There’s a ton of genres, subgenres and even subsubgenres, but in this lesson you’ll
learn the truth about why none of them are real, even though they are.
Hello revolutionary music makers, I’m Kate Harmony, this is Ray Harmony, and welcome
to Hack Music Theory, where we help you make great music that stands out. If it’s your
first time here, please help yourself to our free book “12 Music Theory Hacks to Learn
Scales & Chords”, which you can download from our website: HackMusicTheory.com
So, one of the most common questions we get is: Will your theory hacks work in my genre?
As we get this question so often, we decided to dedicate a whole lesson to this genre issue.
So, the answer to the question is… Yes, our hacks will work in your genre, because
they work in all genres! And there you go, hope you enjoyed the lesson, and we’ll see
you next week for another theory hack.
Okay seriously though, the answer really is yes,
but let’s explore why. So, in this lesson you’ll learn the truth about genres, then
over the next few lessons we’ll analyze the music theory behind some examples that
prove this truth. So if you wanna learn what Ed Sheeran’s music has in common with the
metal subgenre Djent, and other such crazy but true genre facts, then be sure to subscribe
and stay tuned.
Alright, first things first, why is genre so important to songwriters, producers, and
music lovers in general? Well, it’s because our human brains have evolved to live in tribes,
and genres create musical tribes, which in turn results in a divide between us (the insiders)
and them (the outsiders). But, when you look at human history, anything that has ever created
a divide between people is not good for anyone, and on the other hand, anything that brings
people together is good for everyone. And it’s easy to see how music brings us together,
but it’s just as easy to see how genres push us apart. Imagine two people walk past
each other on the sidewalk, one’s wearing an Ed Sheeran shirt, the other’s in a Meshuggah
shirt. You can guess very accurately what they’re thinking about each other, and it’s
not “Hey we both love music so much we’re wearing shirts to show it, that’s awesome!”
Now, you may be thinking: Yeah but Ed Sheeran sux! That’s not the point here (and besides,
there’s artists that suck in every genre), the point is: music connects us, while genres
divide us. And accepting that truth will in no way diminish the enjoyment you get from
your favourite genres, because when we dig deeper into the concept of genre, we find
absolutely nothing wrong with it. The only problem is our attachment to, and identification
with, specific genres. That’s the real issue.
Imagine how amazing the music industry would be if instead of only connecting with people
in our genre, we extend our circle of compassion to include everyone. Also, genres are often
born as a reaction (or an antithesis) to other genres. For example, you wouldn’t have metal
if you didn’t have pop, and you wouldn’t have electronic music (played on virtual instruments)
if you didn’t have organic music (played on real instruments). Just like night and
day are opposites yet harmoniously coexist, so too do all genres and their opposites.
So now you know the first truth: Genre is far more about the tribe (i.e. the community
and its culture), than it is about the actual music (i.e. the melodies, harmonies and rhythms).
That’s why from a purely musical perspective, we can take a song in any genre and easily
transform it into another genre, even its opposite. And that fact introduces the second
truth: Genre also functions as music’s sonic packaging (i.e. its instrumentation and production).
Now, you may be thinking: Yeah, but genres do have musical characteristics that make
them sound the way they do. And while there’s obviously an element of truth in that statement,
it’s not enough to make the statement as a whole true. Here’s why: Those musical
elements that people think are specific to a genre, can easily be found in other genres
as well, except they’re not instantly recognizable due to a different context (i.e. a different
sonic packaging). For example, that characteristic reggae rhythm (known as the skank) is often
heard in EDM, but isn’t necessarily recognizable as a skank because it’s played on a synth
instead of a guitar.
So, what’s the takeaway from all this? As a songwriter or producer, when you free yourself
from the concept of genre, you free your music and the process by which you make it, because
all songs at their core are just notes. And when you understand the relationships between
all the notes and how they work together (in other words, music theory), you can apply
that knowledge to making music in any genre, or a combination of genres, or no genre at
all. And because genres come and go just like trends, it’s a waste of time focusing too
much on something as fickle as genre. Instead, focus your time and energy on writing great
melodies, harmonies and rhythms, cos great music is timeless!
And lastly, we have two questions for you: What’s your favourite genre? And what do
you love about it? Also, please help us spread the truth about genres by sharing this lesson
with your video friends (?!) hahaha... music friends! Thanks for watching (or listening,
if you’re on the podcast), we’ll see you next week! And remember: Music connects, genre divides.