I have never been more grateful for the pause button

I have been into music my entire life...sang in church when I was 12-15, learned guitar and bass at 14, and have played professionally in rock bands for many years. I have NO IDEA what music theory is! I can't even tell you the notes on my bass...but I can play them. Now that I'm a little older (58), I have slowed down my life where I can appreciate this "theory" now and want to learn more. Rick, I sincerely appreciate your videos and lessons. It's given me an inspiration to learn again what I missed when I was young and should have learned then when my brain was more eager and accepting. I know it will be laborious to grasp a lot of this, but time is now on my side. Thank you for all you do and making all this possible!

Just a suggestion from an old timer: learn the information presented here; you'll never regret it.

I thought this video was going to augment my music ability but alas, it has diminished my will to live - in a major way...

Bought the book, watching tons of your stuff...as a guitarist with 53 years of ear training, this sure fills in my knowledge holes...Thanks, Rick!

People pay for this sorta knowledge or go to schools for this. This is an absolute treasure!

Rick, seriously, you're a treasure.

Amazing the difference a good teacher makes. I've been aware of the circle of fifths for 20+ years and never quite gotten it this clearly.

Even though this is 'Just the basics", it is so powerful to have just this rudimentary knowledge. A musician armed with a thorough knowledge who understands the practical application of these basics is indeed a 'real musician'. And can progress with confidence into the more sophisticated concepts and structures. Just my opinion. Worth investing the time and effort - i think

I told myself that I would definitely buy your book before returning to China. I can't do it now due to the financial situation, but I will definitely put buying your book as my first priority budget in the last days before I go back to China, no matter how tight my budget will be.

Thank you so much! Being a professor is a kind of mission. And you, my friend, have the talent to do it! We're blessed to have the opportunity to learn from you. And for free... That's one of the best uses for technology I've ever seen.

Rick is, to me, one of the best music communicators of the KZfaq community. His teachings, even the basics, demand attention and further study. He creates this small pills of condensed knowledge which we have to absorb little by little in order to learn effectively what he's trying to teach, and I am so grateful to him because he helped me A LOT.

If you are a beginner and think that this stuff is too difficult, you will need to hear it again and again....eventually it will start to make sense. And you cannot grasp everything at once. At least this how it is to me. And if you concentrate on intervals and you start there and practise on the instrument, you can build from there. It is up to you how you will use all this information. Thanks Rick and it is great to see things written and explained at the same time....showing stuff on the instrument is very helpful too. Cheers.

This is an entire semester of Music Theory 101 packed into 40 minutes. I'm sure a lot of you feel overwhelmed.

Rick, from one Educator to another one. Man you are such a great and patient teacher. God has blessed you with a gift and you are sharing it for free to us around the world. Thank You. I got a lot out of this lesson. You definitely connected some dots for me. I am looking forward to seeing your other videos.

When I was a child and took music lessons, neither my piano nor my guitar teachers taught me this stuff. They just gave me sheet music to learn. Now, some fifty years later, I regret not having put in the sustained effort to learn the intervals, scales, keys, cycles and orders of #'s and b's so that they were an instinctive and integral part of my being. I'm trying now, but if only I had my young brain to absorb it. I'm reading a lot comments about how hard it is and that this isn't for beginners. Yeah, my old teachers probably thought the same thing, and that it was a lot easier to simply teach the kid some songs. Leave the theory for later. What a dis-service that was to my young self! So to all of you complainers, here's the reality. It's hard but not THAT hard. And it's not very complicated if you take it step by step and have some patience and diligence. So get over it and get to work.

Thank you, sir! I literally just got a better grasp of intro music theory in this 40 minute video than I got in 10 years of high school and college band. I'm coming back to playing after a 20 year break and you just helped me immeasurably!

Found myself constantly taking screen shots of the whiteboard. Will play this over and over and test the capacity of me olde grey matter. Now it’s down to me. Thanks Rick. You are the man and you’ve got my attention. 👍🎼🎹 Healthy and happy 2021🥂

Rick, Thank you. You have filled in so music of the little things I could just not understand from music theory. More teachers need to watch this before they try to teach this and put people of forever. Your absolute love of music and way your teach has made me pick my bass back up and enjoy it so much more.

