Mar 07, 2023

The Ultimate Guide to Learning Music Theory for Music Producers

by Udeeksh Sood

There is an ever-going debate about whether music theory is a must to become a music producer. The simple answer is no it is not. But music theory definitely helps you write better music & comprehend music a lot easily. Understanding music theory also helps in communicating your ideas effectively with other musicians and producers.

This guide is intended to help you traverse the world of music theory, beginning with the fundamentals of note values and scales and progressing to the more difficult themes of chord progressions and song structures. We will break down each idea into simple chunks and include examples and exercises to help you remember what you've learned.

This ultimate guide contains something for everyone, whether you're a complete novice or an experienced producer wishing to brush up on your music theory skills.

Before we begin, checkout Scaler 2 by Plugin Boutique. Scaler 2 is an inspiring and powerful music theory workstation that gives you access to a world of new ideas, expressions, and melodies. Scaler 2 can figure out what key and scale you're in and suggest chords that fit your music thanks to its powerful MIDI and audio detection. With performance expressions, the plugin helps you find the perfect melody and can even suggest ways to change from one key to another. Making your life easy as a music producer.

Introduction to Music Theory

In this section let us understand

What is Music Theory
Why is Music Theory Important for Music Producers
Overview of Music Theory Concepts
Common Misconceptions about Music Theory
How Much Music Theory You Actually Need to Learn as a Music Producer

What is Music Theory

The study of music as a language is called music theory. It is a way for musicians to learn and use the language of music to understand and share musical ideas. Think of music theory as a language that you learn to speak, write and comprehend music better. It starts with learning the notes, that help you write better phrases and eventually create better music. In a nut shell music theory is the study of music's principles and processes, encompassing sound aspects like rhythm, harmony, melody, form, and notation. It includes the study and analysis of how music is made, structured, and performed.

The study of scales, chords, intervals, and keys, as well as the rules and conventions of musical composition, are all part of music theory. It also discusses the historical and cultural backdrop of music, as well as the evolution of musical genres and styles.

Music theory is an important part of music education for performers and composers because it lays the groundwork for understanding and creating music. It is also useful for music lovers who want to broaden their taste and knowledge of music.

Why is Music Theory Important for Music Producers

Music theory provides a foundation for understanding the language of music and the elements that make up a musical composition. For music producers, having a solid grasp of music theory can enhance their creativity, allow them to communicate effectively with other musicians, and give them a deeper understanding of the music they produce.

Here are some advantages of learning music theory as a music producer:

Composition and Arrangement: Knowing music theory allows music producers to develop original compositions and arrangements that are cohesive, harmonically fascinating, and aesthetically beautiful. It lays the groundwork for using melody, harmony, and rhythm in music production.
Communicating with Musicians: Music producers who understand music theory are better able to interact with musicians, songwriters, and other producers. This is especially significant when analyzing a song's key, chords, and structure.
Improvisation: During the music production process, music theory can assist music producers in improvising and experimenting with new ideas. Producers can make educated creative decisions by understanding the basic concepts of music.
Mixing and Mastering: Music theory can also be used to help in mixing and mastering. Producers can employ their understanding of harmony, frequency ranges, and dynamics to ensure that each component of the mix is balanced and complimenting one another.

Overview of Music Theory Concepts

Notes, pitch, scales, chords, harmony, rhythm, time, notation, score reading, music analysis and composition are all covered in music theory. These ideas are the foundation of music and serve as a framework for understanding its structure and composition. A strong understanding of music theory can also assist music producers in making educated judgement about how to use various instruments, harmonies, and rhythms in their productions.

Music theory is a broad discipline that includes many concepts and principles. Here's a rundown of some key music theory concepts:

Pitch: Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of a sound, and it is determined by the frequency of the sound waves. Higher frequencies produce higher pitches, and lower frequencies produce lower pitches. Pitch is often described using terms like "high," "low," "sharp," and "flat."
Notes: Notes are musical symbols that represent a specific pitch. In Western music, there are 12 distinct notes that are used as building blocks for melodies and harmonies. These notes are named using the letters A through G, and they can be modified with sharps (#) or flats (b) to create variations.
Scales: Scales are a succession of pitches that are placed in ascending or descending order. Major and minor scales are the most often used scales in Western music.
Key: A key is a group of pitches based on a single tonic note that acts as the focal point of a musical work.
Chords: Chords are three or more pitches performed at the same time. They are the foundation of harmony and can create tension and release in music.
Harmony: The relationship between notes, chords and how they work together to generate a feeling of musical coherence is referred to as harmony.
Rhythm: In music, rhythm is the pattern of beats and rests. It gives music a sense of movement and structure.
Meter: Meter is the division of beats into groups, usually in sets of two, three, or four.
Tempo: This is the rate/pace at which a piece of music is played.
Notation: Musical notation is a method of writing music that employs symbols to indicate pitch, rhythm, and other musical aspects.
Form: The entire framework of a musical composition, including section arrangement, repetition of musical material, and development of musical ideas, is referred to as form.

