Looking for a good music theory course.

[cj31387]

I've played Guitar since 1998. I have been making songs since then too. I have tried to learn music theory a few times since then but find it extremely boring because I already know how to write songs.

I guess the first thing i should do is memorize all the esoteric vocabulary.

Does anyone know a good course on music theory for guitar maybe or piano, that is straight to the point, no filler 5 min or less videos on each subject. Once I learn that does anyone know of also straight to the point more advanced theory on writing songs?
My current weaknesses are lack of vocabulary knowledge on music theory and also i tend to write songs from chords first then melody second, would like to know some more advanced melody writing techniques.

Thanks for all the answers, they all look good.

I just thought of what i wanted more specifically. Since I already know how to write songs and love doing that. Is there a music theory course that is based on learning music theory by writing songs? and then following homework or exercises? Instead of just learning music theory without doing any songwriting?

[skipscada]

You could probably do a lot worse than trying this:

https://www.justinguitar.com/categories ... sic-theory

Only the basic lessons are free, but there are quite a few of them. If you like them, you can buy access to the rest for a moderate price.

[schmerzschlag]

I like the courses of J. Allen. His website is Punkademic. He is also a founder of SlamAcademy.
You can find his courses on Udemy and other portals, too.
I did start with the "Music Theory for Electronic Musicians" which is pretty cool. I also did the "Music Composition Bundle" and his Ableton Live courses. He has a series of Music Theory courses, which are pretty in depth and basically university level, I think. He is a pretty cool guy, has a Ph.D. and not only knows his stuff, but knows how to teach and loves it. He is responsive to questions and has a Facebook group, too.
If you intend to buy on Udemy, I would wait for one of their sales, which they run basically almost all the time. There are some free courses as well, which you could do to see, if you like his style of teaching.

[Forgotten]

You could get one that teaches you everything in 5 minute videos, or you could get a good one...

If you’re looking to just learn the vocabulary you might be better off with a book.

[vurt]

look up steve stein, great guitarist does music theory, in a way it's easier for guitarists to get.
few free introductory lessons on youtoobs and some more advanced pay stuff if his style works for you.

[BertKoor]

Or find a local piano or guitar teacher.
State what you want, and im a few lessons you're up to level.
Not free, but well worth it. Having dialogs with real people is invaluable.

[Jafo]

+1 on taking lessons or classes. Saves you on reinventing the wheel, and you can still do the interesting things theoreticians forbid on your own time, so it's win-win. Plus, maybe you'll start a friendship.

[jancivil]

'the esoteric vocabulary' really isn't it. music theory can get esoteric but the basics aren't, it's tools of the trade and a practical matter.
And recalling words like accaciatura or some shit, tbh I have to look it up, I haven't had a reason to say that word in decades.
Appoggiatura OTOH, a non-chord tone on a strong beat... the description there is the thing, the Italian word, pheh.

Also, music theory is mostly theory of harmony or the related study of counterpoint. so I don't know about 'theory for guitarists' unless guitarists are supposed to be exceptionally dense; the horn player takes the same course of study as the pianist and possibly gets their keyboard thing somewhat together while doing, because the vertical aspect, harmony is not available to the monophonic axe. It's abstract, you don't want to limit yourself to what is possible on the guitar vs a piano, you have to learn to recognize a concept intellectually in and of itself, your part writing in a for-real theory course happens at a desk on paper and to succeed at it you internalize it and hear it in your head.

I recommend a course rather than catch as catch can on Youtube or websites, a whole lot of people have a lot of things very wrong on the 'net and a cogent study of it this is not.

[xbitz]

don't know better than the songwriter course on edmprod >

Course Curriculum
Overview (2:38)
Introduction

Start Overview (2:38)

Start How to Succeed in This Course (3:22)

Start Curriculum

Start Downloads
Module 1: Section 1 - Music Theory Basics

Start 1.0 Introduction (1:21)

Start 1:1 Notes (6:53)

Start 1.2 Intervals (2:12)

Start 1.3 Major Keys (7:00)

Start 1.4 Minor Keys (5:50)

Start 1.5 Note Length (6:34)

Start 1.6 Intervals (Continued) (10:56)

Start 1.7 Consonance & Dissonance (8:39)

Start 1.8 Chords (13:51)

Start Exercises
Module 2: Section 1 - Chord Progression Basics

Start 1.1 Diatonic Triads (13:59)

Start 1.2 Building a Chord Progression (7:32)

Start 1.3 Functional Harmony in a Major Key (11:58)

