Oreo Theory

An oreo graph depicting two particularly dissonant notes and a possible combination of notes to resolve them.

Examples of different flavors for the same two Oreo cookies

Oreo Theory is the idea that any two notes, regardless of the interval between them, may be compatible, and that what really matters are the notes that exist between them. Think of it like an Oreo cookie: you have the two dark-colored (unless you eat vanilla oreos.. ew) biscuits on the top and bottom, and you have the cream in the middle that holds them together. The "biscuits" in this sense are the top and bottom notes, and the "cream" are the notes that justify the two notes and solidify their harmonic profile. If you've ever seen reharmonization exercises where the guy takes two notes and sets one to descend chromatically, harmonizing each note pair, you'll understand what we're talking about.

"for example, bass note D, melody note G# how could we harmonize that? well the interval is a #11. what scales have a #11? lydian, which outlines a DM13#11. or perhaps even arcadian? D13#11" - Convexity, May 27th, 2026

This video by Convexity explains Oreo Theory in detail.

CREAM CHART

Interval between cookies (scale degree)	Interval between cookies (interval notation)	Possible Ionian Creams	Possible Athenian Creams	Possible Appalachian Creams	Possible Laramidian Creams	Possible Byzantine Creams	Possible Gorduan Creams	Possible Phyrrian Creams	Possible Chlamydian Creams
1	P1	Any	Any	Any	Any	Any	Any	Any	Any
b9	m2	Phrygian Locrian	Cappadocian Palamidian	Herculean Adonian Morphean	Sangarian Plummetian Phobetorian	Byzantine Melantian Oriental Macedonian	Gorduan Zaeretan Baian	Glencoan Elbean Sassarian	Chlamydian Veientan
9	M2	Lydian Ionian Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian	Asgardian Arcadian Olympian Athenian Sisyphean	Thesian Paralydian Appalachian	Morossian Laramidian Dolorian	Hungarian Macedonian	Vindaean Tanetanean Romanian Baian	Phyrrian Hypaipan Avalonean Glencoan	Bouvillean Mysian Carian Vesuvian Stabian Veientan
b3 / #9	m3	Dorian Aeolian Phrygian Locrian	Athenian Cappadocian Sisyphean Palamidian	Calliopean Paralydian Appalachian Adonian Morphean	Empyrean Morossian Dolorian Plummetian Phobetorian	Melantian Hungarian Justinian Chersonian	Gorduan Romanian Tarquinian	Avalonean Plassean Sassarian	Chlamydian Stabian
3	M3	Lydian Ionian Mixolydian	Asgardian Arcadian Olympian Palamidian	Calliopean Thesian Herculean Morphean	Empyrean Laramidian Sangarian Plummetian	Byzantine Justinian Melantian Oriental Chersonian	Vindaean Tanetanean Zaeretan Tarquinian Baian	Phyrrian Hypaipan Avalonean Elbean Plassean	Bouvillean Mysian Carian Vesuvian Stabian Veientan
11	P4	Ionian Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian Phrygian Locrian	Olympian Athenian Cappadocian Sisyphean	Thesian Appalachian Herculean Adonian	Laramidian Sangarian Dolorian Phobetorian	Byzantine Oriental Chersonian Macedonian	Gorduan Tanetanean Zaeretan Tarquinian	Hypaipan Glencoan Elbean Sassarian	Chlamydian Vesuvian
#11 / b5	TT	Lydian Locrian	Asgardian Arcadian Sisyphean Palamidian	Calliopean Paralydian Adonian Morphean	Empyrean Morossian Dolorian Phobetorian	Justinian Hungarian Macedonian Oriental	Vindaean Romanian Zaeretan Baian	Phyrrian Hypaipan Glencoan Plassean	Bouvillean Mysian Carian Vesuvian Stabian Veientan
5	P5	Lydian Ionian Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian Phrygian	Arcadian Olympian Athenian Cappadocian	Calliopean Paralydian Appalachian Herculean	Morossian Laramidian Sangarian Plummetian	Byzantine Justinian Melantian Hungarian	Gorduan Vindaean Romanian Tarquinian	Phyrrian Avalonean Elbean Sassarian	Chlamydian Carian
#5 / b13	m6	Aeolian Phrygian Locrian	Asgardian Olympian Sisyphean Palamidian	Thesian Appalachian Herculean Morphean	Empyrean Laramidian Plummetian Phobetorian	Byzantine Melantian Hungarian Chersonian Macedonian	Gorduan Tanetanean Romanian Zaeretan Baian	Phyrrian Avalonean Glencoan Plassean Sassarian	Bouvillean Mysian Carian Vesuvian Stabian Veientan
6 / 13	M6	Lydian Ionian Mixolydian Dorian	Asgardian Arcadian Athenian Cappadocian	Calliopean Thesian Paralydian Adonian Morphean	Empyrean Morossian Sangarian Dolorian Phobetorian	Melantian Oriental Chersonian Macedonian	Tanetanean Tarquinian Baian	Hypaipan Elbean Sassarian	Chlamydian Mysian
b7	m7	Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian Phrygian Locrian	Arcadian Olympian Cappadocian Sisyphean Palamidian	Paralydian Herculean Adonian	Sangarian Dolorian Plummetian	Justinian Oriental	Vindaean Tanetanean Romanian Zaeretan	Hypaipan Avalonean Glencoan Plassean	Bouvillean Mysian Carian Vesuvian Stabian Veientan
7	M7	Lydian Ionian	Asgardian Athenian	Calliopean Thesian Appalachian	Empyrean Morossian Laramidian	Byzantine Justinian Hungarian Chersonian	Gorduan Vindaean Tarquinian	Phyrrian Elbean Plassean	Chlamydian Bouvillean

Please note that the scales Hungarian minor, Romanian minor and Olbi-Sassarian are referred to in the chart as Hungarian, Romanian and Sassarian for purely aesthetic purposes. Also, using Chlamydian is highly disencouragedd unless one enjoys white oreos.