These are just a few of the many concepts covered by music theory. A full comprehension of these principles is required for musicians and music producers to effectively create and evaluate music. In this article we will run through the basic ones.

Common Misconceptions about Music Theory

Despite its importance, music theory is often misunderstood, and many musicians and producers hold false beliefs about what it is and what it entails. Some common misconceptions about music theory include:

Music theory is boring and technical: While music theory does cover technical aspects of music, it can also be a fascinating and creative subject. Understanding the underlying principles of music can lead to new ideas and inspire new approaches to production.
Music theory only applies to classical music: While classical music often makes extensive use of music theory, the concepts and principles of music theory apply to all genres of music, from pop and rock to hip-hop and electronic.
You need to be a virtuoso musician to study music theory: Music theory is not limited to highly skilled musicians. It is accessible to anyone with an interest in music and a willingness to learn.
Music theory stifles creativity: On the contrary, a solid understanding of music theory can enhance creativity by providing a framework for experimenting and exploring new ideas.
Music theory is not relevant to modern music production: In today's digital age, music production often involves the use of software and technology. However, a strong understanding of music theory can still be an invaluable tool in the production process, as it provides a foundation for understanding how different elements of a production fit together.

How Much Music Theory You Actually Need to Learn as a Music Producer

As a music producer, you need to know at least the basics of music theory to make tracks that are well-made and satisfying to listen to. But the level of music theory you need to know may depend on the type of music you make and what you want to accomplish as a producer.

Here are some important parts of music theory that are especially important for making music:

Scales and modes: It's important to know about scales and modes if you want to make melodies and chord progressions that sound good. You should know the basic major and minor scales, as well as common modes like Dorian, Mixolydian, and Phrygian.
Chords and chord progressions: To make interesting harmonies in your tracks, you need to know how to build and use chords. You should be able to make both major and minor chords, as well as more complicated chords like seventh chords and suspended chords. Also, knowing how common chord progressions work can help you make good song structures.
Rhythm and metre: If you want to be a producer, you need to know a lot about rhythm and metre so you can make beats and grooves that go well with your melodies and harmonies.
Song structure: It's important to understand the basic parts of a song, like verses, choruses, and bridges, if you want to make tracks that are musically satisfying and keep listeners interested.
Arranging: It's important to know how to put together different parts of music, like drums, basslines, melodies, and harmonies, in order to make tracks that are dynamic and interesting.

Overall, you don't have to be an expert in music theory to be a successful music producer, but it can help to have a strong background in key areas. It can help you make more interesting and harmonically pleasing music, and it can also help you talk to other musicians and producers more clearly.

In this article you have been introduced to the basics already and in the module, you will learn about all the essentials at length.

Notes In Western Music & Piano Layout

Western music uses 12 notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, and B, plus five flats and sharps in between, which are C sharp or D flat, D sharp or E flat, F sharp or G flat, G sharp or A flat, and A sharp or B flat. Flats and Sharps are the same note, but they are spelled differently based on the key signature.

Note Symbol	Note Name
C	C
C# or Db	C Sharp or D Flat
D	D
D# or Eb	D Sharp or E Flat
E	E
F	F
F# or Gb	F Sharp or G Flat
G	G
G# or Ab	G Sharp or A Flat
A	A
A# or Bb	A Sharp or B Flat
B	B

To make it easy to remember music notes, let us relate how these notes are laid on a piano.

Piano Notes and Octaves explained - Image

Sharps and Flats

Sharps(#)/Flats(b), such as C#/Db, D#/Eb, F#/Gb, G#/Ab, and A#/Bb, are shown on a piano by black keys.

Sharps and flats are two groups of notes that differ from natural ones (C, D, E, F, G, A and B). They appear as suffixes to natural notes.

One half step above a natural note is a sharp, and one-half step below is a flat. Both notes are the same, but depending on the key signature, they are called sharps or flats.

There are exceptions to this rule, though. B to C and E to F have no sharp/flat in between.

Pitch and Octaves

One of the key concepts in music theory is the idea of pitch, which refers to the perceived highness or lowness of a sound. Pitch is determined by the frequency of a sound wave, and it can be measured in hertz (Hz).

