Music Theory Basics: Complete Walkthrough

Introduction

• Context: Overview of music theory basics within 30 minutes.
• Purpose: To help internalize music theory concepts, enhancing creativity and efficiency in music production.
• Target Audience: Part of an online class on music production, songwriting, and mixing.
• Availability: Free on YouTube for a broader audience.

What is Music Theory?

• Definition: Language behind music; tools for understanding, interpreting, and communicating about music.
• Comparison with Language: Mastering music theory can make it as natural as speaking a language.
• Application: Helps in understanding chords, notes, rhythms, and melodies.

Fundamentals of Music Theory

Notes

• Sound: Made up of vibrations; faster vibrations sound higher, slower sound lower.
• Pitch/Frequency: Consistent rate of vibration perceived as a note.
• Guitar Example: A string vibrates at 110 times per second, perceived as note A.
• 12 Notes in Music: Most popular music uses these notes and their relationships.

Naming Notes

• Piano Layout: White notes named A through G; black keys named relative to white keys using sharp (♯) and flat (♭).
  • E.g., F♯ or G♭.
• Repeating Notes: Octave – interval of 12 notes.
• Semitones and Whole Tones: Interval between notes.

Keys and Scales

• Key: Guide of what notes sound good together.
• Example: C Major (all white notes).
• Major Scale Formula: Whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.
• Scale Degrees: Numbered starting from root note.

Chords

• Definition: Multiple notes played simultaneously.
• Types: Major (happy), Minor (sad), diminished.
• Building Chords: Root, third, fifth relationship (triads).
• Triads: Constructed by skipping notes in the scale.

Relative Major and Minor

• Relationship: Major scale has a relative minor scale.
• Example: C Major and A Minor.

Practical Exercises

Applying Music Theory

• Exercises: Practice major scale formula, identify notes using letter names and scale degrees.
• Chord Practice: Construct triads from different major scales.
• Roman Numerals: Simplify chord progressions using Roman numerals.

Chord Progressions

• Common Progression: E.g., 1-5-6-4 in C major: C-G-Am-F.
• Transposing Chords: Use scale degree numbers to transpose between keys.

Inversions

• Definition: Change the position of notes in a chord.
• Purpose: Achieve closer, smoother transitions between chords.

Melody

• Definition: Single sequence of notes, often sung over chord progressions.
• Melody Tips: Use of tension and stability between melody notes and chords.

Rhythm

• Counting System: Music divided into measures or bars.
• Beat Subdivision: Whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth notes.
• Practical Tip: Write down rhythmic ideas using this system.

Conclusion

• Practice Exercises: Emphasize the importance of practice.
• Further Learning: Information on a comprehensive online class about music production and theory at learnmonthly.com/andrew.

• Note: These notes summarize the key points of a music theory lecture, aiming to provide a quick reference and study guide for students interested in understanding music theory basics.