dixon and Robert Johnson. It involves mastering lots of music and audio production theory. A very insane endeavor but i have to do it.
Oh, and i am experimenting with using multiple instrument vst's, basically everything in the orchestra. Insane.
Love that vision, Marco! Thanks for sharing and we're cheering you on!
First
Hey hey, Armageddon, thanks so much for watching!! Have a great day :)
It ain’t my fault. ☝️😤
Hi Jay, great to see you again, hope you're well!
@@HackMusicTheory 😆 Doing well - thanks and hope the same for you two! Cheers.
Happy to hear it, Jay! Have a wonderful weekend :)
The music is actually cool
Thanks so much DrGoldsylver, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)