I retired from the music industry (hiphop staff producer) in 2007,... (Deathrow, Aftermath and Interscope) for many reasons. The main reason was because I didn't know music theory. Your brief explanation just opened up and readjusted so much theory from my ear OVERstanding, that I thought I didn't know. WOW. THANK YOU SIR.
Thank you for checking it out bro. When people requested that I do some videos explaining music theory, I almost didn't do it because I thought it had to be complicated, and I like to enjoy making/listening to music instead of getting so "deep" with it. But the more questions I was asked, the more I realized that most people just wanted the basics and not the overcomplicated stuff. If you think about it, we all know a little music theory, even if all we know is that something sounds bad or unsettling to us (dissonance). I'm glad you enjoyed it and I hope you continue to make music bro. 🙏🏽✊🏽
Hands down Melo is my favorite R&B music producer. I’m actually surprised you don’t have more views?! Anyway, I appreciate your videos and teachings. They inspire me to keep making music and getting better. I saw some of you first videos 15yrs ago and thought there should be a UA-cam award for most progressive channels seeing were you came from to now… WOW. Keep up the good and passionate work you are!
Wow - I appreciate that my brother. You just don't know what that comment means to me - This comment is literally my award! I'm glad I was able to give a little inspiration bro. Thank you and keep pushing! 🙏🏽✊🏽
This is the best I've ever heard, your productions are just awesome. Your compositions are amazing and your Choice of Chords are imaculate. I'm hooked brother. I want to learn how to play exactly like this. God sent
Thanks bro. Yeah man...That's a concept that really helped me as a younger keyboardist, so I had to share it. I'm glad to know you got something from this. 🙏🏾✊🏾
Good morning bro. I'm glad to hear that. I'm going to post master class later today. It'll be March 23rd at 6pm (EST). Thanks for checking the video out bro. I'm glad you enjoyed it. 🙏🏾✊🏾
MELO BRO!!! Of all the tutorials I have seen, none of them were as precise as yours. You have helped me understand music theory on another level. Truly grateful for your time and guidance brother. Blessings to you and your family bro!! 🤙🏾 ALOHA'Z from Maui, HI
Thank you bro. I'm so glad I was able to help. And feedback like this helps me know what to do do more of - I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know. 🙏🏽Blessings to you and your family and ALOHA'Z to you from the ATL my brother! ✊🏽
Melo! You are AMAZING! I have been binge watching your videos! The knowledge you're dropping is LONG OVERDUE! I wish I had come across you years ago. But I'm here now and THANKFUL! You can really break things down so that not only do I think it's possible...I think it's possible FOR ME...! Not to overlook also, the fact, that your feeling and playing style has me JUMPING over here! LOL! Thanks so much for all that you do! Much love from the ATL!
wow, I loved so much this beat and lesson! I've been here a while ago and I love all of your art and work, a lot of inspiration. Much love and peace, man! 🤩🙏
Good stuff, bro. I can hear Jacquees/Usher/VEDO on this one. Especially the strings @ 21:21! I'm glad you touched up on the number system; I feel that will help producers tremendously with being able to play in all keys! (say no to transpose!) I'm fluent in theory, but I would like to see a video on how you approach composing bridges. I normally like to go to the 4, 6 or b7 for most of my bridges.
