Music Theory for Electronic Music

Describe the harmonic series and explain its role in determining an instrument's timbre.

Explain why the octave corresponds to a 2:1 frequency ratio and its perceptual significance.

Derive the Pythagorean tuning system from successive applications of the pure fifth (3:2 ratio).

Explain the limitations of Pythagorean tuning and just intonation, such as the Pythagorean comma.

Derive the 12-tone equal temperament semitone ratio as 2^(1/12) and explain the compromise it represents.

Define the cent as a logarithmic unit of pitch and use it to compare intervals across different tuning systems.

Analyze the harmonic content of basic synthesizer waveforms (sine, square, saw, triangle) as practical examples of the harmonic series.

Identify notes on a piano roll and relate them to their pitch and frequency.

Define and identify all intervals within an octave by name and semitone count using a piano roll.

Classify intervals as perfect, major, minor, augmented, or diminished.

Rank intervals by their perceived consonance/dissonance and relate this to their underlying frequency ratios.

Aurally recognize key intervals: perfect fifth, major/minor third, major/minor second.

Invert a given interval and determine the resulting interval type.

Distinguish between simple intervals (within an octave) and compound intervals (larger than an octave).

Program simple two-voice melodic and harmonic phrases in a DAW to internalize the sound of different intervals.

Construct natural, harmonic, and melodic minor scales and articulate their intervallic differences.

Explain the relationship between relative major and minor keys (e.g., C Major and A minor).

Identify the key signature for any major or minor key and relate it to the circle of fifths.

Construct pentatonic (major and minor) and blues scales, and analyze their use in electronic music melodies.

Construct symmetric scales like the whole tone and chromatic scales, and describe their tonally ambiguous character.

Explain enharmonic equivalence (e.g., F# and Gb) in the context of equal temperament.

Analyze the intervallic structure of different scales to explain their distinct tonal qualities.

Derive the seven diatonic modes (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian) from a parent major scale.

Identify the characteristic note that distinguishes each mode from its parallel major or minor counterpart.

Describe the tonal quality and mood associated with each mode (e.g., Lydian's brightness, Dorian's coolness).

Compose a short melody or bassline that emphasizes the characteristic tone of a given mode.

Identify modes commonly used in house (Dorian, Mixolydian) and techno for specific tonal colors.

Harmonize a mode with diatonic triads to create a static, non-functional harmonic loop.

Apply a chosen mode to create melodic and harmonic content for a short electronic music loop.

Construct major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads by stacking major and minor thirds.

Construct major 7th, minor 7th, dominant 7th, half-diminished, and fully-diminished 7th chords.

Build extended chords (9ths, 11ths, 13ths) and suspended chords (sus2, sus4).

Identify triads and seventh chords in root position and all inversions on a piano roll.

Apply chord inversions to a progression to create smoother bass motion (voice leading).

Explain how synth parameters like unison, detune, and chord stacking affect the texture of a chord.

Construct power chords (root-fifth) and sparse voicings suitable for industrial and heavy electronic styles.

Harmonize a major scale with diatonic triads and seventh chords, labeling them with Roman numerals.

Harmonize the natural and harmonic minor scales, explaining the function of the resulting V chord in minor keys.

Define tonic, subdominant, and dominant harmonic functions and their roles in creating tension and release.

Explain the role of the V7-I resolution (authentic cadence) as the foundation of tonal harmony.

Recognize common cadential patterns (authentic, plagal, half, deceptive).

Analyze how genres like techno and house often use functional harmony in repeating loops (e.g., i-VI-III-VII).

Analyze common chord progressions (I–V–vi–IV, ii–V–I) and their application in melodic electronic music.

Deconstruct the harmonic structure of a reference track from a chosen genre.

Explain the distinction between modal harmony (static) and tonal harmony (functional).

Apply modal interchange by borrowing chords from a parallel mode (e.g., using chords from C minor in a C major context).

