Hack Music Theory

DON’T TRUST ME, I’M AN EXPERT. Confessions of an INFJ.   I’m a multi award-winning music lecturer with over 30 years of teaching experience, 10 of those years being at one of the UK’s largest colleges. I studied classical guitar, piano, and music theory (all to the highest grade) at the world-renowned Royal Schools of Music. Then I moved to Los Angeles to study contemporary guitar and vocals at the world-renowned Musicians Institute [https://www.mi.edu/artist-career-services/success-stories/ray-holroyd].   On top of that, I’ve made music with Grammy winners and multiplatinum artists, including Serj Tankian (System Of A Down) [https://hackmusictheory.com/album/256066/we-are] and Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) [https://hackmusictheory.com/album/256058/hello]. So with regards to making music and teaching music, it’s safe to say that I’m an expert. But if you want to learn how to make music, don’t trust me! Wait… What?! Let me explain. But first, we need to take a little detour.   On average, people can be divided into 16 personality types. This is known as the Myers-Briggs (or MBTI) system, and it’s based on Carl Jung’s model of the eight cognitive functions. It’s an utterly brilliant system that will change your life, if you take the time to learn it. You can start by simply discovering what your personality type is. To do this, I recommend Dr. Dario Nardi’s free online test, which you can take at: keys2cognition.com [https://keys2cognition.com]. Invite your friends and family to do it, too. Then, if you want to learn about the 16 personality types, I recommend going to the source and reading the book “Gifts Differing” by Isabel Briggs Myers and Peter B. Myers.   Okay, the detour’s over. So now, what’s personality type got to do with not trusting me? Everything! That’s the short answer. The slightly longer answer is this: Personality type has everything to do with everything! And that’s not hyperbole.   Subscribe to get the latest posts in your inbox [https://rayharmony.substack.com/subscribe].   If you’re like me, then you’re also constantly looking around wondering why we can’t all just get along by respecting each other’s differences and beliefs. In fact, one of the countless reasons I deleted all my social media accounts 10 years ago, was that I couldn’t take any more angry arguments. Just look at any social media thread, and you’ll see how obvious it is that those people are talking (or shouting) past each other. That’s because they have very different personality types, and therefore, very different perspectives. They’re never going to agree. They can’t.   And arguing over which perspective is correct is in actual fact arguing over which personality type is correct. But that’s a meaningless pursuit, because no one personality type is better than any other. Each type has its unique gifts. And each type has its unique perspectives. The only discussion worth having is which perspective is best suited for each personality type. A healthy society needs all the personality types and their differing perspectives, otherwise it loses its balance and harmony. And then descends into intolerance.   Now, here’s the life-changing conclusion you reach when you learn about personality types. Are you ready? You might want to sit down for this. Okay, here it is: Every perspective will always be wrong for 15 out of the 16 personality types. In other words, every perspective you have on every topic will be 94% wrong according to all the personality types.   If there’s only one thing you take away from this post, please let it be that. Every perspective you have is 94% wrong. And every perspective I have is 94% wrong.   Subscribe to get the latest posts in your inbox [https://rayharmony.substack.com/subscribe].   With this realization comes a whole truckload of humility! Because, how could I possibly think that my perspective is right for you? Especially considering that my personality type, INFJ, is the rarest of all the types.   Okay, here’s a broader way of looking at it. Half the personality types have the cognitive function of intuition in their top two preferences, while the other half have sensing. But, intuition is far more rare than sensing. It’s estimated that only 30% of the population are intuitive personality types, while 70% are sensing personality types.   So if you’re wanting to learn how to make music, my unique Song-Whispering method will deeply resonate with you if you’re an intuitive type, but if you’re a sensing type, then it probably won’t. And let me be clear, the method will work for everyone, but it will seem very strange to the 70% of people who are sensing types.   And this is true for everything. There’s literally no topic that you can’t find equally qualified experts with diametrically opposed perspectives. Even when they agree on the same data points, their interpretations lead them to polar opposite conclusions. And I’m not exaggerating. Even topics we think are settled, are not.   For example, did you know that there are medical doctors who say DNA does not exist? Or, did you know that there are physicists who say atoms and subatomic particles don’t exist. These things are supposed to be the building blocks of life and the universe, but doctors and scientists can’t even agree if they exist! So, when it comes to music, good luck trying to find a consensus as to how it should be made and taught!   Subscribe to get the latest posts in your inbox [https://rayharmony.substack.com/subscribe].   