MUSIC THEORY: Where To Start? | Beginners Guide

[@georgespencer3973]

When Rick erased the board, I flashed back to high school when the kids would yell, “WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.“

[@stephsserenades9779]

HAHAHAHAH

[@bucquoismusic]

George... Hehehe... Love your comment ! :-)

[@ravibrewster]

and then I remembered, and clicked the save button

[@noctilux7799]

I'm so glad that i learned piano prior to guitar. It makes al this theoretical stuff soooooo much easier to understand.

[@teresaclark1508]

Yeah, I think my problem is I never played piano or took a music class. Played rhythm and bass by ear.

[@sarcasmoassholio2801]

Love your vids Rick. Put my guitar down 20yrs ago after rotor cuff surgery. You've inspired me to pick it up again. Rock on.

[@Limbaugh_]

I’m 18 and playing hurts my shoulder sometimes; I have to play in a really weird posture

[@tomsteger1]

Oh no...please don't tell me that. I was in an ATV accident and have a partial tear in my right rotator cuff.

[@soleusboss6388]

Rick I’ve been watching you for exactly a year now. I’m always lost by the end of your videos but i watch on i figure it’s like immersion when learning a language... and today, i found myself saying every answer aloud right before you did...i probably could’ve given the lecture. I even sang the natural minor scale right before you played it. Your beato book, ear training course, and KZbin videos really work great and i feel like I might one day actually get this stuff!!!! Thanks!!!!

[@lautarotrefilio4773]

one thing I suggest is (if you're not already doing it) use your instrument while learning like, if he talks about a C major triad, pick up your guitar and try making a C major triad using only the information Rick gave you We are humans, our monkey brain learns faster if we can touch stuff and make stuff happen with our hands

[@douglasbroccone3144]

One day I think I will too

[@TheErazar]

As a total beginner to music theory, this actually seemed... understandable. Thanks Rick!

[@Prajnana]

You only really understand something when you can clearly explain it to someone else. It's a sobering experience to realize that you really don't know what you're trying to saying! :-)

[@SEDWINMUSIC]

I didn't skipped any ads. It is the only way I can thank you. I've learned alot from you. You're my netflix these times of my vacation. Thank you Rick!

[@flautalee3090]

I’m checking out your videos for an adult distance flute student who is so excited that we are sequeing into theory. Thank you doing this!

[@isaacgabrahams]

I came across one of your videos tonight. That was around 9pm South African time. It is now 12am. I will definitely watch more of your videos. It is informative and I found out a lot of things I never even thought about. I just knew the music was good.

[@lwade3481]

Hello Rick! I've joined your channel and picked up the Beato book! Your channel is helping me get my music life back on track! KUDOS!!!

[@fentonwinmill]

Music theory is great, but what I'd love to see is a ground up tutorial on writing a song taking different approaches. I.e. starting with a lyric, turning that I to a melody, making the melody more interesting, then harmonizing, then recording. Or starting with a chord progression, making it more interesting then weaving a melody around it. I.e. turning the theory into practice.

[@kennettajackson767]

Agreed

[@marvinstorm9153]

Rick you made me motivated to play again after a serious long illness. I can't tha k you enough bless you. I have bought your product and whilst I struggle sometimes never had any musical lessons I get there or wing it? God bless you and your family. I love your channel, addicted.

[@JeremySwiftj]

Hi Rick, Many thanks for taking the time to do the video. I bought the Beato Book some time back and have read the first few pages a couple of times. The video is the right kick in the pants Many thanks

[@cbr8206]

Rick Beato...your simply the best. Thanks man. 👍

[@taco2k3]

WOW! I learned more about music theory in your 30 minute video then I did in a 8 week college night class. Thanks Rick!

[@antoniomesen7374]

This short video has answered a lot of questions I´ve had for months now....Thanks

[@M139NG]

Rick! Would please you consider doing a breakdown of Astor Piazzolla's music sometime? Some pieces i would love to hear you talk about are: Butchers Death Fugata Bailongo Libertango

[@iancunningham5576]

Hey Rick, I just listened to a CD that I had in my collection that I have listened to off and on for a few years after picking it up after a killer show by CHARLIE MARS. I sat back and read the liner notes/credits. YOU produced it!! Really great job. Pretty great (and underrated) album.

