Rhythm Rule for Better Melodies

Learn how to avoid this common rhythmic fault many songwriters & producers make in their melodies!
►FREE Book: HackMusicTheory.com/Books​​
►Online Courses: HackMusicTheory.com/Courses​​
►Songwriting & Producing PDF: HackMusicTheory.com/Bestsellers
0:00​ Introduction
1:13 Musical Faults
1:45 The Fault
2:55 The Fix
4:41 The Rule
5:21 The Example
5:41 The Djend
THE FAULT
Firstly, just to clarify. A fault is not a mistake! Music is an art, so if you’re making music from your heart, then there cannot be any mistakes. But, when songwriters and producers don’t understand theory, which is the grammar of music, they’re not able to fully express themselves. Just like if someone was trying to write a poem in a language they didn’t speak. The resulting work of art will undoubtedly have weaknesses. And a fault is defined as a weakness. So, what’s the fault in this melody?
Well, it sounds completely lifeless, right? It’s totally lacking in vital energy. What’s causing that? Rhythm! Or rather, a lack thereof. Unfortunately for rhythm, it’s usually the overlooked element in a melody. Indeed, songwriters and producers often seem to forget that melody actually contains two elements: pitch and rhythm. To hear this in action, just listen to the New Music Friday playlist on Spotify every week. It’s clear that the rhythms of most melodies are an afterthought, at best.
I’ve worked with countless songwriters and producers who’ve ended up at the horribly frustrating point of wanting to delete a melody, cos they just can’t get it sounding right. Up until that point though, they’d spent all their time trying to fix the pitches, but they’d not once considered that maybe it’s the rhythm that needs fixing. So, after bringing their attention to the forgotten element of rhythm, a few small tweaks later, and they’ve fallen in love with the exact same melody they were about to delete. So next time you’re frustrated and tempted to delete a melody, try experimenting with its rhythm instead, and see if you can save it!
THE FIX
Now you’re probably wondering what exactly makes a good rhythm. Well first, it’s important to remember that a rhythm is a pattern in time. And just like with all other patterns, our human brains get bored if there’s too much repetition, and they get overwhelmed if there’s too much variety. Therefore, good rhythms (like all good patterns), enjoy a pleasing yet interesting balance of repetition and variety.
Most melodies these days do not have any problem with repetition, it’s the lack of variety that causes their weakness. Variety in a melody is created by using many different note values, and most importantly, syncopation. Syncopation is when you accent an off-beat, and it puts a real spring in your melody’s step, bringing it to life.
For example, in the first three beats of our rhythm, we moved two on-beat notes to off-beats. The difference that this small tweak makes to our melody is truly unbelievable! You can hear it’s already being revived, and we’re only in the first bar.
And by the way, our example is in the key of A minor, which is all the white notes from A to A, and the tempo is 95 BPM.
Now, you’re probably wondering how to tell if your melody’s rhythm is boring. Easy, you give it the one-note test. You see, removing the pitch element of your melody will expose its rhythm. In other words, if your melody is captivating when played on one pitch, then it has a good rhythm. If it sounds boring on one pitch, then you need to work on its rhythm.
THE RULE
So to conclude. Our Melody Rhythm Rule is that your melody should still sound good when played on only one pitch. And the best way to do that is to ensure that your melody’s rhythm balances repetition and variety, and includes some syncopation.
Lastly, if you need more help writing melodies, then simply use our Melody Checklist, which tells you exactly what to do and what not to do in your melodies. The Melody Checklist can be found in our Songwriting & Producing PDF (link above).
---
ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is the fast, easy and fun way to make music. Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé wife Kate. Ray has been teaching music theory for 25 years, and along the way he's made music with Serj Tankian (System Of A Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), and many more!
COPYRIGHT & CREDITS
© 2021 Revolution Harmony
Revolution Harmony is Ray Harmony & Kate Harmony
Script & all music in video by Revolution Harmony
Book promo filmed & edited by Maurits Nienhuis
All stock footage courtesy of Pexels

[@HackMusicTheory]

►FREE Book: HackMusicTheory.com/Books

[@simpdown1404]

Cheers! Signed up twice and never received the free e-book😢

[@HackMusicTheory]

@@simpdown1404 Hey Simp Down, good to see you back again, thanks for stopping by! So sorry to hear you didn't receive the free download though, that sux! Drop us a quick line and we'll hook you up! Our contact details are here: hackmusictheory.com/contact

[@eduardo4906]

hey @@HackMusicTheory what's the app for the music?

[@shaninstrumentals428]

marvelous bro

[@metallsnubben]

@@eduardo4906Reaper, it's a great DAW that's free to try out but be aware that it doesn't come with many built-in instrument sounds

[@henryham1169]

You can’t be born with the last name ‘harmony’ and not make music as a career.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Lol, thanks for stopping by and connecting, Henry! Take care and have a lovely weekend :)

[@mateusmatos2817]

Or being some kind of spiritual guide

[@Zetsuke4]

Didnt he make it his last name?

