Welcome to metal appreciation class! In this video I break down Metallica's Enter Sandman. I'll be covering the song's history, music theory and emotional themes. I also record a song based on Enter Sandman in my DAW. You don't want to miss this deep dive into the compositional process! Programming drums, guitar double tracking, orchestration, atmosphere and much more! So grab a front row seat ...
2024-08-22 14:00:00 +0000 UTC
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I hope you fingered the G-string at least 69 minutes this week muhahaha. I've been on vacation in Michigan, biking, boating and trying to survive my family muhahaha. To stay sane, I have two guitars to shred on. One is a beautiful solar with blue birds eye wood and the other is a Taylor acoustic. I also have a mobile recording setup I bring to record any evil sounds that spring to mind. By the ...
2024-08-16 12:00:06 +0000 UTC
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First off, let me say congratulations on making it to Friday! It's been a crazy week for me. Just wrapped up my family reunion with 150 people. Everyone seems to be getting sick but I'm still standing muhahah. How is your summer going so far? Catch up with me and others on discord with the link below!
š DISCORD (tabs, quizzes, live chat)
2024-08-10 11:00:09 +0000 UTC
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It's no secret there's an ongoing war raging between Megadeth and Metallica. Ever since Dave was kicked out of Metallica, the two groups have been fighting for thrash metal dominance. In this installment of metal appreciation class, we're going to analyze Mustaine's masterpiece, HANGER 18. Rumor has it this track is such a banger, Metallica stole it for their own!
š Discord š...
2024-08-02 14:00:15 +0000 UTC
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Welcome to metal appreciation class! In this post I'll be breaking down Metallica's Enter Sandman. What makes this track the most popular metal song ever recorded? I'll be covering the song's history, music theory and emotional themes. So grab a front row seat and letās take a look at this brilliant work of art muhahaha! By the way, don't miss out on your discord access below. Live chat, theo...
2024-07-26 14:00:23 +0000 UTC
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Have you ever reached that breaking point where you just can't go on anymore? That happens to me when the summer heat in southern California reaches scorching levels. I spend every August in northern Michigan to see family and cool down. That doesn't mean I won't be fingering the g string for 69 minutes per day though muhahaha. Below are new features coming to patreon soon! By the way, hop in t...
2024-07-23 13:00:11 +0000 UTC
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My goal for this video is to teach you music theory in 15 minutes. Is that even possible?....muhahaha. I believe theory is the biggest secret to untapping your creative power. Some say it stifles your ingenuity but I've had the exact opposite experience. Many musicians don't learn theory because they think it's difficult. That's FALSE! I broke things down into 8 simple parts to prove this isn'...
2024-07-16 14:00:08 +0000 UTC
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Itās been a crazy year so farā¦.cant believe itās already summer! Here in Los Angeles it feels like 666 degrees everyday muhahaha
I wanted to ask you something. How do you feel 2024 is going so far? Are you inspired, motivated and seeing gains in your musicianship? Or maybe itās been a shitty year and youāre about to set your guitar on fire. No judgment either way. Iāve no...
2024-07-09 14:00:13 +0000 UTC
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Welcome to the most comprehensive course on composition I've ever created! The goal of this method is simple....use music theory to write music! Get the full tabs below and let me know if it helps you write something!
š WHY I COULDN'T WRITE MUSIC
What's the real reason you're interested in theory? For me, it's about making the ideas in my head real. I remember getting frus...
2024-07-03 14:00:19 +0000 UTC
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Welcome to part 3 of Composing With Music Theory! In our journey through the circle of 5ths, we've covered 3 big ideas. Modal Interchange, Pivot Chords and now ABRUPT MODULATION. If you ever feel like you run out of ideas, or get stuck when writing...this is the video for you! Writer's block will have nowhere to hide with your new found knowledge muhahaha!
ā”ļøWHAT YOU GET
Check o...
2024-06-28 14:00:23 +0000 UTC
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Can music theory actually help you write better songs, or does it limit your creative potential? My issue was, I could never figure out how to play the sounds in my head on guitar. It was like there was some kind of barrier in the way. Iād just string random riffs together that didnāt really sound like a song. This was so frustrating, I eventually signed up for music school. Overtime I real...
2024-06-26 15:00:11 +0000 UTC
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Is classical music just heavy metal before electricity? In this video I cover two things metal and classical have in common. If you want to capture the power of both styles in your songs, this is going to be a game changer. Get the full tabs below!
The reason I went to music school was to write better songs. I tried writing music using my intuition but it didn't usually sound very good. ...
2024-06-20 15:00:08 +0000 UTC
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Get ready, because your life is about to change forever! Part 2 of Composing With Music Theory is finally here! In this segment you'll learn two big ideas. The first is how to solo over key changes with my circle of death workout. And 2nd, how to use pivot chords to end writer's block for good. I promise this is an absolute game changer if you feel STUCK when writing music. Full tabs, guitar p...
2024-06-17 14:00:10 +0000 UTC
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On Monday I posted a brand NEW course. I have to warn you, this is an absolute game changer for songwriters and composers. If you've ever felt stuck, or unsure where to go next, this will change your life muhahaš
If you missed part 1 of Composing With Music Theory, check it out before part 2 is released Monday!
ā”ļøNEW! Composing With Music Theory | Part 1
2024-06-13 14:00:09 +0000 UTC
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I'm excited to finally announce the release of Composing With Music Theory, part 1!! In this course you'll learn to use the Circle Of 5ths to express your emotions. Every wondered what makes something sound evil, bittersweet, triumphant or full of sorrow? In part one, you'll learn the #1 most powerful tool every artist can use to make people FEEL something NOW!