Thanks bro. I could definitely hear any of them on this. Yeah bro. The number system is a life saver - It's a universal language for ALL musicians. I've used it to communicate with all types of musicians, from beginners to world-class professionals. I think transpose can be useful for certain situations, but it was never meant to replace learning all keys. I'll have to do a video on bridges too because I've had a couple of other producers mention that as well. But your bridge approach sounds pretty similar to mine. I appreciate you as always, my brother! 🙏🏾✊🏾
Thank you Melo! I gotta learn my scales lol. I know them but I don’t have them under my fingers. Your explanation for the number system has clicked for me the most. Thank you for pouring into your subscribers and not gate keeping ✊🏾✊🏾
You're very welcome my brother! When it comes to the scales, I'd say to practice the C scales for a few days first, just to get familiar with the sound and pattern of the major scale. (Then just start putting your hands on three white keys and see what sounds good.) Next, give yourself a solid week with C# (which is the same as Db). Play that scale and get really comfortable with it. Db is a pretty simple one to get comfortable with. That's going to get you ready for Ab. Ab will get you ready for Eb, and so on. Basically, those 5ths I was talking about in the video. Just get comfortable with one at a time, and then learn its 5th and you'll have them all before you know it. Glad you enjoyed it bro! 🙏🏾✊🏾
Thanks for making this video. You’re the piano teacher I’ve been praying for because it’s hard to find someone who understands and explains how to actually make r&b beats. I’m definitely joining the masterclass. Peace and blessings to you and your family.
Thank you bro. I appreciate that. I'm glad to hear that it helped. I look forward to meeting you in the class. Peace and blessings to you and your family. 🙏🏾✊🏾
Awesome stuff. Love how you simplified the most dreaded part of music production; theory. I always hear "you don't need theory…" but I believe it's essential to our beloved genre R&B; knowing relative majors and minors, extending to 7ths, 9ths etc, using progressions interchangeably to create bridges, using 11ths (sometimes) for modulations to higher keys. Then there's the ambiguity in Ab Major and F min (lol that's a topic for another day) Bless you, sir.
Thanks bro! I was trying to stay away from the topic of theory because it can start to get so boring. And I also think people sometimes use their knowledge of it to look down on those who don't know theory. But so many were asking for it and if this is an R&B production channel, I felt that I owed it to at least give some music theory basics. The way my mind works, those "advanced" concepts (like "WHY in the world does the Major 11th work?") are things that kind of just come after getting the basics down and adding random notes until you hear something new that you like lol. But then you sort of "backwards engineer" it and realize "Oh, there's actually a name for that chord". But I think that's just how my mind works because I was self-taught. And the relative minor topic is so simple, and yet so complicated lol. I'm glad you enjoyed it though - Blessings to you my brother! 🙏🏽✊🏽
Thanks for the inspiration bro. I really enjoy the diversity of your content and topics related to R&B and music in general. Keep up the great work! ✊🏼💫
Going with this idea of playing relatives, I can for example in the key of C, I can play an F on my left hand, and play a Bm on my right as the Bm is the 3 for Gmajor, which is the relative of C?
I only used the major scale in this video to keep it simple. I wasn't referring to minors because I didn't want to confuse anyone. And I only said chords from relatives could be played together (not relatives of relatives). So using the idea I used, no that wouldn't work because C and Bm aren't what I was referring to as they're not relatives according to this idea.
Alright big dog. Nice video. I'm definitely trying to understand some things mentioned in the theory section. Relative, do you mean borrow notes from the Major scales of the M4 and M5 degrees? So, the major scales from those degrees each have 1 note difference. Adding 2 notes I can borrow if needed. I tested this and it does work. I'm just trying to understand if that's what you're saying.
I appreciate it fam. That's exactly right. The main thing I wanted to point out in that section is how similar relative keys are and how easily their chords can be exchanged. It can get a lot deeper, but that's the foundation. Like you said (for example), there's only one note different in the keys C and its 5th, G, or its 4th, F. So you can take most of the chords from G or F and use them in the key of C. And once you start alternating root notes, you have so many options for new chords. Let me know if that helps.
@@melotheproducer big help. Already seeing new ways to utilize this info. I just discovered your channel today. I’ll be checking more stuff out man. Thank you!
Hey bro! It's just the 3 of the scale (of whatever key you're playing in). In this case, I'm in Ab, so the 3 would be C (1 - Ab, 2 - Bb, 3 - C, etc.). Thanks for checking it out and I hope this helps.