[@f1rebreather123]

Either that or peacemaking

[@LossBH]

so real

[@JimLarranaga5k]

There are a lot of one note melodies these days. Which shows how important rhythm and syncopation really are to our brains

[@HackMusicTheory]

Right you are, J! Thanks so much for stopping by, we really appreciate it :)

[@Tocinos]

That's why the most laughable thing to me is when somebody says "rap isn't music" because it's literally manipulating syncopations stemming from stressed, unstressed syllables and rhyme schemes which incorporate *pitch and rhythm* as discussed in the video With this logic somebody could claim that no percussive instruments would be classified as "music"

[@billysanchez-eh6nn]

@@Tocinos Rap isn't Music tho, regardless

[@bitchesihate]

@@billysanchez-eh6nn cope harder lol

[@Koy_Ochoa]

@@billysanchez-eh6nnrap and hip hop are imo the most complete genre. They incorporate everything in very sophisticated (and creative) ways

[@juicebox3495]

just a person who's started trying to make music, and I'm glad I watched this.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi Snow, it's super exciting to hear you're starting out on a music making journey! What kind of music are you going to make? If you haven't already, may we suggest that you check out our free music theory book, '12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales and Chords'? It's a refresher of the basics and it's a super fast and fun read. You can download it from our website: HackMusicTheory.com/Books. We wish you all the best with your music making, and hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks! Have a great weekend :)

[@s4cool97]

Same here

[@Zhuzhalka76]

I’m about to start trying to make music so I’m also glad

[@angelalen1615]

@@HackMusicTheory you guys are the best, like, no one else would give books that good for free lol

[@DPU-Music]

Just a person who's started trying to make music about 18 years ago, and I'm glad I watched this.

[@axolotlgav]

The one-note test draws an interesting parallel to the grayscale test that one can do while making art. Similar to how a melody needs to be interesting without the pitch and just the rhythm, a piece of art needs to be readable without the colors and just the values.

[@HackMusicTheory]

That's a great observation, AxolotlGav, thanks for sharing! We really appreciate you watching and connecting, and hope you have a great day :)

[@amw729e8]

No way, I was literally thinking of that exact similarity between the two forms of art!

[@ImaErick]

Omg these were my exact thoughts

[@whatinthehalibut]

Wow, great comparison. Really gives a different perspective!

[@enasbitch6988]

Lol I’m the 567th like

[@albertgonzalez9691]

I’ve been producing for almost ten years and never heard of that single not melody trick! Genius!!

[@HackMusicTheory]

That's awesome, Albert, thank you for your kind words, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@smitty7613]

Wow y'all really taught me something in 5 minutes, better than these other music theory tutorials, earned my subscription‼️

[@HackMusicTheory]

Wow thanks for sharing, Justin, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@DaniSC_real]

@@HackMusicTheory best youtube ever

[@ianemerson2704]

Amen

[@pixelatedq]

why did I watch a video that's so inspiring right before bed nooooooo

[@HackMusicTheory]

Lol, Pixelated Quality! Did you end up getting to sleep, or were you up making music all night?! On that note, what kind of music do you make? Thanks for taking the time to watch and connect. Take care and have a great week!

[@bruv790]

MR PIXEL did you get sleep that day? we still need awnsers

[@goat13]

Legend has it he still hasn't slept since the video

[@randoman9122]

yup, it is 3 in the morning for me lol

[@Multi-Waves_Sketchbook]

A few hours ago I could not for the life of me make a melody, now I'm making melodies left and right! (They aren't too great yet, but I'm making melodies nowwww) thank you, now to figure out how to make long phrase melodies

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Multi- Waves, great to see you again! We're thrilled to hear this video helped with your melody making, yay! How are you doing these days? We hope this finds you well, and as always we're grateful you're here in the HMT community! Kate :)

[@kentcourtney5535]

I like the "One Note" trick. I have a melody that I am struggling with and that should help me break the "creativity wall". (It is like a firewall - except that the creativity wall happens to my brain). Maybe I could use some Tea!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey, Kent, great to see you again, hope you are doing well! Sorry to hear you're experiencing a "creativity wall", and we hope this hack and some tea will help! What kind of music are you making these days? Take care and thank you so much for being here in the HMT community :)

[@kentcourtney5535]

@@HackMusicTheory You trick helped and I just shipped that revised song for an ad bed. Here is an original song I have on Spotify - open.spotify.com/track/6DeSlwi9NVzVighX6lZiS6?si=_z9RL99VROKr6wQ5XHMoIg

[@packagedfailure]

Try Noomi tea, I could only find it on amazon, it’s name is Numi dry lime tree I think

[@ClosetoHumanMusic]

I've always known the rhythmic element of a melody is just as important as the notes being played, however, I've never tried the one-note method for checking whether or not that rhythm is good. That is super clever. I've been doing this 20 years and I still learn new stuff every day. Great vid!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey Daniel, it's lovely to meet you! Thanks for stopping by and connecting. We're so happy to hear that you found our one-note test helpful, that's awesome, especially considering how long you've been making music. On that note, I just checked out your new tune. Super cool vibes, huge congrats!! I grew up on those '90s KMFDM albums, so I've got a real soft spot for anything industrial. Keep up the good work, Daniel, and we hope to see you around here again :)

