Music Theory for Songwriting in 30 Minutes! (Xmas Sale) 

Rick, write a simple song that is missing most of your rules. Show us how you analyze, then apply some of your rules, slowly, step by step, showing how they make it better. Could be a whole training course!

Can someone please give this man an award for being so sharing, caring and lovely?...Rick, your service to us music types is unreal...i hope you get some recognition for all of your hard work x

Best lesson ever: Took one of my crap melodies and improved it big time!

Flashback 1984 ... my Berklee songwriting teacher having me transcribe the #1 songs on the charts...and answer 20 questions about each song. You just summed up in 30 minutes, 80% of what I learned over 3 months of that process. Rick, I hope people realize and appreciate what a freakin' gold mine of knowledge you're sharing.

When writing a melody, sing it instead of figuring it out on an instrument. That way, unless you have perfect pitch (or great relative pitch like Rick), you will focus on what sounds good. My hunch is most of the songs we love were written by the composer working out the melody with his/her voice while accompanying themselves on guitar or piano.

Hey Rick - 64 year old who used to play in a serious garage band. I stopped playing 30 years ago but picked up an acoustic a few months ago. I just want to play pretty things, and I don't want a lot of influences anymore. Your videos about chords and scales have been a huge help to me. Thank you and God bless you!

I was do blessed that my son gave me THE BEATO BOOK for my b-day. I spent 3 years in a top college program and know a good amount of theory and application. I have had great teachers in my 40 years playing. What you are giving to us all is more valuable than I think people understand. You are a true blessing my friend. I hope to meet you one day. Peace and many more blessings my friend 🙏

This is like a "What Makes Most Great Songs Great" video.

Great tips, Rick! I'd use these maybe to review a melody that doesn't sound good enough when writing a song, but maybe not from the start, because inspiration sometimes just strikes you and the feeling is right, even though is not perfect theory-wise. A really important part of songwriting to me is to develop a taste, an ear to recognize what you like, what works for the music you make. Internalizing these principles and applying them by ear, by using your musical taste, to me just sounds like a much better way to use them than starting with a blank page and trying to write "perfectly", just by theory. Feeling is the most important part of music, in my opinion.

After watching this I went through a few of my tunes and spotted some places where I was using the root in the melody. Funny cause I always felt a little less than excited about those spots in the songs but didn’t know exactly why. You’re a treasure, Rick. Thank you.

I just got your book!! I had... let's call it an "event" in my life that made money tight, but I finally got enough to buy it! Your Christmas sale really helped! Thank you! I am so excited for this!!

I can't understand how or why 83 people give this a thumbs down Rick!! It's FREE, it's educational, informative, well presented, and extremely helpful. Keep on doing what you do, and I wish you and your family a healthy, happy, prosperous new year in 2021 from Ireland.

Small-but-important point for your producers: "We can't hear the 'echo' that you were talking about." (By the time it makes it it through to us, such nuances have been utterly compressed-away.) But, it is MUCH easier for us to see intervals on the keyboard-display, especially if we don't play guitar. We only care about the material, not how good it sounds. [WHICH LEADS ME TO ...] P.S.: An idea for a new video ... "the 'jargon' of music theory." Things like, "tension note," "borrowed chord," even a refresher of what exactly we mean when we refer to "11ths" when there are only 8 (7?) notes in the octave. All of these technical terms, while easily explained, are a potential obstacle to understanding - yet, while conducting a video of course you can't necessarily "stop and explain" without entirely disrupting your narrative. Hence the notion of new episode(s), which you can thereafter refer-to and encourage folks to bookmark. The "trade vernacular" of any "trade" necessarily includes "certain terms," the implicit understanding of which are essential to "fluid understanding" of the presentation or the text. But, if you don't know them already, any of them can throw you entirely off the track. There might only be a few dozen terms (if that many) which would qualify in a discussion of music-theory topics. The replies to "your first pitch" would very quickly point out the rest of them, as seen by your actual worldwide audience. HTH!