When I first star...
2024-06-10 14:00:14 +0000 UTC
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I'm excited to announce my new course is being released next Monday June 10th! It's about how to use the circle of 5ths to compose your own music. If you're feeling stuck, or don't know where to go next in your song, check this out š
ā”ļøI SUCK AT THIS
I remember getting frustrated AF writing songs in my teen years. I could hear amazing music in my head ...
2024-06-07 14:00:16 +0000 UTC
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This year I went to the NAMM conference in Anaheim California. It's where musicians from around the world get together and hang out. While I was there, my friend Roy Ziv showed me an exercise that's an absolute game changer. Perfect for those who want huge results with minimal effort. This just may be the ultimate way to practice music theory!
ā”ļøSOMETHING BIG IS COMING<...
2024-06-03 19:57:45 +0000 UTC
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What do you want from me on patreon? I'm curious to hear your answer below š
The most common answer I hear is, "I want to use music theory to express my emotions." People tell me they hear great music in their head... but they don't know how to play it on their instrument
āļøNEW COURSE!!
I've got good NEWS!! Coming in June I'm going to release a course to address this pr...
2024-05-30 19:32:58 +0000 UTC
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Today we're gonna talk about snake scales, that bathroom scale you've been avoiding and even the scales of justice muhahaha. Just kidding, of course we're talking about guitar scales! Scales are the fundamental building blocks of music. Each sacred tone helps articulate your creative visions to the world. So where do you start and what are the most important ones to learn? In this video I cover...
2024-05-27 14:00:09 +0000 UTC
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Recently a patron on discord asked me how I would use the circle of 5ths to write a simple jam. It's funny because I recently wrote a song called "Virgin's Blood." Listen to it below with the attached mp3! This track uses the circle of 5ths but it's not really something I consciously think about when writing. It's kinda like learning a language. At first you have to figure out how words and gra...
2024-05-24 17:00:14 +0000 UTC
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At age 12, my piano teacher used to make me feel stupid when I didn't learn her assignments. The truth is, dumb songs like the Old Gray Mare didn't inspire me.
āļø Dave Mustaine's Haunting Words
2 years later I heard Metallica and decided it was time to learn guitar. This is when theory started to make more sense. Something Dave Mustaine said in "A Tout Le Monde" has been...
2024-05-22 14:00:09 +0000 UTC
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I hate the feeling of having something to say...but you can't say it. I used to dream about songs I was going to write. I could hear the music in my mind....but I didn't know how to make the souns in my head real. In this post I'll give you 3 tips to banish writer's block forever muhahaha!
1. SACRED RITUAL
The first step to writing your best music is setting ...
2024-05-17 15:00:14 +0000 UTC
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Music theory was always confusing to me as a beginner guitarist. Can you relate, or does theory make sense to you? I remember reading this theory book I had over and over. Hoping it would just click at some point. I must have read that damn thing 69 times from age 15 to 16. I figured out later the problem was the C WORD....CONTEXT. The truth is, information is useless without practical applica...
2024-05-13 15:00:13 +0000 UTC
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I need to come clean with you guys. When I first started playing guitar, I resisted learning theory because I didn't think it applied to METAL. At my first guitar lesson, my teacher handed me the 7 modes of the major scale. "Learn these by next week", he said. I threw it away and quit instead!
Years later at music school, I realized that was a huge mistake! After atten...
2024-05-08 14:00:12 +0000 UTC
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I thought I was the king of improvising...until I started recording myself. The horrifying reality was I sounded like sh!t! Everyone in my band could hear it, which is why I got kicked out muhahaha. In this post, I'm going to cover one of the most important aspects to becoming a better improviser....MINDSET
If you missed my full improvising course released last week. Check it out b...
2024-05-06 14:00:09 +0000 UTC
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Do you every practice improvising? Since I first started playing guitar at age 14, I've been fascinated with how musicians make music on the spot. The ability to jam with others you've never met, or compose in the moment is the final frontier of musicianship. Bach used to entertain kings by improvising fugues around a melody he'd never seen before. Can you imagine having the skill to play ...
2024-05-02 15:00:10 +0000 UTC
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Why did you start playing guitar? When I first decided I was going to learn guitar, I had a vision in my mind. I pictured someone who could pick up the instrument anytime, anywhere and just play. It's kinda like having a conversation with your best friend. You don't think about what to say, it just flows. The equivalent to speaking a language fluently is improvising freely on guitar. Any song, ...
2024-04-29 15:00:12 +0000 UTC
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Do you think guitar gods like James Hetfield or Dave Mustaine know music theory? Their music uses keys, scales and chords, whether they know it or not. Below are some interesting music theory facts behind the top 5 metal guitar riffs muhahaha! (full tabs below)
āļø Learn more about theory and songwriting with my new MUSIC THEORY COLLECTIONS feature below. It's a compilation of m...
2024-04-26 15:00:11 +0000 UTC
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So what is a chord.... and what is a triad? Is there even a difference between the two? Chords are my absolute favorite topic because they affect how we FEEL. There's a chord for every emotion. Sadness, joy, suspense, mystery and more. In this lesson we'll uncover the magical world of harmony, how triads and chords differ, and even play around with 7th chords!
š The 4...
2024-04-22 14:00:13 +0000 UTC
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Based on my recent post about what you guys want to see on patreon, I've chosen to go with your #1 request....COMPOSING WITH MUSIC THEORY. This is where I need your help. How did I do in this course? Did I address the problems you struggle with, or did I miss the mark? I need your feedback to make these lessons better, so hit me up in the comments below!
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
1. ...
2024-04-17 15:00:08 +0000 UTC
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