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Speaking along the lines of music as structure and music theory: what don't you know that you wish you did? chords, scales? rhythmic things (subdivisions/modulation/etc)? harmony?

Curious as to what the up-and-coming electronic musicians of today are struggling with. I know it can be frustrating and you want to reply "all of it," but go deeper-- what? what parts drive you crazy?

quality and cohesion

i feel like my drums dont hit hard enough and all my sounds dont glue together that well but ive been working on it

Structure and Theory

Scales
What all the buttons on synths do/mean
How to eq properly
How to use compresses and limiters
Harmonics
How to do a good mix down
Everything really

Im thick when it comes to making music

good answers but i'm thinking the structures and theories of music-- how notes fit together in melody, harmony, and rhythm-- not production.

Music Theory is a BIG one for me but got some reading to do and my sis plays Piano so gonna get some lessons.

The thing I would like to know most of all in the whole entire world is how the pro's like Roni Size manage to make 7 minutes of stand out awesomeness, but it sounds like there is only 6 channels per track!!!!

I mean seriously....Snapshot for example....Its got kick, snare, percussion, Bassline and camera sample....Thats It!!!!

How Sharmaji? How??????

Sharmaji wrote:good answers but i'm thinking the structures and theories of music-- how notes fit together in melody, harmony, and rhythm-- not production.

idk i think i have a basic on melody and harmony and rhythm that these certain things dont interfer with my work flow very much

Marketing, building and maintaining fans, making a decent image and profit making

Hhmm... I'm really into the psychology, philosophy and physics of music... Basically how it effects the brain and emotions... Always want to know more about this stuff!

boko91 wrote:Music Theory is a BIG one for me but got some reading to do and my sis plays Piano so gonna get some lessons.

The thing I would like to know most of all in the whole entire world is how the pro's like Roni Size manage to make 7 minutes of stand out awesomeness, but it sounds like there is only 6 channels per track!!!!

I mean seriously....Snapshot for example....Its got kick, snare, percussion, Bassline and camera sample....Thats It!!!!

How Sharmaji? How??????

really heavy snares and everything in its own place.

chord progression, but i'm learning

Project EX wrote:chord progression, but i'm learning

This also......What are good progressions and what feeling they create

Chords. I have been trying to learn chords and the progressions of them but I aint doing too well

I often struggle to crank out a catchy melody which often leads me to feel like alot of my music is generic.

If anyone knows of some methods or practices that aid in development of melodies.. please let me know

FSTZ wrote:I often struggle to crank out a catchy melody which often leads me to feel like alot of my music is generic.

If anyone knows of some methods or practices that aid in development of melodies.. please let me know

Were on the same boat my friend melodies have to be one of my weakest areas

I don't even know what the different musical notes mean, what difference does it make when you use what note and where?

I don't understand scales or anything like that... When someone is saying they did something in C# that means nothing to me! So what if you did it in a certain note because I don't have a clue how that affects anything.

I wish I had a better understanding of musical theory, chords etc...

I wish i knew how to program breakcore drums.

key changes are almost a total mystery

krispy wrote:I don't even know what the different musical notes mean, what difference does it make when you use what note and where?

I don't understand scales or anything like that... When someone is saying they did something in C# that means nothing to me! So what if you did it in a certain note because I don't have a clue how that affects anything.

I wish I had a better understanding of musical theory, chords etc...

Hhmm I can see how this could confuse you actually! I'll do my best to explain it but if I'm not clear enough, I'm sure others can pick up where I left off

When people say they're writing music in a certain key (not note, key) for example C#, this means they're writing in the scale C# major. - But I figure this means very little to you also!

A scale is a group of intervals between each notes over an octave. Intervals are the gaps between notes defined by tones or semi tones (or whole and half tones respectively if you're American) for example C to C# is one semitone and C to D is one tone.

The major scale is made up of these intervals. (T representing tone, S representing semitone)

T-T-S-T-T-T-S

Now if you look at your piano keyboard you will see that making these jumps consecutively starting on the C note, you will hit all of the white notes and no black ones! This is the C major scale.

Now if you do the same starting with another note, you will get the major scale for that note you started with!

Just remember for a tone, you move up 2 notes at a time (including black and white) and for a semi tone you move up 1 note (including black and white notes, again)!

When you learn all of your major scales, you will need to learn the intervals between notes on other scales, not to feed too much information at once but the natural minor scale has intervals T-S-T-T-S-T-T. (If you looked hard enough you will see that it is the major scale 'pushed along' slightly, this is because all major scales have relative minors!)

Confusing I know, but keep reading it and you'll get it eventually!

Project_B wrote:I wish i knew how to program breakcore drums.

Chop, chop, chop, stretch, pitch, process certain types of sound individually...

Bus.

Process.

jolly wailer wrote:key changes are almost a total mystery

Yeh I'm a little confused about key changes too!

I figure they work a similar way to voice leading with chords... As in, you drop some notes of the scale but retain some, then introduce notes from a different scale?

I have a feeling you can only use key changes at very specific times in a track? (Unless it's an experimental genre, of course...)