How to Write a Catchy Melody . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2877864/catchy-melody Intro . British band Glass Animals are absolutely massive! At the time of writing this, they’re ranked #257 in the world on Spotify. Most artists as famous as them have achieved their success as a result of an obsessive striving for celebrity. However, Glass Animals seem to be obsessed with making cat...
May 08, 2024•1 min
How to Write a Better Snare Rhythm . Free PDF Tutorial includes MIDI + WAV file examples If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2806684/snare-rhythms Intro . While it’s normal to hear at least a few different kick patterns and hi-hat patterns in music nowadays, it’s rare to hear an interesting snare pattern. The rhythm assigned to this neglected element of the drumkit is almost always an afterthought. In 4|4 (which most music is in), the ...
Mar 18, 2024•54 sec
How to Write a Rhythmically Displaced Bass Line . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2648019/displaced-bass Intro . Do you ever write a bass line (or synth/guitar riff) that you love, but after a few loops it gets boring? No problem, you think to yourself, being here in the Hack Music Theory community you know that you need to write a variation for it. So you get to work on that. Fast fo...
Nov 24, 2023•1 min
How to Write Sweeping Arpeggios . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2639559/sweeping-arpeggios Intro . Do your arpeggios all sound rather similar? It’s a common problem for producers. Arpeggios are when you play a chord one note at a time, and it’s one of the best techniques for making your progressions more interesting. And while it’s definitely more rare to hear arpeggios than “block”...
Nov 17, 2023•53 sec
How to Write a Memorable Bass Line . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2620271/memorable-bass Intro . Yes, your lead melody is important. But a great bass line has the power to make or break a section. Despite that fact, though, most producers approach their bass as an afterthought. Think about it. How many songs’ bass lines can you remember? Almost all the bass lines we hear in the new...
Nov 03, 2023•53 sec
How to Write Suspenseful Soundtrack Music . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2591466/suspenseful-melody Intro . The dictionary definition of suspenseful is “causing a feeling of excitement or nervousness because you are waiting for something to happen”. That perfectly describes the intro of “Tubular Bells - Pt. I” by Mike Oldfield. It’s easy to hear why The Exorcist (1973) director Wil...
Oct 13, 2023•1 min
How to Write a Technical Drum Beat . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2579130/tech-drums Intro . If you’ve been in the Hack Music Theory family for a while, you’ll know we love technical drum beats! And there probably ain’t nothin’ more tech’ than polymeters*. While polymeters were relatively popular with those bold “modern classical” composers of the early 20th century, they haven’t b...
Sep 29, 2023•55 sec
How to Write an Octatonic Riff . Using the Half-Whole Diminished Scale Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2568001/octatonic-riff Intro . Almost all popular music (in every genre and subgenre) is made using the major scale or the natural minor scale. That’s a vast ocean of music from only two scales! And yes, some of the more creative producers will use the modes. That’s great. But, the m...
Sep 14, 2023•46 sec
How to Write a Beautiful Melody . There are 7 elements that create a beautiful melody. In this PDF tutorial you'll learn what they are, and how to use them! Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2554562/beautiful-melody Intro . When I recently heard “Ray Of Solar” by Swedish House Mafia on Spotify’s “New Music Friday” playlist, the song’s beauty jumped out at me from amongst the almost 150 ...
Sep 07, 2023•46 sec
How to Write Beautiful Arpeggios . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2551818/beautiful-arpeggios Intro . If you play all the notes of a chord simultaneously, you’ll create an instant emotion in your listener. This is a powerful technique, and the most common way to play chords. While allowing a chord to unfold and reveal its emotion one note at a time is arguably less powerful, in the r...
Aug 25, 2023•1 min
How to Write a Melodic Bass Drop . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2546081/melodic-bass-drop Intro . EDM producers didn’t invent the bass drop, but it’s easy to argue they perfected it! Having said that, though, the bass drop has long since gone stale. After becoming so popular, it was sadly turned into a formulaic cliché. However, every now and then a creative producer comes along wi...