Mr.Beato , love your program.. Your awesome..! A brother from another mother... Thanx so much..🎸

Many thanks for all of your videos and the sharing of your knowledge. Your explanation of the circle of fifths was extremely clear and concise. I finally understand!

Boy. I play bass for like... And now I'm amazed it's been about 10 years already. I tried to understand all this stuff many times but I couldn't get all of it. Thanks to your channel I finally start to understand everything so clearly. Thank man. You do great work up here, and I am really grateful. Love the way you teach and talk about your life with such passion. :)

2:32 and already I've learned something I even realise I didn't know - harmonic vs. melodic intervals. Legend. Off to buy the book, now.

We need a "Beato Bootcamp"...….

Well, I understood the first part (Hi, I'm Rick Beato). From there on I,m clueless.

I learned the order of sharps through the phrase Fat Cajuns Get Drunk At Every Bar. doesn't get any more Louisiana than that lol

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain all of this! No words can describe how awesome you are! My favorite channel on KZfaq (No joke, I watch everyday)!

Im 13 and I ve been learning since I was in third grade with music and this video has already taught me more than all of that combined! I wrote down everything. Thank you so much Mr.Beato

Wow, good lesson. My tenth-grade music teacher for concert band required we know all of that to pass the class. He spent months getting us to absorb it. You summed it up in 40 minutes. I have your Beato Book and look forward to reviewing this. Regarding Nashville musicians, Drummers also have to know a similar system. Thank you, Rick

My physics teacher: cmmon this is an easy topic it's not music theory Music teacher : cmmon it's an easy topic it's not rocket science

Ive been playing guitar for 40 years. THIS WAS SO HELPUFL!!!! THANK YOU. Steve.

I helps a whole lot to hold your guitar and kinda play along while he's showing you. It really helps for it to make sense that way...

Rick, thank you so much for unlocking the order of sharps and flats for me! I've never been able to find any theory book (other than yours, I'm sure - so I'll have to go looking for it) that adequately explained in a visual way which sharps and flats to use, in which order, for each key. I really appreciate this! Your theory lectures are gold, sir. Thank you again!

Dude you ARE my new GOD! LOL. Friends at best could only teach me basic chords / power chords, YOU just TAUGHT me what no one could for 20+ years of "playing"!

Rick is the only man on KZfaq who doesn't have dislikes

This was awesome Rick, thank you for your time and knowledge. At the stage personally where I can follow along with all you covered, but need to work on memorizing all you've suggested. Thanks for the guidance Jedi master! I'll have to upgrade my Beato book now to new version!

Thanks for doing this!!! .. bringing the love and theory of music to the world like that.. pretty awesome stuff!

Sir our 10 yrs old language delayed child having a gr8 love 4 music n started watching ur valuable music theory frm basic !! We ll continue learning frm ur valuable teaching videos 1 after d another , slow but steady frm our side of d world . We r so thank full 2 u.....all ur teachings specially d ear training n theory course videos r lk Nature's blessing 2 us🙏💕......pls keep on uploading ur valuable gem lk teaching to all of our children on net through out d wide world so that one day we really cn heal d world !!....Last hope to mk our mother Earth....our only habitat , a place frm where we don't hv 2 go 2 ny other planets in search of impossible journey of life !! WE BELIEVE....AT THIS 11th HOUR ONLY MUSIC CN DO IT , 2 CALM DOWN....2 LEARN WHERE TO STOP N FRM WHERE 2 START AGAIN TOWARDS A POSITIVE OUTLOOK....2 SAVE ALL OF US !! 🙏💕

For someone like me with a few years of classical training, some jamming, and A LOT of self teaching; this video is an invaluable resource. Hell I might be able to reverse engineer what my band has been playing for the first time lol much love from NY Beato

THANK you so very much. I'm sure this is a great supplement to your book. Continued success Mr. Beato.