You know Rick, I’ve been watching your videos for a couple of years now. I mainly watch them because of your enthousiasm for music in general, and rock and roll in particular. But honestly, every time you spoke about music theory it was like you were speaking alien man! Another tongue completely. This year, global pandemic obliging, I tried to pick up home accessible hobbies. So, at 50, for the first time of my life I picked up a guitar and seriously started learning how to play it. With it, I started to learn how to put those melodies I hear in my head in the morning on paper. Today, I think I’m finally starting to understand your language. Not entirely, not in depth, but along the outskirts. All of this is to say, very inarticulate, thank you and I’m glad I stuck listening to your videos. Keep up the good work!

Who watches a video like this and then dislikes it? This is incredibly generous knowledge-sharing. Anybody who doesn't appreciate the info presented here must've wandered into Rick's channel by accident. That, or the content was just over their heads. Either way, no reason to dislike it. Thanks Rick, for continuing to share these videos with all of us.

Im in bed with a high fever and a Covid-19 positive test watching this. Might as well use the next weeks wisely and immerse myself in quality Biato tutorials!

There needs to be a “Beato Book For Dummies” lol.

That flat 6 in Eleanor Rigby is because it has harmonic implications: it "tonicizes" a C chord to root E: E-G-B-C (EGC). The regular 6 is a "scale" note. Thank you "Mister Ear" Rick Beato!

Hey Rick, it would be cool you hear to talk about headphones and audio reference gear. I LOVE the music theory content. But being that you talk about guitar tone and you’re a producer. I would really like to hear your opinions/experience with reference speakers/headphones and audio quality in general for consumers and professionals.

Laughed when, just after the "No 6th on major chords!!" section, he played Eleanor Rigby, where the melody pauses on an [A] note ("...floor where a wedding has [BEEN]") over top of a C chord. It's the forbidden 6th! Anyway, there are exceptions to everything, and the Beatles rule, so does Rick, and this vid was awesome. I am pretty uncreative with melodies and this is helpful.

Thanks Rick! Wow! You never cease to amaze. I have loved Beatle songs all my life and now I actually know Why. Love it! Please stay safe during the holidays.👊🏼

Thanks Rick, there is a growing trend with me, I listen to your videos, get inspired and compose music. Don’t take everything word for word, but as a kick starter, or even to just get into a good mood. Hey what ever works. By the way bought your Beato Book, what a gem. So far found it best to read it with a piano keyboard plugged in to try things out. Many thanks.

As someone with literally zero music theory and a relatively new found inspiration for song writing, technically, I don't even know my ninth's from my elbow, that was inspiring. When you played Nirvana and sang the melody, suddenly it made sense. Many thanks.

Great lesson. Here’s two songs I know that use a 6th over a major Chord well - 1. Harvest moon 2. Lakes of pontchartrain

Rick is amazing and his content is always top notch, but it seems odd to have "rules" for melodies. "Still Crazy After All These Years" is one of my favorites, and the fourth note of the song is a sustained E over a G major chord (when he sings "old"); which is a sixth (or thirteenth) over a major chord. Also, "Something" by the Beatles is widely acclaimed, but there are several points in that song where Harrison's melody is literally just the root, and Paul's bass plays the root as well (albeit different rhythms and octaves), but nevertheless it "breaks" these rules of melody in one way or another. Pat Metheny said in his interview with Rick that melody is the one pillar of music (as opposed to rhythm and harmony) that can't be taught in 4 years at music school. All my favorite composers all say things along the lines of melody being a magical entity, and it all ultimately coming down to what sounds good or not. It seems the rules can easily be broken as long as it works. What makes it work is unquantifiable in my mind, though.

You deserve much more then 30k view in 17 hours... I agree that from Romania, Europe. You are the best couch for applying music theory on the guitar and other instruments. God bless you good man. I wish you wealthness, healthness and happiness.. You deserve all of that.

oh man Rick, that was one of my favourite videos you've ever made. Thanks! Such great stuff!! :)

Rick should recieve a nobel price for his channel, the knowledge he shares is amazing!

As far as the 6th is concerned, they are actually very useful as passing tones in old blues, boogie-woogie and swing. Use them deliberately in the right genre and they fit like they belong.

