How did you learn music?...

jeskola · Post by **jeskola** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 1:06 am

i dunno. yes i agree about lessons and learing proper musci. but i never played an instument in my life, and i no nohting about notes, chords etc.... but i djd for a good 10 years... i had 3 tracks out on labels and id say my only pitfall is geetiing caught in loops, not differentianting between parts of trackks.. i kind of learnerd so far wat i know myself and by influence of listeing to music, production wise.. wel i learnt ALOT from this forum and from firends too... if i took lessons on piano i could easily make the leap to making good music from mediiocre music - i guess its just realiing that wat your doing , no matter how good it is - CAN B BETTER

jeskola · Post by **jeskola** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 1:07 am

LOL just back from t in the park guys... guess you ccan tell form the typinggg

D K · Post by **D K** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 7:11 am

still learning...always will be. i just keep my eyes and ears open.
another lsd learner/acid achiever here....
drop acid and play. preferably with other people, and/or in front of an audience.
do or die-you'll learn quick.
i think i learned the least about it taking music classes, although that undoubtedly helped with terminology.

Louis · Post by **Louis** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:00 pm

I still don't know music.... i just know how to program and am good with synthesizers and audio engineering... other than that, I take forever writing melodies.... "does this key hit the frequency I want.... nope, hmmmm.... how 'bout thi one? OK!"... I guess that's why I like techstep- not too melodic or epic, just nasty beats and bass.

Voodu · Post by **Voodu** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:15 pm

I know exactly you mean Louis. That's pretty much where I am. I can program a synth like crazy, but when it comes time to lay down the melody I struggle.

I've started loading up Ableton everyday and playing a softsynth for about an hour just to learn my way around the keys. I've been doing this for about a week and I'm surprised at how much it has helped.

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:16 pm

I didn't.

That's why I DJ and play percussion.

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:18 pm

guitar/bass and audio tech school. Music theory at school has taught me just about none of the things I needed to know...

quandry · Post by **quandry** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:36 pm

I think guitar or keyboards would be the instrument to go with--keyboards are a bit easier in terms of visualizing interval relationships between notes. Try to not just learn chords or scales without also learning the interval relationships between the notes of the chord/scale, which will then help you apply these to any of the twelve keys you might play in. Also, some basic chord theory can really go a long way, like knowing that chords are generally made up of the 1,3,5, and sometimes 7 of any scale. Seeing these notated on a musical score really helps make sense of chord theory. If you learn major and minor scales and the interval relationships between the eight steps of any scale, then you can apply this knowledge to chords and scales in any key, and can even get at the less common scales by just using the same interval relationships but starting on a different note.

For me, learning piano at a young age, then switching to guitar, then bass (my main axe), then drums has been great. It is really useful to understand each instrument and how they inter-relate and fit together to create good music in any style. Playing with others in traditional bands, and just listening critically to all sorts of music is the way to really make leaps quickly. Once you get decent at an instrument, you can start to pick out what people are doing on your favorite records just by listening--that's when things can really click into high gear.

corygilbert · Post by **corygilbert** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:42 pm

listening

djshiva · Post by **djshiva** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:50 pm

years of classical violin lessons and performance, some self taught piano stuff (not so good at that), guitar lessons + performance for 10 years, some bass guitar as well.

djing 11+ years. i think djing is really a lesson in composition more than anything else. i can't listen to a dj that doesn't understand that. just makes it sound like random parts thrown together if there is no thought toward composition.

there are times when having an extensive musical background is helpful, but there are also times when it's a hindrance, and that's when i need to throw out the rulebook and get weird.

leisuremuffin · Post by **leisuremuffin** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:00 am

formal:

band/orchestra/choir/jazz geek during school years.

practical:

exploring with friends. And mushrooms. Lots of mushrooms.

.lm.

capta1nA · Post by **capta1nA** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:41 am

my school started music on us in 4th grade with recorder, and then after that I took up clarinet. In junior high I started playing bass, studying with a few private lesson teachers. now I go to berklee college of music.

and of course jamming with friends

continuous · Post by **continuous** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:05 am

leisuremuffin wrote:formal:

band/orchestra/choir/jazz geek during school years.

practical:

exploring with friends. And mushrooms. Lots of mushrooms.

been meaning to "get to know" my new bass with a little help from my friends.

delicious · Post by **delicious** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:19 am

there are times when having an extensive musical background is helpful, but there are also times when it's a hindrance, and that's when i need to throw out the rulebook and get weird.

I completly understand this situation.

I trained in a classical form, learning the french horn and piano from the age of six, as well as theory training. Moved away from classical after 10 years, to rock. Taught myself guitair and bass by using tabs and played in a very average high school band. Switched to DJing.... and now made the progression to production in the last year.

The problem with this training is that I have never needed to come up with riffs, all I know is how to read music. Luckily my production partner has the completly opposite training.

I WISH I LEARNT JAZZ PIANO WHEN MY PARENTS PAID FOR MUSIC LEASONS

njh · Post by **njh** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 5:25 am

my mom bought me an accoustic guitar when i was 11. i remember not knowing why it didnt sound like all the rock songs that i liked. soon i figured out that i needed an electric guitar and an amp. so for christmas i got one. no one in my family knew anything about guitars so i did not know why it sounded terrible.. later i found out that my guitar wasnt tuned so i tuned it until i thought it sounded good. it turns out the tuning i was now playing in was not standered but was a open g tuning. i was tired of figuring things out and having to re learn everything so i stuck with that tuning.
15 years later, i still dont know most musical jargen but, i can write my own songs, and can play anythng that i set my mind to learn.