[@ClosetoHumanMusic]

@@HackMusicTheory Nice! Always a pleasure to connect with fellow 90's industrial kids! Thanks for the kind words about my music. Also thanks for the great vid. Liked and subscribed. See ya around!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Haha indeed, us '90s industrial kids gotta stick together! Yeah I really enjoyed your new singles, and I saved your last album in Spotify, so I'll have a listen to that later. Cool that you're in Austria, my best friend lives there too. Vienna is possibly my favourite place on the planet! Thanks big time for your kind words about our work, Daniel, and thanks also for subscribing, we're super stoked and grateful to have you in the community! Please keep me posted on your upcoming music :)

[@ruchashirwalkar7466]

As a percussionist I’m so happy that you’ve put light on the rhythm cause it’s SOOO IMPORTANT

[@Goalieguy-rq9cu]

This is literally the best written music theory video I’ve ever seen. I’ve taken advanced music theory classes, but you just taught me something I,be never even heard about in under 6 minutes without using any complicated jargon. That’s a follow from me.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome to hear, Goalieguy 2567, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@michaelrave7526]

The analogy of how music is from the heart and not knowing music theory is like writing poetry without grammar is genius! Keep up the good work.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww thanks so much Michael! What kind of music do you make? We really appreciate you taking the time to watch and connect, and we hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)

[@trzybd2265]

I have been watching and learning about music production for 2 years now and I have never come across something that taught me so much in 5 minutes.. THANK YOU!!!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Happy to hear it, TrzyBD!! What kind of music do you make? Thanks big time for stopping by and connecting, it means the world to us :) Take care and have a lovely weekend!

[@thephunk1]

I've written it before and I'll write it again; you guys have an unbelievable ability to strip the complication from concepts many musicians spend decades trying to master. I just watched your 6-min video, cutting right to the heart of the matter and now, I feel like I can teach a f****** class! Thank you for being you and not continuing to regurgitate the same ol' information found in every corner of the internet. Unreal. You guys are awesome.

[@guillaume1306]

I just love how this channel can break down any subject into a 6 minutes video to teach you an extremely basic, simple concept and yet as soon as you pick up your instrument and your DAW you can practice what they preached for hours and hours and hours, and remember what you've learned and use all those little hacks every time you compose a piece of music. This channel is hands down in the top 5 youtube channels about music composing.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww, you're very kind, Guillaume, thank you! We're over the moon to hear that you've been putting our hacks to use over the years :) Thanks big time for being a part of the Hack Music Theory community, we really appreciate you being here. We'd love to know what kind of music you're making these days? All our best and we wish you a lovely week, Kate :)

[@mcfrench]

I'm sold. Just found your channel and just from this one video it's clear your content is worth watching to elevate my music. From only this video, it's already more knowledgelable than a lot of other channels I've found. Sign me up.

[@annaisparis3683]

Love the one note trick! I always notice that a lot of synth lines I write end up being super long held sustained notes falling on the strong beats. Thanks for another rad video 😎

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hello Annaïs! Happy to hear this one was helpful and gave you something to explore with your own music. Thank you for being here and I hope you have a lovely weekend :) K

[@tybkc87]

Just need to hear that track on the outro! Tis a banger!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks, Ty! Ray's calling that "The Djend" ;) What kind of music do you make? We really appreciate you stopping by and connecting. Hope this finds you well, and we're sending you good vibes 🙏

[@Kalaxian80animations]

@@HackMusicTheory superb!

[@HiteshLalwaniMusic]

@@HackMusicTheory I know why it is called "The Djend" ;) Would like to hear if there's a full thing available

[@thomasxda5497]

Please release a full lenght track guys

[@rtdude1]

So glad to see you guys again! Your videos have consistently been my biggest go-to for learning music theory and improving the more melodic sections of my tracks (dubstep/riddim).

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey, rtdude1, thanks so much for your kind words, we're pumped to have you in the Hack Music Theory community! We're also over the moon that you've used our hacks to improve your music, yay! Thanks so much for stopping by and connecting, we hope to hear from you again soon, until then, take care :) Kate

[@satirical140]

Thank you for making this short and sweet. Many other KZbinrs would have dragged this out to 10 minutes+

[@syewh]

At first, I thought you would be just another music youtuber who's willing to sell his courses and books and not teaching anything at all, but im impressed really; you taught me a lot in these 5 minutes plus offering more information in your books and making them free. Respect

[@HackMusicTheory]

We're super happy you enjoyed our video, Sye! Yup, we are trained musicians and trained music teachers, who believe that good music education should be free for everyone. We do have to pay for rent/food/etc., so we do have PDFs and courses for sale for students who want to go deeper :) Thanks big time for taking the time to watch and connect, Sye, we hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :) ps. What kind of music do you make?