Aug 18, 2023•49 sec
How to Write a Rhythmic Chord Progression . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2540881/rhythmic-chords Intro . One of the most common mistakes producers make when writing chord progressions is focusing exclusively on the notes (i.e. the harmony). Now, it obviously goes without saying that the notes are a vital ingredient in chord progressions, however, another vital ingredient that is of...
Aug 11, 2023•32 sec
How to Write Peaceful Piano Music . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2536029/peaceful-piano Intro . I’m just old enough that I got in my Grade 1 to 12 school years before computers and the internet took over. If you’re a Gen X like me, and there wasn’t a computer in your school building either, then our schooling experience was pretty much the same as our grandfathers’ schooling experi...
Aug 04, 2023•1 min
How to Write a Bass Line and Guitar Riff in 2 Modes Simultaneously . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2530724/2-mode-bass Intro . Humans are walking paradoxes! You know those times when you’re feeling two contradicting emotions at the same time? Like when you’re in a difficult situation but you feel hopeful about the future, while simultaneously doubting your own optimism. How on earth...
Jul 28, 2023•32 sec
How to Write a Mixolydian Melody . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2525831/mixolydian-melody Intro . Music in a major key is uplifting, but the downside is that it often sounds childlike. This is because the major scale is the most predictable scale. Predictable things are comforting and reassuring, so it is indeed used in almost all children’s music. The ease at which children can si...
Jul 21, 2023•1 min
How to Write a Calming Chord Progression . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2520762/calming-chords Intro . Within seconds of hearing the opening chords in Portishead “Roads” , you can feel your cortisol levels dropping and your body’s tension releasing. This intro has to be one of the most calming moments in the entire popular music catalogue. Unlike the mad rush that songs are in nowa...
Jul 14, 2023•1 min
How to Write Standout Drum Beats . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2515384/standout-drums Intro . A standout drum beat can make or break a song. Want proof? Listen to the new Aphex Twin single “Blackbox Life Recorder 21f”. He’s actually reversed the roles of the instruments in this song, as the melody, chords and bass step into the background while the drums take centre stage. In othe...
Jul 06, 2023•37 sec
How to Write Bass Lines That Move People . Free PDF Tutorial includes multitrack MIDI file If the link above does not work, paste this into your browser: https://hackmusictheory.com/album/2505465/bass-moves Intro . I remember the first time I heard “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails in a club back in the ‘90s. I’d never before seen people literally running to the dance floor. Running! My fellow Gen Xers will remember this, but by the time the bass line starts after about 20 seconds of drums, the dance ...
Jun 30, 2023•31 sec
How to Write Heavy BASS Lines Step 1. Syncopated Octaves Set up one bar of 4|4 with your grid on 1/16 notes, and your tempo at 110 BPM. You’re gonna start by using only one note, and the octave of that note. We’re using A in our example. So, draw in every 1/16 note on the low A. Now, play around with moving a handful of them one octave up. These high notes will make accents in your bass line, so you want them to create a cool rhythm all on their own. And one of the best ways to do that is to syn...
Jun 11, 2023•3 min
How to Write Advanced DRUMS Step 1. Pattern Set up two bars of 4|4 with your grid set to 1/16 notes, and your tempo at 136 BPM. Now, instead of starting to make your drum beat with the usual kick on beat 1 and snare on the backbeats (like everyone else does!), you’re gonna start by writing your kick and snare pattern on the hi-hats. Wait, what?! I know that seems like a really odd thing to do, but this method is gonna result in a far more creative (and therefore “advanced”) drum beat. Okay, so t...
Jun 04, 2023•3 min
How to Write Locrian BASS Lines Step 1. Basic Set up four bars with an 1/8 note grid, and your tempo at 97 BPM. You’re gonna start by writing a basic bass line that plays every 1/8 note. This creates momentum. We’re in B Locrian here, which is just all the white notes from B to B. The Locrian mode is exceptionally dark, and what makes it so dark is the ♭2 (which is C in this example) and the ♭5 (which is F in this example). Now, because those two notes are what make Locrian sound so dark, you wa...
May 28, 2023•3 min
How to Write a Beautiful CHORD Progression Step 1. Beauty Set your grid to 1/16 notes and your tempo to 113 BPM. We’re in the key of A minor here, which is just all the white notes from A to A. Right, so the first step to writing a beautiful chord progression is finding a beautiful chord. There are many beautiful chords, but a good guideline is to leave space for the harmony to breathe. Think about walking into a beautiful cathedral. The space is as beautiful as the structure. When applying this...
