Korg Forums

i have been making music for years now and i have really never made anyhting that would be on the charts but ive made okay songs.I have been taking some lessons at home and now am somewhat better and wondering will my talent just keep increaseing.But there are also some days when i have no idea what to do for a song and just press keys and hope to make a melody with out thinking of one.Does anyone have any comments on this?

I would recommend taking lessons. As you're exposed to new chords, scales, and ideas, you will find them to be useful tools for taking your songwriting to the next level.

As far as some days being better than others, that's just how it goes. Creativity is higher at some times than others, emotions can play a bit role, etc etc.

I took lessons for about 5 years and have played for about 10 years, but I found my songs all were similar because I didn't know enough theory to get to the next level. I kept just playing octaves in the bass for example. Now I started taking lessons again and I can already say my songwriting is getting better.

I don't know about taking lessons, are you trying to improve your playing technique/ability? If you're trying to improve your songwriting, have you studied music theory and composition?

heh, I asked this same question myself. To see the responses I got,

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=53797

The good thing about lessons are it forces you to not only play music, but play things you may not have picked to play in the first place, thereby exposing yourself to different melodies and rhythms.

I've been in a rut lately as far as self-compositions, so I've pulled out the sheet music and have started hitting the classical music for a while

I'm into electronica, but my wise teacher opened my mind to other genres such as jazz or funk. It much improved my musical culture which positively affects my compositions.

Its good to have a teacher who cares.

Sewa: I do believe it did help you, I can hear the diligence in your music when you post your tunes.

Thanks George; I'm missing the OSAM project you know. Perhaps it dried out because we failed to conclude it properly. A virtual CD at the end could have kept us motivated.

It could be interesting to think of a theme and ask members to contribute songs. A 'korgforums' label LOL..

The great thing about music is you NEVER stop learning! Talent is another thing - you've either got it or you haven't.

I'd say get lessons. The most precious thing to music is scales and theory. If you take the classical world, Bach is a million miles from Rachmaninov who's a million miles from Arvo Part.

It's all music, but if you don't understand WHY they're different then your musical 'toolbox' isn't expanded.

Just like a writer's best friend is the dictionary, a musician's best friend is theory!

As for hitting notes and hoping for something to happen, that's the way it goes sometimes! I usually deliberately play in a different key to the last piece I worked on. I play around with inversions which can make chords sound different and other times I deliberately use a combi or patch I've never used before and then usually something starts happening. Then I develop it using sounds I think work better (usually creating my own).

Hope this helps!

I used to underestimate inversions and using sustained notes, augmenteds etc, now that i'm playing with adding an unexpected note to a standard 3 note chord, my music has become richer and more sophisticated. Also, playing with melody, I am using scales a bit differently, such as starting the scale a half step below, for instance in Cmajor, I might begin the melody on B and run up the c scale a bit from that starting point, as opposed to always starting with c or e or G which is more expected.