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Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles ^ Maybe music is like language --

I believe that this is the key.... It is all about learning, people can say that you could be born with it but, did they know you your whole life? Do they know the trials and tribulations you went through to get where you are or are not?

I was about to give up like a year ago, then one day I decided you know what, I'm gonna stop being so damn lazy and learn some music theory, and so I did, I have studied, made my self charts of musical keys on my desktop, now everytime I make a track, I make myself learn a new scale everytime.

And also, you can't just go in the studio and expect it to just happen, usually the best comes when your emotions were just enlightened or you are sad, you have more feeling so you put more feeling into what you are trying to achieve, and this can be true for anything you try to accomplish.

If you have this feeling like you should be making music and that's what your life is about, then try your hardest not to ever give up, and keep trying harder. If you get so far, then say, "oh man, its not up to the potential I want, I give up" then its never gonna work. How about stop thinking about it, stop writing soo much in forums and browsing and playing video games and make some damn music. It takes time and you have to put that time in. Nothing in life is free- and you can take that to the bank!

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Either you have it or you don't. You need to keep at it a few years to find out if you have it. Most people find out quickly, in a matter of months or a year. Like the guy that picks up a guitar for the first time, and 6 months later he's shredding on it. Once you discover you have it, you have to keep developing it, of course.

Writing good music involves live improvisation, not just punching notes in. The ability to play what you hear in your head in very important, as well as the innate ability to know what should come next; notes, chords, chord progressions. I don't think that can be taught, or acquired through practice or study. A lot of musicians that have mastered an instrument, aren't great song writers. There are musicians with heaps of music theory training, who can't write anything worthwhile.

Trance, progressive Trance, Progressive House, all heavily rely on having the right sounds. There's yet another skill set you must have. You can have good musical ideas, but without the right sounds, it won't work.

Keep it at, if you're having fun. That's all that matters in the end.

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quote:

Originally posted by Mr.Mystery Anyone can do anything. But it doesn't mean they should.

fixed imo

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ALFI - BOHICA - DJ MIX (Stream+Dropbox)

yeah you can learn to write great music by working hard. some things are not teachable though. I wouldn't say you're born with it or that it's within your genes, but some things you have to find on your own because it's hard to teach some things.

the thing is working hard correctly. Like I might be working hard on my J for basketball but if i have the wrong form in shooting a basketball then nothing is gonna happen.

what if music is in genes? Well i'm sure mozart didn't come out of the womb playing piano like it was nothing. Einstein was obsessed with how the universe works. They all worked hard. You'll never use your genes' potential if you don't work hard. Jordan wasn't that great when he was younger, he didn't even make the Varsity team at one point, he worked his ass off to be the greatest.

If you have the time, the energy, the patience, and have the skin to fail again, and again, I think those are the keys to being great to anything cliche as it is.

Moreso than genes, I think drive is something that cannot be taught. You have to be born with the fire in you to be great in anything. That's the only thing I think you have to be born with. I don't think this is genetic.

If genes are what make you the greatest, you need to work hard to unleash them. It can take you 6 months and it can take you 10 years or on your death bed(there are late bloomers in music). Working hard is the only way to find out if you got it.

Last edited by -FSP- on Jan-18-2009 at 17:24

Personally, I've found the old saying "the harder you work the luckier you get" applies to making music...

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Originally posted by Mr.Mystery This really seems to be the mentality in this day & age and I partially blame this for the huge dip in the quality (and a massive increase in quantity) of music over the last few years. Anyone can do anything. But it doesn't mean they could do anything good.

Feeling repetitive now, but well said once again.

Having a musical background (e.g. learning to play an instrument as a child) clearly, I think, prepares one quite well re: being able to create good music. My best friend, for instance, has played piano for much of his life and now that he has begun to take music 'seriously' it's quite easy for him to, for example, come up with quality melodies.

Unfortunately, I have no musical background. Less than two years ago I was simply a fan of EDM, with no understanding as to how it is created. I had no clue re: chords, scales, progressions and I certainly was in the dark concerning production techniques. Approximately one year after I started producing my own tracks I was lucky enough to get something signed to a label for release (the tune isn't anything special but it got picked up nevertheless). I'm still nowhere near where I'd like to be in terms of my understanding of music and production skills, but hard work and dedication have brought me some (limited) achievements so far.

No significant gain without significant pain

Well my 2 P for what its worth.

I had no musical upbringing, not a didly squat !

I have a degree in music technology and understand the technical side to a relatively high level.

I thought at one point i had to learn theory to increase my productivity, creativity and musicality, which to some extent was correct, it definatly helps to know scales, chords etc.

I then got so caught up in theory that i started to loose "the natural ability i seemed to have for improvisation" so i panicked and dumped the theory.

Now i am getting back into theory again as i feel it helps me improve and grow with my music, there is definately nothing negative i see around working on your theory as long as it doesnt squash your natural creativity.

Now using the word "natural" can have serious connotations, does this word imply i was "born" with something? Who knows but even if it does there is no way to know about it or learn to release it without hard work and practice, is it genetic again who knows, but unknown to me my father was a guitar player (i have never met him and he wasnt talked about in my upbringing) so do i "get it from him"?

On another note, my GF was brought up with piano lessons every week, i think level 7 or something, she was taught in a strict "classical" sense as i am sure most are but heres the thing - she cannot improvise to save her life, does this mean her skill is manufactured? and if so she couldnt possibly be as good as someone who is "naturally" gifted? or is it, as she explains it, the fact that she was "semi forced" into learning which has had a negative effect on her enjoyment of playing the piano, same with the saxaphone ! Now she doesnt go near either of them, although if i need a tune explained or identified in regards to notes played etc she helps me out with no trouble at all.

All i can say is that i have always been into music, especially dance music and find it relatively comfortable to produce although my real comfort zone is teaching. I enjoy it for what it is and it makes me feel good to produce my own music, will i ever be great at it? personnaly i think that depends on how much time i put into it and not wether or not i was born with something which is untanjible, i beleive its extremely important how you where nurtured as a kid, what you where exposed too, etc as long as it wasnt forced, as in my GF case and how hard you worked to acheive your goals, Richard P Feynman is a great example of this, one of the greatest physicists to ever live and he puts it all down to his fathers teaching, the way he explained stuff etc.

Anyway my 2 cents.

Mark

I find from personal experience that there is a lot to learn in the overall making of a track, and this in itself can be a big hurdle to get over.

I mean you need basic skills in using your sequencer, sound design, eqing, leveling, scales, chords, theory, arrangement etc..., and it can just all seem like too much! lol

But getting back to the OP, then I personally think those that are around music from an early age, have the best chance at making something good.

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If you can feel emotions from a melody, you can create a melody with emotion.

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You can make write great music with hard work, IF you have great music in your mind.

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