Music Theory for Electronic Music – The Class

Welcome to the MUSIC THEORY FOR ELECTRONIC MUSIC Class!

In this class, we learn how to work with the piano roll editor in a DAW to make harmonies, melodies, and whole tracks, and then we expand on those ideas and work with harmonic patterns (harmony) that are richer than just major and minor.

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Course Content

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Part 1: Chords

Welcome & Overview 1 Topic

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Class Overview

Understanding Music Theory from an Electronic Music Perspective 6 Topics

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The Piano Roll Editor

Octaves

Using Octaves

The Black Keys (not the band)

Finding C and Middle C

Section 1 Summary

The Perfect 5th, and Being “In Key” 5 Topics

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The Perfect Fifth

Finding Fifths

Being “In Key”

The Pattern of a Key

Fifth Examples

More With Keys, The Third, and The Basic Triad 4 Topics

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Moveable Patterns

The Major and Minor Third

Building Triads

Chord Progressions

Diatonic Chord Progressions 5 Topics

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What is Diatonic?

Finding All The Chords

Roman Numerals

Example Song Analysis No.1

Inversions

7th Chords 5 Topics

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7th Chords Overview

Diatonic 7th Chords

Maj7 (Major 7) Example

Dominant 7th Chords

Blues and the 7th Chord

The Other Intervals 5 Topics

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The Fourth

The Second

The Sixth

Song Analysis No. 2

Part 1: Wrap Up

Part 2: Welcome & Overview 1 Topic

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Welcome

Part 2: Minor Keys and More

Minor Scales & Keys 4 Topics

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Minor Scales

Relative Keys

Minor Diatonic Chord Progression

The Case of the Melodic and Harmonic Minor Scales

Analysis: Ghosts N Stuff (Deadmau5) 1 Topic

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Analysis: Ghosts N Stuff (Deadmau5)

The Circle of Fifths 2 Topics

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Why? What We Know So Far

Changing Keys Within Your Track

Analysis: Get Lucky (Daft Punk) 1 Topic

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Analysis: Get Lucky (Daft Punk)

A Few More Chord Extensions 6 Topics

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7th Chords in Minor

9ths and 13ths

Suspended Chords

Wait! Suspended Chords Vs. Add Chords

Reading a Chord Chart

Cluster and Unnamed Chords

Analysis: Everything You Do is a Balloon (Boards of Canada) 1 Topic

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Analysis: Everything You Do is a Balloon (Boards of Canada)

Melody Writing 3 Topics

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Writing Melodies for Chord Progressions

Writing Chord Progressions for Melodies

Counter Melody: Arpeggiation

Analysis: Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (Skrillex) 1 Topic

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Analysis: Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (Skrillex)

Bass Lines 3 Topics

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Follow the Root Note

Bass Riffs

Get Muddy

Analysis: Windowlicker (Aphex Twin) 1 Topic

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Analysis: Windowlicker (Aphex Twin)

Chromaticism 2 Topics

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Chromaticism

Part 2: Wrap Up

Welcome & Overview 4 Topics

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Part 3: Introduction

Working with the Piano Roll Editor

Major and minor chords, scales, and keys

Diatonic Chord Progressions

Part 3: Extended Harmony

Modes! New Harmonic Territories 10 Topics

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Introduction to new harmonic ideas (more than just major and minor)

How Modes Work

History of the Modes

The Ionian Mode

The Dorian Mode

The Phrygian Mode

The Lydian Mode

The Mixolydian Mode

The Aeolian Mode

The Locrian Mode

Using Modes 6 Topics

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A word about analysis projects in this class

Producing with Modes

Example Track Using Modes

[DOWNLOAD] Full Session

Example Track Using Modes

[DOWNLOAD] Full Session

Pentatonic Scales 4 Topics

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What are Pentatonic Scales?

Uses of the Pentatonic Scales

The Major Pentatonic Scale

The Minor Pentatonic Scale

Using Pentatonic Scales 4 Topics

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Example Track with Pentatonic Scales

[DOWNLOAD] Full Session

Example Track with Pentatonic Scales

[DOWNLOAD] Full Session

Chromatic Mediants 5 Topics

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What are Chromatic Mediants?