[@charlesneuzilmusic7236]

Your content is always so insightful! What I find so cool about your work, is that the insights, concepts, and ideas you share can transfer into many areas. Even here, with the syncopation, you gave me some great ideas I can use not only to improve melodies, but to improve my soloing/improvisation. That is so cool. Thanks as always for your wonderful work! 😊🙏🙏🙏

[@HackMusicTheory]

Wow, Charles, what a kind and thoughtful comment, thank you! We're thrilled to hear our videos inspire your music-making/playing :) We're super grateful for your presence in the HMT community. Take care and talk soon 🙏

[@sexyndhilarious]

i’ve been making music for a couple years now and i never knew this! i thought i would like/hate my melodies at random so this is very helpful!

[@Zoova]

I already knew the rhythm rule. That one took me a long time to realize. But that syncopation thing is HUGE. Thanks!

[@calacalamari3977]

I really wanna learn to make music, so im so happy to find this in my reccomended! Thisll help tons!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi calacalamari, a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! We're pumped that you want to make music, what kind of music are you thinking of making? If you haven't already, may we suggest that you check out our free music theory book, '12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales and Chords'? It's a super fast and fun read, and will give you a solid music theory foundation from which to start your music making journey! You can download from our website: HackMusicTheory.com/Books. All the best, and please know we're cheering you on! Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@elcaa2064]

how is it goingg

[@jayvessel3444]

Timely! I'm writing a song today in the studio, thanks Harmony fam ❤

[@HackMusicTheory]

Jay! So good to see you again, thank you sincerely for stopping by and connecting. We really appreciate you being here! Have fun in the studio today, and we hope to see you back here for our next time :)

[@richardleo3335]

“The djend” Respect. Lmao.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey, Richard, happy to hear you dig "The Djend"! What kind of music do you make? Thanks big time for stopping by and connecting, we hope you have a great week!

[@briancase6180]

Ok, genius. What strikes me about this is that it's similar to other "weakness"-finding techniques, such as sweeping a narrow-band filter over a sound or the mix to find frequencies of "concern" (either too much or too little). The idea is to force your brain to consider something in isolation. In this case, it's the rhythm. In the EQ case, it's a narrow range of frequencies. Thanks!

[@lorpflorp9461]

Thanks for the tip, this really helped a lot in developing my main battle theme for my indie. Ill try to read the book in my free time. Cheers!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey chezburgermiles smelly, it always makes us happy to know that our hacks are helping music makers! We're pumped to hear that you'll be freshening up your music theory knowledge with our free book :) We hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, all the best with your battle theme :)

[@toxicchupacabras]

I'm just getting started and your help is appreciated. You gave a good example here, the original melody does not have "that feeling", no soul.

[@Chemillioneer]

3:26 sounds a lot like TheFatRat's "Chosen". Also: Thank you, this in what I've had so much trouble with, when trying to produce any genre, it's always the rythm.

[@HackMusicTheory]

We're super happy to hear this was helpful for you, MiniFam! What kind of music do you make? Thanks for taking the time to watch and connect, we hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)

[@Chemillioneer]

@@HackMusicTheory As you can imagine, since I'm not very good at melodies, I usually stick to making beats. I haven't produced anything if you ask that way, but I have made a few beats that me and my friends try to freestyle against eachother at parties :). But I would like to up my game, to express myself through music, better than I can currently.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, we're cheering you on, and we hope our videos help! By the way, good ear on TheFatRat music in the background, it's actually from a video we did on the music theory in "Chosen", which you can watch here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqO6iqOjrdZ2pKc

[@AdamOctorachmadi]

Studied 2 and half year in an performance art school but never taught or learn about rhythm as easy as explained here. The one note trick twisted my mind.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Happy to hear it, Adam, thanks for stopping by, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@JakHart]

I can't remember when I first started watching your guys's videos, but I'm so glad that I do, my music has grown exponentially because of what you've taught me. Thank you very much, I cannot wait to learn more, and grow more as well.

[@AdamHamSammich]

Really glad that KZbins algorithm led me to your channel. It’s refreshing to view quick yet meaningful music tip digests that are backed with actual music theory rather than content creators who promise to help, but 20 minutes into their video, you discover that they’re just as lost as you are. Thanks for sharing your talents and knowledge - Subscribed!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi aDamHamSammich, a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! We find it frustrating too, how much music theory misinformation is here on KZbin. Our mission is to provide a trusted source of music theory for producers, so we're over the moon happy that you found us and that our teaching style resonates with you! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@AdamHamSammich]

@@HackMusicTheory well said and thank you for the warm welcome!! Most of my music composition time is spent creating back-tracks in Ableton to support me while performing violin live, primarily for weddings. Thanks again for the tips and quality content!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Our pleasure, aDamHamSammich! Thanks for sharing a little about yourself, it's always wonderful to meet other musicians :) Have a great week!

[@dynaheart]

This is something I always noticed on my melodies, yet I never found a consistent method to solve it (until now, thank you!)

