One Hour of Music Theory Basics!

In today's livestream I teach as much Music Theory as I can in one hour.
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Catherine Sundvall
Clark Griswold
Ryan Twigg
LAWRENCE WANG
Martin Small
Kevin Wu
Robert Zapolis
Jeremy Kreamer
Sean Munding
Nat Linville
Bobby Alcott
Peter Glen
Robert Marqusee
James Hurster
John Nieradka
Grey Tarkenton
Joe Armstrong
Brian Smith
Robert Hickerty
comboy
Peter DeVault
Phil Mingin
Tal Harber
Rick Taylor
Bill Miller
Gabriel Karaffa
Brett Bottomley
Frederick Humphrey
Nathan Hanna
Stephen Dahl
Scott McCroskey
Dave Ling
Rick Walker
Jason Lowman
Jake Stringer
Steven crawford
Piush Dahal
Jim Sanger
Brian Lawson
Eddie Khoriaty
Vinny Piana
J.I. Abbot
Kyle Dandurand
Michael Krugman
Vinicius Almeida
Lars Nielsen
Kyle Duvall
Alex Zuzin
tom gilberts
Paul Noonan
Scott Thompson
Kaeordic Industries LLC
Duane Blake
Kai Ellis
Zack Kirkorian
Joe Ansaldi
Pzz
Marc Alan
Rob Kline
Calvin Wells
David Trapani
Will Elrics
Debbie Valle
JP Rosato
Orion Letizi
Mike Voloshen
Peter Pillitteri

[@manfredschwalenberg5819]

My sympathy to you and everyone close to Jeff, sorry for the loss of such a genuine man and musician.

[@playOLDmusic]

Been doing music for almost 2 decades. Still watching this with utmost interest. That’s the beauty of music and the learning aspect of it and also to have a teacher like Rick is just cherry on the top. *chef’s kiss*

[@toddkarl7641]

Rick, this is SO helpful. As a drummer who is learning how to play guitar, this is incredibly enlightening!

[@Flamenco4U]

Rick has much respect for his audience…that’s just one reason he’s so respected. So many musicians-and aspiring ones-will benefit from this lesson.

[@mikeharrison72]

Wish I was clever enough to benefit from it. 😢

[@bobstanford3452]

@@mikeharrison72 What do you mean clever enough? If a kid can learn this, you can too.

[@edwardjons8684]

@@mikeharrison72 You can learn it. Just got to go one step at a time. Rick is sprinting through a lot of ideas here. Focus on the major scale and the chords that are derived from it early in the video. That alone has huge value of itself once you become comfortable with it.

[@mikeharrison72]

@@bobstanford3452 yeah I suppose I mean patient enough. I wrote that in frustration at my lack of patience to get past the level I’m at which is very low.

[@newmanfertig886]

No. Only trained musicians could follow this. It’s all over the place. Don’t kid yourself.

[@wikdbill9693]

I got myself the holiday bundle for Christmas. It's the same package as the new year's bundle. I have already learned so much. Thank you Rick, you are a great teacher.

[@PacifierMusic]

Rick, love your vids. I learned more from this video than I’ve learned from any basic theory lesson in my 54 years of life. I never really understood until today. I got on the piano while watching and practice. It’s so pattern based. My brain gets patterns. Thank you so much.

[@finnaudunhaarstad3493]

Me too! And my brain is 62!!!

[@amanontheland7892]

Learn: tone tone, semi-tone tone tone tone semi-tone C D E F G A B C Basically, In every scale, E & F and B & C are ALWAYS a Semi-tone apart...which is why sharp's and flat's are used to keep the format of tone's and semi-tone's of the Major Scale. Minor scales use the same format of tone's and semi-tones, but from the starting point of the minor 6th. The 6th note of each major # and b scale is the minor 6th. So the relative minor scale of C Major, is Am, and the relative minor of F Major is D minor, etc.

[@jazzalmenasmusic]

Ahh thank you, this is what I needed to spend my hour, learning! Love you Rick!

