Top40 Theory
Master the creative toolbox used by the world's biggest hitmakers
My name is Asaf Peres. I founded Top40 Theory in 2018 with the goal of helping artists, songwriters, and producers supercharge their creative toolbox by learning and internalizing the tools used by the greatest hitmakers of our generation.
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The Fake Out Climb
A super effective way to set up your chorus
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The Baby Theory
Why the word "baby" is so common is pop songs
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The Ideal Creative Process
How to 'tag-team' your craft and inspiration
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The Importance of Structure
Why structure makes everything work
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Top40 Theory Melodic Math Course
Applications Open!
Master the Hitmaking Creative Toolbox
What Hitmakers Say About Top40 Theory
"Asaf Peres' Top40 Theory is a treasure trove of insights into how pop music is made and how it works. "
Dan wilson
"Top40 Theory has helped me take a technical look at why I like the things that I like & it allows me to apply it to what I do."
charles "chizzy" stephens III
"When I was in college, my friends and I used to listen to hit songs over and over, trying to analyze what exactly made a hit record. Top40 Theory has taken this approach and perfected it. I read every single post and I've learned a good amount."
lindgren
"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."
dre the monarch
The FuelCore Hook
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"Asaf is the leading expert on how to use music theory at the micro level to craft memorable hooks, and at the macro level to compose hit songs."
charlie harding
"Asaf has insights for days on what makes pop music tick, and Charlie and I have consulted with him countless times for our podcast Switched on Pop. His perspectives have changed the way we think about pop music."
nate sloan
"In a field too often stuck in the distant past, Dr. Peres's work is a breath of fresh air, engaging with the music of today on its own terms in order to understand how pop music actually works."
12 tone (cory arnold)
"It’s difficult to overstate the importance of Asaf’s work, both in his dissertation and in the Top40 Theory blog. His work has enlightened all of us about what we were missing by only thinking about sectional boundaries in terms of harmony instead of timbre and texture."
brad osborn
Melodic Previews
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Top40 Theory Melodic Math Course
Applications Open!
Master the Hitmaking Creative Toolbox
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