This video has shed more light on music theory than any other video I’ve come across (and sadly I watched a lot). I can’t thank you enough Rick. I will be looking into purchasing items that will support you and hopefully allow you to keep creating content.

(Favorite Chord Gives Dad An Energy Boost). That's how I remember the order of sharps and flats. I just take the first letter of each word and reverse it for flats. I'm a dad who plays guitar trying to learn music theory. Thanks for your music knowledge Rick. Most helpful. Liked and subbed.🎸👍

Rick Beato's Oval of Fifths.

Having a keyboard helps a lot with this. Basic chords are built on your thumb, middle finger, and pinky.

Love these videos, and looking forward to hopefully seeing more in the future! Will hopefully be buying the Beato Book soon so I can have both these "lectures" and the "textbook". Despite lots of commenters saying this is below or above their theory level, I really appreciate this one!!

Excellent explanation. Very clear to understand. Keep posting your lessons Rick!

This is pretty good. Paul Gilbert says that theory is just names for what you probably already know, and not to be afraid of it. If you've been playing for a few years, learning off of records by ear(like I did), or from tabs(which are chinese to me), then you will think"oh, ok, I know what that is", then go back to doing the same thing, but it will be WAY easier, and you will be able to hear something, and pretty much be able to play it straight back. "It ain't the note, IT'S THE SPACES"

Would you do some videos on breaking down songs into basic music theory where you find the key and show the scales they use?

Fantastic! I bought your book, and will definitely support you and your channel -- you're the best music teacher in the world.

Thanks a ton rick! Ive been playing guitar for like 10 years but never took the time to learn theory and now that im tryin to write music im regretting it. Thankfully your videos get me a little closer each time to understanding what im actually doing lol

You didn’t talk about this but it seems absolutely fundamental. You listed the sequence of sharps and flats as a separate list and implied that you have to learn these lists separate to the circle. But this is in fact not the case. If you start from F and go around the circle clockwise, the circle of fifths tells you the order of the sharps. F, C, G, D, A, E, B (of course B# doesn’t exist, or it is in fact C again). The same is true for the other flat side, if you start from Bb and work your way around the circle again: B, E, A, G, D, C, F. Admittedly my own piano teacher never mentioned that either. But it is obvious once you see it and it would make the basic theory that much easier to learn if it was made known more prominently. Also it is not a 5th between B and F#/Gb, more like 5.5, and also between F and Bb on the other side. Please could you talk about why this is on another video?

Thanks much, Rick, this helped immensely. Now I believe I can start to make heads and tails of music thanks to this and I believe I will be purchasing your book very soon.

I understood it! Been playing many years but never delved into theory that much. I have holes in my knowledge but that’s filled a lot of them. Thanks!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was just realizing that I need to get my head into music theory but I was finding a lot of content over complicated. This definitely did it for me. Now I have to write all this out for myself and get memorizing :-)

Came across a decent guitar player at a music store yesterday and we chatted a bit. I was surprised that he didn't know the basics of theory and was lost when I explained to him the changes he was playing. I take it for granted that this is the basic of the basics and all guitarists know this. Playing by ear is okay, but when communicating with other "musicians" I think it is paramount.

I'm digging the lydian and phyrgian triads! Thanks for that, i've never heard them called that before.

Awesome video, really opened my mind. Greetings from Brazil!

This was great to send to my son to tell him what he needs to start to learn. Perfect, thanks.

I am glad this is on utube and not a live instructor,I can replay it over and over until it sinks in. ( just with he had a hard copy of his book)

Thank you a lot Rick . For tons of information for free !! Wish all the hapiness in the world , truly !

You , sir, are a terrific teacher. Thank you 🙏

rick you and many other music you tubers are helping us so much with all your videos, thank you! please don't ever stop teaching. if i ever get good enough i will teach my close friends as well. i believe it is a privilege to learn and an even bigger privilege to teach.