[@eclecticexplorer7828]

I took basic music theory ages ago, back in jr. high school, but it wasn't incredibly detailed and was not oriented towards the guitar. Still, basic concepts stuck with me, and I recognized right away that you Circle of Fifths had the Eb and Ab swapped. The thing that really caused it to leap out at me is that one thing that helped me to remember the order of flats (and consequently, the order of sharps) is that the first four spelled out the word "bead." It breaks down beyond that, of course, but it can be a help for beginners to keep that in mind. In listing the 7th chords at the half-way point, you omitted that the V chord gives a dominant 7th.

[@muntintin]

I purchased the ear training course and beato book. I appreciate all that you're doing for young musicians. My ear and my playing have improved dramatically. I no longer struggle to fluctuate between keys in the same song. I realized, the key is more like a tone. The intervals and ratios between them are what's important to pay attention to while playing.

[@BasVossen]

There are 12 keys: A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#. There are a lot more tones since we can play a key in many different octaves, going higher or lower. It is hard to explain how different feelings connect to the connecting tones. Part of music theory just has to be felt while practicing it. Just reading theory won't work.

[@leonardallen7380]

Thank you for your hard work and dedication to sharing research and learning music theory with us, amazing

[@bamabackroads1203]

Just beginning on guitar, like this week. I was hoping I wouldn't be over my head with this video. I was completely lost within the first three seconds. Lol

[@robbdogg9134]

This would be a lot for your first week introduction!

[@raisedonfiction]

These have always been great. I love the new digital board. Excellent stuff Rick

[@markstrain8989]

This was so awsesome, I was inspired to buy the NYB and I am so very glad I did. Home 1 day and recovering from my second heart surgery so I am willing and captive audience !!! Really great stuff systematically organized and now at my fingertips. Thank you, Rick

[@salvadorcatuncanjr8703]

You're doing a great job. Keep on. You're also a fine guitarist.

[@gjiove]

Thank you so much Mr. Beato.

[@rodneymanthengamanthenga7638]

The Beato book is GOLD guys.. BUY IT. thank you Rick for sharing your wisdom xxx Love from Zimbabwe

[@kotla671]

It’s sometimes difficult for those who know the theory or language to teach either. Rick does a great job of relaying why this is all important. He’s so right!

[@PawpawJamz]

Absolutely gold.

[@dillipphunbar7924]

Thankyou Rick. This really helped to cement these basics a little firmer into my brittle brain. Bless you, your family and team, for all you do.

[@christineoglesbylpclmft8838]

Really enjoy your expertise and love of music! We are from the same era and Witchita Lineman one of the greatest songs ever. Thank you very much for Jimmy Webb interview!

[@virtniyt6416]

Appreciate you rick beato! Thank you for teaching and sharing your knowledge. You're amazing.

[@GarmanHerigstad]

Rick, I admire you for knowing so much and having such a rich experience and you still feel the importance of teaching the basics. Salute.

[@teleplayer7081]

Rick!, always appreciate your tutorials. It's comforting to know, when watching your videos, that your learning from someone as knowledgeable as you . Thank you for YOU Rick!

[@benjammin4840]

Thank you Rick! I would have never learned this stuff without your help

[@christianperez1305]

Thank you so much Rick! I learn a lot from you

[@HMzTheGreatest]

We need more of these rick hopefully every month 🙏

[@caryeddy6928]

I have the Beato book and the ear training course and can recommend them highly. I'm very glad that I have them and am confident they will keep me informed and challenged for years to come.

[@jackielinde7568]

But, but, but... Rick! I play the trumpet. How is all of this music theory stuff gonna help ME??? After all, the horns section is much more important than some ol' guitar. 🤪

[@klausjockel9614]

I play git + b for about 4 decades. At first I just play, I loved it and it sounds great. I haven't learned notes in the first years, now in the last years I dive deeper in music theory - and Rick's lession videos are a great help to understand the hole matrix. Thank you so much Rick, you are an exellent musician.

[@jimdukeproject]

Thank you for your instructions, your interviews, and showing techniques of different songs. It has all helped me craft my own writing and style of playing.

[@JS-TexanJeff]

Woosh!!! right over my head. I need the kindergarten version for people who truly know nothing. But I'm glad this helps so many people!

