Improving music/keyboard skills... what to do

[mrgrim3]

In my opinion anyone who plays a musical instrument or any form of music and is passionate about it is a musician. Skill does not matter to be called a musician, Some people argue about the most idiotic things.

[chj]

Just like enjoying any activity that can be done at a professional and highly trained/practiced level. There are tons of people who write music who are NOT musicians. There is a ton of good music made by non-musicians.

I have no idea what that's about. Anyone that writes good music is obviously a musician. "Highly trained/practiced" means just that, highly trained and practiced, it is not the definition of a musician. Someone with extreme talent and no formal training will outperform a highly trained person with little talent (in any field). So yes, there are talented people out there with zero formal training that are better "musicians" than a person who studies for a lifetime.

Anyone that engages in playing or making music is a musician, there is no level of skill built into the word. Being a bad musician is still being a musician.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/musician
Musician: a composer, conductor, or performer of music.


As for the original poster:

So what's a good "regimen" for learning the keyboard... Scales obviously, Hanon exercises perhaps? How beneficial would it be to learn other people's songs (using Synthesia)? How to learn improvisation over chords, all that stuff.

I think you have a good idea from the start. Learning scales will exercise your fingers. Learning other people's songs will translate those mechanical skills to music. Improvising over chords will develop creativity. I'd say learning songs is definitely more important than just practicing scales. As for pages of nonsense that followed your question? Welcome to KVR.

[HunterKiller]

IMHO everyone who creates a song or instrumental, is a musician. It doesn't matter if he/she don't knows the circle of 5th (maybe a drummer?) or can't play guitar or uses only samples. Even if someone uses parts of songs by others (think of Madeon), or just some construction kits, it IS a musician.

I don't like this elitist fuss, if someone is a good or bad musician. Either I like the music or not. And if I don't like it, that doesn't mean that someone isn't a (good) musician. For example, I don't like hardcore-distorted guitars from trash metal - but nevertheless, the players can be good musicians.

Again, it isn't elitist at all. Just like enjoying any activity that can be done at a professional and highly trained/practiced level. There are tons of people who write music who are NOT musicians. There is a ton of good music made by non-musicians.

Basically you are taking a word that had a meaning. You wish that it applied to you. So, you start chipping away at its context. By the end it completely dismisses those that have achieved. I think that is sad and selfish.

You sound like an elitist ass bro , sorry if it offends you but you're being very uppity about this and come off as arrogant.

Self image issues make you talk and think like that, it's you who are arrogant, not him.
Become elite yourself and you will see what a difference it is between then and now!

[mrgrim3]

IMHO everyone who creates a song or instrumental, is a musician. It doesn't matter if he/she don't knows the circle of 5th (maybe a drummer?) or can't play guitar or uses only samples. Even if someone uses parts of songs by others (think of Madeon), or just some construction kits, it IS a musician.

I don't like this elitist fuss, if someone is a good or bad musician. Either I like the music or not. And if I don't like it, that doesn't mean that someone isn't a (good) musician. For example, I don't like hardcore-distorted guitars from trash metal - but nevertheless, the players can be good musicians.

Again, it isn't elitist at all. Just like enjoying any activity that can be done at a professional and highly trained/practiced level. There are tons of people who write music who are NOT musicians. There is a ton of good music made by non-musicians.

Basically you are taking a word that had a meaning. You wish that it applied to you. So, you start chipping away at its context. By the end it completely dismisses those that have achieved. I think that is sad and selfish.

You sound like an elitist ass bro , sorry if it offends you but you're being very uppity about this and come off as arrogant.

Self image issues make you talk and think like that, it's you who are arrogant, not him.
Become elite yourself and you will see what a difference it is between then and now!

No all I did was say what I thought of how he was posting. I am far from being arrogant. I have no desire to place myself above others.

[monopoli]

To awnser the original post. First of all I would recommend watching this whole series on Youtube (all four episodes, all parts!) It is seriously a well done introduction in how music works.



Then I would recommend learning keyboard but concentrate on methods that teach improvisation and focus on intervals and chords as opposed to methods that concentrate on reading sheetmusic and focusing scales ; more the jazz-way then the classical-method. Considering the types of music you're interested in, I would also recommend practicing percussion; drums or just get some midipads. And I would recommend playing with other people. Maybe form a band next to your electronic musicmaking.