[@ehodesigner]

Sir our 10 yrs old language delayed child having a gr8 love 4 music n started watching ur valuable music theory frm basic !! We ll continue learning frm ur valuable teaching videos 1 after d another , slow but steady frm our side of d world . We r so thank full 2 u.....all ur teachings specially d ear training n theory course videos r lk Nature's blessing 2 us🙏💕......pls keep on uploading ur valuable gem lk teaching to all of our children on net through out d wide world so that one day we really cn heal d world !!....Last hope to mk our mother Earth....our only habitat , a place frm where we don't hv 2 go 2 ny other planets in search of impossible journey of life !! WE BELIEVE....AT THIS 11th HOUR ONLY MUSIC CN DO IT , 2 CALM DOWN....2 LEARN WHERE TO STOP N FRM WHERE 2 START AGAIN TOWARDS A POSITIVE OUTLOOK....2 SAVE ALL OF US !! 🙏💕

[@PebblesChan]

Start in conjunction with speed sight reading using note recognitions using G & F clefs as datum lines along with interval skip & step recognition. Then you can play music easily without having to identify every note individually on they fly! i.e. identify one note & use intervals to play the others.

[@JeremySwiftj]

.....what he said

[@BrD4GOD]

@@JeremySwiftj lol

[@sullivanmanuel6985]

This is the only large complaint I have about this video and subsequently the Beato Book. I truly feel like it is not beginner friendly. All the info assumes you have a base knowledge i only learned from being a band student for 6 years. Having an understanding of how to read sheet music is honestly really important and i feel like is skipped. I have barely started reading your book but am just as lost as when im watching a video like this that tries to cram a bunch of knowledge into my brain without taking the time to teach the most fundamental of music knowledge. All of that being said I truly appreciate this channel and the free and honestly amazing knowledge that comes from it. Please Rick never stop because this info is a gift.

[@tyhubb]

Glad Pat was there! I needed this lesson too! Keep on keepin' on Rick!!!!! LOVE what you do!!! Cheers!

[@rdejianne]

Agree with the other comments that say this is not a "Beginners" guide. You start talking about Major and Minor and 1st and 3rd and no "Beginner" is going to have any clue what those mean, will be instantly lost and tune out. This is more of a refresher course for those of us who kind of already know the basic, but don't use it often.

[@tripp8833]

Rick beato. You are the GOAT. Thanks so much man....

[@luram3118]

We are sooo lucky to have such an amazing person on this platform who has this great urge to teach and help! I'm so thankful for your videos, Rick! Thank you! ❤️🎶

[@whychromosomesmusic5766]

Getting a keyboard has helped me a great deal in trying to comprehend all of this. Not to say there isn't emotion in music. Of course there is. But it's really mostly mathematical patterns. The same patterns in different keys.

[@brucenadeau5920]

Rick THESE are the videos you NEED to do for starting players! BARE basic stripped down! When I discovered you and got back into playing over a yr ago now I only knew a little theory and how to play, you would LOSE me on "simple theory" explaining it just a little too much over the basic knowledge and lose me, IF I saw this a yr and some back I'd have NEVER been lost! lol

[@brucenadeau5920]

Beato IS the reason I got back into playing, THE REASON I picked it back up 21yrs later... He made a LOT click just in an episode of "what makes this song great".. My kids are now learning guitar AND theory and it's ALL due to Rick getting me excited to LEARN what I was doing, NOT just do it!

[@Jimmy2Bits]

I totally understand why you would never want to teach it this way but, Seeing you like this makes me wish I could go down to the local community college and get such an awesome and passionate teacher.