[@jamesoraltheacatlett1258]

Thank you! I can finally try to learn to play the guitar that I bought ages ago. ~ Althea Hinds-Catlett ~ 14January2023

[@monkeybooby3]

Rick, just saw this video. I stopped playing guitar for 2 years. I'm back and been watching your videos again. You're an inspiration. If I may be so bold to ask two questions of someone of your caliber of knowledge and as someone who owns so much amazing gear: 1.) What is your desert island guitar? 2.) What's your favorite new piece of knowledge you've learned in the last year?

[@tomingersoll]

Thank you for this. And Patagonia! Such a great company.

[@kellyyoung1983]

I appreciate all of your content but I really love when you put these together. It gets the light bulb turned on for me every time ✌️

[@riffafrank]

Thank you Rick. I enjoy these kind of videos. From New Brunswick Canada.

[@donovjo]

a great way to spend a Sunday morning. excellent video!

[@jakubnowak649]

Great livestream, I definitely needed some piecie of knowlegle condensed into a short lecture, just so I know what I know and what I need to learn

[@oliorogue]

Thank you so much Rick! You have helped make my music more interesting, could never afford school but this online deal is great for me.

[@gigiizzy5651]

Thank you for doing this 🙏

[@edcoad4930]

Such good fun....learning guitar at 52 means I've gone straight into music theory and as a physicist I think it is so good as it's maths and emotion.

[@kerrywoodrow6272]

Same for me. Learning at 63; retired engineer getting right into the music theory. It just makes sense.

[@michaelbolen2118]

Nice! Old dude here myself at 54, music lover for life and science nerd - playing keyboard x 1 year now after getting psyched by Rick’s videos a year ago. Keep after it 👍

[@tweettweetjones1262]

Even Einstein played 🎻 violin.

[@ajmgdaj]

For egineers there is a much more technical and complete explanation of this. Wochia 's beats n Bobs explains it all from the physics of sound through the history of music. Love Rick, but he does only rote memorization.

[@adladl4276]

I know nothing about music theory but this is the best thing I've heard for a looooong time.

[@chrisgilbert9921]

@RickBeato - try using your select tool (dashed box) to window around what you want to delete, then just press your DELete button. This should save you a bunch of time scribbling around with the eraser tool. I think this will work on your whiteboard.

[@riteasrain]

Or just use Ctrl+Z. Holding them down deletes the whole lot quickly. Unless of course the program user has set the delete settings to a certain number.

[@BlurredTrees]

With the jacket inside. Next will be shades. You’re cool enough to pull it off. DO IT! 😆🤙🏻

[@rabukan5842]

Hey Rick, I believe most guitarists from our era were taught basic theory. I remember seeing a photo of a page from a George Harrison composition where he had the lyrics written above Roman numerals (might have been for Something?) yet John Lennon said in a Playboy interview that none of them could read music. So my guess is that they talked in numbers and letters (chord names and numbers) interchangeably but didn't need to be able to read notes. I too learned the Circle of 5ths and the Roman numeral system when I was maybe 10? When I had my band and wrote songs for it in the 90's, I would basically tell my players the keys and then the chord intervals, unless I was using altered tunings. This is really important stuff for any young player to learn. As you said, it's the fundamentals of the language.

[@tedt.5961]

Thank you Rick!!

[@TheLeestarr]

I'm a guitar player and I have no idea what you are doing here, I've always played by hear with the hunt and search, Trial and error method. I taught my self mainly from major Chords then gradually worked up the neck. You totally impress me. I can pick some chords out by sound but nothing like you.

[@ConsultingHumor]

Amazing knowledge

[@natebush9983]

Whew...I thought I was losing my mind trying to figure out how A flat had THREE flats, and E flat had four. LOL! Glad I stuck with it to the 7:09 mark. Other than that, love all of the instruction and insight on this and EVERY video you put out....(though I'm still not convinced Xanadu is Rush's best piece). Thank you so much, Rick.

[@SK23.]

I appreciate you so much Rick

[@deadbabiesinvomit]

I love droning on D string and putting in them 9ths and 7ths. Instead doing it the boring bar chord way. Or open chord. Making posh chords is what it's all about.

