The hottest Music theory Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Literature Topics

A Deep Dive Into 'I Feel Fine'

The Ruffian • 1014 implied HN points • 21 Feb 26
🎶 Music Music theory
  1. I Feel Fine compresses a long musical lineage into two minutes — its riff can be traced from Dizzy Gillespie’s Latin-jazz ideas through Bobby Parker and R&B into the Beatles’ pop form.
  2. The Beatles used simple material with bold studio and arrangement choices — a riff-based structure, Ringo’s Latin-jazz beat, three-part harmonies, and the first deliberate guitar feedback — to turn a throwaway tune into something memorable.
  3. The song shows how 20th-century music mixed across genres and borders — Afro-Cuban rhythms, jazz, R&B and rock fed into each other and then were broadcast worldwide through popular acts.

I Share Private Journal Entries

The Honest Broker • 16623 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
🎶 Music Music theory
  1. The people who control music today often don't have a real connection to it, treating it just as content instead of something meaningful. This could be harmful for music culture.
  2. Art and music should be appreciated for their depth and creativity, not just dismissed or judged based on trends. Enjoying something everyone mocks can show true artistic integrity.
  3. There's a danger in the way we consume and perceive music now, as we might miss important experiences or emotions that classic works offer. It’s valuable to cherish original music and its impact on us.

Suspended emotion

Disaffected Newsletter • 1538 implied HN points • 15 Apr 24
🎶 Music Music theory
  1. Music can be deeply emotional, and sometimes it can be tough to face those feelings. Taking a break from music during hard times can seem like a way to protect ourselves.
  2. Suspended notes in music create tension and beauty, making songs feel more powerful. This technique helps our hearts connect with the music on a deeper level.
  3. Understanding some music theory can enhance our listening experience. It shows us how sound works and helps us appreciate music more, even if we're not musicians ourselves.

The Missing Now

Dada Drummer Almanach • 235 implied HN points • 07 Dec 25
🎶 Music Music theory
  1. AI runs in time as computation but has no subjective "now" or lived sense of duration, so it analyzes musical sequences without experiencing their unfolding.
  2. AI can copy and combine musical patterns well enough to move listeners, but it lacks embodiment, genuine spontaneity, and true improvisational presence, which often makes its music feel derivative or airless.
  3. AI might develop more creative practice if built to iterate, adapt to feedback, and collaborate with humans, otherwise it will mostly reinforce past patterns and risk homogenizing musical culture.

Happy Hauntology: A Manifesto

Happy Hauntology • 39 implied HN points • 27 Aug 24
🎶 Music Music theory
  1. Happy Hauntology is a new music genre that blends joyful sounds with the idea of past memories and experiences that never actually happened. It's like creating music that makes you feel nostalgic for vacations you never took.
  2. The genre combines various musical styles, such as exotica and electronica, to create a fun and dreamy listening experience. It aims to evoke a sense of wonder and imagination about magical places.
  3. Unlike traditional hauntology, which focuses on the ghosts of lost futures, Happy Hauntology invites listeners to enjoy the happy memories of fictional, whimsical worlds, often resembling the feeling you get from theme parks.
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Musical interlude

Disaffected Newsletter • 759 implied HN points • 28 Jul 23
🎶 Music Music theory
  1. Songs can have hidden meanings that you might not notice when you're younger. Even if the lyrics sound clean, they might carry deeper, unexpected themes.
  2. Harmonies in music can create strong emotional reactions. Perfect musical intervals can bring joy and even make people feel overcome with emotion.
  3. Music connects us to memories and experiences, like family moments or simple past joys. It can remind us of good times that may seem lost now.

Rick Beato on The Carpenters

Disaffected Newsletter • 579 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🎶 Music Music theory
  1. Watching young people react to old music can be joyful because they feel real emotions. It's great to see their surprise and connection to genuine artistry.
  2. Rick Beato brings a mature understanding of music, especially The Carpenters, and helps people see the beauty in their chords and melodies.
  3. You don't have to be a music expert to appreciate music; learning a bit about music theory can deepen your enjoyment and understanding of what you love.

Listen, Listen

Dada Drummer Almanach • 139 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
🎶 Music Music theory
  1. Home recording lets musicians easily capture sounds at any time, but it requires dealing with noise from the environment. Paying attention to subtle sounds can change how we hear our surroundings.
  2. The backup alarm invented in 1963 is designed to be very loud and catch our attention. Its unpleasant sound is everywhere, yet we might stop noticing it due to its common presence.
  3. This overwhelming noise environment can make us miss important alerts and warnings. It's a reminder to be aware of what we listen to and not tune out things that matter.

Songs are shelters in time

Austin Kleon • 619 implied HN points • 14 Jan 22
🎶 Music Music theory
  1. Music can be a great source of comfort, helping us feel safe and supported during tough times.
  2. Practicing skills consistently can lead to improvement, and taking part in activities like '100 days of practice' can be a great way to commit to personal growth.
  3. Reading books about grief can help us understand and cope with loss, and sometimes it's good to explore these topics before we face them ourselves.

Diary #22

Autoscriptorium • 19 implied HN points • 18 Aug 23
📚 Literature Music theory
  1. Patterns and facts can rule how we perceive the world, leading to different outcomes.
  2. Observations from everyday life at work can inspire reflections and insights.
  3. Discussions about theories like music spectrum can lead to philosophical conversations about dualism.

What's in a (band) name?

polymathematics • 0 implied HN points • 11 May 23
🎶 Music Music theory
  1. Good band names can create a strong identity for the music group. A catchy or memorable name helps people remember and connect with the band.
  2. There's a debate about whether the name truly matters or if the music itself is more important. Some believe any name can work if the music is great.
  3. Choosing a name is a creative process, and many bands struggle with it. The right name can capture the essence of what the band stands for.

On Record Sequencing

Matt’s Five Points • 0 implied HN points • 19 Jul 10
🎶 Music Music theory
  1. Some rock albums have every song getting played on the radio. Boston's first album and Led Zeppelin IV are good examples of this.
  2. The order of songs on an album can really change how people enjoy it. Great albums like Boston and Sgt. Pepper have well-thought-out song sequences.
  3. Bad song sequencing can hurt an album's success, especially if listeners miss the best songs. An example is Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run, which has a sequencing issue that many fans notice.