Can songwriters pinch the proven techniques of Max Martin and Taylor Swift to pen Top 10 hits?

Asaf Peres is a doctor of music.

The East-Coast-based academic holds doctoral degrees (aka Ph.Ds) in both music composition and music theory. But unlike many in his field, who turn their intellectual curiosity towards classical or jazz music, Peres is consumed by a more mainstream concern: Pop.

Last year, in an interview with MBW, Peres explained how his online ‘Melodic Math’ course – from his company Top40 Theory – breaks down techniques used by Max Martin, one of the most successful hitmakers of all time, to construct giant chart smashes.

‘Melodic Math’ aims to teach its songwriter students how to use the creative and psychological tools behind Martin’s consistent pop mastery.

Much of the course covers the tangible nitty-gritty of hits, and Peres isn’t afraid to get technical – from hooks to pitch contrasts, melody recycling, chord progressions, harmony and tonality, etc.

But ‘Melodic Math’ also goes further, says Peres, into the realm of how to “tap into the listener’s subconscious brain”.

A specific example: Katy Perry’s E.T. , a 2011 Max Martin co-write that reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Peres points out that the verse and chorus melodies of E.T are “identical”, with Martin and his co-writers cleverly “distracting” the listener from this fact by using the contrasting pre-chorus as a buffer, as well as changing various aspects around the identical melodies, such as the chord progression, lyrical phrasing, production, and even Perry’s vocal delivery technique.

“By using the pre-chorus and other contrasts to shield listeners from realizing that the verse and chorus melodies are the same, it ensures that listeners maintain an ‘emotional experience’, rather than an ‘intellectual experience,” says Peres. “This allows [Max Martin and his co-writers] to target the subconscious mind of the listener.”

“By shielding listeners from realizing that the verse and chorus melodies are the same, [Max Martin] ensures that listeners maintain an ‘emotional experience’, rather than an ‘intellectual experience’.”

Asaf Peres, Top40 Theory

Breakdowns like this have won Peres and his tutorials plaudits from hit songwriter/producers including Lindgren (Dua Lipa, BTS), Dan Wilson (Adele, Taylor Swift), and Charles ‘Chizzy’ Stephens III (JLo, Justin Bieber).

Dre The Monarch, who has worked with Meek Mill, Nicki Minaj, and Kelly Clarkson, says of Peres: “Asaf’s tangible examples and in-depth breakdowns of well-known songs make it very easy for me to internalize the tools and tricks of the songwriting greats, and utilize them to improve my own writing and producing.”

Peres is now re-launching his ‘Melodic Math’ songwriting course for a fresh run starting in April 2024. (Those interested in learning more/applying can click through here.)

Following his interview with MBW last year, says Peres, his April 2023 course was quickly over-subscribed: while 20 students were enrolled in the course, he had to turn away over 40 applicants.

(In addition to live online seminars about songwriting techniques, Peres hosts group music feedback sessions for ‘Melodic Math’ students, meaning he has to keep numbers relatively tight. He also offers one-on-one lesson packages as an add-on, but warns that these are “extremely limited, with highly experienced songwriters prioritized”.)

One of the ten live 90-minute online seminars of ‘Melodic Math’ involves Peres breaking down how to write “melodic previews”, one of the most effective techniques in the ‘Melodic Math’ toolbox.

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