[@genuinefreewilly5706]

I was always taught 2,3, 6 are all minor chords. if you can hear that and hear the distinct sound of a dim chord thats good. A neopolitan melody generally starts on the 3rd of almost any chord of many songs. If I see a chord like an 11 th subtract 7, meaning the chord and a fourth, choose any position likely the melody with start on the 3rd. If its a 13th minus 7 a sixth is in there. Just a general observation

[@gavinmacfarlane7044]

Perfect timing Rick, I’ve just started working through chapter one of the Beato Book 🙂👍🤘

[@GeorgeSPAMTindle]

I absolutely love being able to watch a video of Rick's which I don't have to pause once, don't take any notes, and haven't learned a thing. It doesn't happen very often, but it sure feels good when it does. Thank you very much Mr Beato for all your fine work.

[@funkfatale]

As a long time fan, I finally bought the book bundle and the ear training course. Time to dig deeper. Thanks for all that you do, and sorry it took so long to properly support the channel

[@johnrogers8535]

Here we go

[@SmokingSevens]

I've been trying to learn to play music on and off for years. I was always put off by seeing Gmaj7 and stuff like that. It was another language (and I'm not good with languages). But this short video was like having someone crack open the door in a dark room and let some light in. I think I might have the beginning of an understanding of the language of music. Buying the book now.

[@westmoresmith2517]

Me and you both. I got as far as learning chords, starting at C maj - C E G, then start mentioning, sharps, flats, min, maj7, I get lost and stop. I think he’s given us the formula to understanding music theory involving chords, scales and modes. I’m getting the book too!

[@panosfloyd]

​@@westmoresmith2517 A pop song in a C major scale(C key) will probably use the basic chords(triads) C F G Am (not in that exact order though) Basic chords that "belong" to the C major scale: C Dm Em F G Am Bdim It will probably start with the chord C, the note G and it will end with the chord C and the note C. A pop song in a A minor scale(Am key) will probably use the basic chords(triads) Am Dm F G(not n that exact order though) Chords that "belong" to the A minor scale: Am Bdim C Dm Em F G It will probably start with the chord Am, the note E and it will end with the chord Am and the note A. Each time the notes of the melody of your right hand or your voice, need a chord that it will fit. So look at what note each time your right hand is playing and what chord sounds nice with it (A chord that will probably contain that note and belongs to the scale of the song). The reason why we don't play a different chord for each different note it is because of the rhythm of the song. (That's why there is a pattern when we change chords E.g in every new bar at beat 1 even if the chord remains the same) When we hear something that doesn't sound nice it means we have to change the chord. The reason why we are using chords like Asus4, G7 etc it's because at that time the melody sounds nicer or there are no "simple" basic chords that will fit. Each genre of music uses patterns of chord progressions (and modes and scales and rhythms) Of course there are numerous exceptions to these "tips" in order not all the music we hear to sound boring and similar. In the examples above I told you to use just 7 notes (the 7 white keys of a piano). You see, you have another 5 notes to make your song more "spicy".

[@sirstashalot7441]

Absolutely grow the beard. Thanks for all the awesome videos Rick!

[@joshuaswinney486]

I want to thank you so much for putting videos up like this please keep up the great work Rick!!!

[@cavejohnson8665]

I haven't studied this since band camp in mid 80s. Thanks for starting at the beginning. Love your channel.

[@ricksgrandauditorium8790]

Hi Rick, just found your channel, love it, you cover everything a 37 yr old dude just starting guitar would listen to, I wanted to say thanks for your contribution seeing how it looks like KZbin makes it a challenge for good people such as yourself to genuinely teach..again thank you

[@johnjenkins7359]

wow I got lost almost immediately...how did I even log into my computer at work? I'm surprised i managed to turn my car on this am! Love watching you Rick, I've been a rocker since highschool and despite listening to all sorts of music I've never really known what goes into making it. Perhaps you could make a version for those of us who've possibly hit the bong one too many times? also if i could see the keyboard it might help me with my visualization! thanks again Rick for entertaining and educating us!

[@foxtrot642]

finally, some of this is starting to make sense..! this was a good basic lesson, thanks Rick

[@gulvplank]

Lightbulb just went on in my head😊 I have your book and i understand,now,what to practice. Thank you Rick!!!

[@signalredd8906]

I just started playing an instrument and was thinking about where I could start with theory, then you come out with this! Thanks so much, Rick!

