Are great producers born with musical genius? Are they gifted with an ear for good melodies and rhythms? Or are they created, in part, through a drive to recognize what makes excellent songs work through the fundamentals of music theory?
The growing accessibility of music production resources has welcomed a new wave of talented music producers. Yet, with so many resources and plugins at our fingertips, many producers may wonder if it’s necessary or beneficial to spend time learning music theory.
Music theory can be daunting, but it provides a strong foundation for your production skills and helps you make informed decisions during the creative process.
In this article, we’ll examine why music producers should commit to learning music theory and offer tips for how you can start learning today.
Great producers value music theory
Like any songwriter or composer, music producers can benefit greatly from understanding the concepts behind music theory.
Simply put, music theory is central to creating great music. There are many benefits to learning the basics of music theory:
- It gives you the tools to be creative and get your ideas down quickly.
- It can help you find your own unique sound.
- It’s like learning a language: once you understand its “rules,” you can communicate ideas effectively. Plus, you can bend those rules to create new and exciting sounds.
Music theory is fun and easy to study online
If you’ve found yourself in the “music producers don’t need music theory” camp, don’t fret.
For a long time, learning theory meant sitting in lecture halls or diving into academic textbooks. Understandably, this way of learning music theory doesn’t always make sense for a busy producer who has to brush up on all kinds of skills.
But there’s no good reason why music theory shouldn’t be accessible and fun for anyone who wants to improve their songs.
Music theory doesn’t need to be filled with classical song examples or obscure concepts that don’t apply to your work in the DAW. For example, our interactive music theory books illustrate concepts with popular music examples to keep lessons practical and easy to understand.
Relevant, useful resources are available online to enhance your producing journey, not hinder it. The key is to locate those great resources and cut through the noise.
Producers can study music theory online with Hooktheory
At Hooktheory, we aim to make online music theory education approachable and enjoyable for everyone.
We offer dozens of resources to get you started, like our free database of 0ver 30,000 song analyses. There, you can browse your favorite songs and their musical structures. Each TheoryTab showcases a song’s chords, melodies, keys, and tempos.
Create amazing productions with music theory
Learning music theory doesn’t need to be a big task. Take it one day at a time, and keep building your skills.
With all the different music theory resources available today, there are countless ways to start learning. Start with the first steps, and you’ll be surprised by what you can create.