Having said all that, it’s absolutely vital to understand that this is not a problem. This is the beauty of diversity. Whatever experts say who have the same personality type as you (or a compatible type), will probably resonate with you. And whatever experts say who have incompatible personality types, will probably not resonate with you, no matter how much evidence they can present to support their claims.   On that note, I invite you to visit HackMusicTheory.com and see if my approach to music resonates with you. If it does, then you can help yourself to a free download of my book [https://rayharmony.substack.com/about] 12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords. It only takes about half an hour to read, then you’ll have a solid foundation of the basics.   If you’re ready to go deeper, though, then I invite you to enroll in my online apprenticeship course [https://hackmusictheory.com/courses], where you’ll learn one method to write unlimited songs in any genre. And yes, that’s the intuitive Song-Whispering I mentioned earlier. This method guides you through every step of the music making process, from blank screen to finished song. It’s truly life-changing – if you’re an intuitive type, like me!   Lastly, I don’t paywall any of these posts, as I don’t want to exclude anyone. So if you can spare a few bucks, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. It’s only the cost of one coffee per month for you, but if enough people join, I can pay the rent and keep helping you. If you’d prefer to make a one-off donation, though, that’s awesome too. I’m deeply grateful either way! To get involved, head on over to HackMusicTheory.com/Join [https://hackmusictheory.com/join]. A heartfelt thank-you for your support. Happy learning, and welcome aboard the Songwriter’s Ark*.   Ray Harmony :)   *I visualize Hack Music Theory as a Songwriter’s Ark, where all the music making skills are being preserved through this global AI flood. The flood shall pass. The skills will last.     ----------------------------------------     DONATE. Help keep the Songwriter's Ark afloat [https://hackmusictheory.com/join].         [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcfJLf-E08kl2XRn5nHpb-Nc_iPEffyLR7Yt6bV9gHxE4C8wKhFCPYgXk1ciyN7nutOdhug3obTbw9e5x2v1evIgw5nnTBgp6U9S1lQmoYZkWuM0qGo6Cj4dlGe3kU9vW_4fHP3?key=xaUIfXiL9neOSZAizVCeXA]https://hackmusictheory.com/join Photo by Mart Production     ----------------------------------------     ABOUT.     Ray Harmony is a multi award-winning music lecturer, who’s made music with Serj Tankian (System Of A Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and more.   Ray is also the founder of Hack Music Theory, a YouTube channel with over 10 million views and over 250,000 subscribers learning the fast, easy and fun way to make music without using AI, cos it ain’t no fun getting a robot to write “your” songs!     [//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/64207/1de8c7dd4a6a7eaf286702114568d2f642971d2c/original/image.jpeg] Photo by Marek Kupiec     Outro music by Ray Harmony, based on the music theory from GoGo Penguin "Everything Is Going to Be OK" [https://hackmusictheory.com/blogs/theory/posts/7208821/how-to-write-a-bass-line-with-harmony-music-theory-from-gogo-penguin-everything-is-going-to-be-ok].     ----------------------------------------     PODCAST. Listen below, or on any podcast app.

HOW TO WRITE SUSPENSEFUL SOUNDTRACK MUSIC.     FREE PDF TUTORIAL [https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2591466/suspenseful-melody] INCLUDES MULTITRACK MIDI FILE   If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2591466/suspenseful-melody               INTRO.   The dictionary definition of suspenseful is “causing a feeling of excitement or nervousness because you are waiting for something to happen”.   That perfectly describes the intro of “Tubular Bells - Pt. I” by Mike Oldfield.   It’s easy to hear why The Exorcist (1973) director William Friedkin chose this music for his film. Recall that classic scene where Chris starts walking home alone as the “Tubular Bells” intro begins. Eeek! Talk about “waiting for something to happen”.   If you wanna make music that keeps people listening because they need to know what happens next, then knowing how to create suspense is essential. Mike Oldfield has given us a masterclass with this music. So, inspired by “Tubular Bells”, here’s our 4-step method for writing a suspenseful melody. But first… Tea!         STEP 1. ODD   One of the first things we notice about the intro of “Tubular Bells - Pt. I” is that it’s in an odd time signature. If you count along with that piano part in the intro, you’ll count 15 beats. So, change your DAW’s time signature to 15|4 and set the tempo to 150 BPM.   On closer analyses of the piano part (i.e. where its melody repeats), it becomes apparent that the time signature is actually one bar of 7|4 followed by two bars of 4|4. But as that adds up to 15|4, we’ll just go with that to keep things simpler.   Next, create a one-bar loop of 15|4 on your piano track, with the grid on 1/8 notes. We’re gonna start by writing a rhythm on E (the root), using only 1/8 notes and 1/8 rests. You can do whatever you want, but don’t play more than two notes in a row. Also, only make your rhythm seven 1/4 notes long, i.e. one bar of 7|4.   [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXej7yhCiDaTeX6RmJhB9CPAJT8RUn1skKuRRGVGGQVIHF8q91WHlyZ9R3b-Y1PjoOgUfV6pSX0n-lZLKfPkJDJjLWKHZ0s-Rh7hFsGhvqUiBGhintpNBg1kbryAMOx_3RvRvtAGmghzz9Y-r8Vk_bxJVgtC?key=Zc9g64rtmppPJr_2malQyw] 7|4 rhythm (on E)         STEP 2. PITCH   Now it’s time to turn this rhythm into a melody! Mike Oldfield uses the E natural minor scale for this piano part, so we’ll use it too.   