Music Theory/Knowledge...Pointless?

**You Foria** · 07-19-2012

I see sooooo many people on here saying "you need to know music theory to produce" or "go read up on chord progression"...but 3 of the hottest producers out right now, if not THE hottest producers out: JahlilBeats, Lex, and Sizzle dont know any of this stuff I feel like. They dont play keys, they just throw beats together?
Thoughts?

**Pumpthrust** · 07-19-2012

Originally Posted by You Foria

I see sooooo many people on here saying "you need to know music theory to produce" or "go read up on chord progression"...but 3 of the hottest producers out right now, if not THE hottest producers out: JahlilBeats, Lex, and Sizzle dont know any of this stuff I feel like. They dont play keys, they just throw beats together?
Thoughts?

Who on here said you need to know theory to produce? That sounds like something people make up just to start an argument. Please, feel free to share any posts on here saying in explicit terms that you MUST know music theory to produce.

**bandcoach** · 07-19-2012

sounds to me like you are simply trying to start an argument that doesn't need to happen. I may well be one of those who you incorrectly claim says that you should learn music theory full-stop. What I do say is that if you want to stop asking questions every minute then learning some music theory will not hurt you, but only make you better equipped to do what you profess to be your profession - produce/create music.

**Nait Phoenix** · 07-20-2012

It's kinda tricky. No, you don't need to know music theory to a "T" to produce any kind of music, but it helps. It's not pointless in the least to at least know the fundamentals of music, like keys and tonic. Hell, it even helps to know chords. Just try and keep an open mind to music theory, 'cause it's not pointless in the least for any kind of producer. It just helps for more professional sounds.

**YoBanyon** · 07-20-2012

Unless youre making atonal trap bangers, like lex lugar, i would suggest skimming the surface of music theory. Plus when you look at it, do you want to be just a producer or a musician as well? Learning music theory can only help you in the long run for creating songs that have more depth and can fit in a key signature for a vocalist to follow. A lot of rap beats dont need a key signature or tonal quality because most rappers dont sing so it wont effect the song whatsoever.

**DigitalKillaz** · 07-22-2012

you need to seperate composition from production... most people and the majority around here, do a bit of both. but even so, as somebody above pointed out there are still times when the producer needs to use music theory... tuning etc.

an engineer may perhaps get away with zero knowledge... ? but are you interested in music or are you interested in the associated technology... i wasted years messing around with the technology when what i was really interested in was the music and it wasn't until i concentrated on music theory that i started gettin good results for my efforts and really started to enjoy my own work. for me, the technology just gets in the way... i'm a music lover not a technology lover.

i have no idea who any of those guys you mentioned are, they might be hot in your opinion (and in a genre not known for its musical depth) but what ever line of work you are in you always need to know a bit about the work the people alongside you are doing otherwise they won't want to work with you...

also people often downplay their knowledge or training to make themselves seem more talented and "street".

think about it... you want to do music but want to completely ignore the theory that is associated to the subject... how can that result?

**J90** · 07-22-2012

The more you learn and teach yourself which notes sound good together and which progression sound right and which one doesn't... that's music theory my friend, you'll be learning music theory whether you like it or not