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How to Write Heavy BASS Lines • Music Theory from Front Line Assembly "Purge" 

 

 

How to Write Heavy BASS Lines

 

 

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…

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How to Write Advanced DRUMS • Music Theory from Royal Blood "Mountains at Midnight" 

 

 

How to Write Advanced DRUMS

 

 

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 your drum beat with the usual kick…

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How to Write Locrian BASS Lines • Music Theory from Rezz "Suffer in Silence" 

 

 

How to Write Locrian BASS Lines

 

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…

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How to Write Beautiful CHORDS • Music Theory from Sleep Token "Take Me Back to Eden" 

 

 

How to Write a Beautiful CHORD Progression

 

 

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…

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How to Write a BASS Line with Harmony • Music Theory from GoGo Penguin "Everything Is Going to Be OK" 

 

 

How to Write a BASS Line with Harmony

 

 

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…

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How to Write a Standout MELODY • Music Theory from PJ Harvey "A Child's Question, August" 

 

 

How to Write a Standout MELODY

 

 

Step 1. First Impressions

There are many ways to write a standout melody, but it’s difficult to improve on the method PJ Harvey uses in her new single “A Child’s Question, August”. That’s because…

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How to Write a Locrian RIFF • Music Theory from Metallica "72 Seasons" 

 

 

How to Write a Locrian RIFF

 

FREE: Download This Tutorial as PDF
Includes multitrack MIDI example

 

 

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…

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How to Write a Catchy MELODY • Music Theory from Beastie Boys "Sure Shot" 

 

 

How to Write a Catchy MELODY

 

FREE: Download This Tutorial as PDF

Includes multitrack MIDI 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…

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How to Write Energetic BASS Lines • Music Theory from The Chemical Brothers "No Reason" 

 

 

How to Write Energetic BASS Lines

 

 

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…

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How to Write a Lydian MELODY • Music Theory from Depeche Mode "Ghosts Again" 

 

 

How to Write a Lydian MELODY

 

FREE: Download This Tutorial as PDF

Includes multitrack MIDI example

 

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 …

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How to Write Polymeter DRUMS • Music Theory from Periphery "Atropos" 

 

 

How to Write Polymeter DRUMS

 

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…

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How to Write a Layered RIFF • Music Theory from Polyphia "Ego Death" 

 

 

How to Write a Layered Guitar RIFF

 

Step 1. Bass

The first thing you notice in the opening riff of “Ego Death” by Polyphia is that there are two layers. There’s a bass line and a lead melody all in…

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Orchestrate Drum Patterns for Better Beats 

 

 

Orchestrate Drum Patterns for Better Beats

 

Beginner beats usually use only three elements of the drum kit. So, in this lesson you'll learn how to make pro beats by voicing them over the whole kit. But first... Tea!

 

INTRO

Hello…

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4-Step Hack for Dark Bass Lines 

 

 

4-Step Hack for Dark Bass Lines

 

In this lesson you’ll learn a simple 4-step hack for writing dark and dissonant bass lines. We invite you to work along with us through the following steps, so by the end of this…

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2 Hacks to Instantly Improve Your Bass Lines (feat. "Throwing Words")

Hello, we are Kate Harmony & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to the Hack Music Theory show, where you are empowered with notation-free theory for making great music in DAWs. In today's video/podcast, you'll learn learn 2…

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EDM vs METAL. Who Will Win? | How to Write a Riff (feat. "Reclaim The Hours")

Hello, we are Kate Harmony & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to the Hack Music Theory show, where you are empowered with notation-free theory for making great music in DAWs. In today's video/podcast, you'll learn how to…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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How to Program Interesting 4/4 Drums

Today on 3-Minute Theory: How to program interesting 4/4 drums.

Watch this Hack Music Theory lesson to learn why 4/4 is the most common time signature, why it is predictable, and how you can hack it to…

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8 Steps for Writing Better Vocal Melodies

Today on 3-Minute Theory: How to write vocal melodies that are catchy and creative!

Check out this Hack Music Theory video/podcast if you want to learn how to write vocal melodies that stand out from the crowd…

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5-Step Hack for Programming Creative Drums

Today on 3-Minute Theory: How to write unique drum patterns using the rhythm of the bass.

Check out this Hack Music Theory video/podcast if you want to learn how to program unique drums that stand out from…

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5 Steps for Writing Amazing Bass Lines

Today on 3-Minute Theory: How to write an amazing bass line (that's way better than all those boring bass lines we hear in the charts all the time) for your chord progression.

Check out this Hack Music Theory video/podcast…

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Write HEAVY Bass Lines Using the Harmonic Minor Scale

Today on 3-Minute Theory: How to write HEAVY bass lines using the harmonic minor scale.

Check out this Hack Music Theory video/podcast if you're wanting to go heavier with your bass lines, and the natural minor scale (AKA…

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Programming Unique Drums Using a Polymeter (5/16 over 4/4)

Today on 3-Minute Theory: How to make unique drum patterns that stand out from the crowd.

Check out this Hack Music Theory video/podcast if you're tired of boring drums and want to learn how to program interesting patterns instead…

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