How To Get Started With Scales, Chords & Melodies

[@neonvoid]

simple, highly underappreciated tutorial

[@synthseeker]

Thanks very much! It’s not that I hope everyone will get it, it’s that I hope the people that can get the most out of it will find it.

[@2112jonr]

Easily the clearest ever explanation of chord progressions. I know there's more, but my god, most teachers just clutter the hell out of their explanations, making it impenetrable for the beginner to learn and putting learners off music, especially theory, in the process. Conversely: This is as simple as it can be made, but still useful, whilst being concise and easy to digest, and a foundation on which more complex concepts can be built upon. Thank you so much! I get it now ::-))

[@synthseeker]

I'm so glad it helped. There are lots of more detailed and precise (or technical correct) instruction online, but this is how I simplify it down. If it helps, great! Carry on! :)

[@rayderrich]

The beauty of a video like this is that its contents will always remain useful and entertaining over the years. I found it in 2022, I hope others will find it as well and learn from it to make more music.

[@TheDoctorM0]

2023 here!

[@jaysilence3314]

Music and synth beginner here. Been watching a lot of music theory videos lately and over time of course I started to grasp it. But this video is just straight to the brain. So many unspoken beginner mind questions answered straight off the bat. "What is a scale? It is just a list of notes. You can make up your own scale just by picking some." or "There are no wrong chords. some just sound nice together, some have tension. You might want that in a chord." This is a great beginner introduction video and it deserves to come up at the top of the list when searching for "chords" and "chord progressions". Highly recomended!

[@synthseeker]

Thanks Jay! I’m glad it helped get you started. Making music at the start can be so exciting but also easy to feel lost as we realize how much we don’t know. This video tries to show people how to accomplish a lot right at the start, so they can get to it. :) Thanks for the nice comment!

[@gilangakhirramadhan3900]

You're so kind. Thank you for a humble explaination. I'll wait another tutorial. :)

[@synthseeker]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@hionhifi2]

Holy moly guacamoly, I get it now. This is the clearest example of how to create chords progressions I’ve watched on KZbin. @Teatro has a good music theory series too but this is the 🐝’s knees.

[@synthseeker]

Wow, that's high praise! Thanks!

[@Romenet310]

I just learned a whole heck of a lot in less than 30 minutes. Awesome. Thank you!

[@synthseeker]

Very welcome!

[@roberthansen2835]

Nice! Great tutorial. So clear, steady, and concise. Thank you!

[@synthseeker]

You're welcome!

[@palindromial]

That's a really nice intro/tutorial/example. Thank you!

[@synthseeker]

I’m glad you think so and I hope you make something awesome with any information you found here! :)

[@emfire8103]

Perfect teacher!

[@synthseeker]

Thank you! 😃

[@AceGunner72]

Thank you!

[@synthseeker]

I hope it helps!

[@schbeidettim5690]

The best explaination i heard.

[@synthseeker]

Thanks! Hope it is useful!

[@TheGhostchaser8]

Very Yanni-esque I would say. Sounds awesome. I learn so much from your videos sir.

[@synthseeker]

Glad to hear it! Share what you make!

[@perellovemusic]

Omfg....this one is amazing lesson ❤️❤️❤️ Just what I needed. Thank you very much 🙏🙏🙏

[@synthseeker]

So glad! ;)

[@jandebuysser2]

Very nice explained, but where i am still lost is the question about everything else that is going to be added to a song like percussion for example, does everything you add have to be tuned to this scale?

[@synthseeker]

Percussion does not, but any other tonal or pitched instrument… your life will be a little simpler if you keep them in the same scale. That does not mean you must keep the same scale, but things will get a little complicated if you do not. Experiment with it. It can’t hurt to try new things out. Aaron Copland was famous for writing music that used more than one scale simultaneously. If you get a chance go listen to his music called “Appalachian Suite” to hear music that uses two scales at the same time.

[@jandebuysser2]

@@synthseeker thx man, i will check Aaron out! Keep on making them good tutorials!!

[@AutPen38]

Most of the percussion used in western music isn't strictly tonal with one discernible frequency predominating; it's just "noise" designed to keep time rather than pitch. That said, if you have prominent percussive sounds like toms, or even cowbells, that CAN be tuned, it often pays to tune them so they are in the same key as the melodic/tonal sounds in the song. Some people tune their kick drums too, but since most kicks don't have a sustained sound that stays on one frequency (808 bass drums are an exception), it's kind of pointless to tune them, especially as you've probably got hundreds of other kicks you can fire up as alternatives. The short answer is that if your percussive sound has a long decay (like a bell or a gong) it may benefit from tuning. If it's very short (like a snare/rimshot) you don't need to.

[@zackwatson755]

Great

[@synthseeker]

Thanks!

[@thomas_xsg]

People should not be so afraid of learning some (basic) music theory. It will open up so much for you if you just know your way around scales, chords, inversions, voice leading etc. Spend a few hours to learn the basics, you won’t regret it.

[@synthseeker]

I agree and this video lets them find some success without needing to do much study and will help them get past that fear.

[@Xanaduum]

For a free plugin Valhalla Supermassive is just amazing for so many different things.

[@synthseeker]

I agree it’s definitely one of my favorite plug-ins and has led me to purchase some of their commercial plug-ins as well.

[@H-4-D3423]

#STILLSTALKINLOL...

[@synthseeker]

Carry on. ;)

[@drysabre2242]

You have to start a music production school. I'll be your first student.

[@synthseeker]

Ha! For Berlin School maybe, but there are better teachers than I for music production! Check out the channel “Signals Music Studio” - Jake Lizzio is an excellent production teacher! I’ll be happy to listen to your Berlin School stuff and provide feedback though. ;)

[@drysabre2242]

@@synthseeker I am a teacher myself, and I am serious about this. I see in your tutorials methodology, consistency and ability to keep audience attention. I am really impressed.

[@drysabre2242]

@@synthseeker To my opinion, Berlin School is an offspring of the Barocco music. JS Bach, Pachalbel, Handel - roots are there. There is a real magic behind those sequences and counterpoints. And I think it the most interesting subgenre within Electronic Music. I am a long time follower of Prog Rock, but listening to Berlin School is completely different experience.

[@synthseeker]

I’m glad you think so. I hope you find useful details and ideas on the channel!