When moving from left to right on a piano or a keyboard, the pitch increases. Moving from right to left on the keyboard, pitch decreases.

Octaves

If you look at a piano, there are 88 keys, but only 12 notes. These 12 musical notes keep on repeating, forming octaves. An octave is the distance between one pitch and another with half or double its frequency.

If you move to the left from middle-C on a piano, the pitch of the notes decreases. If you move to the right of middle-C on a piano, the pitch of the notes increases.

Piano Notes and Octaves explained - Image

So, if you play the first C(C1) on the piano and you also play the second C(C2), you are playing an octave.

In total, there are 7 Octaves on a piano. The octave range of the guitar is nearly four octaves.

With each octave, the frequency/pitch doubles as you keep moving up.

Octaves are denoted by numbers alongside the note name (C1, C2, C3, C4...)

Note	Reference Name	Octave Number	Frequency (Hz)
C1	Pedal C	1	32.70320
C2	Deep C	2	65.40639
C3	C3 or Small Octave	3	130.8128
C4	Middle C	4	261.6256
C5	Tenor C	5	523.2511
C6	Soprano C	6	1046.502
C7	Double High C	7	2093.005
C8	Eighth Octave	8	4186.009

Understanding the piano layout is an important skill for music producers because the piano is a common tool for composing and arranging music. Once you understand notes, pitches and octaves - next thing to learn is intervals.

Intervals in Music Theory

Intervals are among the most important thing to learn when studying music. If you understand how intervals work and relate to each other, it will be a lot easier to understand music.

In music, an interval is the distance between two notes. The number of steps between two notes on a musical scale can be thought of as an interval.

In Western music, intervals are named based on their size and the distance between two notes in semitones (half-steps). For example, a minor second interval is equal to one semitone from the root note, while a major second interval is equal to two semitones or a tone(whole-step). intervals can also be described as "perfect," "major," "minor," or "augmented" based on their size and the relationship between the two notes. Below is a table stating interval in music:

Interval Name

Unison

A4/d5

1/2 steps

C as Root

Intervals can be played together/simultaneously, or one after the other. When Intervals are played together, they are called harmonic intervals.

When Intervals are played sequentially or one after another, they are called melodic intervals.

To understand how scales, chords, and harmonies in music are spelled you must understand intervals. So let us also learn about scales.

Major and Minor Scales

A musical scale is a series of pitches arranged in ascending or descending order. The two most basic types of scales in Western music are the major scale and the minor scale. Major scales have a happy, upbeat sound, while minor scales have a sad, melancholy sound.

Both scales can be created by beginning on a particular note and then proceeding to follow a particular pattern of intervals from there. For instance, the C Major scale is created by beginning on the note C and proceeding through a pattern of whole and half steps, which goes as follows: WWHWWWH i.e. C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. This scale is known as the C Major scale.

The natural minor scale can be formed by beginning on the root note and then following a predetermined pattern of intervals, such as the pattern used in the A minor scale, which is as follows: WHWWHWW, i.e. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A. This will result in the construction of the natural minor scale.

Using the above given combinations of tone and semitones, any major or minor scale can be constructed.

Next, try understand chords and triads.

Chords and Triads

Chords are groups of three or more notes played together, and they can also be explained using intervals. In music theory, a chord is typically named based on the intervals between its notes.

To describe the intervals in a chord, start with the root note, which is the note that gives the chord its name. Then look at how far away each note in the chord is from the root note.

Take a C major chord, which is made up of the notes C, E, and G, as an example. Between C and E, there is a major third, and between C and G, there is a perfect fifth. So, the C major chord can be described as a "major chord with a C root that is made up of a major third and a perfect fifth." The formula for all major chords remains the same i.e. R-3-5

In the same way, a G minor chord is made up of three notes: G, Bb, and D. Between G and Bb, there is a minor third, and between G and D, there is a perfect fifth. So, we can say that the G minor chord has a root of G and is made up of a minor third and a perfect fifth. The formula for all minor chords remains the same i.e. R-m3-5

Three note chords are also referred as triads. Chords can have more than just the root, third, and fifth notes of a triad. These are called extensions or changes, and you can talk about them by adding more intervals.

A C7 chord, for example, is made up of the notes C, E, G, and Bb. The distance between C and Bb is a minor seventh, so the C7 chord is a "dominant seventh chord with a root of C that is made up of a major third, a perfect fifth, and a minor seventh." The formula for a dominant 7th chord is R-3-5-m7

In a similar way, intervals can be used to explain chords by showing how far apart the root note is from each of the other notes in the chord. This lets us describe the type of chord and any other changes or extensions that may be there.