E natural minor scale 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 E F♯ G A B C D     You may be wondering why F♯ (2) is in red. That’s because it’s out-of-bounds! Yep, you can’t use that note in your melody. Why? Well, we’re gonna create some suspense all of our own here, as we’re not revealing the reason for this until Step 4. One more tiny guideline here. If you wanna use E, use the high octave (i.e. the 8).   Without the F♯ (2) you still have six notes, which is plenty, so write your melody by using all the usual elements, like a big range and a smooth contour. Need help with this? Use the Melody Checklist in our Songwriting & Producing PDF [https://hackmusictheory.com/product/210150].   [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdxmpju-Mc0YTV4zOJ3zO7eclLhSNkm4cnr2dJTxUX8oEPs08erGKUYdMpG640MAh7qBiFV0p1NTEjLBqHonduuj6tRLrd_hQpSraxCVfURlOmycP0Ls765yErdQUslC5AONZTjGh01HGiBJAWk3ujSATFb?key=Zc9g64rtmppPJr_2malQyw] 7|4 rhythm turned into melody, by moving notes to different pitches of E minor       When you’re happy with your melody, then copy and paste it (starting at beat 8).   [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdN2bDnig2uDIV_VQlsG2hYZuN3Pq55TmDYge4uyI3Gm0vU5qFiBv9FRmEx--Wr_jDWAHRUJtoD_9qJ4uWWJMSmHsovG2UiwkMvrlizszEz7dBPYpLJtq-mrB2QTBv-OKA6ZALLcDwu6Eo9yDGvZUnkxAFv?key=Zc9g64rtmppPJr_2malQyw] 7|4 melody copied and pasted (highlighted)       That gives us 14|4, so extend your melody by one note to complete the 15|4 bar.   [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeku7uZaIdwaOaSjiYB8IaeqTifzj-cUgcZWmBThizwLV1HxvLPs5PPMTxoqxp6Xd7vAV8_uu72KbAsHvDyUN8Y-_5SI9CeCcIbsThhU4XK5KyQoQAKD9_jYN9CpR5KR44zr4N5gLLHZvwLBtv_TZ1Mfq5h?key=Zc9g64rtmppPJr_2malQyw] Note added (highlighted) to end of melody, completing bar of 15|4       Now that you have the full melody, you can hear that it’s a 7|4 melody looping, except the loop has an extra beat that makes it eight 1/4 notes long (i.e. two bars of 4|4). That odd-time element from Step 1 has now become very noticeable!   [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfWqIguBTCiAm5AexFLLpD0UUBthmlIDKle-p-zC6k8JRao_XpigCrLFLbsyWNSVDgWxBlmzsjlJKtNHD5C9WYlU13j7n1JYy6VGcP4dGt_GEMYQ_0u4d-B652J70cplvuNEks4p7HBqsHtFjW2oQ7COues?key=Zc9g64rtmppPJr_2malQyw] 7|4 melody looped, with looped version (highlighted) transformed into two bars of 4|4       The interesting takeaway here is that alternating between an odd time signature (7|4) and an even time signature (two bars of 4|4) makes the melody sound more odd. It seems counterintuitive, but the melody would actually sound more normal if it was exclusively in 7|4. The reason for that is because our pattern-loving brains will figure out an odd time signature after a few loops, and then get used to it. Therefore, alternating back and forth prevents us from adjusting to the odd time. So thanks to those 4|4 bars, the 7|4 continues to sound odd every time we hear it.         STEP 3. DRONE   This is the final piece of the piano part, and it’s the easiest. Simply draw in the root note (E) in all the rests. This drone on E creates two layers in your piano part, which not only adds depth, it also adds tension between the melody and its root.   [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdOYsBEMe-htSh9MHbXLyyqER8vgijytdStBoViZkVJRY5shwFmowP0kbTplfQr6KDdIDGbuYaVpJKsPLBt0EoNGABV5qqHJTGpby-mFxwTu0lZovBF2bSS8tufEd-BsrFAl1AVy2WOyFXMtIjBkGwWBZcM?key=Zc9g64rtmppPJr_2malQyw] Final piano part, with drone on root note (E) highlighted       Now that you’ve finished your piano part, you can have some fun with the orchestration by duplicating the track, then changing its sound (and octave). As this piano part is at a super high register, you can lower it by an octave on the duplicated track, then change the sound to a glockenspiel or anything suspenseful.         STEP 4. BASS   That’s enough suspense! It’s finally time to reveal why you couldn’t play F♯ in your piano part, back in Step 2. This is gonna be pretty shocking! So, are you ready for a massive twist in the tale of this tutorial? Okay, here it is…   You’re actually not in the key of E minor, you’re in A minor.   WTF?! I know, right? That shocked us, too! This magic trick of Mike Oldfield’s is probably our favourite element of “Tubular Bells - Pt. I”. Let’s explore it in depth.   After the piano part has been playing for 50 seconds and the key of E minor has been well and truly established by the piano’s drone on E, Mike Oldfield brings in the bass guitar. But, the bass plays a drone on A for almost five 1/4 notes. WTF?!   [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdgVXYNS5zC0d4jqEa8UsYviBzofMBIJm_m6u0BOz0F_AJEB2A7t8no6_ZukbyCk4sN1zMy0AarlFbdxETo3aq7_Lt1zXcWZ05XjY0iPRDYu1scIOmrAiezzqP8wpNcl7ncStangh-Dxq_wOoUJe_3FAfF4?key=Zc9g64rtmppPJr_2malQyw] Bass drone on A (highlighted) below piano part, which is muted and just there for reference       In building architecture, the lowest floor is the foundation. Same with music. The lowest instrument is the musical foundation. All the other instruments are like the floors built above. So, that A drone in the bass reframes the music around that keynote, which results in the listeners perception shifting as soon as the bass starts.   However, Mr Oldfield has one more magic trick up his sleeve…   A natural minor scale 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 A B C D E F G     But first, you’re probably wondering why the F (♭6) is in red. And don’t worry, we won’t make you wait for the answer this time. The F is out-of-bounds, too. Why? Well, as you can see if you compare the A minor and E minor scales, they only have one note difference between them. A minor has F, and E minor has F♯. The two keys are very “close” to each other, because they have six notes in common.   