Start 1.4 Functional Harmony in a Minor Key (8:07)

Start 1.5 Chord Inversions (16:14)

Start 1.6 Open/Closed Voicing (6:24)

Start Exercises
Module 2: Section 2 - Chord Progression Writing Techniques

Start 2.1 Pushes, Pulls, and Repetition (8:28)

Start 2.2 Silence (5:48)

Start 2.3 Harmonic Rhyhtm (3:19)

Start 2.4 Common Tones (11:44)

Start 2.5 Implied Chords (7:59)

Start 2.6 Chord Progression Example (8:01)

Start Exercises
Module 2: Section 3 - More Advanced & Interesting Chords

Start 3.1 Seventh Chords (11:49)

Start 3.2 Applying Seventh Chords (17:22)

Start 3.3 Extensions (14:33)

Start 3.4 Suspended Chords (12:15)

Start 3.5 Augmented Chords (9:10)

Start 3.6 Slash Chords (9:35)

Start 3.7 Slash Chords (Continued) (7:43)

Start 3.8 Added Tones Chords (6:42)

Start Exercises
Module 2: Section 4 - Advanced Chord Progression Writing Techniques

Start 4.1 Section Overview + Modes (8:25)

Start 4.2 Passing Chords (3:15)

Start 4.3 Why Theory Does (and Doesn't) Matter (2:43)

Start 4.4 Pop Borrow (4:41)

Start 4.5 Picardy Thirds (8:12)

Start 4.6 Secondary Dominants (10:42)

Start 4.7 Chromatic Movement & Tritone Substitution (10:24)

Start 4.8 Extended Progressions (16:21)

Start 4.9 Extended Progression Examples (13:50)

Start 4.10 Tonic Substitution (7:55)

Start 4.11 Harmonic Minor (10:18)

Start Exercises
Module 3: Section 1 - Melody Writing Fundamentals

Start 1.1 Section Overview (1:52)

Start 1.2 Chord Tones & Non-Chord Tones (13:09)

Start 1.3 Motifs (2:45)

Start 1.4 Core Elements of a Catchy & Memorable Melody (18:49)

Start 1.5 How to Get Good At Writing Melodies (3:26)

Start 1.6 Melody Writing Examples (23:17)

Start Homework
Module 3: Section 2 - Melody Writing Strategies

Start 2.1 Putting Chords to a Melody (14:13)

Start 2.2 Tonal Center (11:29)

Start 2.3 Rhythm First Technique (6:45)

Start 2.4 Call and Response (9:07)

Start 2.5 Extending a Melodic Phrase (12:54)

Start 2.6 Note Length (3:56)

Start 2.7 Borrowing From Existing Melodies (12:39)

Start 2.8 The Quantity Approach (1:58)

Start 2.9 The Importance of Focus (4:34)

Start Homework
Module 3: Section 3 - Melody Writing Workshop

Start 3.1 Melody Deconstruction #1 (12:19)

Start 3.2 Melody Deconstruction #2 (14:43)

Start 3.3 Melody Deconstruction #3 (6:57)

Start 3.4 Melody Deconstruction #4 (16:00)

Start 3.5 Melody Deconstruction #5 (12:03)

Start 3.6 Workshop: Fixing Common Melody Mistakes (21:21)

Start 3.7 Workshop: Mastering Counter Melodies (25:19)

Start Homework
Module 4: Section 1 - Structure & Arrangement

Start 1.1 Why Do You Struggle With Arrangement? (2:01)

Start 1.2 Classic Song Structure (3:36)

Start 1.3 Song Form & Meaningful Distinction (4:49)

Start 1.4 Reference Tracks (13:41)

Start 1.5 Rearranging Existing Content (14:41)

Start 1.6 Additional Advice For the Loop Trap (4:26)

Start 1.7 Theory Perspective (11:20)

Start 1.8 Arrangement Pitfalls (5:21)

Start 1.9 Story Perspective (2:03)

Start Homework
Module 4: Section 2 - Compositional Development

Start 2.1 Rephrasing - Presentation (Part 1) (12:37)

Start 2.2 Rephrasing - Presentation (Part 2) (13:10)

Start 2.3 Rephrasing - Instrumentation (6:05)

Start 2.4 Rephrasing - Main Takeaways + Examples (10:19)

Start 2.5 How to Switch Chord Progressions (10:07)

Start 2.6 Tension & Release (2:34)

Start 2.7 Arrangement Demonstration (29:07)