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Dynaheart, it always makes us happy to know that our hacks are helping music makers! What kind of music do you make? We hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)

[@dynaheart]

@@HackMusicTheory I usually don't focus on genres because I don't know how to differentiate them anyways lol, I just have fun with it!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Haha that's awesome, we love your genre-fluid approach, and you're definitely in the right place here in the Hack Music Theory community! On that note, did you catch our video: Genres Explained - kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6OYmoqoi66LZsU

[@pro-00001]

Happy to see you two making videos again. Hard to face the truth that I've started 20-30 songs since watching your first apprenticeship course but haven't finished one worthy of releasing yet. I hope this video has a follow-up... if the melodies are syncopated, are the underlying chords also syncopated or does the melody pre-anticipate the chord change? Great channel, much love.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey pro, we're always happy to hear from our Apprentice family, and we hope this finds you well! That's super exciting to hear you've got 20-30 song babies on the way :) With regards to finishing and releasing them into the wild world, we highly recommend watching App#1 all the way through once again, and perhaps watch the structuring and arranging episodes at the end a couple times. We've had apprentices watch the whole 17 hours up to 4 times in order for everything to sink in!! All the methods you need to finish your songs are contained in App#1. Also, we'd love to hear some works in progress, so please feel free to post them in the private Apprentice Network! We're cheering you on 100%! Take care and talk soon, Kate & Ray :)

[@ragetheartist23]

I’m excited to try this. Thank you guys for making my music better 🖤

[@gcbeegle]

This is absolutely gold! The fix option to test if the timing fits, is exactly the answer to the question that I didn’t know that I needed to ask. I play guitar and spend most of the time shredding. I use the the first example but not the second. The off-beat accent is a great to lead for a 3rd or 7th that adds the tonal color. This guidance will help shift the intentionality for composition rather than improvisation. A big thank you.

[@not_porter]

oh my goodness, thank you! i've always been stuck writing my melodies, and this helped out a ton.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey, porter, sorry to hear you've been stuck, and we're glad we could help! What kind of music do you make? Thanks big time for watching and connecting, we wish you a great weekend :)

[@not_porter]

@@HackMusicTheory i usually make one form or another of EDM. thanks again for your help!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks for sharing, porter!

[@koshizmusic]

That one note test is incredible, and actually... makes a lot of sense. It's like using a click track for a rhythm, but instead here you've used it for a melody. I'm gonna try that out next time I'm in the studio! Thanks!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, happy to hear it, Koshiz Music, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@petertams2492]

I have to say, I'm obsessed with how beautiful it sounds 5:21 (making a replay button if don't mind)

[@HackMusicTheory]

You're too kind, Peter, thank you! We're grateful that you took the time to watch and connect :) What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks!

[@petertams2492]

@@HackMusicTheory I'm a beginner

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome!! We love welcoming beginners into our community. Being a beginner is great, as you don't have any bad habits! On that note, to avoid the bad-habit path, please be sure to download our free book, as it will give you a super solid music theory foundation in just 30 minutes! You can grab your copy here: hackmusictheory.com/books Happy learning Peter, and thanks again for being here :)

[@katunu6030]

As someone who has recognized that I struggle so hard with rhythm, this video helped so much. I have such a hard time looking at a rhythm and hearing how itll go in my head.

[@jezzaroddy]

As somebody who studied music theory, aural skills, jazz performance, music ed, etc, I approve of this video 100%. The one-note rhythmic approach really helps you to get feel into your melodies. In jazz, we did this to "groove" better.

[@btat16]

I think what you do on this channel is actually much more useful than the conventional “music theory” one would learn in classes today. It’s much more practical and relevant to modern musicians. Amazing work with the channel!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thank you for your kind words, B! Yup, our mission here at Hack Music Theory is to make music theory relevant and immediately applicable to music makers :) Thanks for taking the time to watch and connect, we hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)

[@mrpockets28248]

Awesome idea with the single note trick - can’t wait to try it when I’m writing my next melody! Also don’t forget that another way to experiment with syncopation is to play around with the note velocities :) I’m always surprised at how single-note 16th notes can sound so much more interesting by just changing the stress pattern

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi, mrpockets28248, thanks so much for stopping by and connecting! Happy to hear this video inspired you :) What kind of music do you make?

[@mrpockets28248]

@@HackMusicTheory thanks for the reply! I make electronic/future-bass-y music and sometimes hip hop for fun! What about you guys? :)

[@toxic_shr00m]

Hey! Amateur indie music composer here. This video has opened my eyes to the importance of rhythm (and subsequently breaking it). Thanks! I'll definitely be trying that "one note rhythm" trick when making my next track.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey Toxie, it always makes us happy to know that our hacks are helping music makers! A warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community and we hope to see you around soon for more hacks, until then, take care :)

[@ekoilmusic]

Totally agree! I was just talking about this today to a group of students

[@adudeontheinterweb6571]

imma name my son "Chord Harmony" so he gonna become the greatest musician alive

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, dude, he'd be in good company, since one of our Apprentices named his son Chord too :) What kind of music do you make? A warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community, take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@kyawthiha9258]

This is actually useful, why didn't I found you guys earlier, Thanks for the lessons

[@minimistmoehre6400]

In the recent few months I began thinking about creating my own music, as music is one of the most enjoyable things in life to me. Thanks to you guys I'm not losing my motivation straight away, even though I've never received any proper education in regard to music when I was in school.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks for sharing, Minimistmoehre, we're so happy to be a part of your music making journey! You're on the right track by learning music theory and how to apply it to your music. Just keep practicing, it'll get easier! If you haven't already, may we suggest that you check out our free music theory book, '12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales and Chords'? It's a refresher of the basics and it's a super fast and fun read. You can download from our website: HackMusicTheory.com/Books. By the way, what kind of music are you making? Take care and have a great week!