So by avoiding F♯ in the piano and F in the bass guitar, all the music consists of the six common notes. And as the piano part drones on E while the bass line drones on A, it actually sounds like the music is in both keys at the same time!   You see, if the bass played F, it would make everything sound like it’s in the key of A minor, because the bass guitar is our foundation. So, as long as the piano avoids F♯ and the bass avoids F, the music sounds like it’s in both keys simultaneously. This causes a lot of tension, and therefore, suspense. What a brilliant magic trick!   By the way, playing in two keys at the same time is called bitonality. Theoretically, it could be argued that “Tubular Bells - Pt. I” is not bitonal, because neither the piano nor the bass solidifies what key they’re in. But, the effect is certainly bitonal.   Right, let’s finish up the bass line now. So, in your bass guitar track, draw another longer note under the beginning of your looped 4|4 melody (i.e. from beat 8 onwards). These longer notes function as root notes of the implied chords in your progression. In other words, while you don’t have an actual chord progression here, these longer notes in your bass line create the equivalent harmonic effect. To learn all about implied chords, read our Melodic Bass Drop PDF [https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2546081/melodic-bass-drop].   Mike Oldfield’s implied progression consists of two chords, so feel free to keep it simple like that. We added a little more harmony, cos, well… we love harmony!   [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXc0BNFIu6PYuTD5s3lhIxaTPNehuGwiiaA__jeJYpx4cM-woGWwELPiUawUn-X_igspif4IMhjJbxoZh0A1XpN6-UckWwGyIZ5BmSvyAlzsrFzi59hmUcuj7MIzRFL30Y452ilV_YyNd5VztSBk97pmVdT1?key=Zc9g64rtmppPJr_2malQyw] Longer notes added to bass line (highlighted) to create implied chord progression       When you’re happy with your implied chord progression, simply link up the longer notes with a variety of shorter notes. But remember, avoid playing that F, and also, be sure to give your bass line a big range and a smooth melodic contour. And with that, you’re done. So click play, sit on the edge of your seat, and feel the suspense!   [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcQ8LbpcLDsaX0cW6reVDB5F7CDh671SgK98SgrhUkI9myOGIMVJNClPFvbXF0n5lEJ2ghM2YoDGK5TNfk10E0Wmq4cWRC90kSwv1N7raDo-aIcrDVIz1gSPoUPyT2ukEoKE8TqrBzffuLR-56ow6Gxpzo?key=Zc9g64rtmppPJr_2malQyw] Final bass line, with shorter “linking” notes highlighted         MAKE MUSIC YOU LOVE.   I know you want to be a confident producer who finishes songs, and loves the results. In order to become a confident producer, though, you need decades of knowledge and experience. To gain that knowledge, you need a good teacher. To gain that experience, you need decades of practice. That’s overwhelming!   I understand that searching for a good teacher is frustrating. Most courses are taught by YouTubers who are not qualified in music, and are not qualified teachers either. The few who are qualified in both, have no industry experience. I feel your pain. Truly. Most of my music teachers were bad. That’s why I studied music and education in order to become a lecturer, and why I created Hack Music Theory.   Also, over my 30+ years of composing, I developed a unique method called Song-Whispering, which I’ve used to make music with multiplatinum Grammy winners. In my one-of-a-kind online apprenticeship, you’ll learn my method and turbocharge your music with my decades of knowledge and experience.   Enroll Now [https://hackmusictheory.com/courses] and stop wasting years of your life learning from bad teachers and trying to get better through trial-and-error. Transform into the confident producer you would be in 10+ years now, and start loving your music!   Ray Harmony Multi award-winning college lecturer, teaching since 1995   “Song-Whispering may be the single greatest concept ever!” –Glynne Owen (Japan)   “I followed their YouTube for a while before taking their course. I wish I'd taken it sooner!” –Sagar Saluja (India)   “I wrote the first song in my life that I actually like!” –Anastasia Lucas (USA)           FREE PDF DOWNLOAD [https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2591466/suspenseful-melody]       Lastly, are you new to music theory? Or are you experienced, but you want a refresher? Then download our FREE BOOK [https://revolution-harmony.kit.com/78233d8b74] (link opens in new tab). It only takes 30 minutes to read, then you’ll have a solid theory foundation that you can instantly apply to your songwriting and producing. Enjoy!     [https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/64207/65e79fdcaf4a077d055edf5fedb28d506a02a358/original/book.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==]https://revolution-harmony.kit.com/78233d8b74         If the FREE BOOK link doesn't work, just visit our BOOKS page: https://hackmusictheory.com/books

