Who makes music by ear?

[jclarkeiv]

I do a lot by ear but then go back over the piece and fix things that sound weird or out of place with theory. A lot of times I just jam on my synth until I stumble on a riff I like and then go from there.

[jclarkeiv]

double post, please delete

[brettheaslewood]

I used to dj so I know how to read music

dont mean to be the twat that jumps at ya' , but really? you can read music from being a dj?

i want to learn piano.
lesson, or try self teaching?

haha maybe I worded that wrong what I'm basically trying to say is, I know how to write an intro, drop and general tune etc but what I don't get is the technical side of things? I read so much on here about you guys talking about making music but it means nothing to me. I would like to be able to take my music to the next stage and stop making things by ear, Just wondered if there was any kind of tutorials on compression and eq for beginners that I would roughly understand?

bare, just youtube 'sidechain compression for [INSERT DAW] tutorial' you'll be able to understand alot more if you can see whats going on aswell.

if youtube fails - google. they'll be sommit


edit - just youtube ' [WHATEVER YOU WANT TO KNOW] for [INSERT DAW] tutorial'

[project 1]

I used to dj so I know how to read music

dont mean to be the twat that jumps at ya' , but really? you can read music from being a dj?

i want to learn piano.
lesson, or try self teaching?

haha maybe I worded that wrong what I'm basically trying to say is, I know how to write an intro, drop and general tune etc but what I don't get is the technical side of things? I read so much on here about you guys talking about making music but it means nothing to me. I would like to be able to take my music to the next stage and stop making things by ear, Just wondered if there was any kind of tutorials on compression and eq for beginners that I would roughly understand?

bare, just youtube 'sidechain compression for [INSERT DAW] tutorial' you'll be able to understand alot more if you can see whats going on aswell.

if youtube fails - google. they'll be sommit


edit - just youtube ' [WHATEVER YOU WANT TO KNOW] for [INSERT DAW] tutorial'

Cheers dude, I will have a look into this when I get home.

[brettheaslewood]

no need to thank me mate, it's called initiative

[project 1]

no need to thank me mate, it's called initiative

As I said mate, it's all new to me so any help is appreciated.

[paravrais]

I hate to be 'that' guy but since nobody has said it in this thread yet...sub hitting at 200hz?!?!

[project 1]

I hate to be 'that' guy but since nobody has said it in this thread yet...sub hitting at 200hz?!?!

haha that's what I mean mate, I haven't got a clue? I don't understand all the tech terms. I just make what I think sounds right.

[misk]

making music "by ear" is not so much a talent as it is the lack of tone deafness. even then being 'tone deaf' is usually curable with practice. To be writing melodies without prior knowledge of theoretical application reflects your exposure to what western culture considers 'sonorous' and consonant, as opposed to some innate ability to 'just know' what you're doing.

essentially, you "know" what sounds good because you've been shown what's supposed to sound good thousands of times in your life every time you press play on your ipod, or turn on the radio.

I chose to learn music theory so that I could write more effective melodies, and the knowledge has given me much greater freedom in choosing how my songs progress melodically. I EQ by ear, but I can tell you what 200Hz sounds like - and why you shouldn't have any in your sub!

Learn music theory, it's awesome, and even if you don't know it, you're still stuck in it.

[Downfall]

I make music by ear but i would like to learn basic music theory.

[Gurnumsbug]

I do everything I ear..
As much as I would love to have a structure, I just don't..
Whatever I feel like at that time, is what will come out..
(shit I must be depressed all the time then lol)

[zonetrooper5]

Pretty much do everything by ear, woundn't hurt for me to learn some music theory though. Anyone know of some good music theory/synthesis books to buy?

[bassinine]

theory won't help write songs. it will allow you to understand songs already written, however.

you don't have to know the rules to bend them with theory. and how you bend the rules is what makes you an artist - as opposed to just a producer.

[benjam]

If anyone wants to learn a bit of theory try this
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GZ3GreS0pwg/T ... Bmusic.jpg

[Warwolt]

theory won't help write songs. it will allow you to understand songs already written, however.

you don't have to know the rules to bend them with theory. and how you bend the rules is what makes you an artist - as opposed to just a producer.

Because theory allows you to analyze and understand the possibilities of what you've already written, it is very much a tool to write tracks with.

[mks]

Make music by ear? Of course. Always.

theory won't help write songs. it will allow you to understand songs already written, however.

Yes, theory will help you write songs. Instead of fumbling around for notes for your melody, chords or bassline, you will instead have a good sense of what notes to go for and build from there.

you don't have to know the rules to bend them with theory.

I think that's backwards. You learn theory to know the rules so you know what you are doing when you bend them, and are able to easily reproduce the result. You don't have to know theory to bend the rules, but then again you probably don't know what you're doing in the first place.

Anyways, the OP seems he was talking about engineering rather than music theory. Of course use your ears. Too much mud in the middle? Cut some mids. Hi-Hat too bright? Cut some highs etc.

Your ears should be telling you what to do, it's not all set in stone. There are certainly some guidelines to be learned to get you started though.

[misk]

what's ironic is that when you usually 'bend' the rules of music theory, your melody sounds like shit to 99% of the population

[bassinine]

Make music by ear? Of course. Always.

theory won't help write songs. it will allow you to understand songs already written, however.

Yes, theory will help you write songs. Instead of fumbling around for notes for your melody, chords or bassline, you will instead have a good sense of what notes to go for and build from there.

you don't have to know the rules to bend them with theory.

I think that's backwards. You learn theory to know the rules so you know what you are doing when you bend them, and are able to easily reproduce the result. You don't have to know theory to bend the rules, but then again you probably don't know what you're doing in the first place.

Anyways, the OP seems he was talking about engineering rather than music theory. Of course use your ears. Too much mud in the middle? Cut some mids. Hi-Hat too bright? Cut some highs etc.

Your ears should be telling you what to do, it's not all set in stone. There are certainly some guidelines to be learned to get you started though.

i didn't mean to imply you shouldn't learn theory, just that you shouldn't rely on it when being creative.

on that note, when a chromatically tuned instrument (any instrument with 12 pitches) is used, all you need to know are intervals. seeing as how it's tuned to specific ratios of differing frequencies.

[vertx]

I played jazz trumpet for years, was classically trained, but I don't use any of that knowledge, I just hit the low F on the sub till the cows come home, music made with computers is about sound, not notes.

Edit - and rhythm, sall bout the rhythm.

[misk]

there's nothing like some decent descending minor thirds to make your day