[@paulcodi2747]

Hey Rick, can you PLEASE, do a “what makes this song great” with Rush - Time Stand Still? There is so much going on in that song, I have GOT TO hear your take!

[@donwillcox6470]

Thank you for the basics - makes sense now!

[@julianlawrence-ball2279]

I learned something today and that makes it a good day. Cheers Rick 👍🙏

[@noslen954]

Thank you for everything you do Rick. Please keep up the great work. Bless you brother.

[@op1ekun81]

I feel like I've finnally received the key to decipher your wonderful book :D Cheers!

[@perrydiddle3698]

This is NOT a beginners guide. I’ve been studying music theory for some time now. And I know this is NOT beginners music theory. Otherwise, I love Rick’s videos.

[@ragingchimera8021]

It really is for practical applications. You should know: the notes, Nashville numbering, intervals, chords, scales and modes... then you go from there. But this stuff is the foundation.

[@Prajnana]

@@ragingchimera8021 There was a lot the "beginning" theory student needs to understand that was glossed over. I tried to explain scales and the most basic chord theory (1, 3 and 5 major scale notes) to our ukulele group and all I got were glassy eyed stares. :-)

[@MartinPNairn]

@@ragingchimera8021 Whats the difference between the Nashville numbering and the Roman numbering?

[@wadeclark8628]

Yes. I love Rick’s channel and greatly respect his expertise. I have played music for over 40 years quite extensively (but I strictly play/learn by ear and am mostly self taught). I always wanted to learn theory, but it just hasn’t clicked. Embarrassingly, I was lost 2 minutes into this beginners lesson. Any suggestions on learning theory truly from the ground up?

[@douglasbroccone3144]

Rick is such a nice guy, I keep watching and am amazed that I'm getting at least some insight into what I thought was Impenetrable knowledge for me as 51 yrs old

[@frederickrohrbacher2489]

Hi Rick, I've been watching your channel since you started out and I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart! Even though there are some who say I was born without one. Lol. Ipop

[@alf2595]

Great class. I used to play every song play on a radio station and I can get the chords, but I just bought your book to improve my music skills. thanks

[@56WagonWheel]

This video has definitely helped me with the first chapter of your book. I’ll have to watch it over and over though.

[@guitarmike6757]

Wow!! I’ve watched all of Ricks videos and they are all excellent,but this one made me pull the trigger and buy the Beato book!! There is just no one on You tube like this guy!! He is a born Educator has a great demeanor for teaching! Can’t wait to delve into that 700 page of musical knowledge!! Thank you much Rick! Keep doing you Sir🙂👍🙂👍

[@guitarmike6757]

PS my name isn’t Mick Spicolli it’s Mike😂😂😂

[@hunter00143]

I learn more from your videos than I have any guitar lesson I've ever taken Keep up the good work dude, I appreciate it

[@zorkan111]

In sum, the shortest distance between two tones in western music is a semitone, (called a minor second). All the intervals, chords and scales are just different combinations of tones spaced out a different amount of semitones. 3rd, 7th, major, minor, perfect, diminished, suspended, lydian, ... are just different names for different combination of tones at different distances. If you find music theory hard to understand, you're probably overcomplicating something somewhere.

[@A.I-GAMING]

Awesome video, this is the kind of content I really enjoy. Thanks Rick.

[@ishaq24722]

This is fantastic stuff! I could play the hell out of the guitar but half the time I don’t know what I’m playing! This stuff is vital to learn…Theory. It's not hard at all compared to something like college chemistry or physics. But Rick is right, you have to memorize it. I would recommend getting SCREENSHOT a chrome extension.

[@brucenadeau5920]

1 3 5 and 1 4 5 to memorize with 1-7 and you pretty much have it down with minor tweaking. I WISH Rick did some of these as simply as he is here a year and some back :) I'm going to have my 11yr watch this, he explains it so well this time around!

[@The_Smith]

Thankyou Rick, I've been trying to make sense of this info in my Beato Book, and thanks to this I think I am starting to understand. (please note the apparent failing is me, and not you or the way the info is presented in the book,) again thankyou.