Great video Rick. This is the one I've been waiting for in didn't even know it. I have your book but I probably won't be able to delve deeply into it till I retire soon. Givers get rewarded.

Rick woke up today and watched this with a fresh brain and a nice sunrise … Thank you so much for your work baller 🏀

One of the best teaching videos I've ever seen on music or any other subject. Even a slow minded strummer such as myself can start to see some of the light through it!

Thank you, Mr. Beato. Much respect to you. You'll end up makin' musicians out of us old hacks yet!

Thanks for the XMAS promo Rick. I just picked up the Beato Book and the Ear Training Program. Been looking to pull the trigger for awhile! Here we go!

Eleanor Rigby is an extraordinary song. It can be used to demonstrate a sixth (and a flat sixth) with a minor chord, which is positive, and also a sixth with a major chord, which is negative. :)

Oh, man, the value packed into this FREE lesson! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This changes fundamentally what I knew about music so far. It makes a lot of sense. Hardest part would be to find singer that can sing extensions in a chord progressions as most people go for 5th or the Root of the chord. The way I see this is, record melody/singer with basic chord progression, than go back and rearrange chord notes and bass guitar.

Rick, you're the best! Thanks for all you do and happy holidays!

Thanks, Rick. Happy holidays to you and your family!

Very useful tips for Melody writing. My ears have always told me what to avoid and what doesn't sound good, but now I understand why that is and the theory behind these rules. Thanks Rick!

Composition Class that revolves around Day in the Life. I love this so much Rick. Thanks thanks and thanks again

Fantastic episode, Rick! Love the breakdown here...

I agree with Rick's advice here. Another way of thinking about composing a vocal or instrumental melody is just to think about notes that are not in the major or minor chord (triad). I do this all the time. I never think about the numbers until after the fact because it needs to come instinctively. Also, I am not composing on piano and probably pianists are looking at the notes of their melody in a way that most self-taught guitarists aren't. Just try it. Try making up a melody over your chord progressions avoiding the triad notes as much as possible (wouldn't be advisable to avoid them completely). I would also add the 6 (though Rick warns against it) in certain types of music such as swing especially as a passing tone going to the 5th. Just try it, see for yourself. Another thing I suggest is "peddling" a note over a chord change (or two). Obviously this is a note that works in both chords but it needn't be in the triad of at least one of the chords. But the main thing is that you need to hear it /feel it and not theorize about it. The theory just acts as a kind of rule to keep in mind as your INSTINCT is at work.

Hi @RickBeato - Good to hear you mention Paul Simon! NYC muso, Steve Conte here...among other things I was Paul Simon’s “stunt-singer” during tour rehearsals for 10 years and lemme tell ya - that man can write some CRAZY melodies! And not only that - the RHYTHMS! Because he’s channeling African, Brazilian, Cuban, PR & South American music...they fall in weird parts of the beat sometimes. He’d be a stickler too if came off a note too soon or once I did the “ laugh” that he does on one song, but in my own rhythm - NO! 😎 It was a amazing experience being in the room - singing or listening - for 8 hours a day with Paul, Steve Gadd or Keltner, his African players and all the other top shelf cats. Like schoolin’! Anyway I dig your posts man - I’m a guitarist, singer & songwriter, myself...

Hey Rick, the song “To Sir With Love” starts with the sixth over the major chord. I think that first note works well. I understand the point, though.

I would point out that, in Eleanor Rigby, the melody goes to an A note on the C chord on the word "been". A 6th on a major chord has a certain emotional quality that I like. Should be done sparingly though IMO.

This is the best video I ever saw for actually applying chords the notes.

That static versus moving comment for melody, blew my mind. Thanks Rick!

Thank you for mentioning Paul Simon. One of my favorite songwriters that I haven't heard you discuss much on the channel. And, perhaps the one that most got me interested in why music theory matters.

you are the man!!!!!!! I've done the 6th on a major chord, I've changed to a 7th and it improved big time!!!!

great lessons here !!! i've written about 30 songs by ears only and now i have to hunt those 6th notes and learn music theories ! your method of teaching is simply inspiring.