Love your stuff Rick, great revision for me AND i always learn something new. One thing I wanted to raise, in your story about picking up the Key from the piano player with fingers pointing up or down you finished by saying the one finger down is Bb, and it seemed you were saying that Bb was the key, where I come from , one flat would be in the key of F (or Dm if you like). Cheers and thanks for a great channel

This is by far the best video I have seen on youtube. You are a treasure Rick.

As someone who has read music since age 7, but never dove deeper into the theory behind intervals, chords and scales, this is so helpful.

i am a music teacher and i learnt somethings from this.. especially how to teach it to my student. thanks rick

Rick Beato’s Master Playlist of all “Music Theory and Composition” (165 videos by Rick) Beato Basics of Music Theory (this video) Beginning 0:33 Intervals 1:54 Harmonic Intervals and Melodic Intervals 6:00 Chord construction 10:42 Scales 13:00 Keys + Circle of 5ths 14:53 Order of Sharps and flats 17:06 Construct Major or Minor Scales + Triade Chords (Maj, min, dim) 20:37 7th chord construction 23:25 What Key am I in? Based on what chords I see in the song? 28:58 So… Why should I learn all this music theory? 36:16 Q about Secondary Dominance chords The other two Music Theory videos by Rick Music Theory Lecture - What Every Pro Musician Needs To Know Pt 1 Music Theory Lecture - What Every Pro Musician Needs To Know Pt 2 Notes and Helps GO SLOW! Re-watch each section several times, and write out exactly what Rick is saying in several different keys or scales. Rick is also covering 12 - 18 months of music theory in 1 hour 43 minutes over these three videos. Don’t expect to watch one of these videos and understand every nuance of music theory. Read, Watch, Write it down, Play the notes and chords, and LISTEN to your instrument. HEAR the intervals, scales, and chords across the entire fretboard. This stuff is way beyond simple pentatonic scales that you started with. But, Rick is opening up a vast new doorway to mastering music and is helping you become a professional musician.Peace and practice hard!

I have been learning guitar for a few years and trying to understand theory as a way to learn new songs more quickly. I always felt circle of 5ths was important and have seen many explainations but this video helped hit home some vital points and importantly how its actually applied. I will write out the circle daily for a month to drill it into my brain. Thanjs

Nice. Really brought a lot home...together for me. Thanks.

very detailed in the fundamentals, 40 minutes went by very quickly for me. I appreciate you doing this livestream.

Rick, you're awesome for teaching us music theory in your channel. I'm buying your book man.

Thanks for this lesson Rick. I finally understand the circle of fifths. Gracias!

This is the most informative session I have ever had. Thankyou Rick :)

One of my favorite parts was when an argument ensued (in live chat) over the single finger pointing down and what key the gesture would represent. // For the record; (and just like Rick said) - when the band leader points a single finger down, he is referring to the Key with one single flat note which can only be Bb, making the key signature F major. //That was pretty funny - bummed out I missed the live stream for this one. Cheers!!

This is really the best beginner lesson in the whole world I've known

Finally, someone has made this make sense. I had the worst music teacher at school, hence I learned a few chords, but could never understand keys, why certain chords sound better with others, why certain notes sounded like they suited each other etc. I love listening to music but was always frustrated about not being able to play anything. At aged 35, I’m trying again. I’ve been with my partner for 2 years, who is Czech, and decided to learn Czech. In 1 year, I’ve learned more Czech than I learned with 5 years of German lessons, and 3 years of French, despite it being much tougher. Key difference: no KZfaq at school. I needed to get the basic rules down, but I couldn’t replace the teacher if I couldn’t understand it. Now, if I want to learn the building blocks of anything, I can change ‘teachers’ until I find one that explains things in a way that computes with the way my brain works. Now all I need to do is somehow co-ordinate my clumsy, oversized hands and I might get somewhere. Guess that means I oughta buy the book, which is only fair for doing me that favour. Where do I go to buy it (and do they ship to the UK)?