YOU CAN’T MAKE MUSIC WITHOUT USING THEORY.   “I don’t use music theory, because rules limit my creativity.” If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say that in my 30 years of teaching music theory, I wouldn’t be living in a rented one-bedroom apartment, that’s for sure!   The Oxford dictionary defines language as a “system of communication.” We can’t communicate through speech without using words, and we can’t communicate through music without using notes. The system of communicating with words is called grammar. The system of communicating with notes is called music theory.   If you’re using notes, you’re using music theory. Therefore, it’s impossible to make music without using theory. The only choice songwriters have is whether to use it consciously or unconsciously. In other words, do we want to express ourselves consciously and therefore eloquently, or do we want to express ourselves unconsciously and therefore like two-year-olds?   When I listen to a song made by someone who claims to not use music theory, I hear the equivalent of a musical two-year-old expressing themselves. There’s nothing wrong with that, if that’s your thing. After all, two-year-olds certainly have a unique way of conveying their emotions. Nobody would argue with that! However, if you prefer a maturer form of expression, then you’ll want to listen to someone with a deeper and more nuanced understanding of language.   Subscribe to get the latest posts in your inbox [https://rayharmony.substack.com/subscribe].   When it comes to speaking in our first language, we don’t have to consciously think about the system underlying our communication. That’s because we learned the language from such a young age. It’s second nature. Most babies say their first word around the age of 12 months. Imagine if we started music around that age, too. It would also be second nature by the time we’re five, which is when Mozart composed his first piece.   For the rest of us, though, we have to learn music theory like we learn vocabulary and grammar of a second language. If someone thinks they can eloquently express themselves in a language they don’t know by simply using their ear, good luck to them, but even with luck on their side they’re still going to sound like a two-year-old. It’s the same when it comes to expressing oneself musically. If we want to make good music, we need to learn music theory. In other words, we need to learn the rules.   That’s a dirty word nowadays, but rules can be good. For example, I live close to an elementary school, so the speed limit on the roads here is slow enough that grannies on bicycles overtake me. Is that rule bad? Of course not! If a kid runs out into the road, which they tend to do, they’re far more likely to get hit by a cycling granny than by my car. Rules can be good.   And when it comes to music, the rules make our songs sound good. So if you’re still relatively inexperienced at making music, why wouldn’t you want to follow them? In the future, you can (and should) break the rules. But not yet.   Subscribe to get the latest posts in your inbox [https://rayharmony.substack.com/subscribe].   Also, it’s worth remembering that when we first start driving, learning all the rules and remembering to follow them demands much of our energy and attention. After a few years of driving, though, it becomes rather natural. And after a few decades of driving, it becomes instinctual. Same with music theory. I can’t remember the last time I felt limited by the rules. Maybe about 32 or 33 years ago.   It’s also worth mentioning a common and excruciatingly embarrassing situation many songwriters find themselves in, which is claiming that their music breaks the rules, when in actual fact it obeys them. I’ve come across countless examples of this, and it makes me cringe every time! Think about how obvious this problem is. How can anyone say they’re breaking the rules, unless they know the rules?   Don’t be that songwriter who tries to act cool by saying they don’t use music theory. That’s not a choice anyone has. The only choice is whether to use it consciously or unconsciously. You decide.   And on that note, if you’re new to making music (or if you want a refresher), I offer you a free download of my book [https://rayharmony.substack.com/about] 12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords. It only takes about half an hour to read, then you’ll have a solid foundation of the basics.   If you’re ready to go deeper, though, then I invite you to enroll in my online apprentice course [https://hackmusictheory.com/courses], where you’ll learn one method to write unlimited songs in any genre. This method guides you through every step of the music making process, from blank screen to finished song.   Happy learning, and welcome aboard the Songwriter’s Ark*.   Ray Harmony :)   *I visualize Hack Music Theory as a Songwriter’s Ark, where all the music making skills are being preserved through this global AI flood. The flood shall pass. The skills will last.     ----------------------------------------     DONATE. Help keep the Songwriter's Ark afloat [https://hackmusictheory.com/tip-jars/34465].       [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcfJLf-E08kl2XRn5nHpb-Nc_iPEffyLR7Yt6bV9gHxE4C8wKhFCPYgXk1ciyN7nutOdhug3obTbw9e5x2v1evIgw5nnTBgp6U9S1lQmoYZkWuM0qGo6Cj4dlGe3kU9vW_4fHP3?key=xaUIfXiL9neOSZAizVCeXA]https://hackmusictheory.com/tip-jars/34465 Photo by Mart Production     ----------------------------------------     ABOUT.   Ray Harmony is a multi award-winning music lecturer, who’s made music with Serj Tankian (System Of A Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and more.   Ray is also the founder of Hack Music Theory, a YouTube channel with over 250,000 subscribers learning the fast, easy and fun way to make music without using AI, cos it ain’t no fun getting a robot to write “your” songs!     [//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/64207/b04722dca9b01f4612c60303d6a33125dc07077a/original/image.png] Photo by Arzella BEKTAŞ     Outro music by Ray Harmony, based on the music theory from GoGo Penguin "Everything Is Going to Be OK" [https://hackmusictheory.com/blogs/theory/posts/7208821/how-to-write-a-bass-line-with-harmony-music-theory-from-gogo-penguin-everything-is-going-to-be-ok].     ----------------------------------------     PODCAST. Listen below, or on any podcast app.