With each addition, subtraction or alteration of an interval from a chord or scale, the characteristic of a chord or a scale changes. Giving each chord or scale a uniqueness. That is why if you relate music theory with intervals, understanding and implementation of theory becomes a lot easy.

Once you have a good grasp over chords, understand about Harmonies.

Type Of Chords and Harmony

In music, there are many different kinds of chords, such as major, minor, augmented, and diminished. Chords can also be called "open" or "closed" depending on how far apart the notes are.

The I-IV-V progression, the ii-V-I progression, and the iii-vi-ii-V progression are all common chord progressions. These progressions are used in a lot of different kinds of music and are a good place to start when learning about musical harmony.

Harmony refers to the relationship between different chords and how they work together to create a musical composition. In Western music, harmony is built on the principles of chord progressions, the relationship between different chords, and the resolution of dissonance (clashes between different notes). Understanding harmony is essential for music producers, as it allows them to create interesting and coherent musical arrangements.

Harmonizing a melody means to add chords to it so that it sounds like a whole piece of music. This can be done by choosing chords that go well with the melody, using chord progressions to give the song structure, and trying out different harmonies to add variety and interest. Harmonizing a melody is an important part of making music because it lets producers make arrangements that are full and rich.

Modes are often used in harmonization to create different chord progressions and tonalities. So, let's understand modes.

Modes and Modal Interchange

Modes are scales that are derived from the major scale, but with a different starting point. The seven modes are: Ionian (the major scale), Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian (the natural minor scale), and Locrian.

E.g., if you start playing C Major scale from the sixth interval, it is referred to as a minor scale or Aeolian mode.

Modal interchange refers to the practice of using chord progressions, harmonies, and melodies from one mode in a different mode. This can add variety and interest to music and is a common technique used in many genres of music.

Modal interchange is a technique in music theory where chords or notes from a parallel key or mode are borrowed or "interchanged" to add color and variety to a piece of music. One common example of modal interchange involves borrowing chords from the parallel minor key in a major key song.

For instance, let's say we have a song in the key of C major, which has the following chords:

C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim

To add some modal interchange, we can borrow the chords from the parallel key of C minor. The parallel key of C minor shares the same tonic note as C major (C), but has a different set of notes and chords.

The chords in the key of C minor are:

Cm, Ddim, Eb, Fm, Gm, Ab, Bb

To borrow chords from the parallel minor key, we can substitute some of the chords in the C major key with chords from the C minor key. For example, we could use an Eb chord from the parallel C minor key, which would be a bIII chord in the key of C major.

So, if we insert an Eb chord into the progression, we might get something like:

C, Dm, Eb, F, G, Am, Bdim

This gives the progression a more somber or melancholy feeling, as the Eb chord is not normally found in the key of C major, but rather in the key of C minor.

This is just one example of modal interchange, and there are many other ways to use it in music to create new and interesting chord progressions.

Understanding modes and modal interchange is an important aspect of music theory for music producers, as it allows them to create unique and interesting musical ideas.

Overall, modes provide a flexible and versatile tool for harmonization, allowing composers and arrangers to create unique and varied harmonic structures that can add depth and interest to their music.

Till now we have learned the basics of notes and how they can be arranged or rearranged in different ways to make music. Now let us understand about note values, rhythm and time.

Rhythm and Time

Rhythm and time are two of the most important parts of music theory. Without them, it would be hard to make or understand music.

Rhythm is the patterns of length and emphasis in music. Different note lengths and rests can be used to make rhythm. It is what moves a piece of music forward, and through its patterns and changes, it can show how someone is feeling music. Music's rhythmic patterns can also give a piece a sense of structure and organisation, and they can help tie together different parts.

Time, on the other hand, is a piece of music's underlying pulse or beat. It gives the music a sense of regularity and consistency and helps the musicians play in time with each other. The time signature of a piece of music shows how many beats are in each measure and what kind of note gets one beat. This is an important part of notating and playing music.

It's important to know rhythm and time if you want to write or play music. A composer must be able to make rhythms that make sense and are interesting to listen to, and a performer must be able to understand and play the rhythms and timing of a piece correctly. Also, knowing rhythm and time is important if you want to work with other musicians because it makes it easier to communicate and work together.

Overall, rhythm and time are important parts of music theory and are needed to make and play music that is both expressive and makes sense. Understanding rhythm is essential for music producers, as it is the foundation for creating musical arrangements that are engaging and expressive.

