Does it really matter what key your produce in ?

mumble · Post by **mumble** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:33 pm

Does it ?

jolly wailer · Post by **jolly wailer** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:36 pm

depends how musical you wanna get like

noizy parka · Post by **noizy parka** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:41 pm

Its just a guide really.... but a couple of hundred years of people producing in this manner suggests its a pretty good guide

tripwire22 · Post by **tripwire22** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:48 pm

idk if it matters what key but i think u start sticking to the scales u can memorize like i stay on minor c d and g

stinjee · Post by **stinjee** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:00 pm

yeah iu think its important to an extent because obviosly some notes dont sound right together,
while were on this does anyone have some kind of chart with pitch to note or vice versa,

i defo like f minor,

lowpass · Post by **lowpass** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:10 pm

with bass heavy music the key matters when it comes to the root note. If you have it centred between 30-40 hz then you are gonna be feeling that on a good system. If I remember the note "G" is sposed to be good for this. If it's for personal audio systems, ipod, computer speakers. Then having the root note higher up will give it a better chance of being heard and makes sure people with crap speakers aren't left asking "wheres the bassline?"

r · Post by r » Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:13 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musicophilia

jolly wailer · Post by **jolly wailer** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:15 pm

^^ Oliver Sacks is a great author! - I liked An Anthropologist From Mars

JFK · Post by **JFK** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:33 pm

Lowpass wrote:with bass heavy music the key matters when it comes to the root note. If you have it centred between 30-40 hz then you are gonna be feeling that on a good system. If I remember the note "G" is sposed to be good for this. If it's for personal audio systems, ipod, computer speakers. Then having the root note higher up will give it a better chance of being heard and makes sure people with crap speakers aren't left asking "wheres the bassline?"

This.

Also its all about the mood you want to create. Minor keys = moody and dark. Major keys = Bold, uplifting

therapist · Post by **therapist** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:35 pm

You'll always end up writing in some kind of key, because there's basically one for any combination of notes. When most people write a melody to sound natural it comes out as a maj/min/pent sort of thing. Obviously if you want it sounding dissonant you'll end up ina strange key.

Do people seriously write their tunes just by picking 'correct' notes though? Music theory is useful but I'd not choose that method over just playing around to find something that sounds good. I think I read somewhere on here music theory is essential to avoid writing one-note, boring music, which is utter bollocks.

dynamat · Post by **dynamat** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:41 pm

Pyschoacoustics states keys link to emotions and memories in your life hence why most trance is wrote in the same key as it triggers memeories of happy times whether you like it or not

r · Post by r » Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:51 pm

Therapist wrote:You'll always end up writing in some kind of key, because there's basically one for any combination of notes. When most people write a melody to sound natural it comes out as a maj/min/pent sort of thing. Obviously if you want it sounding dissonant you'll end up ina strange key.

Do people seriously write their tunes just by picking 'correct' notes though? Music theory is useful but I'd not choose that method over just playing around to find something that sounds good. I think I read somewhere on here music theory is essential to avoid writing one-note, boring music, which is utter bollocks.

it goes further then that. In oliver sachs's book also written that black keys have more potential to sound moody then white keys.

A reply on your maj/min thing. It's not about the chord itself its about the progression it makes.

Musictheory isn't essential. You're ears already have made certain 'rules' in music. Some notes will sound 'wrong' while the tones and ladders will sound normal in an other culture. Think about harmonic/melodic minor. That doesn't sound really normal in certain ears in the west. It's an East kinda thing that pops off.

Besides that you also have other modes like locrian, phrygian, ionian, etc. that gives a certain mood/story.

feral witchchild · Post by **feral witchchild** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:58 pm

R wrote: It's not about the chord itself its about the progression it makes.

This man speaks the truth. If you've got a solid progression, it doesn't matter what key your shit is in, all the relationships between notes are the same.

hurlingdervish · Post by **hurlingdervish** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:59 pm

whether we notice it or not, each key does have a slightly different effect since they are higher or lower than eachother

so my only advice is don't write all your songs in A minor

dynamat · Post by **dynamat** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:00 pm

i need to study chord progression more, deffo one for the auyumn

Rickmansworth · Post by **Rickmansworth** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:30 pm

womp out like rusko and it wont matter what key you're in.

duskky · Post by **duskky** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 7:35 pm

don't worry about it too much. False relations and atonality will sound much more twisted than a key any day of the week.

Its just a guide really.... but a couple of hundred years of people producing in this manner suggests its a pretty good guide

Also, people haven't been producing electronic music with music theory for hundreds of years. It's a vestige of instrumental music which, whilst you mind find it useful, doesn't really apply to working with sound in the same way. Learn what you want to learn (all knowledge is fundamentally a good thing) but don't become a slave to it. Bach has nothing to do with Dubstep.

To my ears the most interesting stuff sounds like the various elements (basslines, pads etc.) sound like they're all from a different key. Sounds weird at first but your ear/brain gets used to it really quickly and it creates a really good tension between the sounds.[/quote]

scooterjack · Post by **scooterjack** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 8:15 pm

Duskky wrote:Bach has nothing to do with Dubstep.

that's just wrong on all kinds of levels

86. · Post by **86.** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 8:21 pm

make what sounds good to your own ears.

jsilver · Post by **jsilver** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:26 pm

music theory helps

Does it really matter what key your produce in ?

Does it really matter what key your produce in ?

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