Start Homework
Module 4: Section 3 - Advanced Arrangement Techniques

Start 3.1 Three Clever Arrangement Workflows (5:02)

Start 3.2 Arrangement Feedback (1:25)

Start 3.3 Responding to the Arrangement (1:54)

Start 3.4 Pre-Chorus Writing Techniques (21:47)

Start 3.5 Post-Chorus Writing Techniques (11:20)

Start 3.6 Bridge Writing Techniques (13:26)

Start 3.7 Which Keys Should You Write In? (3:12)

Start 3.8 Changing Keys (1:31)

Start 3.9 Modes Pt. 1 - Intro (2:36)

Start 3.10 Modes Pt. 2- Practical Theory (10:25)

Start 3.11 Modes Pt. 3 - How To Write With Them (9:37)

Start 3.12 Modes Pt. 4 - Writing Example (12:35)

Start Homework
Bonus: Genre Specific Breakdowns

Start Section Introduction (2:39)

Start Future Bass (28:39)

Start Future House (40:16)

Start Electro House (38:00)

Start Deep House (47:32)

Start Pop (56:09)

Start Progressive House (41:27)

Start Dubstep (27:53)

Start Tropical House (43:36)

Start R&B/Future Beats (30:08)

Start Chill/Indie (47:02)

Start Melodic/Progressive House (54:11)

Start Trance (62:06)

Start Homework

https://edmprod.teachable.com/p/songwri ... -producers 300$

[cj31387]

don't better than the songwriter course on edmprod >

That course looks awesome. Expensive though, do they ever have sales on it? Black Friday sale? Christmas sale?

[xbitz]

^^^ it mainly contains the materials of the Theory and Arrangement articles https://www.edmprod.com/?s=The+Theory+%26+Arrangement just much more nicely presented, from the same author (this is why I've bought it, the articles also super good ones)

[AngelCityOutlaw]

My current weaknesses are lack of vocabulary knowledge on music theory and also i tend to write songs from chords first then melody second, would like to know some more advanced melody writing techniques.

To me, it sounds more like what you're looking for is a composition course and not one in general music theory, as those would deal more so with just music terminology.

For melody-writing, the study of voice leading, part-writing, thematic and motivic development and structure are vital.

Most of this can be learned simply from studying existing scores, but (good) teachers are always better of course.

I would recommend you just get a one-month subscription to scoreclub

https://scoreclub.net/the-courses/

and take the "Memorable Melodies Through Motivic Mastery" course, and all the others are good too. It's worth it, IMO, especially since he started offering these courses all at once on a subscription instead of individually like before. This is actually one of the only online music courses I'd recommend in good faith to anyone because most of them are shit and not worth the money.

Also, you may notice that I'm referring to "scores" and suggesting things that mainly focus on orchestral music, despite you being a guitarist.

The concepts are relevant in any genre or style of music, and I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that being a guitarist, you're probably mainly into rock and metal like most guitarists are? In such a case, because I've been down that road myself as I started as a metal guy, I would recommend steering far away from guitar, rock/metal driven sources for music education — reason being is that, to be completely frank, most rock and metal musicians (even many of the pros) generally have little understanding of wtf they're actually doing, musically-speaking — this isn't necessarily an insult or saying that it's "lesser" music, it just has to do with the history of the genre, its accessibility, simple harmony, and self-taught nature means that it is usually a very-poor source of accurate information regarding the pedagogy and craft of composition.

Hope this helps.

[Benedict]

5 Mins is not enough to explain anything of value from the last few thousand years of musical development that we codify as Theory. You do need to commit a bit more time & energy. It took me 30 years and I am still learning every day - more when I work with students who ask questions.

I do have material aimed specifically at the very Qs you are Aing: https://benedictroffmarsh.com/2018/06/1 ... d-cheated/

Here it is again, in a more potted form so you can start here then go back to the longer set of vids.
https://youtu.be/VNXrZZZd3qs

[Giuliano_r]

There is a YouTube channel called 'Signals Music Studio' that explains a lot of theory in an easy to digest manner without leaving out important parts. Furthermore, there is a podcast called 'Music Student 101' which starts at the basics, is easy to listen, too and both of the guys holding the podcast own a master’s degree in music science/hostory and create film music/been playing in a band for ages.

[BlackWinny]

All the free guides from Audiofanzine are quite good:
Guides - Featured Articles - Audiofanzine

Note: nothing can replace a teacher of course.

Local music stores are also good clues to find local courses on many styles of music (even pop, rock, edm, etc. and of course basic courses), especially in great towns.