@@melotheproducer Hey Melo thanks for answering! When you said right you add in the 3 once in a while, but the Chordy app didn't showed you playing any C on the right hand
@@playmakersmusicGo to 7:56 where I say "Right here" and you'll see the C at the very top (right). Just pause it at that very moment and that's the chord In talking about.
I'd suggest starting out by just playing the chords with your right hand and playing only the root/bass note with your left hand. The note you play with your left hand will strongly determine the sound of the chord. Once you've mastered that concept (if you haven't already, then start adding a note here and there in your left hand and listen for the effect it has on the chord. But as you do so, remember that the lowest note you play will still be the root note. If this doesn't answer your question, just let me know.
@@melotheproducer Thank you so much Melo. I really appreciate the time you took to respond back so thoroughly. I will definitely apply the suggestion you made because the hands on experience + the visual will then connect sonically.
Short Answer...Look at the diagram call the "Circle of Fifths" pick any scale or"letter" . On either side of the letter you picked will be it's 4th and 5th. Just like we have relatives in our family we are closer to each other and have a tendency move towards each other rather then any people who are not relatives. When your music moves this way it's more pleasing to the ear... Hope this helps
@@raykane2063 But why? Why are the 4 and 5 relative to the 1? Why not the 2? Why not the 7? The Circle of Fifths is just a chart showing the rules that exist. But the rules existed before the chart was made. He asked why the rule exists, which is a difficult question to answer. It's easy to say that the 4 and 5 sound pleasant with the 1 because they're relative. But why are they relative?
Music theory can be very complicated, but also very simple. Even "Mary Had a Little Lamb" has a lot to teach us about music if we just focus on the fundamentals. It's just like in basketball where you start with a simple dribble and then you're moving like Iverson after years of playing. Just start where you are, focus on the basics and build from there. It'll all come to you if you allow yourself to have fun with it. Thanks for watching. 🙏🏽💙
I retired from the music industry (hiphop staff producer) in 2007,... (Deathrow, Aftermath and Interscope) for many reasons. The main reason was because I didn't know music theory. Your brief explanation just opened up and readjusted so much theory from my ear OVERstanding, that I thought I didn't know. WOW. THANK YOU SIR.
Thank you for checking it out bro. When people requested that I do some videos explaining music theory, I almost didn't do it because I thought it had to be complicated, and I like to enjoy making/listening to music instead of getting so "deep" with it. But the more questions I was asked, the more I realized that most people just wanted the basics and not the overcomplicated stuff. If you think about it, we all know a little music theory, even if all we know is that something sounds bad or unsettling to us (dissonance). I'm glad you enjoyed it and I hope you continue to make music bro. 🙏🏽✊🏽
Hands down Melo is my favorite R&B music producer. I’m actually surprised you don’t have more views?! Anyway, I appreciate your videos and teachings. They inspire me to keep making music and getting better. I saw some of you first videos 15yrs ago and thought there should be a UA-cam award for most progressive channels seeing were you came from to now… WOW. Keep up the good and passionate work you are!
Wow - I appreciate that my brother. You just don't know what that comment means to me - This comment is literally my award! I'm glad I was able to give a little inspiration bro. Thank you and keep pushing! 🙏🏽✊🏽
Maaaaan YOU are too cold with this man!! This video made chords progressions and circle of 5ths finally click for me.
Thanks my brother! And that's exactly what I want to hear. I'm glad it helped. Keep pushing. 🙏🏾✊🏾
Your channel is amazing bro. Something fresh. Not the same old same old.
I really appreciate it fam! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Had to rewatch the beginning of this a couple times..great tips ..time to start back learning to play thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks bro. I'm glad to hear that. Keep pushing! 🙏🏾✊🏾
Thank you Melo. I’m going to have to watch this one several times. 🙏🏾 You’re awesome.
Thank you! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 Just move at your own pace. It's better to really learn it than to rush.
