This article was originally published in my weekly music Substack Newsletter, Bian’s Studio. Subscribe here.
Some emerging musicians dismiss the importance of formal studies, perceiving it as a hindrance to their creativity and artistry. Experienced musicians promptly counter such arguments, of course, asserting that music theory is intended for examining and analyzing music, rather than dictating its creation.
Perhaps the view that theory isn’t so relevant emerges from the way popular music is written today. Presently, new artists with minimal equipment can create hits from their bedrooms, even if they lack formal understanding of music. The wide range of music technologies — digital audio workstations (DAWs), VSTs, and effect plugins — enable seamless sound emulation and top-tier track mixing, effectively lowering the barriers to entry for music production.
In my opinion, modern music creation deviates from the term “songwriting,” as digital production takes precedence over physical instrumentation. The focus shifts towards honing skills in sound selection, sampling, mixing, and mastering, rather than the mastery of instruments and musical improvisation. And with access to loops (on sites like Looperman), the main focus of producers has lately been centered around putting together samples and fine-tuning the mix, rather than coming up with original melodies.
As a classically-trained musician, my initial approach to writing music resembled that of a traditional composer. I began using MuseScore to write piano compositions and later transitioned to a DAW, where I meticulously drew in notes on the piano roll without employing samples. My process relied solely on my ear to craft melodies and arrange accompanying elements. However, it took some time for me to realize that this method differed from the conventional practices of modern beat-makers. Recently I began using samples and loops, which gave me a totally different perspective to music and creativity.
What I came to realize is that there is a big difference between the two approaches. Compositional-style writing demands a wealth of theoretical knowledge, encompassing diverse rhythms, harmonies, and chord progressions. On the other hand, production with samples and loops call for technical prowess, such as navigating DAW tools and experimenting with various plugins. The resulting track, while shorter-phrased and more repetitive due to loop-based limitations, display elevated sophistication in sound design and production intricacies.
In my view, what I just described presents the distinction between composition and production. While theory assumes a prominent role in the process of composition, its significance diminishes with the concept of production. As a computer science student, I could think of a similar analogy: music theory is like studying data structures and algorithms, while production is similar to building a practical CRUD web application.
Ultimately, this discussion underscores the need for a nuanced balance between musical theory and modern production techniques. Drawing from my classical background and my recent endeavors as a producer, I have come to value and appreciate the merits of both domains. By embracing both theory-based studies and technical production, it is my belief that musicians can progress towards artistic excellence in today’s contemporary music.