For Those of You who play Instruments...

[Bloodybastid]

Or for those who have played an instrument....do you feel like it has helped you in producing or is it a completely different thing altogether??? What I'm trying to say is that...do you think it makes the job a whole lot easier than somehow who has no clue how to play a damn thing?? Because I used to play the violin for like 10 years before I quit...but the thing is that I got the technique down and everything but I never really understood all the musical terminology and stuff like that...so I'm just wondering.

 

[RigorMortis]

it trains your ear and your instinct even if you arent down with the theorethical part.

 

[classic]

Short answer :yes

Long answer: no

no amount of musical traning with subsitute for talent. You can play an instrament till your blue in the face but if you werent born with that musical abilitiy or "ear" its not gonna help a lick as far as u becoming a better producer. In order for an instrament to help you have to be blessed with musical abitltiy and talent in the first place.

be honest with yourself too. Dont run off taking piano or gutiar lessions thinking that u will be the next superproducer without being honest with yourself

This is coming from a well trained musician by the way
class...

 

[bigdmakintrax]

its all on how you want to apply it.....if you use samples its easy to find a melody that would be dope, if you want to build your own song and use no samples then you have to use your own creativity to build a melody that would fit........say for instance if you have a good ear and pick up melodies its easy to listen to a song that you would sample normally and either interpolate or change any melody you hear......a lot of really good musicians that would be good at production don't produce though........but like anything else being a musician and are kind of separate, a lot of musicians only play music from a sheet and have 0 ability to come up with their own original melody, so they could not really apply it to original production ideas.....so my advice to anyone is get some knowledge of a few chords and train your ear if you want to produce your original work......that is where I am right now.....I played in some bands and learned whatever songs there was to play, but my ability to pick up a new song by ear was not very fast......some other musicians are amazing and can replay anything they hear after hearing it once.......if you had experience playing in any organized band the great percentage of musicians are not using any sheet music.....at least in any bands i played in......and this also applies to playing cover songs or original.......I suggest if you want to expand your music hook up with some other MUSicians in your area and start working with them............the key of training your ear is listening to a lot of music and try playing it....or identifying chords and train your ear........I never was good enuff to be the lead board player in any of my bands I played in but I increased my ability by working out with people whose ears are amazing........I was formally trained on sax & drums....but this does not instantly transpose over to.....being a super producer....you have to apply it to your production........I don't go all out to do that but as I said I am changing some of that now to make my music better....some are just satisfied to keep what they have and not really do a lot more....

 

[RigorMortis]

i think a minus is that some people with musical knowledge tend to make things to musical..

 

[Producer X]

I agree with Class and Big D. Like Class said, it's talent first. I know cats that don't know a C from a Bb, but their ears are so in tuned that really playing an instrument isn't even necessary for them. And I know cats that are welled trained musicians, that can't put a track together to save their lives.

For me (I play keys, drums, bass and guitar) it helps the work flow. Once I have the idea done, banging out drum patterns, chords melodies, bass lines etc. is pretty quick. And if it's something I need that I can't do myself, I bring someone in that's good at it. That's all part of being a producer. Finding the right elements to make the record hot.

And, like Big D said, It won't hurt to learn more about playing an instrument. If nothing else, learn more than the basics on the keys. Most of the beat creation process, whether synth based or sample based takes place on keys. And surround youself with cats that are better than you. That way you can learn.

Think about this. How many of us can type for real? But we be typin' up some shit online though. LOL same principal.

1
X

 

[Producer X]

i think a minus is that some people with musical knowledge tend to make things to musical..

I agree!!!

 

[classic]

i think a minus is that some people with musical knowledge tend to make things to musical..

Naw thats just people who dont know how to make beats. Part of being a good musican and producer is knowig when to addsomething and when not too

class....

 

[Lex]

I play the drums and it how I first got into beatmaking/producing so I can't say it hasn't helped me. Playing the drums influences my beats without a doubt - wether directly in the sense that I'd be playing a pattern on my drums then just reproduce it with a step sequencer, or more in directly in the sense that I'd be jamming with some friends [that play bass and guitar] and the vibe from a certain session will influence me when I think about making beats.