This is the best I've ever heard, your productions are just awesome. Your compositions are amazing and your Choice of Chords are imaculate. I'm hooked brother. I want to learn how to play exactly like this. God sent
I really appreciate that bro. 🙏🏾 I'm glad you enjoyed it. ✊🏾
Melo, the "bass line explanation" is SICK! OMG!! The possibilities with this deceptively simple concept are breathtaking and endless!
Thanks bro. Yeah man...That's a concept that really helped me as a younger keyboardist, so I had to share it. I'm glad to know you got something from this. 🙏🏾✊🏾
Im going to watch this over and over again thank u
Thank you bro. I'm glad you enjoyed it. 🙏🏾✊🏾
Good morning bro just find this Channel and my mojo was gone But i can see it coming back buy being my self ..when is the master class reopens
Good morning bro. I'm glad to hear that. I'm going to post master class later today. It'll be March 23rd at 6pm (EST). Thanks for checking the video out bro. I'm glad you enjoyed it. 🙏🏾✊🏾
MELO BRO!!! Of all the tutorials I have seen, none of them were as precise as yours. You have helped me understand music theory on another level. Truly grateful for your time and guidance brother. Blessings to you and your family bro!! 🤙🏾 ALOHA'Z from Maui, HI
Thank you bro. I'm so glad I was able to help. And feedback like this helps me know what to do do more of - I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know. 🙏🏽Blessings to you and your family and ALOHA'Z to you from the ATL my brother! ✊🏽
Melo! You are AMAZING! I have been binge watching your videos! The knowledge you're dropping is LONG OVERDUE! I wish I had come across you years ago. But I'm here now and THANKFUL! You can really break things down so that not only do I think it's possible...I think it's possible FOR ME...! Not to overlook also, the fact, that your feeling and playing style has me JUMPING over here! LOL! Thanks so much for all that you do! Much love from the ATL!
I appreciate you my brother! I'm glad to hear that the video helped you. Greetings to you from ATL! 🙏🏾✊🏾
wow, I loved so much this beat and lesson! I've been here a while ago and I love all of your art and work, a lot of inspiration. Much love and peace, man! 🤩🙏
Thanks - I really appreciate that! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Love and peace to you! 🙏🏽✊🏽
that bassline was crazy!
I appreciate it! 🙏🏽✊🏽
Nicely done.
Thanks bro. 🙏🏽✊🏽
Good stuff, bro. I can hear Jacquees/Usher/VEDO on this one. Especially the strings @ 21:21! I'm glad you touched up on the number system; I feel that will help producers tremendously with being able to play in all keys! (say no to transpose!) I'm fluent in theory, but I would like to see a video on how you approach composing bridges. I normally like to go to the 4, 6 or b7 for most of my bridges.
Thanks bro. I could definitely hear any of them on this. Yeah bro. The number system is a life saver - It's a universal language for ALL musicians. I've used it to communicate with all types of musicians, from beginners to world-class professionals. I think transpose can be useful for certain situations, but it was never meant to replace learning all keys. I'll have to do a video on bridges too because I've had a couple of other producers mention that as well. But your bridge approach sounds pretty similar to mine. I appreciate you as always, my brother! 🙏🏾✊🏾
I enjoy it
Thanks fam! 🙏🏾✊🏾
Thank you Melo! I gotta learn my scales lol. I know them but I don’t have them under my fingers. Your explanation for the number system has clicked for me the most. Thank you for pouring into your subscribers and not gate keeping ✊🏾✊🏾
I won’t be available next weekend but I will keep a lookout for future opportunities for the master class.
You're very welcome my brother! When it comes to the scales, I'd say to practice the C scales for a few days first, just to get familiar with the sound and pattern of the major scale. (Then just start putting your hands on three white keys and see what sounds good.) Next, give yourself a solid week with C# (which is the same as Db). Play that scale and get really comfortable with it. Db is a pretty simple one to get comfortable with. That's going to get you ready for Ab. Ab will get you ready for Eb, and so on. Basically, those 5ths I was talking about in the video. Just get comfortable with one at a time, and then learn its 5th and you'll have them all before you know it. Glad you enjoyed it bro! 🙏🏾✊🏾
I'm going to try to do one on a weekday soon for those who are tied up on weekends. 🙏🏾
Great video bro!, dope explanation on everything. Music definitely helps alot to make things flow smooth for yourself, productions.
