Learn how to create rich chromatic harmony using borrowed chords, secondary dominants, and smooth voice-leading. A hands-on guide to adding surprise and color to your music! HarmonicSOS – Jump-Start Your Chord Progressions From Scratch! - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/jump-start-your-chord-progressions-from-scratch/ COURSES 🔥Mastering the Art of Harmonizing Melodies - https://courses.beyondmusictheory.org/b/IN1ic 🔥Creating Unique Chord Progressions - https://courses.beyondmusictheory.org/b...
May 18, 2025•14 min
Feeling stuck with creating chord progressions? Discover simple strategies to kickstart your creativity using tried-and-true common-chord progressions. Find me on: 🔥 BeyondMusic Theory Blog - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/blog/ 🎵 OnlineLessons - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/coaching/ 🎵 OnlineMusic Courses - https://courses.beyondmusictheory.org/ 📚 BeyondMusic Theory eBook - https://courses.beyondmusictheory.org/b/5rWG References: 🔥Chord Substitutions - https://www.beyond...
May 07, 2025•13 min
Take your ambient chord progressions to the next level! In this video, we’ll explore the power of chord inversions, drones, evolving ideas, and more to create deep, evolving soundscapes. Watch Ambient Chord Video Series here: Create Stunning Ambient Chords With These Simple Techniqueshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7Kx5dXzWnQ More Tips For Writing Ambient Chord Progressions - Part I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCMpLMbWwb0 Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory Blog - https://www.beyondmusictheo...
Feb 28, 2025•10 min
Learn how slow changes, colorful chords, and voice-leading can make your ambient chord progressions more immersive, expressive and captivating! Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory Blog 🎵 Online Lessons 🎵 Online Music Courses 📚 Beyond Music Theory eBook #MusicTheory #AmbientMusic #ChordProgressions #MusicComposition #MusicProduction #CreativeChords #MusicTips #AtmosphericMusic #Soundscapes #HarmonyTips...
Feb 08, 2025•9 min
Discover how to harmonize melodies with chord and modal colors for deeper emotional impact and creative harmonic textures – tips to elevate your harmonization skills! Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory Blog 🎵 Private Online Lessons 🎵 Online Music Courses 📚 Beyond Music Theory eBook 📚 Mastering the Art of Harmonizing Melodies Reference Links: - The Diatonic Modes - Modal Harmony - Modal Modulation 00:00 Intro 00:41 Harmonic Color 03:05 Intentionality 03:58 Colors and a Case for Modal Modulati...
Jan 28, 2025•10 min
Learn how to create stunning ambient chords exploring different chord voicings, extensions, pedal notes, all while adding movement and atmosphere to your music Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory Blog 🎵 Online Lessons 🎵 Online Music Courses 📚 Beyond Music Theory eBook 00:00 - Intro 00:36 - Know Your Chords 01:28 - Chord Voicings and Connection 04:02 - Exploring Chord Extensions Through Voice Movement 07:52 - Using Pedal Notes for Dissonance and Connection 10:16 - Adding Subtle Textures ...
Jan 07, 2025•14 min
I’ll be showing you how to use a 4/4 time signature to mimic the feel of odd meters by rethinking rhythmic structures and more... Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory Blog 🎵 Online Lessons 🎵 Online Music Courses 📚 Beyond Music Theory eBook...
Dec 10, 2024•8 min
Using the chromatic scale to create music can be very off-putting as there are too many approach possibilities. Let's explore it using a polytonal approach and harness the power of the chromatic scale. Connecting Sections in your music arrangements: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fVQNOnTYtI Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory Blog 🎵 Online Lessons 🎵 Online Music Courses 📚 Beyond Music Theory eBook Supporting Links: 📚 https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/polytonality-and-polymodal...
Nov 21, 2024•8 min
Today I’m going to talk about the importance of planning where to use your out-of-key materials, in this case, harmonic materials. 🎵 Mastering The Art Of Harmonizing Melodies – https://courses.beyondmusictheory.org/b/IN1ic Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory Blog 🎵 Online Lessons 🎵 Online Music Courses 📚 Beyond Music Theory eBook Supporting Links: 📚 - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/dominant-chord-substitutions/ 📚 - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/secondary-dominants/ 📚...
Nov 14, 2024•6 min
I’m going to show you how you can create surprising harmonic landscapes by using a technique called modal layering. Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory Blog 🎵 Online Lessons 🎵 Online Music Courses 📚 Beyond Music Theory eBook Supporting Links: 📚 Intervals - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/intervals/ 📚 Chords by Fourths and Fifths - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/chords-by-fourths-and-fifths/ 📚 Pentatonic Scales - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/the-pentatonic-major...
