How to Write an Octatonic Riff

Using the Half-Whole Diminished Scale

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…

How to Write in 2 Modes Simultaneously

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…

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…

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…

Meshuggah Hack for Better Djent Riffs

In this lesson you'll learn how to improve your Djent riffs using a hack from Meshuggah "I Am That Thirst", which is off their new album "Immutable". But first… Tea!

Hello revolutionary music makers…

Ray Harmony and the Hack Music Theory revolution are put to the ultimate test in this Halloween Special. Is it possible to make great music that's not in any scale or mode? Spoiler alert: Yes! By the way, please note…

Learn how to use a music theory hack from Bob Marley “Could You Be Loved” to write a legendary song intro that won’t get skipped!

WELCOME
Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony)…

Can you believe it? After 13 years, there’s finally new music from Tool. So in this lesson you’ll learn a music theory hack from TOOL “Fear Inoculum”, and how to use it to write your own odd time signature riffs…

What does Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber’s song “I Don’t Care” have in common with the metal subgenre Djent? The answer is shocking and eye-opening, so click play to find out now! Subtitles/CC available.

Just before we jump in though…

Hello revolutionary music makers, we are Kate Harmony and Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to Hack Music Theory. We help you make great music that stands out, so you can move and grow your audience! If that…

No matter what genre you make music in, you can easily funk up your bass lines, which will get people moving to your music. So in this video, you’ll learn how to apply four essential funk elements to your…

What makes a great djent riff? Two things: the right notes, with the right polymeter. So in this video you’ll learn all that, plus you’ll learn how to make your riffs stand out by adding a second melody…

Sometimes a section in your song will want a simple bass line, in fact, sometimes it’ll want nothing more than one note. But, almost all one-note bass lines sound like they were made by a complete beginner. So, how on…

4/4 is the most overused time signature, ever! So if you want your music to stand out, the easiest way to do that is to use odd time signatures. Wait, but don’t odd time signatures sound odd? Not if…

Happy Halloween!

Are you brave enough to watch the Scariest Music Theory Video on YouTube?

You've been warned, so click at your own risk, and good luck ;)

Ray & Kate

Does your music get bodies movin’, and the party started? If not, don’t worry, you just need to add some bounce. So in this video, you’ll learn a super easy yet super effective hack to bring da bounce to your…

Do you listen to your favourite artists and wonder why their music grooves more than yours? Well that ends now, cos the hack in this video is gonna make your music groove big time. But first… tea!

Hello music makers…

You want people moving to your music, right? But, are you bored of using the same old four-on-the-floor drum beat to achieve that. Well, then you need to add an African flava to your rhythm (and your chords!), as…

Learn how Matt Bellamy (Muse) writes arpeggios by fusing the natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor scales (as heard in "The Dark Side" from upcoming album "Simulation Theory") to create a 9-note minor scale.

Hello revolutionaries, and welcome…

Happy New Music Friday, and welcome to the Hack Music Theory show! So, Alice in Chains, new album out today, woohoo!!! I’ve been a fan since their debut album dropped way back in 1990, so I’m super stoked to reveal…

In this Hack Music Theory lesson, you’ll learn how to write a BIG guitar riff (even if you don’t play guitar) like San Holo in “worthy”. But first... Tea!

Hello! I’m Kate Harmony, this is Ray Harmony, and welcome to…

In this video, you'll learn how The Prodigy use (and abuse!) the Phrygian mode to write a killer bass synth melody in their new single "Need Some1". But first... Tea!

Hello, we are Kate Harmony & Ray Harmony…

TesseracT has a liberating approach to time signatures, so in this music theory lesson, you’ll learn their hack to magically change your song's tempo without changing its BPM. But first... Tea!

Hello, we are Kate Harmony &amp…

Hello, we are Kate Harmony & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to the Hack Music Theory show, where you are empowered with notation-free theory for making great music in DAWs. In today's video/podcast, you'll learn 2 hacks…

Hello, we are Kate Harmony & Ray Harmony (AKA Revolution Harmony), and welcome to the Hack Music Theory show, where you are empowered with notation-free theory for making great music in DAWs. In today's video/podcast, you'll learn learn 2…