Identify and use secondary dominant chords to tonicize non-tonic scale degrees.

Explain and apply tritone substitution (e.g., substituting Db7 for G7 leading to C).

Use pedal tones and drones to create a harmonic anchor for melodic and chordal movement.

Apply non-functional chord movement (planing/parallelism) to create textural harmonic shifts.

Use chromaticism and dissonance to build tension for builds and drops.

Analyze how harmonic ambiguity and tension are manipulated in industrial and noise music.

Represent note durations (whole, half, quarter, eighth, etc.) and rests in a piano roll sequencer.

Define tempo (BPM) and explain its role in defining electronic music genres.

Distinguish between simple meter (beats divided by 2) and compound meter (beats divided by 3).

Identify and program patterns in common time signatures (4/4, 3/4) and explain their stress patterns.

Define and apply ties to create notes that extend across beat boundaries.

Program basic rhythmic patterns in 4/4 time, focusing on kick, snare, and hi-hat placement.

Define syncopation and program a simple syncopated pattern by displacing notes off the beat.

Use quantization to align programmed notes to a grid and understand its effect on 'feel'.

Construct polyrhythmic patterns (e.g., 3 against 2) and explain their mathematical basis.

Distinguish between polyrhythm (simultaneous different subdivisions) and polymeter (simultaneous different meters).

Program rhythmic patterns using tuplets (e.g., triplets, quintuplets) to break from standard subdivisions.

Explain and apply swing/shuffle by systematically delaying off-beat notes.

Define and apply rhythmic displacement by shifting a rhythmic pattern forward or backward in time relative to the bar.

Define and program cross-rhythms, where a rhythmic pattern's length conflicts with the bar length.

Program and analyze beats in odd time signatures (e.g., 5/4, 7/8) as requested for experimental structures.

Analyze the rhythmic complexity of breakbeat tracks, identifying syncopation and displacement.

Program a foundational four-on-the-floor kick pattern for house and techno.

Program characteristic hi-hat patterns with open/closed variations and offbeat accents.

Program snare and clap patterns typical of house, techno, and industrial styles, focusing on backbeats and variations.

Use velocity variation and micro-timing adjustments (nudge) to create groove and humanization in drum patterns.

Apply ghost notes (low-velocity notes) to add rhythmic subtlety to snare and hi-hat lines.

Load a drum loop into a sampler and slice it into individual hits based on transients.

Construct a breakbeat pattern by rearranging and repitching sliced drum hits (e.g., Amen break).

Recreate and then modify a characteristic drum pattern from an industrial or breakbeat reference track.

Describe the signal flow of a subtractive synthesizer: Oscillator -> Filter -> Amplifier.

Explain and apply low-pass, high-pass, and band-pass filters, including resonance, to sculpt timbre.

Apply ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) envelopes to shape the amplitude and filter cutoff over time.

Describe LFO (Low-Frequency Oscillator) modulation and apply it to pitch, filter cutoff, and amplitude to create movement.

Explain the principles of FM (Frequency Modulation) synthesis, relating modulator-carrier ratios to harmonic complexity.

Design a percussive sound using a short, sharp ADSR envelope and noise/FM synthesis.

Design a sustained pad sound using slow envelopes, LFO modulation, and multiple detuned oscillators.

Reverse-engineer a simple synth patch (e.g., a bass or lead) from a reference track.

Identify common electronic music structures: intro, build, drop, breakdown, outro.

Apply reverb and delay to create a sense of acoustic space, depth, and rhythmic complexity.

Apply distortion and saturation to shape timbre and add harmonic richness, particularly for industrial sounds.

Explain and apply sidechain compression to create a rhythmic 'pumping' effect between kick and bass/pads.

Construct effective risers, downlifters, and drum fills to signal structural changes in a track.

Analyze the arrangement and energy flow of a reference track in a target genre.

Develop a core 8-bar loop into a full 2-3 minute arrangement with planned structural changes and automation.