[@philipkudrna5643]

It‘s great how you always explain how to get to the different modes by flattening the 3rd or raising the 4th and so on. But wouldn‘t it be more logic for the listeners to explain WHY this is done? I am referring to „where the half steps“ are in a mode: If you understand that in Ionian the halfsteps are 3-4 and 7-8, you can also see this directly on the keyboard. Similarly, you see the halfsteps for aeolian in 2-3 and 5-6, when starting at A and only playing the white keys. Once you have grasped this (by actually seeing it on the keyboard) it becomes totally logic, why you need to flatten the 3rd, if you want and aeolian mode and start at C. At least this is how I learned and understood it right away!

[@joshobrien4960]

Just scored the book! Love the content Rick!

[@Mrinsaneinthemind]

YESSSS! so happy he made this

[@stelthtenau]

Great as always. I was hoping for some information about using different modes over chord progressions to write melodys though

[@JuddLofthouse]

Thanks for this Rick you just turned a light on for me .you know your onions 👍👍

[@davestrangsmusicbox593]

All good stuff, Rick.

[@hemispheres500]

Brilliant brother you manage to put soul into every video you make. There is no better way to teach and share. You and the gift you share are the perfect 5th. Which if you were in the key of c major would be G right?

[@73cuda340hil]

Hey Rick...You Must be Psychic Man!!!...Me and the Wife Love to Watch your Shows!...It's great to see Your Pure Joy w. Music AND what You See! It's obviously right there. I have a Good Music Ear But I'm totally Blind! And i was thinking the other day - (What if there was a "road map" for guys or gals like me?) These 31min 10sec. was IT! Amazing...(I can see the light...well It's a start !) Ordered your Book and Ear Training...Off we go! I'm Excited!...Mahalo!

[@michaelhotten752]

next time you do one of these, remember to explain the 7th chord and also could show examples of how modes are used in song writing and what rules should be followed.

[@raymondfrye5017]

Rick already made a video on that subject. Check the list.

[@DoktorLorentzBig]

You're absolutely right, first step is learn intervals and try to memorize how they sound.

[@andre.1984]

Hi Rick, thanks for putting out these clear short lectures. One major thing I've been trying to understand, assuming that there must be a logic to it, is: how does the spacing between notes in a chord, and the spacing between notes in adjacent chords, relate to feeling? How to write music having the feeling as the target, and thus how to go about selecting notes and chords? Is there a mathematical foundation to this, or do we have to know a database of chords and melodic patterns to find in them whatever feeling we're looking for? Why is a major add9 chord warm and beautiful, and a diminished chord unsettling? How come a major chord feels happy and a minor chord feels melancholic, when both have in them a minor and a major third in them? I'm intrigued by this interaction of superimposed frequencies and the feeling we get from them. What makes a chord beautiful? Thanks!

[@andre.1984]

@@ianstobie Thanks, Ian, I'll look for this book.

[@andre.1984]

@@ianstobie By the way, this just occurred to me now. Film score composers probably face the exact problem that I asked about. They get a movie scene, and they have to write a piece of music that fits the intended emotion. How do they go about it? How do they know what to write in a spionage scene and in a family reunion scene, for example? Obviously, whatever method they use, seems to work. But is there really a method, or rules, or do they write from the pool of knowledge that they've accumulated? Maybe it would be an interesting idea for Rick to invite and interview also famous movie score writers.

[@gben2457]

That's a lot of information for beginners. Hope they understand it.

[@zukacs]

wow this is amazing. i never knew what to watch from huge collection

[@DKP3000]

The videos really help reinforce what is in the book!

[@jetobey5656]

Rick--this kind if presentation helps me make sense of theory. It is even better when you show the keyboard of the piano as you work through examples. But, even without the piano you have a way of making it understandable. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzmy memory deficit makes it hard, but I keep trying. You make it at least possible!

[@booradley32]

Absolutely love this content!

[@jefferp]

Great lesson!!

[@Dparrey]

It's exciting to see someone whose a music veteran put out more early level education. I love seeing the complicated break down but sometimes it's just for entertainment because it goes over my head.

[@ShawnMcClureModeler]

Got the book!! sweet! Thanks Rick.

