Reddit reviews Harmony for Computer Musicians
We found 11 Reddit comments about Harmony for Computer Musicians. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
"Teaches DJs, gigging musicians, and electronic music producers the musical harmony concepts they need to become complete musicians.""Uses the MIDI keyboard environment and today's computer composing and recording software, such as Pro Tools, Reason, and Ableton Live, to teach concepts."Includes a companion CD with illuminating examples to help drive home the theory lessons.The author is an expert and highly experienced teacher of these concepts at the college level.
Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio - http://www.amazon.com/Mixing-Secrets-Small-Studio-Senior/dp/0240815807
Sound on Sound Synth Secrets - http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/allsynthsecrets.htm
Music Theory for Computer Musicians - http://www.amazon.com/Theory-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1598635034
Composition for Computer Musicians - http://www.amazon.com/Composition-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1598638610
Harmony for Computer Musicians - http://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1435456726/
Dance Music Manual - http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644
Also all of the manuals for whatever daw/vsts you have.
i suggest picking up some reading material such as:
http://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Computer-Musicians-Bk/dp/1598635034/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344524770&sr=8-1&keywords=music+theory+for+computer+musicians
and/or:
http://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1435456726/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344524777&sr=8-2&keywords=music+theory+for+computer+musicians
then once you're beyond that, there's an awesome musictheory subreddit you should check out. hope this helps!
> BTW, that wiki song structure article is a mess
Agreed. I linked to that wiki article without even really looking. Personally, I like the following books that go into a lot more detail in regards to production and EDM:
All the above are solid books.
I'd that https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1435456726/ref=pd_aw_sbs_14_of_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=4J9JHHY159DKP3FRKH35 and https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1598638610/ref=pd_aw_sbs_14_of_10?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=4J9JHHY159DKP3FRKH35 are great too.
Note: All the books I recommend are expensive and I suggest you torrent them before buying them to make sure you like their style. Then if you decide to use them buy them of course. The vocabulary used in the book can be a real bitch too, but if you stick with it and google the words you don't know, it'll be worth it.
I've self studied classical and pop music, even composed a few rondos and sonatas in my time. The easiest book you can read is Harmony for Computer Musician http://www.amazon.ca/Harmony-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1435456726
It explains everything in piano roll. It's one of the first book I read and the only thing I didn't like about it is that it left me with so many unanswered questions. It will teach you how to form and use all chords.
It takes probably about 20 hours to go through the book with no prior knowledge. I don't recommend this book unless the only time you want to invest is 20 hours. Knowing only 50% of theory can really restrict and fuck with your mind.
The other books I'll recommend are written in music notation, but the thing with music theory books is that you don't need to know music notation, just look at the examples you want, and slowly transcribe them into pianoroll. It takes me like 5 minutes to read an 8 bars music notation (slow as fuck) and it didnt prevent me form learning all my classical knowledge from theory textbooks with music notation.
So if you want a real and full unrestricted understanding of western music, from classical to pop to EDM, I'd recommend this book http://www.amazon.ca/Harmony-Voice-Leading-Edward-Aldwell/dp/0495189758/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381010907&sr=1-1&keywords=harmony+and+voice+leading
The difference with this books and the other one, is that it goes through all exceptions you will see in western music, so you see that almost anything is possible in music, and after you've finished the book you won't really have any questions per say regarding theory. Looking at a midi from a beatles song or a mozart's song won't really puzzle you.
The book probably takes about 200 hours to go through from start to end with no prior knowledge. I highly recommend it. Even if you start now and it takes you 10 years to finish it.
Now that you know everything about harmony, you might want to end your learning here, and that would be fine. This would allow you to create your own style.
But you also might to be able to analyze and imitate a composer or style that you like. You might still be confused about why a composer decided to use which harmony in the verse and which harmony in the chorus, and which harmony in the bridge, and which harmony before the chorus, etc. You might also be confused about how to create your melodic motives, how long should they be? how many times should they repeat? Why should my bridge be 12 bars or 8 bars? Why should my chorus be in a different key? Why did he use the same melodic motif (pattern) twice and then then the harmonic rhytmn accelerated before the chorus?
For this I recommend this book http://www.amazon.ca/Classical-Form-Functions-Instrumental-Beethoven/dp/019514399X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381011568&sr=1-2&keywords=classical+form+caplin
It also takes about 200 hours to go through (and that is if you have prior knowledge of harmony). After that composition of classical music won't have much secret to you. You'll know how to write a sonata and rondo, which most pop music is a simplified version of. I highly recommend this if you really want to be able to compose highly musical pieces, maybe something similar to video game music, or film score. I highly recommend reading at least the few chapters, where they talk about how to form 8 bars sections and ABA' sections (which most pop is based on).
Keep in mind that those 2 books are timeless and their information takes you from complete beginner to advanced. They are like bibles. So even if you buy them are read 1 chapter per month for 10 years, it will be invaluable to your musicianship. Like I'm sure you all know, music is an endless learning experience, so don't be intimiated with their size and complexity.
Now after reading that you want to get back to pop music but your brain is all about classical now (which is like western pop but on steroids). Don't worry, now that you know how to analyze classical, you will be able to understand and analyze most type of music. I would go with the classics and read those analysis of the beatles songs to come back full circle and write pop/EDM music with simple form. http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/AWP/awp-notes_on.shtml
You can try reading the beatles analysis without prior knowledge, but a lot of the vocabulary you won't understand. You could also skip the Classical Form book and skip strait to the beatles analysis but then again, you might not fully understand what you're reading.
If anyone is interested I've made some video tutorial on the topic (it doesn't go in depth like the books) http://www.youtube.com/user/DaveCoutureMusic
And here's some examples of classical pieces I've composed (I dont play any instrument and learned everything from books by myself):
https://soundcloud.com/dave-couture/rondo-for-strings
https://soundcloud.com/dave-couture/creepy-piano-piece
Also anyone that wants to PM for tips or get me on facebook if you have questions, I'm always glad to help.
http://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1435456726
Some things in that book will be irrelevant to writing EDM, that's true. Still, it's a remarkable book on the theoretical underpinnings of western music. I recommend you at least keep it on your reading list.
Perhaps it would be better for you to start with something a bit more geared towards your needs, like Hewitt's Harmony for Computer Musicians. This is actually a good choice for self study and it covers everything you really need to know in the first 200 pages or so.
this, this and this are said to be pretty good and are on my "to buy" list as well. Just took a short look at one of them at a friend's house a while ago and seems to be pretty well written.
Also: AFAIK written by a redditor. ;)
What do you think about these two?
They are surely more superficial but more easy to understand and apply on a DAW
https://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1435456726/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1485894155&sr=8-3&keywords=Michael+Hewitt
https://www.amazon.com/Theory-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1598635034/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1485894155&sr=8-4&keywords=Michael+Hewitt
Hey,
I had the same question very recently and realized that I just need to learn some of music theory, not sure how deep I'm going to dig into it, but so my resources so far:
Some of the videos from youtube, together with relevant chapters fromthe book already helped me understanding some of music theory basics I never happened to learn before.
Next planned books, if I'll keep on being interested:
Hope that helps!