[GeckoYamori]

Language/words aren't static and evolve over time to keep up with changes in society. It's been practical to create music using technology without actually performing it yourself for about 30 years now, and we're still in the process of a paradigm shift where society at large will accept this as a "legit" form of musicianship. But it's inevitably going to happen, regardless of what some old dictionary supposedly dictates.

[robogone]

In my opinion anyone who plays a musical instrument or any form of music and is passionate about it is a musician. Skill does not matter to be called a musician, Some people argue about the most idiotic things.

That's pretty much where I was coming from, and agreed that it's pretty idiotic to argue about this - let anyone who wants to be called a musician what they want. I think the point about having passion is far more important than the amount of formal training or technical ability.

[vurt]

Honestly some people are not musicians and no matter how hard they try to be they will never be musicians. And for them I'll say this. Find your muse elsewhere. Being a musician will not complete you as a person. There are plenty of forms of self expression to involve yourself with.

I completely disagree. If you can put your finger on a keyboard you are a musician. .

The world is full of advice such as "you can do anything if you put your mind to it" and "anything you put in you'll get back doublefold". Well I love mathematics, I have a good mind for the concepts behind a lot of maths theory, but I just suck at maths, the actual numbers. I tried hard to be a mathematician but it just wasn't in me. Try harder they say, but people are cruel. You have to accept that in order to do "x" you have to have some capacity to be "x-minded".

The upshot is that the world of maths has kept it's magic, it's mysterious, I'm interested in it, but can only really participate in reading books for lay people. The good thing is I can use this mystery to inspire the things I *am* good at.

This is a funny thing. I have, according to testing, an above-average aptitude for mathematics. I had achievement at a precocious level in some ways. I got terribly bored with the retarded pace of instruction in the retarded area of the world I was born in, and after a point I tuned out. I did not continue to work on it, and the outcome is: I will never become any kind of mathematician.

This is just a fact, I have no business asserting that I can, I know that. I have done more than 'touch the keyboard' there, but I have no business in the field because I did not take it seriously. If one day I decided to say I was, and I could not legitimately show I was, people would scoff, there would be no respect. Would I then be able to bitch about the 'smell of exclusivity'? Criminy.

But oh, suddenly it's music we are talking about and anybody, whatsoever, can be said to be a musician out of just the desire to do it! Amazing.

mathematics involves the right answer.
in music there are no right answers.

[robogone]

mathematics involves the right answer.
in music there are no right answers.

[Bronto Scorpio]

mathematics involves the right answer.
in music there are no right answers.

[SJ_Digriz]

mathematics involves the right answer.
in music there are no right answers.

Then you've never had to sit through Chinese Opera, if there are wrong answers ...

[debra1rlo]

reviewing this thread, i'm guessing this six page display completely answered the OP's query

[SJ_Digriz]

reviewing this thread, i'm guessing this six page display completely answered the OP's query

yeah, I think he got his answer early ...

1) study with a purpose
2) play what you like
3) build strength and dexterity through exercise
4) advance your knowledge of musical notation where and when you can
5) above all, enjoy yourself

Then the discussion got fun.

[vurt]

mathematics involves the right answer.
in music there are no right answers.

Then you've never had to sit through Chinese Opera, if there are wrong answers ...

i didnt have to sit through it, i enjoyed sitting through it. however, not all music is based on the same priniciples as any one "genre"

very rarely does someone die because of a wrong note, miscaulations with mathematics could and does often cause fatality.

im all for bettering oneself as a musician beleive me, but i just dont understand the animosity towards those whose aims are different to mine?
if someone just wants to have a bit of fun making music, let them do it. theres enough stress in the world without worrying about what other people choose to do with something like music.

[SJ_Digriz]

im all for bettering oneself as a musician beleive me, but i just dont understand the animosity towards those whose aims are different to mine?
if someone just wants to have a bit of fun making music, let them do it. theres enough stress in the world without worrying about what other people choose to do with something like music.

This is the part that confuses me.

Point to any place where I, or anyone, has advocated that anyone should stop having fun making music? Actually, I would encourage EVERYONE to give it a go. Enjoy it. Explore it. Make it yours. Experiment.

But, if you want to get better at an instrument and learn how to communicate with others using that instrument, there are ways to get better at those things.

EDIT:

My argument remains ..
A musician using a DAW might automate a filter sweep
Automating a filter sweep in a DAW does not make you a musician

The two things are not equivalent.