[@jhunlimited_llc]

Great Video Rick! Theory rules. Even a few concepts applied will give you an entire career of possibilities. 💯❤👌🎼🎵🎶

[@c4rnas4]

you are my hero rick great content

[@willarddickerson921]

I appreciate you. You are amazing.

[@tectyl506]

Very informative for a guy who just plays the guitar for fun. Thank you Rick ! :)

[@LD-qj2te]

The Luk is monster .. yes losing Jeff was so rough . I had seen him a couple times and had a chance to see him again and meet him and was looking so forward to it !!!

[@doctorarmani2112]

As Rick says Music Theory will help you become a better musician and help you understand some of your favourite songs you want to play at any age. It is not easy and you have to put in the time. Thank you, Professor Rick.

[@pacificsongs]

Rick need to take the time to explain the "why" we need to know what he is teaching - not just jump into the circle of 5ths and say "This is where I usually start"" I find a lot of his teaching very difficult to follow because he jumps around instead of going slower with simple explanations that explain context. I have two master's degrees (not music, obviously) and have taken many classes - so I know good, and poor, instruction. Love the channel, though.

[@zzzaphod8507]

Looks like the style here (and in the Beato book, apparently) works for learners who like rote memorization without thinking much about the "why"--this might work for some people but not others.

[@TheDrDave89]

I f*cking love this chanel. Great video, Rick!

[@scotth4041]

You are my music theory hero!

[@kbsiva]

Thank you Rick...

[@nathanmantle377]

To this day, I don't know how I taught myself music theory, because I didn't even use the circle of 4ths/5ths. I literally just learned the musical alphabet (with sharps/flats included) and then what whole steps and half steps were, and then made scale diagrams where I'd write the circles and put the letter names, and it's like once I memorized a few keys, the rest sort of fell into place. Like if you know the notes in A major, then Ab major is easy because all of the natural notes of A major will become flat, and all of the sharps will become naturals. So by learning a few keys inside out, you can set yourself up so that learning every key is quite easy. Oh, and I guess it definitely helped that I'd practice 1, 6, 2, 5 progressions with just root position triads, and did them on each string set, and then did the key of F, then G, then Bb, then D, etc etc. Nowadays I'm starting to see the value of the circle, but too much reliance on it can lead to not actually memorizing the keys.

[@teodoricomartinez9303]

Goodjob sir rick!👍

[@jazzman97813]

I just bought the bundle! :)

[@christineoglesbylpclmft8838]

Thank you for 99.00 offer for the theory and playing instruction courses!

[@hendrikheemels8615]

Hey Rick, great image of Jagger in the background!

[@Z3ra1337]

I recently bought the Bundle of products you offer Rick. I like you, your channel, your musical wisdom and yourself as a person, or how I perceive you. I pretty much only had a sneak peak into the Beato Book. And it starts off ok. There could (and should) be a lot more detail and help regarding intervals and the circle of fiths, but it is alright I guess. It is relatively easy to research more useful information online, and most people that really want to understand it will do that and end up understanding it well if they put enough efford into it. I mean everyone should be able to understand it, if you explain that vage and little people can just search the web and learn on their own pace, structured a lot better and way more in depth actually. But then you blast into Modes and really don't explain helpful at all. You do a lot of sound examples for the student to hear, that could be great, but I want the theorie explained before that, otherwise I am really not interested in hearing you play and explain stuff in a way someone without deep musical theorie knowledge cannot understand. And I think it is really neccessary to pack a lot of detail into it. Don't only write it as Notes. Write in letters as well. Also let people do exercises and write out all the notes before you show it. Just tell the intervals and let them count and figure out which Notes a key consists of. And then show em if they were right in the next video/ text. Especially when you dive into Modes everyone will get completely overloaded... no one will understand it like that. In this video you said your book is structured well, and I am sorry I couldn't disagree more. I will research everything on my own and watch your book again and again, and I will be commenting again when I really know how much useful deep knowledge is hidden in your book. But I am already pretty shure that I will need to learn the music theorie on my own. Because for me it seems like you are not teaching these basic things like which notes like which Notes are altered in a mode (the Intervals for every mode). Also again you show the Chords only as Notes on a sheet that is really frustrating for beginners that don't read music sheets, it's not a big thing everyone can look it up easily, but why not make it simple for people, because it could be easily done. I hope I will be able to really work with and trhough you book, and write more nice things about it afterwards. I am sorry, for the critique, but I perceive it like that and I think it is constructive. And I am not saying don't buy the book. Just know what you can and shouldn't expect of his book. What I am really saying is that you can get a lot of information, what you want to learn here, if you want to learn music theorie. Get an empty book. And work everything out on your own. Write it all down in a better structure. Create exercises for yourself and do them regularly until you really really know it. And watch Ricks course over and over and over again until you understand everything perfectly.

