Music Theory

JamesZero

aka Zero Beats
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Oct 2, 2008
Location
South London
How much music Theory do you know? and how much do you think it helps towards producing electronic music.

I know the basics when it comes to chords and scales and things like that.

I was talking to a friend who went to a music college about acapellas and knowing which notes will work with them.

I was saying about loading up an acapella in Melodyne and using that to work out a good start to writing a fitting melody.
He recommended learning about the Circle of fifths to help with this kind of thing.

Anyway its more of a general question about what you know and has it helped?
I have read High Contrast and the Brookes Brothers are classically trained and I'm sure that shines through on a lot of there tracks.
 
How much music Theory do you know? and how much do you think it helps towards producing electronic music.

I know the basics when it comes to chords and scales and things like that.

I was talking to a friend who went to a music college about acapellas and knowing which notes will work with them.

I was saying about loading up an acapella in Melodyne and using that to work out a good start to writing a fitting melody.
He recommended learning about the Circle of fifths to help with this kind of thing.

Anyway its more of a general question about what you know and has it helped?
I have read High Contrast and the Brookes Brothers are classically trained and I'm sure that shines through on a lot of there tracks.

yeah as far as production goes i'm nigh on self taught and know nothing of scales etc, so everything av made is off the cuff for want of a better phrase.

but am so busy at work to take the time out to do a music tech course so i guess al jus keep producing for fun in ma spare time.
 
nothing im pretty sure. im really un-musical when it comes to playing notes and scales and so forth. im very musical when it comes to putting a tune together though with the bass and the beats
 
If you can already hear the music in your head and disect it for sequencing, I don't need to know what key it is in or even the names of the notes being used. This is a must I think when you write music for acoustic instruments (classical notation) since you need to know the toneranges of the instruments and how they harmonize with the rest.
In electronic music a lot of people who make tonal music can't read a single note (roni size springs to mind) and still make melodies that leaves classically trained producers with their mouths open. On the other hand, any knowledge concerning musical theory can benefit as long as it supports your creative goals.
I tried to take up a musical course at uni (notation) but it went so fast it went over my head so I let it go (or learn it some other time over a longer timespan). Even conservatory trained students I know said they learned the theory I got in 8 weeks they got in 4 years, heh.
But just like uncle Log can make beautiful (oldskool!) chords but not knowing what the fucking key he's writing in is not an issue for him or me since they're standing and making sense, and above all, are communicating to listeners in a sensible way.
 
if your in a machine where people ask you questions and if you get them right they stick knives in you then knowing stuff can hurt

if I knew the answer, and knew that i'd get a knife stuck in me if i said the right answer, i'd say something else and so never get stabbed. if you guessed randomly, you might get stabbed if you got it right by accident.
 
if I knew the answer, and knew that i'd get a knife stuck in me if i said the right answer, i'd say something else and so never get stabbed. if you guessed randomly, you might get stabbed if you got it right by accident.

lets jus pray this machine never gets made.
 
I think most of the people saying you don't need theory, or that there are no rules, are lazy, unable or afraid of learning. They tend to hang out on forums and reinforce their own beliefs by jumping on theory threads and denouncing the value of theory.
 
If you can already hear the music in your head and disect it for sequencing, I don't need to know what key it is in or even the names of the notes being used. This is a must I think when you write music for acoustic instruments (classical notation) since you need to know the toneranges of the instruments and how they harmonize with the rest.
In electronic music a lot of people who make tonal music can't read a single note (roni size springs to mind) and still make melodies that leaves classically trained producers with their mouths open. On the other hand, any knowledge concerning musical theory can benefit as long as it supports your creative goals.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I have never really gone out of my way to learn any music theory, just picked up the odd bit here and there.
I have sometimes thought about taking it futher, but then its weighing up the time it takes to the benefit you get from it.

I think I would probably get more from sticking to learning as much as I can about synthesis.
 
I think most of the people saying you don't need theory, or that there are no rules, are lazy, unable or afraid of learning. They tend to hang out on forums and reinforce their own beliefs by jumping on theory threads and denouncing the value of theory.

i only admitted defeat, so am guessin this aint aimed at me......i hope.

but your going down a slippery slope which leads to logikz puttin you in a knife machine
 
i would say it helps to keep your tracks in key for sure, but you by no means have any real advantage by having the knowledge, esp when it comes to beats n bass driven music like dnb. its all about knowing your gear really and utilizing its capabilitys, getting the best out of what you got! TWEAKING

on the other hand if you play an instrument, then you may have an advantage of some sort, but how often will you use that Guitar, trumpet, flute, in a tune? maybe a hand full of times. we learnt how to use all that score stuff in cuebase at college and i have never personally found a use for it lol

you dont need a musical ear to know what a sick b line sounds like do ya!
 
I think most of the people saying you don't need theory, or that there are no rules, are lazy, unable or afraid of learning. They tend to hang out on forums and reinforce their own beliefs by jumping on theory threads and denouncing the value of theory.

thats a two sided sword there really - some of the best songs ive ever heard are people who cant play or know all the theory. i wouldnt denounce its value though as it clearly has it, what im saying is its not completely neccessary to create something good.
 
If you want to make electronic music and get the most out of it, start out indeed by knowing all, or as much as you can about any piece of hard-and/or software you have to make this with.
If you want to make proper chamber music, get as much classical music theory you can.
Consider something like 4 Hero, they started out with big jungle techno/dnb and then integrated it years later with live new jazz, a style which definitely requires some knowledge of classical music theory to put it down right.
So I think it's about what you want to bake in the first place really. Any knowledge of any musical theory here enforces your capabilities as a musician, that goes without saying. Programming synths is a sort of musical theory too, I'd even argue!
 
If you want to make electronic music and get the most out of it, start out indeed by knowing all, or as much as you can about any piece of hard-and/or software you have to make this with.
If you want to make proper chamber music, get as much classical music theory you can.
Consider something like 4 Hero, they started out with big jungle techno/dnb and then integrated it years later with live new jazz, a style which definitely requires some knowledge of classical music theory to put it down right.
So I think it's about what you want to bake in the first place really. Any knowledge of any musical theory here enforces your capabilities as a musician, that goes without saying. Programming synths is a sort of musical theory too, I'd even argue!

well said!
 
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