I appreciate it my brother! 🙏🏽You're right. Once we get the basics down to muscle memory, we can start to have fun with it. 💪🏽
Thanks for making this video. You’re the piano teacher I’ve been praying for because it’s hard to find someone who understands and explains how to actually make r&b beats. I’m definitely joining the masterclass. Peace and blessings to you and your family.
Thank you bro. I appreciate that. I'm glad to hear that it helped. I look forward to meeting you in the class. Peace and blessings to you and your family. 🙏🏾✊🏾
Awesome stuff. Love how you simplified the most dreaded part of music production; theory. I always hear "you don't need theory…" but I believe it's essential to our beloved genre R&B; knowing relative majors and minors, extending to 7ths, 9ths etc, using progressions interchangeably to create bridges, using 11ths (sometimes) for modulations to higher keys. Then there's the ambiguity in Ab Major and F min (lol that's a topic for another day) Bless you, sir.
Thanks bro! I was trying to stay away from the topic of theory because it can start to get so boring. And I also think people sometimes use their knowledge of it to look down on those who don't know theory. But so many were asking for it and if this is an R&B production channel, I felt that I owed it to at least give some music theory basics. The way my mind works, those "advanced" concepts (like "WHY in the world does the Major 11th work?") are things that kind of just come after getting the basics down and adding random notes until you hear something new that you like lol. But then you sort of "backwards engineer" it and realize "Oh, there's actually a name for that chord". But I think that's just how my mind works because I was self-taught. And the relative minor topic is so simple, and yet so complicated lol. I'm glad you enjoyed it though - Blessings to you my brother! 🙏🏽✊🏽
Great video on music theory. Thanks, valuable information.
Thanks bro. 🙏🏾 I'm glad you enjoyed it. ✊🏾
Thank you for this king 🙌🏾
No problem my brother! Got some things I can learn from you too king. 🫡✊🏾
Melo scissor Hands lol Dope🔥🔥🔥as usual Bro🦾💯 I’m tuned in👍🏿
Bro that name is actually kinda catchy 🤣 I appreciate you fam. Glad you enjoyed it. 🙏🏾✊🏾
Thanks for the inspiration bro. I really enjoy the diversity of your content and topics related to R&B and music in general.
Keep up the great work! ✊🏼💫
Thank you bro. The support from you and others is a huge part of how I can keep going. It's definitely appreciated. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽✊🏽
Loving it
I appreciate it bro. 🙏🏾✊🏾
@@melotheproducer I haven’t forgot about the email I sent you , just been busy but I’ll send some stuff to coolab with soon
you are the Best Bro!!!!!
I appreciate it bro!!!🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾✊🏾
Thanks Bruh....🔥..... This video was what I needed to see and again Thank You.
Thank you bro. 🙏🏾 I'm glad it helped. No limitations - We're pushing harder and harder. Let's put in work and continue to grow fam. 💪🏾✊🏾
🔥🔥🔥
I appreciate it sis! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Keep it up man good job this video is really good
I appreciate it bro. 🙏🏾✊🏾
Good man!!!
I appreciate it!!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
💎💎💎
Thank you! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Going with this idea of playing relatives, I can for example in the key of C, I can play an F on my left hand, and play a Bm on my right as the Bm is the 3 for Gmajor, which is the relative of C?
I only used the major scale in this video to keep it simple. I wasn't referring to minors because I didn't want to confuse anyone. And I only said chords from relatives could be played together (not relatives of relatives). So using the idea I used, no that wouldn't work because C and Bm aren't what I was referring to as they're not relatives according to this idea.