[@stevenroumeliote5134]

love your boundless wisdom Rick...when you mentioned that the major 7th to the 8th is the only m2nd you were forgetting the major 3rd to the perfect 4th is also a minor 2nd. I could tell what you were getting at but others might have been slightly confused. Still think you are far and above the best person I've found to teach and explain these things though. Much respect.

[@courtneyalvinlawrence6777]

Thank you Rick ,u really help me to understand this much better. You r doing a wonderful job

[@marksletters]

Thank you for another great video !!

[@acr12000]

I'm a Texas plumber that just discovered your channel. Cool content/nice chops. It'd be cool to see some Jean-Luc Ponty content unless you already covered him. Primus/Zappa/Cobham/King Crimson stuff too for us weirdos. You/Tim keep up the knowledge dump

[@frodekristofferlone2296]

Hi Rick. Love watching your videos. Very informative. You make music theory exiting and interesting. Always felt that it’s overwhelming, and a big hurdle overcome this music theory thing. Still feel like that. But by watching you and your videos, it slowly sinks in bit by bit. A long way from home still. But always funny and interesting. Love it. Keep up the good work 👍🏻🎼

[@chrismaidens6676]

This is really like learning to speak a new language. You lost me a few times, but I actually did learn a lot here.

[@erics.3691]

Rick makes me feel stupid. That's why I keep watching. Love the modes and triad stuff. You've given a name to to things I play. AWESOME !! .

[@erics.3691]

I actually am stupid musicaly. JUST SAYI N,

[@Niberu17]

Thank you Rick.

[@cesarnaggisch6320]

I just bought the Beat Book. I'm so stoked to start reading it!

[@juanmanuelgaleanoadrian1895]

Really great work !!! Very good help for those who starts músic language, or know músic in spanish and want to understand de i Ir in English

[@JoeJohnston-taskboy]

Rick, exactly what is your yearly budget for black tshirts? Could you put this in terms of how many Beato books you need to sell to make bank for these? Cheers.

[@rorymilsom1491]

14234 per year

[@mitchellploetz5590]

@@rorymilsom1491 at discount or wholesale price?

[@whatabouttheearth]

He should sell pain black t shirts with his merchandise 😄

[@MettleHurlant]

Love the channel and everything you do! I bought the Beato Book. Can’t wait to get started!

[@shannonlandre4442]

Excellent teacher!😎

[@splashesin8]

Oh boy! My favorite type of clip❣️ 😺

[@monles_yen]

Thank you for all your work!

[@Blazejkrzak]

I love it. Go Rick!

[@waltem8]

Could I make a request? Could you do a video where you spell out chord progressions for X, Y, Z modes? I, IV, V for Ionian. But what about the rest of them?

[@jimmy831]

The example you gave of "doubling the root" (parallel motion) sounded like a nursery rhyme.

[@eric.is.online]

When I was younger and I realised my music theory knowledge was a bit lacking I tried to build what I called a periodic table of music. It was all 12 semitones in a matrix which described all the intervals and then I tried to build off of that. Unfortunately I lacked the skill/knowledge to move on from there so I'm really glad you have this framework of looking at theory because it was what I envisioned then but could not create myself, thanks :D

[@PepeHub]

missed the live stream again. :-/ Work - such an inconvenient idea

[@jiaconis]

Hi Rick!! I have a suggestion for a ‘What makes the song Great’ I think the song “Apostrophe’ off the LP Apostrophe by Frank Zappa would be great! The Bass line laid down by Jack Bruce Is outstanding!!!

[@StevenEspaniola]

Hi Rick, can you do a vid breaking down the genius of Keith Jarrett’s improvisation prowess? I had the opportunity to see him live in SF and own pretty much all of the live concerts on vinyl. Thanks!

[@a.denisecoates8651]

Yes. Grow your bread out for Layla. For a couple of reasons: the major being, it will be a wonderful memory for her~ hey, you remember the Christmas when you looked like Santa? And the minor, probably still be lockdown next Christmas and the little extra something may help divert from that reality. Any way, you’ll rock it like you do everything else.

[@barnBR5-49]

Thanks for the great video!