Hey Rick- was actually writing and producing a new tune this morning and ran across this video. Great stuff! I was stuck on a melody part and this jogged my brain loose! Thanks!

Awesome lesson! This really expands my understanding of melody writing, why I love certain melodies and how to maximise my own melodies. Much appreciated Mr. B

I love half step bends and releases on the natural 6th while playing in the dorian/blues rock sound. Also the ninth. Magic intervals indeed

Brother, I just want to say I’m truly grateful that you are able to articulate your knowledge the way you do. I am relatively untrained as a guitar player other than a couple of jazz courses i took. I purchased your ear training course and the music theory book. I’m looking forward to see where my understanding of music is and how it progresses with these tools over the next year.

I love your stuff Rick. I love what you give us all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I listened to this, and there's a lot that is technically correct and you know it more than I do. For certain types of songs, avoiding root in chords (inversions) is good, others obviously not. When you got to the part with no 6ths on a major chord, I started to convulse a little. You went on. You're not necessarily wrong. I thought. I thought some more. I thought about rules and how composers think. I'm pretty sure this stuff is useful, unless you let it get in the way of actually creating something. When you create, initially you shouldn't be throwing up a bunch of hurdles (list of rules) on the road to creation. It's a uniquely awesome ability to either hear what's wrong and fix it from the start, or for the rest of us mortals to fix stuff later as we move along with a composition. We should all work towards that. Thanks again.

This changed my composition drastically, now it has more movement and it feels more like a song! Thank you Rick! ❤️

I feel like he always looks at me like I should know what he's talking about D: Rick - love the videos. I JUST discovered you and Rhett so I have a lot of catching up to do but love your stuff!

AAHHH! MY HEAD HURTS! Memories of music theory in college & having to create music scores using ‘counter-point’. 😉.

I've watched so many of Rick's videos and im still able to learn so much. Very grateful. I'd love to see a more formal video with your top 10 songwriting rules.

I subscribed when you were at a mere 400,000 people (no small feat on its own) congratulations on your well deserves success. I predict 3 million will come quickly.

Discovered your channel the other day... and oh my word!! Where have you been all my life!! Thanks for the great content! Please keep it coming!

way above my head. Thank you for posting Rick!

This is a well put together video and gets to the point. Too many videos on you tube with this topic are very wordy and you wonder if the expert really knows what they are talking about.

Great video Rick! This is great information. I'm gonna get started building a song.

Hi Rick, I just want to thank you for what you are doing here on RU-vid! I have your Beato book, and I am loving it, and I have purchased the ear training as well recently. Thanks for everything! 👍 You are a cool guy! Love from Europe!

Dude! Thanks for inspiring me to take the plunge. I am now the proud owner of my very own Yamaha PSR EW300! I just love playing the hell out of that thing! I haven't even discovered everything it can do and I'm totally in love with it. So far my favorite is the default organ voice. Animals, ELP, Van der Graaf. I'm thinking of all that stuff when I play. And all of these music theory videos and The Beato Book (I got already) and the Ear Training (got that too) I'm going to enjoy all of that soooo much more now that I got my own keyboard to apply that to. So thanks again. Greatest toy I EVER got for Christmas for damn sure! lol

I learned more in this video than I have in the past year trying to write good songs. Thanks Rick, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

This is one of your best lessons for showing applied music theory. thanks for this -james

seriously grateful for your dedication to educating. thank you so much for sharing what you've learned

Thank you! Best channel on RU-vid. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Huge fan of Rick Beato as is my son., you’re the best channel on YT. So I humbly ask you, Rick, if you would please spell out Christmas next time. It would mean a lot to many of us. Thanks.

This has helped me a lot with writing my baselines. At first I was confused about not using 6ths over major chords. But than I realized Beato is talking about the 6th of the chords not the key. The 6th of key sounds great over the 4 chord it is the third of the 4 chord in Ionian.

This is really gold Rick, thank you so much!

Just downloaded the Beato Book (trying to teach my kid), thanks Rick, and have a great Xmas!