[@minimistmoehre6400]

@@HackMusicTheory I already downloaded your book, but I didn't have time so far to take a look into it (I'm not yet done with my exams). I'm most interested in Post Punk/ Cold Wave, but I'm pretty open-minded when it comes to music genres, so I might try others as well :) Anyway, thanks for the warm welcome!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, Minimistmoehre, we absolutely encourage music makers to explore different genres as it helps with inspiration and creativity! We did a video that might spark some thoughts, called "The Truth About Genres": kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6OYmoqoi66LZsU. We really appreciate you being here, Minimistmoehre, and are cheering you on in your exams and music making! Have a great day :)

[@funforall9741]

That single note trick is a fantastic way to dial in a rhythm thanks for the advice

[@dr.assblaster3355]

Wow, incredibly simple yet so infinitely useful thank you🙏

[@burntgrass8066]

The production value is way too high for the amount of subs and views, this content deserves more

[@HackMusicTheory]

So happy you're digging our videos, Burnt Grass! Thank you for your very kind words, and for taking the time to watch and connect, we are deeply grateful to you! What kind of music do you make? We hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)

[@slr-d]

Looooove how clean you guys can explain, articulate and teach this. Greaaaaat Video!! 🙏🏾

[@kirbs3192]

This is actually going to be so helpful for counter melodies. Cant believe i never thought of it this way in the last 5 years

[@ChillCash]

Great channel. Lovely attitudes. Wonderful people you are. I lost my dog the other day and am feeling really distraught, so thank you for helping to cheer me up with your natural kindness.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi Christopher, we are so very sorry to hear about your dog, that is a very painful experience to be going through. What was his/her name? Please know we are sending you good thoughts and energy. Much gratitude for sharing, Christopher, take good care of yourself, and we'll talk soon. Kate & Ray

[@ChillCash]

@@HackMusicTheory His name was Chopper and he was the most loving and amazing pitbull! He died from bloat/GDV, which is a life threatening situation if not taken care of immediately and most people are unaware of the condition unfortunately. Thank you very much for your thoughtfulness and caring words. Stay blessed. 🙏

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww, we adore pitbulls :) I also wasn't aware of bloat/GDV, but it sounds awful, poor Chopper. We'll send some prayers his way 🙏 and may I suggest lots of tea, I find it brings me at least a little comfort when I'm suffering. Be well. Kate

[@ChillCash]

@@HackMusicTheory Much appreciated and thank you for the suggestion, will do. You as well! Take care Kate. :)

[@seanradford5766]

Really nice video, Jay and Kate :) syncopation is so often overlooked in melody by beginner composers resulting in very "blocky" comps. Also downloaded your "12 Music Theory Hacks" pdf - really nice! As a music educator myself, I really like how you've structured the content and enjoy your colloquial tone throughout the book. Keen to give your other content a read as well!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Wow thanks so much for your very kind words, Sean, and a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! We're always over the moon to hear from other music educators, what sector of music education are you in? Also, we'd love to know what kind of music you make? Take care and have a lovely week!

[@randomstuff98542]

man... I've been doing music for a while, I've watched so many videos and tutorials... whether on how to create a certain theme or music theory, mastering... this was by far the best one... once the rhythm matches everything falls into place it seems and i have to tell you i scratched the melody over and over and over rage quitting and starting completly over WHY ISNT this WORKING!!! FU** and tried the rhythm it came out so good with music scale. Usually its shear luck my melodies mesh well with everything but now i can use this method with confidence and not only that it worked so well I can create drums on my own now. So simple, thank you so much.

[@sillylittle____guy]

as someone who is currently making music for a fan game, thank you dearly for these videos 🙏

[@krizzzgaming7331]

Awesome video! Gonna need to remember this trick the next time i’ll be making a melody.

[@HackMusicTheory]

We're super happy you enjoyed our video, Krizzz gaming! Thanks for taking the time to watch and connect, we hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)

[@daallen7636]

To be honest, I get very bored with a lot of youtubers over explaining to get the most of the more uneducated audience. I think you guys hit the spot in how much information you provided to suit for the beginner and more advanced writers. For me, I have never thought of focusing on rhythm as much, but understood and came natural with implementing syncopation. I will definitely keep this in mind for the future melodies I write

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks for watching and sharing your observations, DaAllen, we really appreciate it :) Happy to hear this video gave you something to think about! All the best with your music making, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks. Take care and have a great day :)

[@homestuckluck3607]

This makes me realize why songs that are jazz or incorporate a swing rhythm give me a different feel.