Nov 07, 2024•9 min
Today we are going to look at a couple of ways of connecting sections of your musical arrangement. Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory Blog 🎵 Online Lessons 🎵 Online Music Courses 📚 Beyond Music Theory eBook...
Oct 11, 2024•6 min
Creating different musical contexts to keep your ostinato sections interesting and fresh. 📚 Ostinatos - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/ostinatos/ 📚 Modal Mixture - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/modal-mixture/ 🔥🎵 Nexus (new music video) - https://youtu.be/VyZ-16b6fHk Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory Blog 🎵 Online Lessons 🎵 Online Music Courses 📚 Beyond Music Theory eBook...
Aug 10, 2024•5 min
A Guide to Music Expression Introduction: In this short online course you will look into ways of giving meaning to your music by using the musical elements according to your intentions. The Elements of Music: A step by step guide through the elements of music and how they can be applied in practice. Case Study #1: An example of how the management of the music elements can be used creatively to make music Case Study #2: A more in depth example of how the management of the music elements can be us...
Aug 08, 2021•38 min
Today we will be looking at an example of how chromatic mediant relationships can sound by creating unexpected harmonies and also some tips on things you can do with rhythm to surprise your listeners. Suggested links: - Chromatic Mediants - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/chromatic-mediants/ - Metric Modulation - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/metric-modulation/ - Scales Harmonization - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/scales-harmonization/ - Block Chords - https://www.beyondmusictheory.or...
May 03, 2021•10 min•Ep. 9
In this episode we will be looking at some tips that you can use to create chord progressions and start making your next song. I also did a little bit of that, as you will listen throughout the episode. It was the result of mirroring technique, diatonic and chromatic voice-leading all put together using common chord progressions and changing them a little bit so it’s not more of the same. Supporting Links: 1. Intervals - https://beyondmusictheory.wordpress.com/2019/10/25/intervals/ 2. Chord Form...
Jan 15, 2021•7 min•Ep. 8
In this episode I will be showing you different ways of using tonal and chromatic material to build polychord structures. Polychords can be used as single or separate chord structures. Learn some of the ways in which you can use them in your music. Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory Blog 🎵 Online Lessons 🎵 Online Music Courses 📚 Beyond Music Theory eBook...
Oct 08, 2020•6 min•Ep. 7
In this episode, I will be proposing eight ways that you can use this technique. Each has a different feel of vibe so you will have to choose depending on the harmonic effect you are going for. This particular harmonic technique consists in moving a chord or a harmonic interval and maintain the relative distance between pitches, or put another way, it’s when all the voices of a chord move in the same direction. It can be used to connect with a more important chord or to thicken a melodic line. F...
Aug 12, 2020•6 min
Hello and welcome! In today’s episode, I’ll be approaching a question that will always be open for debate as each and every one of us listens to and thinks about music differently. Nonetheless, all boils down to a musician’s ability of hearing sounds in its head. And the questions is: Where do musical ideas come from? Supporting Links: - Audiation - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_music_learning_theory#Audiation - How Music Theory is (Not) Killing Your Creativity - https://www.beyondmusicth...
Jun 25, 2020•7 min•Ep. 5
In this post we will be looking at some practical uses for modal interchange. First of all, what is it? This is a technique that consists in temporarily borrowing chords from a parallel tonality or mode that shares the same root without abandoning the established key. If any of these concepts sound unfamiliar to you, check out the links in the description that will take you to the appropriate blog entry: - Types of Modulation - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/types-of-modulation/ - Diatonic Mo...
Jun 12, 2020•5 min
In this episode, I will be telling you what quartal harmony is and how you can use it in your music. I will also be looking at the melody harmonization process with these chords and explore some ideas for it. As usual, below are links for supporting posts in case you are not following the approached concepts in this episode: - Chords by Fourths and Fifths - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/chords-by-fourths-and-fifths/ - Harmonic Ambiguity - https://www.beyondmusictheory.org/harmonic-ambiguity/...
Jun 02, 2020•5 min•Ep. 3
In this episode you will listen to you how I used mostly pentatonic materials to compose a track and I'll take you through the thought process of extracting the information I needed for chords and melodies. During the episode I talk about some concepts that if you are not familiar with them you can read all about by following the links: - Pentatonic Scales - Scales Harmonization - Diatonic Modes - Suspended Chords - Chords in Fourths and Fifths - Polychords Find me on: 🔥 Beyond Music Theory B...
May 27, 2020•6 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In today's episode I will be approaching a technique that can be used as means to create, release, prolong tension and even preparing the harmonic transitions while you are going from chord to chord. It is a way of creating harmonic interest and depth. Typically, the effect can be found at the end of phrases or in cadences, but you don't have to feel restricted by this, as you will hear. Other References: - Harmonic Anticipation and Suspension - https://beyondmusictheory.wordpress.com/2020/01/20...
May 25, 2020•5 min
