Music theory and songwriting reference for composing better patterns, melodies, bass lines, and chord voicings in SuperCollider.
Load this skill when composing or improving individual musical parts. Read the relevant topic file for the part you're writing:
These apply to every part, every genre, every session.
The #1 rule of music. Repeat a phrase, then change one thing — a note, a rhythm, an octave, a rest. Listeners need patterns to latch onto and surprises to stay engaged.
Use Rest() liberally. Don't fill every subdivision. The silence between notes defines the groove as much as the notes themselves.
Keep parts in their own frequency range so they don't fight:
If one part is on the beat, another should syncopate. If the kick is steady, the bass should move around it. Parts that hit at the same time collapse into mush.
If one section is dense, the next should be sparse. If one part is staccato, pair it with something sustained. Contrast creates structure.
Never use Am-F-C-G (I-V-vi-IV) or any rotation. Use more interesting harmony — modal interchange, chromatic mediants, suspended chords, minor progressions with color.