These comments talking about how this is not for beginners and blah blah blah are wrong. This is 100% the basics of music theory. Not sure what you all thought was going to be in this video, but this is a great demonstration of the basics. i think he could explain things in a better way, but the material is all there.

even though i didn't completely understood this got like 30% of it but it opened a door of infinite possibilities for me. great work.

You explain this much better than my guitar teacher. Thank you

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and passion of musical concepts! You've really inspired me to keep learning and stay dedicated to it. Your lessons are fast paced and very straight forward and it's amazing. I hope we can jam together one day so I can show you what you've taught me.

Man, where was this 15 years ago when I was failing college music theory? Haha incredibly clear and concise explanation.

Very cool, Rick. I've been playing for 35 years. I've learned to hear these things but was never able to put it into words. Just as you said. Theory enables you to talk about music without an instrument in hand. That's all it is. I glazed over when you got into dominant 7s though. Not your fault. :)

Wow! Fantastic video. Thanks a lot!!

Thanks for taking the time to present this topic in such detail. Not that I expect you to re-do it, but it would have been much easier if you had covered scales before chords since, as you said, If you don't understand the circle of fifths and scales, you can't understand chord construction and progressions. ;) Perhaps a note advising viewers to jump ahead, then back would be in order. Again, many thanks!

Thanks Rick, great explained!!!

Rick . I taught myself the chromatic minor thirds on the 🎹. It was awkward finger placement at first. It took awhile to figure a fast efficient pattern. Now I do it very fast. C Eb Db E. D F..etc...Later on I realized the ✋ exercise had taught me the minor thirds instantly. I had worked out the exercise up and down the key board. Then one day a year later. I had a Duh..Aha..moment. By this time I am waking up and saying the minor thirds as part of a routine. Then I the Duh moment. instead of counting up major 6 in C ( C D E F G A), I now go down a min. 3 in C voila... C B A..1/2Whole.Descending I never count up 6. I know instantly my 13s. . Comes in handy on the guitar.Antime you have a min third You have a 6. ..So if I playing in C my 6 min7 is just A mint third. Conversely it's. coming from the C.scale. This also helps to play in all twelve 🔑 s. on piano. No longer do I avoid Db Gb on the keys.. Of course it helps to say or think the 12 major.scale at least once a day. I sometimes write them out. Was meaning for this to be short. Oh well. The best laid plans of mice and men..

I liked this video. Beginners may have trouble understanding everything presented. Intermediates like myself may realize that they have some work to do. I may understand everything he said, but it's not automatic. I need to memorize this stuff. It's never too late. I'm older than Rick and I think maybe I'm finally catching on. This is a real eye opener. Rick is just telling you what you need to know.

Such s good and informational video. This really taught me a lot.

ive never in my whole 20 years took notes on a notebook seriously in school, on something like audio engineering, or anything, only did it when the teacher forced me to, and for the first time ever i actually went out and bought a big ass notebook and seeing how you wrote your own beato book that if im not wrong were notes you wrote for yourself, i decided to write my own notes so i can force myself to actually apprehend instead of just listen to the information

Thanks! It's sinking in.. Digging your teaching!

If I were to once again pick up an instrument, I'd not only buy your rather excellent book but watch all these streams avidly. As it is I can only applaud your efforts to educate a tough audience. Keep it up.

Thanks again for this wonderful lesson.

Thanks for providing this great resource to all us music mortals.

I bought the Beato book the other day and overwhelmed by the information in it even though I can play the guitar without the theory. This video made it a little bit more understandable for me. I wish you had this for the whole book. Maybe something like a udemy class.

Exactly what I needed Rick! Thanks!

Hi Rick, looking forward to studying this video, You are Brilliant.

i been playing 15 years and i learned stuff from this well done sir

your're a legend Rick, thanks for the video

As someone who has played completely by ear up to now, this is really helpful. My problem is that I can play something and know whether it sounds 'right' or not, but it takes a lot of trial and error to find combinations that fit.

Great Vid! Never hurts to revisit the basics 👍