Pop the hood on any hit song

The Top40 Theory Timeliner turns a song into a bubble diagram of its sections, phrases and production as it plays. Free for Windows and Mac.
Free. You'll also get new versions and the occasional songwriting tip. Unsubscribe anytime.
What it is

If you've watched my breakdowns, you've seen these diagrams

My breakdowns start with a map of the song: where each section starts, how the phrases inside it are built, and where the production shifts. Laid out in time, a song shows you things your ears glide past. I built the Timeliner so you can map any song this way, including your own. It's also how my Melodic Math students study hits.
With the Timeliner, you can:

  • Map a song as it plays: tap B at every boundary you hear.
  • Label sections in one click, each with its own color.
  • Keep songwriting and production on separate layers.
  • Flip between the vocal and the instrumental without losing your place.
  • Line everything up with a beat grid, a waveform and snapping.
  • Export PDF or SVG files ready for Canva.
  • Open your old Variations (.v2t) and Audio Timeliner (.tim) files.

Asaf Peres, Ph.D.

Founder, Top40 Theory
About
I break down pop songs on YouTube and Instagram, write on songs for artists, and teach Melodic Math, a live songwriting course for working writers and producers.
Created with