Note Values

In music, different note values are used to represent the duration of musical sounds. The most common note values include:

Whole note (or semibreve): This note represents a duration of four beats in 4/4 time. It is an open note head without a stem.
Half note (or minim): This note represents a duration of two beats in 4/4 time. It has an open note head with a stem.
Quarter note (or crotchet): This note represents a duration of one beat in 4/4 time. It has a closed note head with a stem.
Eighth note (or quaver): This note represents a duration of half a beat in 4/4 time. It has a closed note head with a stem and one flag.
Sixteenth note (or semiquaver): This note represents a duration of a quarter of a beat in 4/4 time. It has a closed note head with a stem and two flags.

Other note values include the thirty-second note, the sixty-fourth note, and the one hundred and twenty-eighth note. These note values are used less frequently and are typically used in faster tempos or for very short duration.

To be able to read and write music notation and play music correctly and on time, you need to know how different note values work. The rhythm and length of musical notes are important parts of music, and knowing how to use different note values is key to making music that is interesting and expressive.

Time Signatures

In music notation, a time signature is a symbol that shows how many beats are in each measure and what kind of note each beat is. 4/4 time, 3/4 time, and 6/8 time are all common time signatures.

The top number in a time signature indicates the number of beats in each measure. For example, in a 4/4 time signature, the top number "4" indicates that there are four beats in each measure.

The bottom number in a time signature indicates the type of note that receives one beat. For example, in a 4/4 time signature, the bottom number "4" indicates that a quarter note receives one beat. This means that each measure in 4/4 time contains four quarter notes or an equivalent combination of notes that add up to four quarter notes.

Time signatures are important for music producers to understand because they let them make musical arrangements that are structured and have a consistent rhythm.

Tempo

The speed at which a piece of music is played is called its "tempo." Most of the time, tempo is measured in beats per minute (BPM), and it can go from slow to fast. Tempo has a big effect on the mood and feel of a piece of music, so music producers have to be aware of it when they are putting together musical arrangements.

Meters

A meter is a pattern of strong and weak beats in music. Common meters include duple meter, triple meter, and quadruple meter. We will study about meters in a different lesson of the module. Understanding meters is essential for music producers, as it allows them to create rhythmic arrangements that are engaging and expressive.

Syncopation

Syncopation refers to the displacement of the regular accent in music, creating a rhythm that is unexpected or off-beat. Syncopation is a common technique used in many styles of music and can add interest and energy to musical arrangements. Understanding syncopation is an important aspect of music theory for music producers, as it allows them to create rhythmically interesting and engaging musical arrangements.

Another aspect to learn in music theory is music notation but it is not a part of this article as it is out of scope. Apart from what we learned in this lesson, music composition and analysis are another important aspect. We will learn about these in future lessons.

Before we close this lesson, here are a few tips to learn music theory.

Practical Tips for Learning Music Theory

Practice, Practice, Practice

The key to learning music theory is practice. Whether you are working on scales, intervals, chords, or any other aspect of music theory, the more you practice, the more you will understand and internalize the concepts. It is important to set aside dedicated time each day or week to practice and work on your music theory skills.

Start with the Basics

When starting to learn music theory, it is important to start with the basics and build your knowledge gradually. Begin by studying the basics of rhythm, melody, and harmony, and then move on to more advanced concepts like chord progressions and musical forms.

Learn by Doing

The best way to learn music theory is by actually making music. Try composing your own pieces, transcribing music you like, or simply playing around with musical ideas. This hands-on approach will help you internalize music theory concepts and make the learning process more fun and engaging.

Use Different Learning Methods

There are many different ways to learn music theory, including books, online resources, and in-person lessons. Try using a variety of different learning methods to find what works best for you, and be open to trying new approaches.

Listen to a Wide Range of Music

Listening to a wide range of music is an important part of learning music theory. Try to listen to music from different genres and time periods, and pay attention to the different elements of music, such as melody, harmony, rhythm, and form.

Get Feedback

Lastly, don't be afraid to ask people what they think about your music theory skills and compositions. Getting feedback from other musicians and music teachers can help you figure out where you need to improve and give you important information about how you're doing.

In this article, we have covered the basics of music theory and the steps music producers can take to learn and master this important aspect of making music. From understanding intervals and scales, to learning about chords and harmony, to tips for practicing and improving, this article provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of music theory.

Remember, learning music theory takes time and practice, but with dedication and the right resources, anyone can master this essential aspect of making music. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced music producer, incorporating music theory into your creative process can lead to more well-rounded and sophisticated musical creations. So don't be afraid to dive into the world of music theory and start exploring its endless possibilities! Use the music theory module as an opportunity to dive deep into music theory.