Shaturu
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Our wonderful Planet

Hi Chipmusicians,

I've fiddled around with LSDJ for a few months, and occasionally I get a wonderful melody but other than that most of it just sounds off. But I do have a better grasp than when I first started. My friend has both Music Theory and Music Composition for Dummies, and I've recently loaned them from him for a while since he isn't using it. I'm also considering getting Hooktheory I off the IBookstore. But before I invest in the EBook, can I ask a few questions ? Is music theory and / or music composition necessary for learning LSDJ? I've seen the books, and they go really in depth. Do you guys have a website, EBook or book in mind that allows me just to learn the bare basics of whatever I need to know to start with LSDJ (Theory, composition, structure etc.)? I don't need to go for any theory exams and I probably won't in the future, so these books seems kinda advanced for me. Even though I have some basic experience in piano, it's zero theory. Thanks guys! Looking forward to Christmas! smile

SketchMan3
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NC in the US of America

"Is music theory and / or music composition necessary for learning LSDJ?"

LSDJ is a program for composing music. "music theory" is not necessary to "learn" certain aspects of "LSDJ", such as how to make a drum, how to navigate menus, what the commands do, no. And, depending on what type of music you are aiming to create and your innate and assimilated musical intuition, you don't necessarily need music theory to compose music in LSDJ.(and it also depends on the individual. Some people DO desperately need music theory to create the music they want to create in a timely fashion).

But... yeah, you can't compose music on LSDJ without music composition. tongue

It really comes down to the individual. Whether or not you know it, in a way you'll be putting music theory into practice even if you aren't doing it deliberately. If you feel dissatisfied with your music composing skills and feel that studying music theory will help you, then go ahead.

ryba
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Czech Republic

Read LSDJ manual
Work on your song
Read LSDJ manual
Work on your song
Read LSDJ manual
Work on your song
Eat
Finish your song
Take a break, see friends
Listen your song few times
Work on your song again
Eat
Star working on a new song
Read LSDJ manual or watch LSDJ tutorial or listen other chipmusicians songs
Work on your old song
Eat
Work on your new song
Take a break and sleep
Go back to step 1

Shaturu
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Our wonderful Planet

Thanks for replying guys.

If I just pick up some lessons from musictheory.net on the IPad, and have a basic knowledge of chord progressions, will that suffice? Looking foward to your responses! Peace. wink

Jellica
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England

if you have some experience with piano, then you should be able to get by with the few chords and scales you might already know. (or just stick to all the white keys or all the black keys smile )

from there I'd recommended playing with what you know and experiment from there.

sit with a keyboard next to you while you compose and you should become more confident.

more formal music theory might help in the future but if you are just starting out have fun with what you know.

Sesska
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France (au milieu)
Shaturu wrote:

EBook or book in mind that allows me just to learn the bare basics of whatever I need to know to start with LSDJ ()

i think you get 2 things mixed up... the tool and the Goal

LSDJ is a tool, you have to learn how to control it, as you would do for a guitar, flute or whatever
then > LSDJ manual!

Making Music is ''the goal'', which has to do with ''controlling the tool very well'' but not only...


The good news is that you do not need to get into boring/complicated stuff to get into it...
you have thousands of free site explaining very well the basics you will need for both understanding how music is made AND make your own


Shaturu wrote:

will that suffice?

depends on what you want to do...

for me absolute basics would be

- how Major scales work
- how chords are made
- what is the relation between scales and chords

in order to be able to built coherent melodies / harmonic backgrounds

but you can make entertaining sound without this also...

sandneil
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ive accumulated quite a lot of theory knowledge over the years & the only bits of it that are useful to me on a day to day basis are
- knowing a minor scale
- knowing a major scale
- the basics of counterpoint

besides that ive learn more just from collabing with friends and messing around

ofc it depends on what your goal is because some music is more formulaic/theory  based and other is less so

bitjacker
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Alive and well in fucksville

go to the pawn shop right now. buy a crappy yet sturdy electric guitar. learn some chords. learn which progressions are sort of the standard.
a little roland micro cube (maybe $30) will have an aux in to plug your gameboy in to (poor man's drum machine).
if you go 1 day without atleast 20 minutes of working on music take all of your music stuff back to the pawn shop...
learn which modes to use for melodic lines sitting on top of chords. fitting melodies with harmonies is really a lost art. example: over a minorflat9flat6 chord you use phrygian (just pick random notes out of the scale and dont look back). over a half diminished chord use locrian. mixolydian mode is good for turnarounds and over dominant7 chords. minor chords require the use of dorian mode.
I don't play loud music after lunch.<--- remember that and your ready to compose.
modes are not the only scales. try a phrygian bassline with a melody from the gypsy scale (bulletproof) (pantie dropper) again choose random notes.
dont let anyone convince you that you need structure or nothing new will ever happen. experiment with the hop command... make a cool melody and put a hop command in d of the phrase. better yet if you have nanoloop 2 fill all 4 channels with different notes and sounds and filters (of scales that fit together) and set them to play randomly and fall asleep with headphones in your ears. your subconcious will be impregnated with melodies then.

Last edited by bitjacker (Dec 18, 2013 6:57 pm)

extreme zan-zan-zawa-veia
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*grabs little sound DJ from littlesoundDJ.com*
*grabs music theory from music theory.net*
*talent.net is just a parked website sad*

ForaBrokenEarth
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Nottingham, UK

LSDJ is a musical tool. You need to understand music to get anything listenable out of it. If you don't have much musical background you'll have to face the same learning curve as learning an instrument on top of LSDJ's workflow.

Theory wont hurt but time and effort are the key factors.

sleepytimejesse
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Youngstown, OH

I think the moniker "music theory" confuses people. Think of it less as a field of theory, and more as a language you want to speak. Then ask yourself if you need to learn English to write someone a love letter.

herr_prof
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Another thing people may not realize is how much music theory you know already intuitively from years of listening to music. Even if you are unaware of what you are doing, the minute you are copying a song or motif you've heard in your daily life, you are applying music theory to your works.

Shaturu
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Our wonderful Planet

Thanks guys. Looking at the replies it looks like I'll be diving into simple, beginner level theory and then progress on to basic composition as well. Just to wrap this up  anyone have any nice resources that you can put your name behind? Thanks. smile

bitjacker
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Alive and well in fucksville

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc … sp=sharing
a few rhythms... add to it if you come up with something cool, just dont edit what is already there.

Last edited by bitjacker (Dec 18, 2013 9:07 pm)

Shaturu
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Our wonderful Planet

Thanks for the resource! Anyone have any other composition book that you feel is worth a read apart from the dummies one? I'm probably going to make a trip down to the library to find a book that I like. Cheers! And thanks for answering all my questions. I feel so welcomed. C:

nickmaynard
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rochester, ny

will learning more about music help you write music? yes it will.