Can i create edm song in daw without using any instrument?

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peek188

New member
As in question - can i do dubstep/edm song totally in daw without using any instrument apart from midi keyboard?
How professional producers do them-i mean can i be sucessfull if i can play just midi keyboard?
 
If you have to ask what you did about being successful you are in the wrong field. There is no such thing as creating music without an instrument and/or instruments. Music is not easy and it is only fun after you have learned what is necessary to your personal goals.
 
If you're not interested in music itself, you should stop right now.
Electronic music doesn't need real instruments since electronic instruments are electronic instruments.

Some producers learn more about music theory beyond basic beatmaking theory if they want to while most do not care for that.
With that being said, figure out which one you are.
 
I guess the original question was simply whether or not one needs physical instruments, be they acoustic or electrical or somewhere in between, to make music - and the answer to that is simply: no, you can just use virtual instruments (ie. plugins) and samples.
 
ya, you can. ...A lot of people do, deadmau5 being probably the biggest one. The DAW isn't just an instrument, it's the entire symphony, ;) with the science (production) shit built in as bonus. It's just a lot more fun (and easier) to make music with real instruments. ;)

I wrote "Cosmic Love" and "Chillin in Perks Coffee House", among others, entirely within the DAW without any "real" instruments.

Instruments are easier once you get the hang of it. You'll be able to put melody ideas to work a lot quicker using them.

To the second question, yes of course. Just play the midi keyboard like a champ and you'll be very successful. Practice a lot, (like everyday), and you'll make good progress.
 
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Yes my original question was - do i need to know any physical instrument (im attending to music theory,piano lessons and know basic of guitar). In short - if using only daw and midi keyboard can i become successful in music field?
 
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peek188 said:
Yes my original question was - do i need to know any physical instrument (im attending to music theory,piano lessons and know basic of guitar). In short - if using only daw and midi keyboard can i become successful in music field?
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What is your personal definition of success? If you can answer that and know what you want out of music only then will you not object to putting in any amount of time as music is a lifetime pursuit.
 
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If you're asking if other people have done this successfully, as in made a career out of it, the simple answer is yes. However, don't self-impose creative limitations on your music. You can make music any way that you want and with anything you want, one of those options being entirely in the box. It's all about what you do with it. This way of making music has become more prevalent as of recent, however being successful with it is entirely up to you. Invest in your education about how to use the software you have and you can get close to nearly any sound you want. Obviously there are some things you can't exactly emulate simply with software, but the same goes for using real instruments; there are limitations. If you're passionate about making music you'll find any way to make it, doesn't matter how.
peek188 said:
Yes my original question was - do i need to know any physical instrument (im attending to music theory,piano lessons and know basic of guitar). In short - if using only daw and midi keyboard can i become successful in music field?
Click to expand...
 
OGBama said:
What is your personal definition of success? If you can answer that and know what you want out of music only then will you not object to putting in any amount of time as music is a lifetime pursuit.
Click to expand...

My personal definition of success is if i will put effort in learning and school but more towards edm / software rather than learn instrument will i be able to create songs/beats for someone(not necessarily for money) or be hire for studio.
Music is my passion and don't want only to listen to it - i would like to create it and music which most appeal to me is hip hop and edm.
 
Dude, in all seriousness it's easier to just use youtube and the manual for that. [It's not that complicated compared to music theory trust me]
You will definitely need to go to school at some point if you go beyond basic theory like playing an instrument at an adept level.
 
What Aohajin means is for an intermediate level of theory, formal lessons i.e. face to face with a teacher in a classroom, is a more sensible option.
 
...Dude edm is not classical or acoustic music you don't need theory unless you want to play instruments, read sheet, know notes by heart, and want to use those tools.
 
You'll be successful, sure. You just have to practice a lot. A professor back in college told me that it takes 10,000 hours to become proficient at something. Practice a lot, like for 10,000 total hours and then keep going.

Midi controllers will be the go too "tools" (instruments, whatever). They're not inferior to "real instruments" at all...they're actually much much more superior. If you want reasons why, I'll share those in another post.You will be fine with just a DAW and a midi controller, yes. But you'll start to collect more things as you improve because you'll see how much fun it is. After a while, you'll want a few midi controllers, microphones, interfaces, etc. ...you'll start to build a home studio which will be sweet (I just got in a trumpet in mine, but I mainly use the midi keyboard).

As for working in a "real" studio eventually, don't count on it. It is possible, sure but the average "real" studios are going under because of home studios. Home studios are becoming more and more common as the technology becomes cheaper. Just go for making and working out of your own home studio. You can do much more than just create and sell records/music. A home studio has multiple functions and money earning potential.
 
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For the theory question, idk...does edm have a special type of theory? I don't think so...you're probably just using major scales to write the melodies. EDM is typically very happy and very confident sounding so major scales and chords will do fine. There's no need for complex theory really...
 
peek188 said:
Yes my original question was - do i need to know any physical instrument (im attending to music theory,piano lessons and know basic of guitar). In short - if using only daw and midi keyboard can i become successful in music field?
Click to expand...
Absolutely. It might take a ton of hard work and the willingness not to give up; but absolutely, you can.
 
Even back in the day I wouldn't say we were playing all the electronic instruments we were using, I mean for the most part we were programing sequencers like the one on the TB-303 so that was more about skill in regard to composition than virtuosity which is the skill most people focus on in regard to music, as if some busker playing other people's music on a guitar etc is somehow more admirable than some kid creating an original composition by clicking notes into the Fruity Loops piano roll.....in other words don't go confusing writing with playing.
 
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