[@chefkoch5]

So much knowledge in 6 mins. Normally I never sub after the first video but this just hit different

[@mchlkpng]

As an amateur music writer I'm surprised how much trouble people have with rhythm. Maybe it's the fact my inspiration and base is Toby Fox

[@alejandroblancofelix4537]

Damm the outro didn’t need to go THAT HARD

[@para4]

just started trying to learn how to make music (to some extent) and i’m glad this was the channel to get in my recommended at this time, these videos are great

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi Para, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! We're thrilled to hear that you want to make music, yay! You're on the right track by learning music theory and how to apply it to your music. If you haven't already, may I suggest that you check out our free music theory book, '12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales and Chords'? It's a refresher of the basics and it's a super fast and fun read. You can download from our website: HackMusicTheory.com/Books. From there, in order to get a feel for writing a section of music, we'd suggest you watch these 3 playlists, which are all series: 1. How to Write a Song: kzbin.info/aero/PLgYcaQlDpHN63jnHQaWD6M3-zuhtMjyMm 2. How to Write a Christmas Song (this is relevant even if you're not writing a Christmas song): kzbin.info/aero/PLgYcaQlDpHN7u7BQRj6zD9FvCxTGbrnYw 3. Masterclass: kzbin.info/aero/PLgYcaQlDpHN5Poc5pUuvFlb7dqaJ37AFw While watching those playlists you may want to start making your own chord progressions and melodies. Then you might consider our Songwriting & Producing course, where you'll learn step-by-step how to make music with all the layers working together (you'll find it here: HackMusicTheory.com/Bestsellers). Then after some practice, when you're ready to make full songs, we'd suggest taking a look at our online apprenticeship. It consists of 17 hours of unedited video which captures every second of the songwriting process, from blank screen to finished song, while also teaching every single step and theory hack along the way. You'll learn how to start songs, make new sections for existing sections, transition between sections & finish your songs! You can find out more here: HackMusicTheory.com/Courses. And there you go, that would be our advice on how to get started making music!! Hope that helps, Para, we wish you all the best, and please do let us know how you get along with your music making! Take care and talk soon :)

[@marioe.rivera6013]

I'll be honest, at first I thought it was just a click bait video with a basic and simple change in a melody selling it as a saviour trick. But I actually found a really good and helpful video of a channel that I've never seen before. I'm glad I found this source of information.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Happy to hear you found us, Mario, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@marioe.rivera6013]

​@@HackMusicTheory, It's always nice to see a channel that is aware all the time of it's community. That's very valuable. Future Bass is what I produce the most, but I would love to also produce indie, rock and that kinda vibe. I started to release music a year ago with the name of Blede Boy. I know I'll learn a lot from your content and it will improve us all as musicians. I hope that Hack Music Theory keeps growing.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks for sharing, Mario! It's great that you're exploring different genres, as it definitely helps with inspiration and creativity :) Thank you also for your kind words about our channel, it means a lot to us both. We're cheering you on in your music making journey! Until next time, we wish you all the best :)

[@nsbd90now]

That was really interesting. Just a home-hobbyist dilettante, but did take some music theory long ago. It's a bit beyond me, so this was great. Pretty much every melody I come up with is, well, kind of like your example! lol! I subscribed.

[@HackMusicTheory]

We're super happy you enjoyed our video, nsbd90now, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? If you haven't already, may we suggest that you check out our free music theory book, '12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn Scales and Chords'? It's a refresher of the basics and it's a super fast and fun read. You can download from our website: HackMusicTheory.com/Books. Take care, and have a great week!

[@manfredobobadilla880]

There’s no way you just change the way I view making music in just five mins… thank you soo much!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Haha, happy to help, Manfredo, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@manfredobobadilla880]

@@HackMusicTheory I’m only one year into music production and I’ve enjoyed making trap, but been wanting to make some moombahton and house music recently ! I’ve been trying to focus more on chords and melodies recently too so this really has helped!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks for sharing Manfredo and we're cheering you on in your music making!!

[@realwhitekid]

Wow, this is really cool! Song making is always something I've been interested in, so thank you for expressing the importance of rhythm!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey, Random White Kid, thanks so much for watching and connecting, we really appreciate it! That's awesome that you're interested in making music, what kind of music are you thinking about? Take care and hope to see you again for more music theory hacks!

[@vanandy6270]

short and simple tutorial that I feel will actually help in the future for me, thanks for not making it 20 minutes! lol

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey VanandyGames, it always makes us happy to know that our hacks are helping music makers! What kind of music do you make? We hope to see you around soon for more theory hacks, until then, take care :)

[@vanandy6270]

@@HackMusicTheory I like to mess around on my laptop every now and then to make electronic music, mostly Dubstep 😁

[@HackMusicTheory]

Awesome, thanks for sharing, VanandyGames! Have a great week :)

[@craz2580]

Found this today, i wanted to make some music out of boredom, and this is very nice and easy to understand, thanks!!!

