Back for another Breakdown, Pyramind’s Matt Donner uses Ableton Live to walk through the music theory behind Runaway (U & I) by Galantis. He builds the chord progression and uses FloatKeys, a Max for Live plugin, to display the notes he plays.
Matt uses his favorite concept - “complexity equals simplicity” - to teach students that complex music theory can help simple song arrangements reach their full potential.
In “Runaway (U & I)”, the main chord progression is in G♭ Lydian. In the Lydian mode, the 4th scale degree is raised a half step compared to the standard major scale. This makes the II chord in the progression major instead of minor. Additionally, the fourth chord in the progression is F dominant 7, which does not exist naturally in G♭ Lydian. This is where the “complexity” comes in. Now, the chord progression can be repeated without getting boring.
We have included helpful visuals of the progression so that you can build these chords yourself. This is a must watch for Galantis fans, and any music producer struggling with theory and arrangement techniques.
For more info on our Electronic Music Producer program:
https://bit.ly/2FiKmO1
Book a one-on-one online session with Matt:
https://bit.ly/2goMRjw