HEARING MUSIC FROM THE FUTURE.   Materialist science tells us that we hear with our ears, and see with our eyes. But if that’s true, then how do we explain extra-ocular vision? If you haven’t come across this jaw-dropping phenomenon where blind (or blind-folded) people can see, look it up, and be prepared to have your worldview flipped. If you don’t know where to start, I recommend the work of theoretical physicist Dr. Àlex Gómez-Marín.   Clearly the mainstream scientific explanation of how we see is sorely in need of an update. I suggest the same is true for hearing. And I appreciate that this topic is challenging for my materialist friends, but I invite you to research the scientific community’s dirty little secret, known as the replication crisis. This will open your eyes to the possibility that there’s more going on than we’ve been led to believe.   My current working hypothesis for how we hear is something like this. When music is created, it’s stored in what I call God’s great library in the sky. You might call this the quantum field, if you’re scientifically-minded. Or the collective unconscious, if you’re psychologically-minded. Or the Akashic records, if you’re spiritually-minded. Whatever you call it, though, I believe it’s where human creations are eternally stored.   When we hear music, its true source is the great sky library. And yes, most of the time this hearing is done through our ears. They sense vibrations in the air and transfer that information to our brain, where it’s transformed into music. But, that physical process can’t explain how it’s possible to hear music that isn’t there. For example, when people hear music during near-death experiences. Or when artists hear music in their dreams, which doesn’t exist in this world (yet), and then they wake up and record it. This brings the song into existence, which is how it ended up in God’s library in the first place.   Subscribe to get the latest posts in your inbox [https://rayharmony.substack.com/subscribe].   There’s many examples of songs that came to artists in this way. The most famous is probably “Yesterday” by The Beatles. Paul McCartney tells the story of how he woke up with that tune in his head, and couldn’t stop singing it throughout the day. He assumed it was a song he’d heard somewhere, so he kept singing it to people and asking them what song it was. But nobody recognized it. Eventually he realised that it wasn’t anyone else’s song, and excitedly got to work recording it. If my hypothesis is correct, what happened here is that Paul McCartney entered God’s sky library in his dreams and heard his own song from the future.   The reason that’s possible is because this great library in the sky (aka the quantum field, or whatever you want to call it) is fundamental reality. Space and time emerge out of this foundational field. Therefore, all human creations from the past and the future already exist there. If we can enter God’s library, we can hear our unwritten songs from the future. We can then record them here and now, which in turn secures their place in the future. It’s a magical loophole. So, how do we enter God’s great sky library? Shhh... That’s how we enter. Silence. We enter by listening.   Even if this whole hypothesis is completely and utterly false, it’s life-changingly useful. Seriously. As artists, we have big imaginations. So let’s imagine that our unwritten songs already exist in the quantum field. Our role is simply to attract them into our consciousness, and record them so other people can hear them, too.   This removes all stress and anxiety from songwriting. Making music is no longer a painful birthing process, it’s now an exciting journey of discovery. It’s like going on vacation to a beautiful place you’ve never visited. You’re not worried about finding it. You’re not worried about travelling for ages only to realise the destination doesn’t exist. That’s because there’s no such thing as “destination block”. If you’re driving, you just follow the map. Or if you’re taking a bus, train or plane, you just get onboard and relax, or even go to sleep. Your destination will find you!   Subscribe to get the latest posts in your inbox [https://rayharmony.substack.com/subscribe].   Same with music. We can learn how to let our unwritten songs from the future find us. I call this song-whispering. I teach my method for doing this in my online apprenticeship course [https://hackmusictheory.com/courses], but you can come up with your own way of doing it, too. It’s paradigm-shifting, and will forever change your relationship with songwriting. When you surrender to the knowledge that all your unwritten songs already exist in the field, you instantly feel a deep sense of calm and confidence. Also, you’ll begin to thoroughly enjoy the process of fishing for your future music in the quantum field!   Lastly, if you’re new to making music (or if you want a refresher), I offer you a free download of my book [https://rayharmony.substack.com/about] 12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords. It only takes about half an hour to read, then you’ll have a solid foundation of the basics. Understanding the language of music (aka music theory) is vital in becoming a fisher of future music. In order to write down and record the songs you’ll receive from the field, you need to speak the language of music.   Happy learning, and welcome aboard the Songwriter’s Ark*.   Ray Harmony :)   *I visualize Hack Music Theory as a Songwriter’s Ark, where all the music making skills are being preserved through this global AI flood. The flood shall pass. The skills will last.     ----------------------------------------     DONATE. Help keep the Songwriter's Ark afloat [https://hackmusictheory.com/tip-jars/34465].     [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcfJLf-E08kl2XRn5nHpb-Nc_iPEffyLR7Yt6bV9gHxE4C8wKhFCPYgXk1ciyN7nutOdhug3obTbw9e5x2v1evIgw5nnTBgp6U9S1lQmoYZkWuM0qGo6Cj4dlGe3kU9vW_4fHP3?key=xaUIfXiL9neOSZAizVCeXA]https://hackmusictheory.com/tip-jars/34465 Photo by Mart Production     ----------------------------------------     ABOUT. Ray Harmony is a multi award-winning music lecturer, who’s made music with Serj Tankian (System Of A Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and more. Ray is also the co-founder of Hack Music Theory, a YouTube channel with over 250,000 subscribers learning the fast, easy and fun way to make music without using AI, cos it ain’t no fun getting a robot to write “your” songs!     [//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/64207/63d4c26e44874f53fc8601617faee324bd9aef67/original/image.png] Photo by Michael D Beckwith     Outro music by Ray Harmony, based on the music theory from GoGo Penguin "Everything Is Going to Be OK" [https://hackmusictheory.com/blogs/theory/posts/7208821/how-to-write-a-bass-line-with-harmony-music-theory-from-gogo-penguin-everything-is-going-to-be-ok].     ----------------------------------------     PODCAST. Listen below, or on any podcast app.

