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Sinestepper wrote:Music theory will help you, this is music after all.

Yea but music production does not have much with music theory to do.
Good ears surley help and you will most probably have ease finding good chords progressions. In the end only melody, feeling and your ears count. Theory is not that relevant.

Triphosphate wrote: Compressor is like a dude sitting on the sofa watching TV... He's watching his favorite show when a commercial comes on and it's too loud (threshold) So he reaches over for the remote as quickly as he can (attack) and jams the volume down button a few times (ratio = how many times he pushes volume down) and when the commercial is over and he wants to hear his favorite show again he raises the volume back (release).

LOL that's class!

LilWUB wrote:It's all just a theory anyway. Just write a song.

" 'just' a theory " --- false. It's an ever-expanding set of compositional theories based on divine sciences that are insanely complex yet welcomingly understandable and intuitive. It''s maths and physics, and it has everything to do with what sounds good.

OP: yes, of course it will help you. It won't help you engineer, synthesize, or mix one bit, but it sure as hell awards you a fine set of compositional devices and ability.

it will help. a lot.

trust me i know tons of people who know how to make mindblowing bass sounds but couldnt make a listenable tune if their life depended on it.

most people who denounce theory's benefits, simply aren't good enough at it to appreciate or use it, and seek to rationalize their ignorance by calling it irrelevant
Those who embrace it, write better music.

Please note, a lot of you seem to omit RHYTHM as a subset of theory. It isn't all intervals and counterpoint and shit.

also you gotta laugh when people say fuck theory, write by ear... but when it comes to mixing, the same folks turn their ears off in favor of a spectrum analyzer to tell them they need a boost of 4k on the master.

Today wrote:most people who denounce theory's benefits, simply aren't good enough at it to appreciate or use it, and seek to rationalize their ignorance by calling it irrelevant
Those who embrace it, write better music.

Please note, a lot of you seem to omit RHYTHM as a subset of theory. It isn't all intervals and counterpoint and shit.

also you gotta laugh when people say fuck theory, write by ear... but when it comes to mixing, the same folks turn their ears off in favor of a spectrum analyzer to tell them they need a boost of 4k on the master.

Actually, most people do do it by ear, but music theory is essential imo.

Today wrote: " 'just' a theory " --- false.

Sorry, my comment was meant to be humorous. Theory applies to electronic music as well so go get 'em tiger!

yeah man all the pro dubsteppers don't use music theory whatsoever, all random notes on their drops.... ......so yeah, just throw out all of your music theory knowledge and spray an pray with your keyboard

Turnipish Thoughts wrote:
In fact, watch this

Holy crap this is GOLD.

My favorite part starts at about 40:40... I'm making myself a contract.

timtim366 wrote:Ok, so this time i searched the whole forum for a topic like this, I didnt find what i was looking for.

I know ALOT of music theory. When it comes to electronic music, which things should apply? Which things should i throw out the window.

Tips?

dont throw anything out. knowing theory will drastically help with some arrangement, knowing when to give or take energy and how to write melodies, harmonies and bass lines. It wont automatically give you inspiration for a song or know exactly where to go with it (thats the creative and originality aspect of producing) but music theory has definetely hellped me alot. Just apply what you know and youll be fine

There's a reason why a lot of pros "played an instrument when they were 10". Music theory helps a lot. You still have a long way to run: sound design, mixing... but when you get there (expect it to take years) your musical knowledge will be an enormous advantage. There are a lot of very good sound designers that never get to pro because they have all their basses on the same note.

Check this:


Could be an influence for someone who knows a lot of music theory. That song is an electronic symphony.

Triphosphate wrote:

Turnipish Thoughts wrote:
In fact, watch this

Holy crap this is GOLD.

My favorite part starts at about 40:40... I'm making myself a contract.

It's still one of the best video's I've watched. Inspired me more than anything else. The tune in my sig I wrote and mixed down in 5 days flat starting the day after I watched that. The tune before took me about a month, and it's still not properly finished. Man seriously knows his shit.

e-motion wrote:There's a reason why a lot of pros "played an instrument when they were 10". Music theory helps a lot. You still have a long way to run: sound design, mixing... but when you get there (expect it to take years) your musical knowledge will be an enormous advantage. There are a lot of very good sound designers that never get to pro because they have all their basses on the same note.

Check this:


Could be an influence for someone who knows a lot of music theory. That song is an electronic symphony.

this.
I listen to this very song as well as galactic love by the same duo to amp me to write the best arrangements I can..such a masterpiece

Cant figure it out.

like the source of the sound is further away then the rest of the tracks

I don't want to seem like an ass, but lower volume? I know a lot of reverb can give that effect as well.

From here:

...Another common parameter in reverb units is Pre-delay Time, which allows you to specify the amount of time between the start of the direct sound and the start of the first sonic reflection. Decreasing this time moves the sound source closer to the boundaries of your simulated room, but also moves it further from the listener — if you use reverb on an 'in-your-face' pop vocal you should not use too short a Pre-delay Time.

You should probably read the whole thing IMO.

Pan it center, sufficient reverb.

Pfft, chords are for trance.

when i started making EDM, people always asked me, "DAMN, how you make everything sound so tight? how do you make your basslines?"

the answer is my knowledge of music theory.. knowing how notes and frequencies work together and against each other is the single most essential body of knowledge any musician has. having an ear for what is in tune, and what is 'perfectly out of tune,' (reeses) will do more for your music than anything, IMO. helps not only in writing melodies, but in analyzing tunes, being able to tell if a 50ms drum hit is in tune, etc.