No Music Background...Thoughts?

[shaun_joseph]

How many of you edm producers or any producer for that matter, who does not have any music background whatsoever?

I have no musical background at all...

Thoughts? Opinions?

[Harwood]

It will be harder for you, but certainly still possible. A lot of sub-genres such as Jungle Terror, Hard House, some Trap, revolve around percussion and not melodies or chords. You will slowly pick it up over time, so I 100% say you can do it!

[Anuma]

I had very little music background beyond a few lessons at school, but I found that electronic music got me more interested in classical and music theory so I started to learn those too. I guess it doesn't matter where you begin because it's all relevant

[ion]

I don´t think it has too much importance.  I never learned to play any instrument prior to producing, but I don´t feel like it has impaired my ability to visualize what ever I want to make. A lot of people know "everything" about the theories, and have the ability to play whatever is being put in front of them, but are still lacking the creativity to make interesting music.
Just keep pushing.

[manducator]

I think learning music theory is easier then to hold on to ignorance, if music will be a long time hobby for you.

[cryophonik]

Everybody starts somewhere.

Personally, I started at a very early age and have many decades of formal training, education, and experience, but that doesn't make me a great EDM producer.  Most of the guys who are serious about making EDM (including pros and serious hobbyists) have a fraction of my experience, but are putting out stuff that makes me think "damn, I wish I had those skills!"  Don't discount the importance of intangibles, like desire, passion, dedication, etc., when it comes to making music.  Music theory is great and IMO you should spend some time educating yourself, but it can be a steep learning curve for some people, so don't let it discourage you from making music.  The world is full of great talent with little or no formal training.

[museumoftechno]

It's just nature's way of telling you to make terrifying abstract techno.

[Kenny Troy]

I have absolutely no musical knowledge or anything, never played an instrument or read sheet music.. nothing.

In fact, in all Jr. High and Highschool I absolutely despised music class. I would never pay attention and would just bullshit my way through the General Music course required to graduate.

Now.. well I can't get enough of it haha. I'm teaching myself some music theory. I highly suggest this. People say you do not need to know music theory to produce music - and they're right.. but it is professional. It is harmonics. It works, and it's highly studied for a reason.

[submelodic]

I have a light background in music. But what always motivates me is the producer who went out and did amazing things without a music background. I look to Bassnectar mainly, who did play in a metal band before he went to school and studied some music. But he works all in the box. He doesn't use music theory, he just makes what sounds good to him. I read an interview where he said he just clicks the midi in ableton and moves the notes by mouse to find something beautiful. All you need is passion and hard work. Nothing can hold you back.

That being said, like Kenny said music theory is helpful in the long run. I suggest learning everything you can.

[Mussar]

It's better to learn it than to avoid it, if only because it's a good way to accelerate your progress as an electronic music producer. Yes, there are scale-constraining plugins and chord progression/arpeggio creators and all that stuff and I encourage everyone to use them, even when they know music theory, simply because it's a great way to speed up your workflow. As you start learning more about music theory, however, you'll be able to combine the tools you have with the knowledge you have gained.

[Lydian]

It's like cryophonik says. There are plenty of big name producers out there who became big and didn't know an inch of theory or have any kind of musical background. It shouldn't drag you down as long as you devote yourself to learning the very basics which shouldn't take longer than a week.

[FarleyCZ]

Music theory is great and IMO you should spend some time educating yourself, but it can be a steep learning curve for some people, so don't let it discourage you from making music.  The world is full of great talent with little or no formal training.

This.

If you want to do melodic music, you'll have to learn some basics. Notes, intervals, chords, scales. ...but focus more on learning how and why are they created instead of rote learning them one by one. That's needed for live instrument playing, not so much for producing.

[pedromtavares]

I feel a bit inclined to answer this because not having a musical background also scared me from getting into music production, specially because I lean towards melodic genres like progressive house. The truth is, you don't need any -- all you need is good taste and the willingness to work hard.

There is plenty of material out there on basic music theory and you can educate yourself as you produce. I would recommend seeing at least a couple of video tutorials on it so you at least know things such as chords and scales, and you can literally learn this in one day (at least the basics to start off).

Don't let fear take over, it's all just knowledge and if the next guy can do it, so can you.

[Marrow Machines]

You don't have to be a good musician to be a mix engineer.

You have to know some of the finer points and the emotional context to be a good mix engineer.

It also helps to understand music, it also might make you biased.

It's also never to late to learn up some knowledge if you're interested.

[dslyecix]

As most people have said here... don't let it stop you, but don't make it your motto.  You don't know it *now*, so learn it! It's not really anything scary or difficult, although it might seem so. To encourage someone to pursue production and willingly remain ignorant just seems ass-backwards to me.

Would you encourage a painter to never learn about colour theory or how to mix paint?  I mean sure, they *could* just trial-and-error their way to great paintings eventually, but how much faster and better would their craft/process/results be if they know that theory well?