YOU’RE LISTENING TO MUSIC WRONG.   You’re Listening to Music Wrong. I am, too. We all are. It’s tragic, but we can fix it.   Over the last 20 years, music has been devalued and demoted. It used to be the hero. Now it’s the sidekick. The soundtrack for working or socialising or whatever.   However, if you’re a Gen Xer like me, you’ll remember spending countless hours sitting in front of your hifi captivated by great records, which physically spun around on your player. We listened with all our attention, doing nothing else. Just listening. Back then, listening to records was considered a hobby. Listening was an activity, because it was active. That’s the key word. Active.   But as our attention got stolen away from us by smart phones, listening to records became passive. Music was no longer the main attraction. No, that was reserved for looking at our phones. Without us ever consciously choosing to do so, we relegated music to soundtrack status.   That’s one of countless reasons why both myself and Kate (my wife) deleted all our personal and professional social media accounts back in 2015. We’re now celebrating our 10-year anniversary of not being on social media. It’s been one of the best decisions of our lives, by far! In fact, next month I’m celebrating my 19-year anniversary of being sober, and honestly, I rank these two celebrations as equals.   But despite not being on social media, Kate and I are still listening to music wrong. And it’s not because of our phones. My phone is a decade old, so most apps won’t work on it. I’m not buying another smart phone, though, so when this phone stops working, I’ll be returning to a dumb phone. I’m much happier being a luddite.   For now, at least, I’m still a smart phone owner, but the only app I use is Spotify. However, Spotify alone is enough to pull my attention in too many directions, and as a result, I almost never actively listen all the way through albums anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I listen to albums every day, but it’s while I’m working, exercising, reading, or eating. Music is never the main event, it’s the soundtrack. That’s depressing. That needs to change.   Subscribe to get the latest posts in your inbox [https://rayharmony.substack.com/subscribe].   Every night I read for two to three hours. I love books! That’s why I only ever read paper books. Focusing on a non-fiction book for hours every day has been invaluable for maintaining my attention span. And I’ve been reading like this for many years. But despite being able to focus on an academic book for three hours, when I’m finished reading for the night and I open Spotify for my dedicated two-hour listening session, my focus instantly scatters. My attention span vanishes. It’s like a magic trick! What did Spotify do to my ability to focus?   I’m sure all music streaming apps are the same, but as I use Spotify, I’ll be talking specifically about that app. So I first started using Spotify the month it launched in Canada back in 2014. It was life-changing! It was a music library beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. Like many Gen X teenagers in the ‘80s and ‘90s, I had a dream of one day having a whole room filled with records, floor to ceiling on every wall.   Forget about that, though, now I had almost every record ever made in the palm of my hand. What sorcery was this? I loved it! I spent hours every day listening to albums that I’d always wanted to own, but buying records ain’t cheap, so my wallet had always been significantly smaller than my appetite for music.   Spotify was my key to gaining access to the world’s biggest music library for a few bucks a month. It seemed too good to be true. And it kinda was, because after a few years, it all began to change. When I opened the Spotify app one day, I was suddenly confronted with all these podcasts. Podcasts!? They’re great, yes, but not in a music library. They’re a distraction from the artists and their albums.   Against my better judgment, though, I tried a few podcasts. I was curious. Then  the next day when I opened Spotify, I was confronted with new episodes from the podcasts I’d listened to, as well as other podcasts that were similar to the ones I’d listened to. They all looked fascinating, but how was I supposed to listen to all those podcasts and still have time for listening to albums? Then one day I opened Spotify and they’d added videos. Videos!? But I signed up for a music library!   Subscribe to get the latest posts in your inbox [https://rayharmony.substack.com/subscribe].   As if all that wasn’t bad enough, Spotify then added audiobooks. For a booklover, this was (and still is) something I absolutely cannot say no to. Included in my Spotify plan, I get 15 hours of audiobook listening time every month. I have to use those hours, I can’t help myself. But that’s about half an hour a day that I used to spend listening to albums that I’m now spending listening to audiobooks.   And these days when I open Spotify, I get new audiobook recommendations based on what I’ve listened to. That’s on top of all the new episodes from podcasts I listen to, as well as recommended podcasts that I haven’t listened to. And then there’s also all the new releases from artists I’ve listened to, as well as recommended artists that I haven’t listened to. Yet there are still only 24 hours in the day!   So despite not being on social media, despite having a barely functional 10-year-old phone with only the Spotify app on it, and despite having an attention span that can focus on reading an academic textbook for three hours, I can’t stay focused when I open Spotify. There’s simply too many choices. It’s overwhelming. I feel like I’m trying to drink from a fire hose!   That feeling reminds me of when I lived in London and I used to frequent this amazing Chinese vegan restaurant in Camden. It had an all-you-can-eat buffet, and every dish was delicious. I don’t think I ever left that place not feeling sick! That’s how I feel after my two hours of dedicated listening every night. Spotify is an all-you-can-listen-to buffet, and I leave afterwards having listened to part of an audiobook, a couple podcasts, and only a few songs from random artists that were recommended. I feel stuffed. And exhausted. It’s far from the dream-come-true music library I originally signed up for back in 2014.   If you’re on social media and/or you have more than one app on your phone, I feel for you. I really do. I can’t imagine how stuffed and exhausted you must feel! It’s impossible to keep up, and trying is futile. So, I’ve designed a plan that will (hopefully) enable me to enter the daily all-you-can-listen-to buffet and exit two hours later, feeling nourished and rejuvenated.   Subscribe to get the latest posts in your inbox [https://rayharmony.substack.com/subscribe].   Here’s the plan in a nutshell. Every night when I open Spotify for my two-hour session, I’m going to start by actively listening to one album all the way through. Simple plan, but this will protect my sacred music time.   