Having learnt the drums [at first from a teacher] I know some musical theory, but I'm not too hot on the keys [my knwoledge goes as far as a few chords or something, lol...since playing the drums doesn't involve studying chord progressions and melodies etc]

Playing with a band [I play the drums in an instrumental/ambient/funk/rock sort of thign with a few friends] definately helps - I know counting bars and timing isn't an issue with producing but it gives you an ear for what sort of sounds and patterns fit together, and how tracks should progress and even how variatiosn and solos can make tracks sound a more diverse and dynamic.

Surprisingly, producing has influenced the way I play the drums too - some times I play patterns and fills that sound sort of similar to chopped drum loops etc.

 

[Loose Cannon]

I play the drums and that really helkps me a lot. Cuz when i hear a break i like, i can learn how to play it on my drumkit and program it into my beats. ALso, im bout to take a class on keyboarding, and i think that will help me a lot. Im gonna try and get as much out of it as i can.

I also play the guitar a little, and that helps me, cuz like the drums, i can sample myself and make sample-free beats. It also is just another option added to what i can add to beat. (EX: This beat is missing some lowend, but i dont wanna use a sine, and i dont feel like diggin. I can go and play somethin off my guitar, and filter it til im happy with it.)


YES,
Playing an instrument really helps me.

 

[Greg Savage]

Yes Learning how to play a Real instrument has Helped me

 

[CampO]

Im Learning 2 Play Guitar and Bass Guitar I could Learn Drums if i wanted but Ive Fooled around with the drums at my boys and I cant get my feet and hands goin 2gether at the same time Maybe Should Try Again when im not drunk ?

 

[Loose Cannon]

I cant get my feet and hands goin 2gether at the same time Maybe Should Try Again when im not drunk ?

yea that would help.

 

[sYgMa]

I'm a drummer too. I didnt know there were so many here... ACtually, I wish I payed more attention to my music classes... when I "compose' something... it would sound much more musically accurate if I knew more about chords, progressions and all...

 

[Shwaz]

I don't think that there can be any question that a background in music will help you with production. If you have played an instrument there are all sorts of things about music that you intrinsicly understand and take for granted.

 

[Pharaoh Lite]

Training in music can also restrict you in terms of trying new things. As has been said earlier, some people who are trained can play music from sheets great but when it comes to original stuff they kinda get stuck, because they are familiar with certain standards and conventions which some people have learnt to almost live by. Nothing is really stopping those people from stepping outside of what they know but I think it is harder for some people to really shake things up because it is harder to forget the conventions and rules. If there is a certain way to play a part of music, many will stick to that method or rule and not wander from it.

e.g. Someone who hasn't been taught how to play a C chord for instance, won't even know where to start, but that person may still have a good ear for playing chords and they may be able play a full C chord without even knowing what they're playing, but only because it sounds good and right to their ears.

I reckon music training definately helps because if you can make yourself go outside the norm there would be endless possibilities and you could develop things a lot quicker because you would have a basis to start from, you'd be 10 steps ahead for coming up with unique parts.

 

[Bloodybastid]

^^True Words....maybe that's why I would rather sample/ flip samples rather than start from scratch.

 

[classic]

well i can say this

You can teach a musical person how to sample,
but u cant take a cat who only "pruely" flips samples and teach him how to be musical.

Im in the process of learning how to sample , and im by no means a pro yet, but my background in music is deifinaly helping me learn quicker then the avrage preson.

All sampling really comes down to is
Putting the pieces toghter of a sonic puzzel.

class...

 

[Bloodybastid]

Another factor is what you listen to or what you tend to listen to. If you grew up bumping Wu/Primo or just East Coast underground type shit...you will mimic those sounds...and you will try to sample. But if you grew up listening to the more modern synth style like South or West...then you will try to emulate those sounds.

 

[Pharaoh Lite]

Nicely put, Bloody, that's a very good point. I would agree that most ppl who are good at music, regardless of their methods, will try to emulate the majority genre that they listen to. I would say this is true for many amateur producers, but of course we can't forget the ppl who can bust out hot music of any genre, because they listen to a very broad range of music, and as producer I think you really need to listen to many styles of music. It doesn't matter whether you make hip hop, jazz, rock, trance or expreimental garage, all styles of music can provide inspiration for creating any other style of music.

Illmuzik is based in the east coast...with out a doubt this is why so many ppl on this joint will sample..hehe....thats not necessarily a bad thing, its just a product of being brought up in the east.