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Small Bites

Content from our social media — music theory, songwriting, engineering, mixing, synthesis, and more — collected in one place. If you saw something on our page and want to find it again, it's here. Read it, search it, share it.

Featured Bite

Form: First Lessons

The biggest music theory hack has nothing to do with reading music or memorizing chord names. It starts with seeing the pattern.

Corporate Boys

"Heh, Nathan." I initially responded to a mastering session and have never been replied to.

Video thumbnail: Here’s a C suspended chord, but let’s see if we can’t get you playing some hipper ones, like a D...

Hipper Suspended Chords

Here’s a C suspended chord, but let’s see if we can’t get you playing some hipper ones, like a D minor over a C or a D minor 7 over a C.

MBE: all levels

Let me share with you the steps I take to teach harmony to our students.

Video thumbnail: Reverb. I am brimming with things that I want to say about reverb. There’s no way I can put this...

Can't Wait to Talk About Reverb

Reverb. I am brimming with things that I want to say about reverb. There’s no way I can put this into 60 seconds, but effects mixing and synthesis starts next…

Video thumbnail: Producers have this habit of trying to understand music theory without understanding one really...

Form: Music Theory Unlock Code

Producers have this habit of trying to understand music theory without understanding one really basic thing, which is form.

swing

When you first begin to learn about rhythm, you’re taught to think like a metronome.

Video thumbnail: This may be one of the most useful chord progressions you can learn, and it’s deceptively easy,...

You Can Do This

This may be one of the most useful chord progressions you can learn, and it’s deceptively easy, because if you can do this, then you can do this, and even this.

Bread and Butter: 6/3 Church Chord

Another useful chord progression to put under your fingers — a common keyboard trope built on the 6/3 church resolution.

Visualize Compressor Ration

Okay, let’s talk about compressor ratio and let’s imagine that instead of pitch, this is level.

Your Mic Comes With Reverb

This is your friendly reminder that your microphone comes with reverb.

Why Does a Compressor Have a Knee

If your compressor has a knee, it’s offering you something of a compromise.

Perfection

This is a story about perfection.

Run Tape

Always run tape. That was a piece of advice I got as a young musician, and I still think it’s really good. I don’t just mean you should record your…

ProDuce

Check this out and tell me if it makes sense to you.

All Bites

Showing 12 of 610 articles (Page 45 of 51)

Monitoring With Compression

A lot of vocalists love performing with compression.

Learn To Mix

There is a myth that’s pervasive around here, which is that people can teach you how to mix.

Hide And Seek

The first time I heard Imogen Heaps hide and seek, I was driving and I literally had to pull the car over.

Songwriting Incubator: launch

I’m super excited to announce the launch of a new Beat Kitchen elective, Songwriting Incubator.

Video thumbnail: I’m about to make another music theory reel to talk about my class that starts on Monday, but I...

Ask Away

I’m about to make another music theory reel to talk about my class that starts on Monday, but I wanted to address something that keeps coming up in …

Oops: now watch your tone

I’ve been stomping around all morning and calling myself a moron because I made a big mistake.

Impostor Vs. Self-Doubt

A healthy amount of self-doubt isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Video thumbnail: Welcome everybody. This is Mark Jaffe from Five Bridges. Mark is a wonderful attorney who really...

IG Live: Mark Jaffe - get back your copyright

Welcome everybody. This is Mark Jaffe from Five Bridges. Mark is a wonderful attorney who really takes a focus on creative stuff and he’s agreed to …

Video thumbnail: Every DAW crashes. Every computer crashes. In fact, if you were using tape, your Capistan motor...

All DAWs Crash

Every DAW crashes. Every computer crashes. In fact, if you were using tape, your Capistan motor would run out at some point. When you sign on to do …

Video thumbnail: Feeling stuck when you’re working on melodies and phrases, there are lots of home remedies for...

Trading Fours: with yourself

Feeling stuck when you’re working on melodies and phrases, there are lots of home remedies for this, but they usually involve the same thing, which is …

In or Out of the Box

For most of you, the whole hardware software debate is overblown.

Video thumbnail: If you’ve been scrolling around here long enough, you’ve certainly found somebody telling you that...

tuna kick

If you’ve been scrolling around here long enough, you’ve certainly found somebody telling you that you’re supposed to tune your kick to the key of …