Example Track with Chromatic Mediants

[DOWNLOAD] Full Session

Example Track with Chromatic Mediants

[DOWNLOAD] Full Session

Creating with Advanced Harmonies 6 Topics

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Ok, We Have Tons of Options Now. What Do I Do?

Tip 1: Work Backwards

Example Track Using the “Work Backwards” Technique

Tip 2: Map out a Mode or Scale and Explore it

Example Track using “Mapping”

Tip 3: Find the “Essence” of the scale, mode, or key.

Exotic Scales 22 Topics

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What are Exotic Scales?

The Algerian Scale

The Arabian Scale (Diminished Scale)

The Major Arabian Scale (Major Locrian Scale)

The Japanese Scale (Hon Kumoi Shiouzhi)

The Japanese Scale

The Balinese (Pelog) Scale

The Egyptian Scale

The Whole Tone Scale

The Spanish Gypsy Scale

The Hungarian Scale

The Hungarian Gypsy Scale

The Persian Hungarian Gypsy Scale

The Persian Scale

The Chinese Scale

The Oriental Scale

The Neapolitan Scale

The Hindu Scale

Raga Hanumatodi

Raga Todi

[DOWNLOAD] Ableton Live Set with All Scales Mapped Out

Part 3: Wrap Up

Part 4: Twists and Turns

Part 4: Introduction 3 Topics

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Introduction to Part 4

Tools You Will Need

How to Use This Class

Non-Chord Tones (In Chords!) 6 Topics

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What are Non-Chord Tones?

Passing Tones

Neighbor Tones

Blurring the Lines

Passing Chords

Neighbor Chords

Suspensions 6 Topics

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What are Suspensions?

Rhythmic Displacement

Suspension Types

The Appoggiatura

Going Downhill

Mess Things Up!

Cadences 6 Topics

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What are Cadences?

Perfect Authentic Cadences

Imperfect Authentic Cadences

Half-Cadences

Plagal Cadences

Deceptive Cadences

Sequences 2 Topics

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What are Sequences?

Why Use Sequences?

Progressions By Fifth 6 Topics

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The Ascending Fifth and Descending Fourth Sequence

The Descending Fifth and Ascending Fourth

Going Farther Down the Staircase

Descending Fifth Sequences in Minor

Chromatic Descending Fifth Sequences

Using a Fifth Progression for a Quick Key Change

Progressions By Third 3 Topics

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The Descending Third Sequence

Descending Thirds in Minor

Ascending Third Progressions

Progressions By Second 5 Topics

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Progressions by Seconds

Combining Sequences

Analysis: Canon in D (Pachelbel)

DOWNLOAD: Canon MIDI File

What Comes Next?

Part 5: Structure

Part 5: Introduction 3 Topics

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Part 5: Introduction

Tools You Will Need

How to Use This Class

Form: The Cure for Writer’s Block 9 Topics

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What is Form?

Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Break, Drop, Etc…

Using Letter Names

Analysis No. 1

Analysis Detail

Taking a Step Back

Analysis No. 2

Analysis Detail

Taking a Step Back

Standard Forms 6 Topics

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Binary Form

Ternary Form

Rondo

Theme and Variation

Other Forms (My Secret Weapon…)

How To Use These In Your Tracks

Techniques for Creating Variety in Sections 8 Topics

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What Makes Sections Sound Different?

Volume

Harmony

Density (Texture)

Instrumentation

Absence of Something

Applying these Techniques in your Music

Making New Sections in a Track

Melody Phrases 5 Topics

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The Science of Melody

Defining a Phrase

Phrasing in Hey “John”

Finding Phrases

DOWNLOAD: Session

Motives 11 Topics

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Definition of a Motive

Finding Motives

DOWNLOAD: Session

Motive Alterations

Motive Mode Change

Motive Transposition

Motive Inversion

Motive Augmentation and Diminution

Motive Extension and Truncation

Motive Fragmentation

Combining Transformational Techniques

Wrap Up 1 Topic

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Thanks for Watching!