[@sonik86]

There's a lot of info here that I already knew, but in general I'm still learning things watching your vids. You guys just got a new subscriber.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hi SonikAlchemy86, a very warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? We're wishing you a wonderful 2022 :)

[@NeonBeeCat]

Wtf the example demo thing was actually good as hell

[@jrnerdmann2098]

Great to see you on KZbin again. Greetings from Berlin, Germany.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks, Jørn! We really appreciate you stopping by and hope this finds you and your family well :)

[@jrnerdmann2098]

@@HackMusicTheory thanks for replying. In school I never really liked music theory although I’ve always loved music. Later I started playing drums and then in late 2017 I bought NI Maschine. Being able to play drums and melodies and chords made me look into music theory. Your channel was one of the first I found and I immediately subscribed to it. I like how you teach music theory in short videos. You two are fun to watch. I can tell you love to teach and you enjoy music. Thanks for filling a 40+ year gap!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks so much for sharing, Jørn, we're absolutely thrilled and honoured that our teachings are helping to fill the music theory gap! Much gratitude for your kind words and support, it's a pleasure to have you here in the Hack Music Theory community! Take care and talk soon, Kate :)

[@jrnerdmann2098]

@@HackMusicTheory thanks Kate for replying. You two stay well.

[@lazergurka-smerlin6561]

that one note test idea is probably the best idea I've heard when it comes to rhythm in music

[@normanorman]

Good vid, you guys did a swell job explaining and I learned new things. I’m not a completely self-taught musician per se but I have been teaching myself how to write songs, and informative videos like these help me fill in some gaps in my knowledge. Thanks y’all

[@DogeisCut]

"Can you hear the fault in this music?" Proceeds to play a melody that sounds like music I make Me: uh oh

[@randon19yearold]

A music theory video my adhd ass can pay attention to? Subscribed! 👍😂

[@HackMusicTheory]

Lol, happy to hear this was helpful, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@littleshaq6283]

thank you so much, I really struggled and now I realise it is due to my rhythym!

[@yaboitroy7008]

The thing that really got me into music was actually video games; specifically pokemon diamond pearl and platinum with the lake theme. They use conflicting tritones, yet it sounds ethereal and beautiful.

[@nebroskitheraut6705]

I love when you guys upload!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Well, we love when you connect with us! :)

[@soundslikemonii]

this vid is full of gems 🙌🏾

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey, MONIIBVGS, thanks so much for stopping by and connecting, we're happy to hear this vid resonated with you! Wishing you a great weekend, and we hope to see you again soon :)

[@YeahNah_Mate]

I found this video at the right moment! I'm in my last year of school and am doing 3 compositions for my major work and I was getting frustrated because I knew something was off and yet I couldn't figure it out! Man, I guess going back to the basics is a good saying then XD

[@fallenleaf24]

I have watched a few of your vids after just finding you.. & somehow I feel like him back in school & being taught by school education videos.. while at the same time the information is way way better.

[@nniklask]

Even though I knew this stuff before, I can recommend this for beginners

[@HackMusicTheory]

Hey hey, n.niklas.k, happy to hear you'd recommend us, thanks! What kind of music do you make? If you're interested in our more advanced hacks, you'll find them in our Metal Music Theory playlist (these hacks can be applied to any genre): kzbin.info/aero/PLgYcaQlDpHN4CU-74EQ7NQnoDbHt8ZDH_ Thanks so much for stopping by and connecting, n.niklas.k, we hope you have a great week!

[@keejay12]

This 1 note rule is a true 💎

[@HackMusicTheory]

You're too kind, thank you 🙏

[@jysaw1]

Up and coming producer/ songwriter with no experience in the trade. Yall are a lifesaver

[@HackMusicTheory]

Happy to hear, jysaw, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@unremorse]

you guys are awesome, always come back to your videos whenever I'm getting an artistic block, thank you!

[@mrvoid3002]

The fact that this 5 minute tutorial is better than all 25 minutes on youtube

[@ceskyy_5645]

If I'd watched this video 7 years ago, probably I would be 10 times better today, really useful.

[@HackMusicTheory]

Happy to hear this was useful to you, Cesar! What kind of music do you make? Thanks so much for stopping by and connecting, take care :)

[@KiraHawleyRichardson]

That one note test is brilliant! Thank you!

[@DEVILAARYA]

Hey and I am Scale and my brother name is Key

[@nori1316]

Quantity of a wise quotes intensifies within a span of just few minutes!

[@HackMusicTheory]

Thanks for watching and connecting, nori clips! Have a lovely week :)

[@benc4968]

Kurt Cobain honestly mastered this art. People might think the songs are ‘simple’ but once you pay attention to all the rhythms?! Unreal.

[@patrikduller8449]

That's pretty cool. Just getting started writing my own stuff. Just downloaded your book. Thanks so much! Greetings from Germany! And now for the tea. :)

[@randombanana7260]

Wow this was really informational and well made! This is a lesson I won't forget about, entertaining and well explained :) cleared a lot of questions I never knew how to ask. Thank you for the lesson! 🎶

[@HackMusicTheory]

Aww thanks so much Random Banana, and a warm welcome to the Hack Music Theory community! What kind of music do you make? Take care, and we hope to see you again soon for more theory hacks :)

[@markninoalbano5209]

"closet metalhead" lmao 💀

[@HackMusicTheory]

Haha, yup, but it's probably not such a big secret anymore ;) Thanks for stopping by Mark, we wish you a lovely weekend! Kate