[@ashleylacombe8935]

I agree 100 percent. I just purchased the bundle and started trying to learn. And omg I had to Google so many things 😂 I even had to study other youtube videos that explain things that Rick didn't go into detail on. I understand that there's a TON of details in music theory.... but I feel like at the beginning of the lessons, there should be a list of basics that everyone should know before diving into the course. That way I can be a little more prepared for what seems like more of an intermediate level lesson.

[@maidenfreek584]

@@ashleylacombe8935 Don't buy any books or courses. Everything you need is online. And as a beginner you don't need a lot. Actually too much knowledge is detrimental when it comes to music.

[@jega157]

Thank you 💓

[@kimbozw1808]

let's get Beatified! Keep it up Rick.

[@andrewjackson5704]

Iv forgotten all my theory knowledge with all the performing but when I needed it I couldn't remember really need to refresh everything

[@bobryan8793]

I dream.of sitting with you....would be the coolest thing ever...you know I've followed you for years....I promise to by your book this year...your my favorite sir I've spread your word wide and far!!!

[@yeeatit5578]

I love his master classes

[@dharmaofdog7676]

I work SO hard to understand these Concepts but get overwhelmed at simply knowing it comes down to memorizing the Fretboard and have yet to find a "trick" to help Dyslexic Folks with ghastly Memory! (took me 4 EVER to finally grasp UP is DOWN on the Fretboard & DOWN is UP! grrr.)

[@dankintx]

Love Rick to death…. But “basic” music theory …. And I’m completely lost in first 4 minutes…. (First whiteboard)…. Oh well….

[@zzzaphod8507]

It could've started more basic, like what a half-step and whole-step are, and how you build a major scale out of those.

[@isuckatguitar6252]

Does anyone have good Mnemonics for memorising the order of circle of 5ths? I understand it but always struggle remembering the order of notes.

[@zzzaphod8507]

You don't have to memorize it if you know the layout of keys on the piano. You go up 7 keys on the piano or 7 frets on the guitar to get the next key as you go clockwise (as a perfect 5th is 7 half-steps or semitones). A fifth will be a change of 4 letter names but to get whether it is sharp or flat, you can use that technique of 7 half-steps. By 4 letter names, I mean counting through the alphabet and wrapping around from G to A (thinking of the alphabet as CDEFGABCDEFGABCDEFGABCDEFG....). For example, start at C, then the 4th letter after that is G, then the 4th letter after that (wrapping to A) is D, then the 4th letter after that is A, etc.

[@ShaneHarveyMusic]

Lovin the jacket!!

[@dannycole9401]

Man you are awesome

[@michaelnancyamsden7410]

Great to go through this again. Love your digital white board. You aren't standing in front of it. I am not weaving to and fro to see details.

[@davidadams9391]

I only understood the title…is this really the basics?

[@frankramirez9558]

Sorry, I love you Rick, but you are losing a lot of us because you are talking way over our heads even on what you consider basic.

[@zzzaphod8507]

There are more basic concepts like what an octave is, how it is usually divided up in Western music, what whole steps and half steps are and how they are used to build a major scale, etc.

[@kenmcdonald234]

Yes - this is exactly the material I've been looking at. Thank you, but please ensure the whiteboard is still visible as you're explaining these principles.

[@jaejaescommand_interest_co6005]

Hey Rick - I thought you said you don't do ads. Well, since that is true, Peacock TV just threw one in there (about five seconds), interrupting your great lecture. Keep up the good work. And yes, it has been a sad week, and we all share in that grief. End of an era? I think not! Hey hey my ... you know the rest.

