the tool every producer needs (music theory pt. 4!)

Summary

In this music theory video, Tatro focuses on ear training, a crucial skill for music producers. He clarifies it's not about perfect pitch but recognizing intervals and chord progressions. Tatro uses familiar tunes to illustrate how recognizing intervals like minor seconds, perfect fifths, and octaves can help identify a song's key and structure. He emphasizes practice, suggesting tools and exercises to improve ear training, and teases upcoming lessons on rhythm and a final theory topic. The video also features a Skillshare promotion for further learning.

Takeaways

• 🎼 **Simplifying Music Theory**: Tatro's music theory series aims to simplify complex concepts, making them more accessible for everyday music production.
• 👂 **Ear Training Focus**: This installment focuses on ear training, which is a skill that can be developed over time and is essential for music production.
• 🎹 **Not Perfect Pitch**: Ear training is distinct from perfect pitch and is about recognizing intervals and chord progressions by ear.
• 🔑 **Key Knowledge**: The series provides key knowledge that can be applied directly to music production, rather than overwhelming with unnecessary complexity.
• 📈 **Building on Basics**: Ear training builds upon the basics of music theory covered in previous parts of the series.
• 🎵 **Recognizing Melodies and Chords**: Ear training helps in quickly identifying the key of a track and recreating melodies and chords.
• 🔗 **Intervals Importance**: Intervals are crucial for ear training, and recognizing common intervals like minor seconds, octaves, and perfect fifths is a foundational skill.
• 🎶 **Applying to Music Making**: The ability to recognize intervals and chord progressions can be applied to recreate or emulate music in a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).
• 🔄 **Transference Across Keys**: Understanding intervals allows for recognizing them across different keys, which is fundamental to ear training.
• 🛠️ **Practice and Tools**: Ear training requires consistent practice, and there are tools available to assist with this, as highlighted in the video.

Q & A

What is the main goal of Tatro's music theory series?

The main goal of Tatro's music theory series is to make music theory more approachable and to provide key knowledge that can be applied in day-to-day music production.

Why does Tatro believe traditional music theory teaching can be disenfranchising?

Tatro believes traditional music theory teaching can be disenfranchising because it often teaches complex concepts in the wrong order, which can be overwhelming for beginners just trying to get into making music.

What was the topic of the previous video in Tatro's series?

The topic of the previous video was not specified in the script, but it was part of the music theory series and led to a decision to cover ear training in the current video.

What will be the topic of the next video in the series?

The next video in the series will cover rhythm.

What is the difference between ear training and perfect pitch according to Tatro?

Ear training, as discussed by Tatro, is a skill used daily in music making that allows one to quickly find the key of a track and recreate melodies and chords. Perfect pitch, on the other hand, is the ability to name any pitch played on an instrument, which some people are born with or train to have.

How does Tatro suggest using ear training to identify the key of a track?

Tatro suggests using ear training to identify the key of a track by recognizing intervals and chord progressions, which can help determine the key even if the song is not labeled.

What is an interval in music theory?

An interval in music theory is the difference in pitch between two notes. Tatro uses intervals as a foundational concept for ear training, helping to identify melodies and chord progressions.

How does Tatro relate ear training to recognizing songs?

Tatro relates ear training to recognizing songs by using familiar tunes like 'Jaws', 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow', and 'Star Wars' to demonstrate how recognizing specific intervals can help identify songs.

What is the significance of the major scale formula in Tatro's ear training discussion?

The major scale formula (whole whole half whole whole whole half) is significant in Tatro's ear training discussion because it provides a systematic way to understand and recognize intervals and chord progressions across all keys.

How does Tatro recommend practicing ear training?

Tatro recommends practicing ear training by quizzing oneself on recognizing intervals across all keys and using tools and exercises designed for ear training, such as those found on music theory websites.

What role does ear training play in understanding chord progressions?

Ear training plays a crucial role in understanding chord progressions by helping to recognize the relationships between chords and identifying common progressions, even when played in different keys.

What is the offer Tatro mentions in the video, and how is it related to the music theory series?

Tatro mentions a free one-month trial of Skillshare Premium Membership, which provides access to thousands of classes, including music theory and DAW courses. This offer is related to the music theory series as it provides a resource for viewers to dive deeper into the topics discussed in the series.