Non-Diatonic Notes - Music Theory from Tom Morello & Bassnectar "Rabbit's Revenge"
In this video, you'll learn how to write guitar riffs like Tom Morello and drum beats like Bassnectar, in their new single “Rabbit’s Revenge” (feat. Big Boi & Killer Mike) from album "The Atlas Underground".
►Free eBook: https://HackMusicTheory.com/Books
►Apprenticeship Course: https://HackMusicTheory.com/Apprentic...
►Listen to Ray's collaboration with Tom Morello: https://RayHarmony.com
1:17 - DRUMS - Bassnectar
There are two main characteristics that give “Rabbit’s Revenge” its unique flavour. The first is that the song feels simultaneously slow and fast. How did they pull off this sorcery? Well, the song’s tempo is 88 BPM (which is relatively slow), and Bassnectar has a huge hip-hop beat going, with a backbeat snare. However, Tom is playing a 16th-note riff on his guitar over the top, which sounds relatively fast. And what connects these two elements, is the 16th-note pattern on the hi-hats. This hack results in the song feeling slow and fast at the same time, and it’s used to connect slow drums with fast melodies in many genres, from nu skool hip-hop to old school death metal. Right, so to make this kinda beat, start by setting your grid to 16th notes. Then, throw in closed hats on all the 16th notes. Then next, slap a snare on beat 2 and beat 4. And then finally, we’re gonna kick beat 1, beat 2+ and beat 3+. And it sounds like this!
2:26 - GUITAR - Tom Morello
The second distinctive characteristic in “Rabbit’s Revenge”, is Tom’s guitar riff (man sound gangsta!). How does Tom create this super edgy sound? Well, he’s using two non-diatonic notes, which are notes that are not in the scale, and therefore sound rather dissonant. This song is in the key of D minor, which contains the notes: D E F G A B♭ C, but in the main riff, Tom also plays an E♭ (which is the ♭2) and a C♯ (which is the 7). These “anti-scale” notes give the song its anti-establishment feel. Alright, so the first thing you’ll notice about this riff, is the two layers. Tom’s in drop-D tuning, so this main riff is centred around a ping-ponging between that low D and the D an octave higher. So, start writing your riff by simply coming up with an interesting rhythm between the low D and the high D. Then, move some of your high Ds up to E♭ and E, and move some down to C♯ and C. Then lastly, we moved a few of our low Ds up a semitone to E♭, for extra gangsta dissonance. And we’re done!
ABOUT
Hack Music Theory is the pioneering notation-free method for making great music. Taught by award-winning music lecturer Ray Harmony, and his protégé (and wife) Kate Harmony, from their studio in Vancouver BC, Canada. Ray is the author of critically-acclaimed book series "Hack Music Theory", and has made music with Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Ihsahn (Emperor), Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic MCs), Madchild (Swollen Members), and many more. Kate has the highest grade distinction in Popular Music Theory from the London College of Music, and is the only person on the planet who's been trained by Ray to teach his Hack Music Theory method! While these Hack Music Theory YouTube lessons teach music theory for producers and DAW users, they are designed to accommodate all music makers (songwriters, guitarists, etc.) and all genres, from Electronic Music to R&B, Pop to Hip-Hop, Reggae to Rock, EDM/Dance to Metal (and yes, we djefinitely Djent!).
►Ray Harmony's music: https://RevolutionHarmony.com/Ray
►Kate Harmony's music: https://RevolutionHarmony.com/Kate
Music by Revolution Harmony
(c) 2018 Revolution Harmony
Photo Tom Morello by Marnie Joyce (20111013 NYCC-45)
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/marniej...
Photo of Bassnectar by Ultra 5280 (Bassnectar 005)
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mylifei...