That said, so that you know where the thread may go, try the following thoughts:

 Major Scale
 Natural minor Scale
 Melodic minor/jazz minor scales

Any chord progression is up for grabs in this game.

Here are some collected examples for the major and the minor.

The Roman Numeral notation is used to identify chord type and position within the current
key/scale (examples are in C major for ease of explanation)

 Upper case for Chords with a major 3rd: I means a major chord built on note 1, CEG
 Lower case for chords with a minor 3rd: ii means a minor chord built on note 2, DFA
 Use a # or b in front of the chord to change its starting pitch:
 bII means a major chord built on note b2, DbFAb
 #iv7b5 means a minor7b5 chord built on note #4, F#ACE
 b5 to lower the fifth, viib5 means a minor chord with a flattened 5th or a diminished
triad built on note 7, BDF
 #5 to raise the fifth, III#5 means a major chord with a sharpened 5th or an
augmented triad built on 3, EG#B# (G# because it is major and B# because it is a
#5 not a b6 (C))
 7/9/11/13 to add additional notes above the initial chord
 ii7 becomes DFAC
 V9 becomes GBDFA
 IV#11 becomes FACEGB

Just learn your diatonic chords in all 12 keys.

Maj - min - min - Maj - Maj - min - dim

In the key of C this is

C Maj - D min - E min - F maj - G maj - A min - B dim

If you don't want to learn all 12 keys stick with the key of C for now and just play around
with progressions. Start on the 1st tone and go anywhere in that key and find your way
back home. Start on the 6th tone of the scale, start on the 3rd tone just play around and
find out what works. Invert your chords also, don't just play them in the root position. There
are a lot of songs made with basic triads it all comes up to creativity.

For example, pentatonic scales evoke an Oriental feel and are often used in Asian music.
Which types of chords and scales are commonly used in R&B and even hip-hop (if any are
common). I was told 7ths and 9ths for R&B are common.
For example, the sad sounding piano throughout Marques Houston's Circle is a great
example of chords/scales used in R&B...does anyone know any that were used in this song?

Yo, Great question I've wondered myself. R&B is alot of minor chords. 7ths, 9's, b11's,
#11s, even 13ths. Funk and disco is alot of dominant 7ths, b9ths, #9ths, 11ths, 13ths. Hip
Hop takes from those, and anything else. If I gotta guess doe, Id say its dominated by the
dominants. Ala Primo, Dre, Blaze, they get to the point wit it. But, then also they got the
laid back joints also, usually signaling minor. Not really an answer. Hope it triggers
something for u tho. One.
EQ1

I've read that 7ths is the most commonm used in R&B / Hip Hop, many many of them use
the 12 Bar Blues Chord Progression which consists of pure 7ths, but not always. I use all
types of chords depending on what I want the song to feel like.....sad, happy, sinister...Etc.
Whenever I hear a song and I want to know the Chord Progression I look up the Guitar Tabs
which show the chords.

http://www.hooktheory.com/blog/i-analyzed-the-chords-of-1300-popular-songs-for-patterns-this-is-
what-i-found/

http://www.futureproducers.com/forums/production-techniques/theory-composing-and-sound-
design/music-theory-hip-hop-76974/

hey, i have a question... see im not very well versed in music theory, other than knowing
what the fundamental scales and chords are and how keys work in major/minor. my
question is, what areas of music theory should i get comfortable with in order to have a
theoretical foundation that is very applicable to hip hop.

for instance, chord progression theory is very important for music such as hip hop that often
uses looped chord progressions. on the other hand, studying rhythm extensively would be
useful but not as necessary, because rhythm is much more intuitive.

any suggestions? yall know any theoretical techniques that are used a lot in hip hop?

//////

I'd start with major and minor pentatonic scales and the blues scale. Hip hop is based on
funk, and those scales are the funkiest.

For chords, I'd start with 7th and 9th chords for the same reason. Funky.
Then I'd learn major, minor, mixolydian and dorian scales.

As for progressions, most hip hop consist of 1 chord vamps. The more musical songs may
consist of I, IV or I, V progressions, or maybe I, IV, V. Again, hip hop is based on funk
music. Funk music is simple but grooves hard. It's more about the rhythm, not complexity.
Take a listen to a James Brown track. Odds are they won't come off of that one chord until
the bridge.

i bought this one book that shows pictures chords for the keyboard.

and if you do a search on google for "music calculator" you can find a website that has a
calculator that tells you which notes are in mixolydian and dorian scales and all that stuff.

http://www.futureproducers.com/forums/production-techniques/getting-started/where-can-i-learn-
music-theory-hip-hop-456268/

Limiting your scope in what you learn is all well and good, but how do you know what is
necessary and what is not if you do not have the background to make judgements?

To become a better musician requires three things

 a willingness to learn and a commitment to continue learning

 acquiring skills on an instrument so that you have an innate understanding of what is
happening
 learning about
 pitch - scales and modes and intervals
 durations: sounds and silences
 rhythm: grouping durations into beats and bars (groups of beats) as well as
tempo and tempo variations
 melody - scales and modes and intervals and rhythm
 harmony - chords, sequences and progressions
 orchestration - learning about instruments, what they can play, what they
can't play and how to layer appropriately
 structure
 sections and
 arranging: the application of instruments to different roles
 melodic lines
 counter-melodic lines
 harmonic movement
 rhythmic impetus (percussion and bass)

Note that the above, whilst seeming to be exhaustive, is barely touching the surface.

There is also no suggestion that you should do it all at once - in some cases some things
need to be understood before others can be commenced.

Finally, limit your learning to major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor
scales for now - this will provide you with a large range of material for creating and provide
th basis for further studies.

Rhythmically, everything down to 64th notes (hemi-demi-semi-quavers), triplets and dotted

are essential to understanding programming drums.

Harmonically, you may want to explore all triads (major/minor/diminished/augmented) as

well as extensions to the 7th and the 9th

Ask questions and maybe check out my beginning theory tutes (see my sigfile for the link)

https://www.reddit.com/r/makinghiphop/comments/3lg6jk/music_theory_in_hiphop/

Usually the extent of theory that I use is maybe modes and jazz chords.

Progression as a musician should be:

Learning your instrument>Developing your ear as you play>Learning theory to

embellish this strong foundation

Sitting try to piece together chord and melodies from a theory stand point doesn't do
shit. If you can't even properly move your fingers around on the keys and easily switch
chord formations,or if you can't be on one key and subconsciously hear/know what key
to play next to get the melodic progression your hearing in your head your not ready
for theory yet imo.

Pretty much if you can't switch between basic chords yet, or play a pentatonic scale by
ear I don't recommend theory it will just hold you back. Theory should be to advance
technique not teach it, if you can't make anything melodic without it you sure as hell
won't with it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/makinghiphop/search?q=music+theory&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=al
l