Also, another bad habit I’ve picked up in Spotify is reading the artist’s biography while listening to their album. And after that, I’ll usually look at their other albums, or worse, go down the rabbit-hole of similar artists. Not anymore, though. I’m going to put my headphones on, push play, put my phone down, close my eyes, and listen with all my attention. Just like the old days.   By the way, if you feel inspired to try my plan for your listening sessions too, I recommend downloading the album, and then putting your phone on flight mode so you’re not disturbed by notifications. My phone is almost always on flightmode anyway, because I try to minimise the EMFs in my environment. The less EMFs, the less stress on our bodies and minds.   Also, something I’ve been working on for a while is minimising the albums in my saved library. I’ve found that I get overexcited about saving albums, but then every time I go into my saved library I’m overwhelmed with all the options, and end up listening to a song here and a song there, but never going deep into one album.   So, I’m trying to think of that space as my Desert Island Discs collection. It’s my own personal Hall of Fame. I’ve currently got around 80 albums saved, but it’s getting smaller every month. When I notice an album that I haven’t listened to in a while, I remove it from my saved library. The fewer albums there, the deeper I can explore each one. My goal is to get down to my Top 40 albums, and then I’ll use a “one in, one out” policy to maintain that size. It’s been a surprisingly fun project to whittle down these albums to my all-time favourites. I’ve also noticed that the fewer albums in my saved library, the more I value and appreciate each one.   Interestingly, I have no albums saved from my childhood or teenage years. All my favourite albums have been ones I’ve discovered over the last few years. Not sure what that says about me, psychologically speaking, but hey, that’s a story for another day. And it’s not that I only listen to new music, it’s just that the recordings tend to be new. For example, my favourite recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations is from 2020. It’s performed by the Royal Academy of Music Soloists Ensemble, and conducted by Trevor Pinnock. Old music, but a new recording. This album is easily in my Top 10 all-time favourites.   And speaking of great new albums. Yes, searching for these gems is like a treasure hunt. It’s thrilling! I love doing that. But it’s also one of the main reasons for my scattered focus. So, I’m designating a little time in every session for treasure hunting, but only after I’ve actively listened to one of my saved albums all the way through.   Subscribe to get the latest posts in your inbox [https://rayharmony.substack.com/subscribe].   Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, we used to listen to the same album hundreds of times. We’d know all the lyrics, all the melodies, all the riffs, all the drum beats, and even a lot of the drum fills too. It wasn’t uncommon for a Gen X teenager to be able to air-drum the fills while listening to their favourite albums. I miss knowing albums that intimately, and I miss the way that knowledge deepened our appreciation. Even more importantly, though, it deepened our enjoyment of the songs.   It’s essential that we come up with ways to avoid succumbing to the temptation of drinking from the always-expanding fire hose of content.   We need to take our attention back, and we need to elevate music back to its rightful place as the hero. Great music is magical. Great music is ineffable. And great albums are not content. So let’s not group them into that category. When we open Spotify and we’re faced with the choice of a great album or a great podcast, it creates the illusion that they’re both content to be consumed. That’s not true.   No matter how great a podcast is, listening to someone talk is not the same as listening to someone play music. Our mind, body, and soul react entirely differently to music. Music and talking are not in the same category. That’s why listening to an energetic album while exercising gives us way more energy than listening to our favourite motivational podcast. And that’s why listening to a beautiful piece of music can make us cry. And why sublime music can evoke mystical experiences. Great albums are not content, they’re magical portals. Let’s start treating them like that again. Are you in? Let me know in the comments, and also let me know what strategies you use to avoid drinking from the fire hose.   Lastly, if you’re new to making music (or if you want a refresher), I offer you my free book [https://rayharmony.substack.com/about] 12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales & Chords. It only takes about half an hour to read, then you’ll have a solid foundation of the basics. Understanding the language of music (aka music theory) will deepen your listening experience like nothing else, which will in turn inspire you like nothing else. And if you’re ready to go deeper, then I invite you to join my online apprenticeship course [https://hackmusictheory.com/courses]. You’ll learn every step of the music making process, from blank screen to finished song.   Happy learning, and welcome aboard the Songwriter’s Ark*.   Ray Harmony :)   *I visualize Hack Music Theory as a Songwriter’s Ark, where all the music making skills are being preserved through this global AI flood. The flood shall pass. The skills will last.     ----------------------------------------     DONATE. Help keep the Songwriter's Ark afloat [https://hackmusictheory.com/tip-jars/34465].     [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcfJLf-E08kl2XRn5nHpb-Nc_iPEffyLR7Yt6bV9gHxE4C8wKhFCPYgXk1ciyN7nutOdhug3obTbw9e5x2v1evIgw5nnTBgp6U9S1lQmoYZkWuM0qGo6Cj4dlGe3kU9vW_4fHP3?key=xaUIfXiL9neOSZAizVCeXA]https://hackmusictheory.com/tip-jars/34465 Photo by Mart Production     ----------------------------------------     ABOUT. Ray Harmony is a multi award-winning music lecturer, who’s made music with Serj Tankian (System Of A Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and more. Ray is also the co-founder of Hack Music Theory, a YouTube channel with over 250,000 subscribers learning the fast, easy and fun way to make music without using AI, cos it ain’t no fun getting a robot to write “your” songs!     [//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/64207/a39cad6980de0f09e042390af80c690bd20c600e/original/image.png] Photo by NEOSiAM  2024+     Outro music by Ray Harmony, based on the music theory from GoGo Penguin "Everything Is Going to Be OK" [https://hackmusictheory.com/blogs/theory/posts/7208821/how-to-write-a-bass-line-with-harmony-music-theory-from-gogo-penguin-everything-is-going-to-be-ok].     ----------------------------------------     PODCAST. Listen below, or on any podcast app.