Create 30-60 seconds of music using a melody and chords

I. Intro: Why Music Theory?

Share why you want to learn theory
Why do you want to learn music theory? What are your expectations from learning the basics of music theory? How will theory help you make music?

Check these resources out for inspiration:

Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within

WHY LEARN MUSIC THEORY?

Is Traditional Notation for Film Composing Dying?

MIDI Sequencer
Make a practice schedule
Remember the mantra: "A little bit everyday keep frustrations and demotivation away!"

Write out a quick routine for yourself—just 10 or 15 minutes everyday.

Monday: 6:30 - 6:45 pm @ home

Tuesday: 7:00 - 7:15 pm @ home

Wednesday: 9:00 - 9:15 am @ home

Thursday: day off

Friday: 12:15 - 12:30 pm @ school

Saturday: 1:00 - 1:15 pm @ the park

Sunday: day off

I. Intro: How Music and Sound Work

Listen for the musical form of a popular song
Listen to a song and identify the principles of this unit:

Can you hear where pitches are increasing and decreasing? Fewer low notes and more frequent high notes?

If you're comfortable with the MIDI grid, consider listening to a song and seeing if you can match some of the notes and moments that are creating tension and resolution. A few simpler ones to get started:
Create some melodies on the MIDI grid
"Write" some notes on your MIDI sequencer. Think about whether you're creating whole or half steps.

If you want to double-check your knowledge, try writing out the following sequence of notes: C3, D3, E3, G3, G3, A3, G3, E3, C#2, D#2, E#2, G#, Ab, Bb, G#, F. All MIDI notes should have equal length. Then, check your screen against the attached screengrab.

Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the melodies you're creating.

II. Basics: Rhythm

Identify the meter in a song
Pick a song and identify its "beats per measure" (BPM). It can be helpful to listen to its percussion, drums, and melody. Think about how you'd walk or clap to the rhythm of the music—that's your speed and timing.
Create a beat using a meter of your choice
If you're experienced with your software, use your MIDI controller to create a beat in a meter discussed in the lessons.

If you're used to creating music just by ear, pay attention to how thinking about groups of 2, 3, and 4 affect your composition process.

II. Basics: Intervals

Create a reference list of songs for recognizing intervals
A common way to recognize intervals is to associate them with reference songs that you know well. For example, the song Amazing Grace begins with a perfect fourth. So when you hear an interval that sounds like the beginning of Amazing Grace, you can quickly conclude that it's a perfect fourth.

Create your own list of songs to memorize intervals. EarMaster has a great resource of songs to get you started: EarMaster's Famous Songs to Learn Intervals.

II. Basics: Scales

Create a short melody based on a scale
Create different scales on the MIDI grid, practicing the intervals for major, minor, harmonic, and melodic scales.

If you're just getting started, stick with the major scale:

See how your scales start to form something you can sing along to. What happens when all the notes follow one after the other? What happens when you skip a few notes and jump around?

Notice the mood you start to feel, and the emotions you start to convey. Share your melody with the class for feedback.

III. Chords: Triads

Play a few triads on the MIDI grid
Build a few triads, paying attention to the intervals between the notes. What is the chord "quality" or type (major, minor, diminished, or augmented)?

If you feel like you like the chords, add a few high-register melody notes as in the video lesson. Listen to your song and see if you're liking the sound. Continue to modify and revise, and share it with the class for feedback.

III. Chords: Tetrachords

Create a four-chord sequence on the MIDI grid
Create a four-chord sequence on the MIDI grid. This could be:
- four chords you make up on your own
- four chords from a song you've listened to and figured out on the MIDI grid, or
- four chords listed in a song's "tab" or chord chart online.
Share your screengrab of the four chords and tell the class why you chose this song.

For example, here are the first 4 chords of “Help” by The Beatles: Bm, GMaj7, E, A.

III. Chord Series: Diatonic Major

Make a very short piano sketch
Make a very short piano sketch that includes a few chords, a bass line, and a melody. Share it with the class and pose questions for feedback.

A quick additional resource: Before you begin, check out this 6-minute video: "The Axis of Awesome: 4 Chords Official Music Video." It demonstrates how many people end up using the same series of chords! This is not because people are copying from each other, but because diatonic chords work in patterns and certain chords always have affinities with each other. Listen and use your ears to guide you in those affinities.

III. Chord Series: Diatonic Minor

Make a very short piano sketch
Create a very short piano sketch (or revise your sketch from the previous section). It should include a few chords, a bass line, and a melody. Be sure to include a few minor chords. Share it with the class and pose questions for feedback.

IV. Concepts: Advanced Rhythm

Create a loop using syncopation
Create a loop using syncopation.
Create a complex beat
Try creating a loop that has 7 beats per bar. Share your sketch with peers for feedback.

IV. Concepts: Advanced Scales

Create a piano sketch using a symmetrical scale
Write a melody using either the chromatic, whole-tone, or diminished scale. Add a drum loop to really make your musical idea sound complete, then share it with your peers for feedback.

IV. Concepts: Advanced Tetrachords

Apply chord extensions to a song sketch
Make a chord progression using extensions. Add a bass line, a melody, and a drum loop. Share your sketch with your peers on the forum. Keep it simple, keep it quick. The main idea is to improve the workflow and to explore the chord extensions we learned in this lesson!

IV. Harmony: Inversions and Rootless Chords

Apply the voice leading principle to a musical sketch
Make a chord progression with rootless chords. Make sure the voice leading is correct. Add a melody and a bass line.

What chords can you invert or rearrange? Is there more than one way to move the notes around? Are there notes near each other that make the voice leading especially effective?

Share your sketch with your peers for feedback.

IV. Harmony: Modulation and Progressions

Create 30-60 seconds of music
Create music by playing with as many of the concepts from these lessons as you'd like.

It should include a melody, chords, and a bass line.

Consider adding advanced concepts like modulation and syncopation, experimenting with modal harmonies, and using a common chord progression.

Don't feel limited—if you want to create a full song, go for it! Use your knowledge of musical forms to expand your composition into a verse, chorus, and bridge.

The more you create and do, the better you'll internalize all of the concepts and the more naturally you'll find yourself composing, creating, and even singing.

Share: Share your music, screengrabs about your process, questions for your peers, and a few lines about your musical decisions.

Happy creating!

Alex Brown

--