Alright big dog. Nice video. I'm definitely trying to understand some things mentioned in the theory section. Relative, do you mean borrow notes from the Major scales of the M4 and M5 degrees? So, the major scales from those degrees each have 1 note difference. Adding 2 notes I can borrow if needed. I tested this and it does work. I'm just trying to understand if that's what you're saying.
I appreciate it fam. That's exactly right. The main thing I wanted to point out in that section is how similar relative keys are and how easily their chords can be exchanged. It can get a lot deeper, but that's the foundation. Like you said (for example), there's only one note different in the keys C and its 5th, G, or its 4th, F. So you can take most of the chords from G or F and use them in the key of C. And once you start alternating root notes, you have so many options for new chords. Let me know if that helps.
@@melotheproducer big help. Already seeing new ways to utilize this info. I just discovered your channel today. I’ll be checking more stuff out man. Thank you!
@@mu5ic3oy Thank you. 🙏🏾 I'm glad it helped. Welcome to the channel. ✊🏾
Hey Melo! Around the 7:50 mark, what do you mean by adding the 3? Do you mean the 3rd of the scale of Db(hence why you played Fmin on top of Db)?
Hey bro! It's just the 3 of the scale (of whatever key you're playing in). In this case, I'm in Ab, so the 3 would be C (1 - Ab, 2 - Bb, 3 - C, etc.). Thanks for checking it out and I hope this helps.
@@melotheproducer Hey Melo thanks for answering! When you said right you add in the 3 once in a while, but the Chordy app didn't showed you playing any C on the right hand
@@playmakersmusicGo to 7:56 where I say "Right here" and you'll see the C at the very top (right). Just pause it at that very moment and that's the chord In talking about.
@@melotheproducer I get it know, so it's just the note and not the chord, thanks Melo, you're a real one for sharing so much with us!
@@playmakersmusic You're welcome bro. Yep. That's it - The individual notes. Reach out anytime brother.
I need to take some time and learn music theory…
Just take your time and enjoy the process bro. That'll make it a lot easier.
I’m still a little confused with how do you figure out the base note for the right hand that goes with the chords played with the left hand?
I'd suggest starting out by just playing the chords with your right hand and playing only the root/bass note with your left hand. The note you play with your left hand will strongly determine the sound of the chord. Once you've mastered that concept (if you haven't already, then start adding a note here and there in your left hand and listen for the effect it has on the chord. But as you do so, remember that the lowest note you play will still be the root note. If this doesn't answer your question, just let me know.
@@melotheproducer Thank you so much Melo. I really appreciate the time you took to respond back so thoroughly. I will definitely apply the suggestion you made because the hands on experience + the visual will then connect sonically.
@@startingoverbygrace Anytime!
Why is the 4 and the 5 relative to the 1?
Are you asking what it means that they're relative? Or are you asking why the rule exists?
Short Answer...Look at the diagram call the "Circle of Fifths" pick any scale or"letter" . On either side of the letter you picked will be it's 4th and 5th. Just like we have relatives in our family we are closer to each other and have a tendency move towards each other rather then any people who are not relatives. When your music moves this way it's more pleasing to the ear... Hope this helps
@@raykane2063 But why? Why are the 4 and 5 relative to the 1? Why not the 2? Why not the 7? The Circle of Fifths is just a chart showing the rules that exist. But the rules existed before the chart was made. He asked why the rule exists, which is a difficult question to answer. It's easy to say that the 4 and 5 sound pleasant with the 1 because they're relative. But why are they relative?
Greek to me, but I am going to start back. I love good music but I’ll admit, I have a loooong way to go. 6:56 Thanks for the inspiration. ♥️
Music theory can be very complicated, but also very simple. Even "Mary Had a Little Lamb" has a lot to teach us about music if we just focus on the fundamentals. It's just like in basketball where you start with a simple dribble and then you're moving like Iverson after years of playing. Just start where you are, focus on the basics and build from there. It'll all come to you if you allow yourself to have fun with it. Thanks for watching. 🙏🏽💙