Thank you Mr Beato. It's really pleasing to watch you teaching things with passion and energy. 😁

These white boards lessons are the most useful videos on RU-vid!

Excellent lecture Rick. I think you just kicked my songwriting forward a decade.

"you don't wanna have parallel octaves" metal musicians and me who uses an octaver sweating profusely

Excellent set of "rules", really well presented. Enjoyed watching this video! Would love to see Rick's take on the Coltrane Circle at some point. Hats off for making the book available with a "solo deal", definitely had me jumping to buy such a great book! Thanks Rick Beato!

Thanks for doing videos like this Rick! I have so much to learn but I have my guitar, pad and paper out and the Beato book while I rewind and figure out what you’re talking about. It takes me a while but I’m starting to get it. Good stuff!

What would we do without you Rick. Merry Xmas to you and your Fam Bam.

It is in C, the Bm like a minor 7 without the 5b . Em 3rd F 4th Am relative 6th

This is gold. I’m going to binge watch all of your videos tomorrow

Please more like this in depth. I've been lookin for this type of info forever

This is some of the best advice on this channel, and that's saying something

Awesome tutorial! In Eleanor Rigby the example of the sixth over the major chord is a good example of where it does work: it’s on the 4th degree, so by adding a 6th it essentially becomes an inversion of a II7 (you could also do the same on the 6th degree in a minor key)

I woke up this morning and pulled out some notes / charts I had made from a previous Professor Beato instructional lecture concerning a similar aspect of musical progressions as this video with the intent of studying on it / them a bit more . To me at one time this would have been Greek to me, but now I am BEGINNING to grasp these concepts at least theoretically, now if I can just get these fingers to ......P.S. Thanks Rick!

Rick must hate Light My Fire by The Doors. It violates nearly every one of these rules. The verse bass on the Am chord plays a C note when Morrison sings C. Not using Rick's color notes. Then the chorus is the best. I imagine Rick has a panic attack when he hears it. The G chord he is singing the Root note, G. The A chord, he's singing the 6th, F#, then he's resolving into the D chord on a D note. And on the G and D chords he's doubling the bass using the root, and he's not using Rule 2 whatsoever. Hilarious. Same thing with Touch Me. LMAO I'd love to see a What Makes This Song Great by The Doors.

I give Professor Beato top marks for this one! You're welcome ;) This is like earlier Rick Beato videos, love it. Piano sounds good with that echo.

My songwriting has certainly improved recently thanks to Rick Beato’s channel and Guy M’s. I just watched this video for the first time today and realize it’s one I’ll be rewatching, studying and applying. To me, a more descriptive title would be something along the lines of “Songwriting: Music Theory for Melodies”. Or “echo-y piano” ;)

Happy Holidays brotha! Thx for all the great content this year thru the pandemic. You are the man.. Rock on Rick!!

Thank you Rick... it's true it should be obvious but well... at least now I feel, thanks to you, more "thinking" going on in addition to experimentation... as Satch would say, knowledge is power (and GI Joe) and it's awesome to apply what you've learned and add more to your playing and writing.

You never stop surprising me with your knowledge.

And “I Believe In Father Christmas” by Greg Lake also starts on the 6th.

I love these kinds of videos. This stuff really helps me with my own songwriting. Thanks, Rick!

Thank you mr. Beato...There is a wealth of information on this channel. Caught on a little late to this channel. I will be sure to pick up one of those theory books 📚. Have a happy holiday 👍🏼🙂.

Thank you Rick and Merry Christmas to you and your family.

I really appreciate all of these rick! It's so nice seeing music education becoming more common again. I'm pretty young and looking back to see videos with all these different older musicians and stuff talking really deeply about music is stunning to me! When I was growing up music education even in our schools with the biggest band budget in the entire state was abysmal. It felt like music was this hidden craft you had to be invited into to even begin learning. But that barrier is being broken more now and I'm loving it! Thanks for everything!

I learned all these alternative notes listening to Carol King's Tapestry. Really unlocked things for me. I will say it's much easier on the Piano! Great vid Rick.