[@Rosie-chen]

love you！a lot of respect！❤❤

[@mikeharrison72]

I’m at as basic a level as you could ever be as a guitar player but I find your videos inspiring, just wish I was smart enough to meet the bar set from inspiration.

[@JourneymanActor]

I saw this was streaming so I decided to hit play and you were talking about the 1,4,5 progression and mentioned that adding the minor 6th is Nashville and the minute I heard that a light bulb went off. For years, I would say I don't like pop country, something about the chord changes that don't speak to me. I like Johnny Cash country but not Luke Bryant or Taylor Swift country. Well, Johnny used 1,4,5 12 bar blues style progressions, and guess what the other musicians use? Turns out when it comes to the minor 6th, I HATE IT!!! I would have never figured it out without you talking about it, so thank you!!!🙏

[@zachv2933]

a piano version of all of this would be amazing :)

[@grooooved]

It's the same. Actually much easier to see on piano. Sharps/flats are the black keys, and they're already in linear order.

[@DocECS69]

Good stuff. I learned this as a teen and has helped me a lot working with musicians above mlevel

[@HumbertoMoura]

That's great!

[@MouldyGuitars]

Regarding the "why do you have D# and Db" depends on the scale and which side of the circle of 5ths it falls on. If you only used #'s for F scale for example, instead of F - G - A - Bb - C - D - E - F. you would have F - G - A - A# - C - D - E - F. So no "B" at all.

[@starratlarry]

luv it

[@eroks59]

Hey Rick I see in your eyes that this isn’t easy EVH now Jeff Beck. Mad respect master. Get some rest bro you earned it

[@chesswithadhd6280]

FYI, Rick, Glenn Campbell was my great uncle. He was an amazing musician. If you would like to talk about him with me (and possibly my mother because she knows more than I about him, then let me know). My aunt was born Connie Campbell until getting married. Hope to get at least one question you would have liked to ask him. ❤

[@MrWhiteamin]

Thats why I love G'lenn Campell. He had a hard time , but played with his heart. And no heatless people can play like that .,

[@TheEnlightenedFool]

Added to favorites. NJ.

[@AllanEvansOfficial]

Love Mick in the background!

[@lheggestad]

Rick, is there a reason you didn't list the dominant chord with the seventh chords? Or did you just overlook mentioning it?

[@nouyed]

Any plans of intermediate and advanced guitar courses coming out this year ? I would love a course in intermediate to advanced level improvisation techniques. I am already working with the Beato ear training and the interactie book.

[@Validechos]

This is rather complex video, though this is coming from an artist who knows nothing about the muscal arts haha but with things I've learn it isn't alien, let me explain ^^. Got rather inticed by a saxphone played by the wonderful Musician LeGrand in his collab piece with CG5 "Give a Little" Something about the way he play just spoke to me in such a manner that mirroring how art feels to me on a daily basis. So with a lil wisdom in had I thought instead of jumping head first into, lets be honest another deep and challenging field because I know I'd be reaquainted with floor in flash. So I went about the problem like I did when I commited to the my art journey, I asked How and Why? Which led me hear as my many stops today as I do my reasearch into how one thinks music. So far I'm really starting to understand or at least walk away more aware of the musically inclinded but overly delighted that this is something I'd like to get into. Though I have to ask where would be the next places to look for someone wanting to get into learning the saxphone as first instriment? Well put together video Mr. Beato, the way you convey information was easy for me to lay on a sheet of paper and start to connect the dots. Tickled at what knowing a microcosm of how to draw and love that came with it acted like a little guide book to branch into equally as interesting field as music as alot of these idea were a little bit easier to understand. 😁

[@steveanthony5907]

Really enjoyed your performance in The White Lotus season 2

[@eroks59]

Unbelievable bout Jeff so shocking first I heard him in my teens and young guitar player heard goin down that was it. Hooked. Thanx Mr Beck. Won’t be another 😢❤

[@davidlamb7524]

I learnt the series of flats and sharps by remembering "Go Down And Eat Brown Fruit" (Sharps) " Fat Beasts Eat And Drink Greedily" (Flats) so I spotted Rick's mistake immediately.