May 22, 2023•3 min
How to Write a BASS Line with Harmony Step 1. Low Harmony is when two or more notes are played together. And sadly, it’s rare to hear harmony in a bass line. The word “line” is actually used to convey the fact that it’s a melody, not a harmony. That’s how rare harmony is on the bass! You see, most producers think the bass frequencies are too low to play harmony. In other words, if you play two notes together, it’ll sound like a rumbling mess. But, that’s not true. That only happens when the two ...
May 14, 2023•3 min
How to Write a Standout MELODY Step 1. First Impressions There are many ways to write a standout melody, but it’s difficult to improve on the method PJ Harvey uses in her new single “A Child’s Question, August”. That’s because nothing grabs our attention like a bold first impression. And by first impression, I literally mean the first note of the melody. You see, PJ Harvey starts her melody in the Dorian mode, and the very first note she sings is the major 6th. That’s the one-and-only note that ...
May 07, 2023•3 min
How to Write a Locrian RIFF FREE: Download This Tutorial as PDF Includes multitrack MIDI example Step 1. Octaves Set your grid to 1/16 notes and your tempo to 97 BPM. You’re gonna start by writing a creative pattern using only octaves. If you’re writing this on guitar, use your low open E string and the E one octave higher. And be sure to play every 1/16 note, as that’s what gives the riff that heavy momentum. At the very end of the riff, though, play four 1/8 notes. That creates variation, and ...
Apr 23, 2023•3 min
How to Write a Catchy MELODY FREE: Download This Tutorial as PDF Includes multitrack MIDI example Step 1. Scale There are two types of catchy melodies: annoyingly repetitive ones you can’t stop singing but actually hate, and awesome ones that are memorable cos they’re unique. So, to write a catchy melody that isn’t annoying, you need to make it unique somehow. There are numerous ways to do that, and in this example we’ll be using two. The first way is to use an unusual scale. You see, our ears a...
Apr 09, 2023•3 min
How to Write Energetic BASS Lines Step 1. Rhythmic Energy There’s a super energetic bass line in the new single “No Reason” by The Chemical Brothers. To write a bass line like this, you need a lot of movement. Not just rhythmic movement, but melodic movement too. So, start by writing an energetic 2-bar rhythm for your bass line. Just use one pitch for now. We used A. You see, if you can get your bass sounding cool on one note, imagine how amazing it’s gonna sound when you bring in the melodic mo...
Apr 02, 2023•3 min
How to Write a Lydian MELODY FREE: Download This Tutorial as PDF Includes multitrack MIDI example Simple music can be great music. Depeche Mode’s lead single “Ghosts Again” from their new album “Memento Mori” is proof. It has a well-written and creative vocal melody in the verses, but it’s really simple. So, here’s a method for writing melodies from a band that’s been going for over 40 years! Step 1. Mode If you’re going to write a simple melody, it helps to choose an interesting mode. They chos...
Mar 20, 2023•3 min
How to Write Polymeter DRUMS Step 1. Kick in 7 The new Periphery single “Atropos” (from the album Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre) opens with a classic djent polymeter, which we love! Staying true to Meshuggah’s original polymeter recipe, the kick is in odd time while the snare and cymbals are in 4|4. So, start by programming a one-bar kick rhythm in 7|8. And just cos you’re in 7|8, doesn’t mean you have to only use 1/8 notes, so change your grid to 1/16 notes. By the way, the tempo is 80 BPM....
Mar 09, 2023•3 min
How to Write a Layered Guitar RIFF Step 1. Bass The first thing you notice in the opening riff of “Ego Death” by Polyphia is that there are two layers. There’s a bass line and a lead melody all in one riff, played by one guitar. By adding bass notes below the melody they’re implying chords and creating harmony. This adds a beautiful depth to the riff. And yes, this technique is not new. In fact, it’s hundreds of years old and is common in classical guitar pieces. But, it’s actually rare to hear ...
Mar 01, 2023•3 min
