Music Theory for Producers
Most music theory courses either teach classical concepts irrelevant to electronic production or oversimplify to the point of uselessness. This course covers what you actually need: enough theory to write chord progressions that work, melodies that resolve properly, and bass lines that complement everything else.
We start with intervals and scales, but immediately apply them to MIDI programming and sound selection. You'll learn major and minor scales, modes, and pentatonic scales with genre-specific examples showing how each gets used in practice.
Chords and Progressions That Actually Sound Good
The chord section covers triads, seventh chords, and extensions, focusing on voicings that work in dense electronic arrangements. You'll build chord progressions using common patterns from popular tracks, understanding why certain progressions create tension or resolution.
Melody writing gets practical treatment with exercises in call-and-response, rhythmic variation, and using non-chord tones for interest. We cover harmonizing melodies, writing counter-melodies, and creating vocal toplines if that's relevant to your production style.
Bass line construction receives dedicated attention since bass drives most modern production. You'll learn to write bass lines that lock with drums, support harmonic movement, and add melodic interest without competing with other elements.
Program Structure
What the curriculum covers and how it's organized
Theory Curriculum
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Foundational Concepts
- Intervals and scale construction
- Building scales and understanding interval relationships
- Major, minor, and modal scales
- When and why to use different scale types
- Key signatures and relative keys
- Modulation and changing tonal centers
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Harmony and Chord Progressions
- Triad construction and inversions
- Major, minor, diminished, and augmented chords
- Seventh chords and extensions
- Adding color and complexity appropriately
- Diatonic progressions and borrowed chords
- Common progressions and creative alternatives
- Voicing for electronic production
- Avoiding mud in the low end and spacing chords
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Melody and Bass Line Writing
- Melodic contour and phrasing
- Creating memorable and singable melodies
- Rhythmic variety and syncopation
- Making melodies rhythmically interesting
- Bass line fundamentals
- Root movement, passing tones, and rhythmic patterns
- Counterpoint basics
- Writing multiple melodic lines that work together
All concepts taught using DAW piano rolls with immediate application to production contexts
Ready to Start?
Get in touch to discuss how this program fits your goals. We'll answer your questions and help you understand what to expect from the learning process.
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