I completely suck at producing

[TasmanianAngel]

Can anyone recommend tutorials that explain the basics of (electronic) music production? But not something like musical theory, I need something to help me figure out how beats, leads, pads and keys all work together, how I should choose sounds that sit well together, how to create basslines and drum beats - but not for any special genre, more like general theory of melodies and rhythms, and making all of them work together

Even when I use InstaComposer together with presets, my creations still sound like MIDI 20 years ago. When I put a key filtering device (to only play notes in scale), it still sounds like crap. Almost feels like every channel of the track exists in its own space and tempo.

It's like I have absolutely no sense of rhythm and melody, so bad that it defeats even the AI melody generators and presets together.

[Maykie]

Go on youtube and find videos where someone is making track from very start to very finish. Just follow everything step by step and you will subconsciously train your brain to create melodies and build track structure.

Example playlist:
I encourage you to not completely copy everything from such videos but rather try to alter the melodies and sounds while following the general idea of a track.

You can also check paid stuff like Sonic Academy and Point Blank Music School if you dont mind spending some money.

[liquidsound]

His own YT channel is loaded with similar excellent material.

[matthewisgrand]

Apparently you can get loads of presets and premade loops, start with construction kits and move up slowly to midi and preset etc

That’s my plan somewhere on their

As I am good at sampling and that but bad at sequencing and structure

[imrae]

Can anyone recommend tutorials that explain the basics of (electronic) music production? But not something like musical theory, I need something to help me figure out how beats, leads, pads and keys all work together, how I should choose sounds that sit well together, how to create basslines and drum beats - but not for any special genre, more like general theory of melodies and rhythms, and making all of them work together

What do you think music theory is?

[crispr]

It's really helpful to learn basic music theory if you're not comfortable with playing stuff and figuring it out by ear. You don't have to get into it very deep but a general understanding of what a musical scale is and how to build chords with it can be incredibly helpful.

When it comes to basic music theory, Rick Beato's stuff on YT is great. You can start here:

[simonfreshmusic]

Sounds like you're putting a lot of pressure on getting a certain sound? I'm guessing that there was something you found fun when you started getting in to music? Try to get back to doing more of that, so you can enjoy the process of creating, instead of focusing on the result that you want out of the process. Regarding the music theory then i agree with the previous poster, that you'll have a better time if you know some basics instead of guessing blindly. But not all tutorials fit all learners. I for one had great help from Gracie Terzians tutorials on YT.

[jamcat]

You should probably just do something else. You’ll never be happy making music for the wrong reasons. And everything in your post indicates you’re doing it for the wrong reasons.

[Googly Smythe]

I was going to give some wonderfully insightful advice, but it looks like TasmanianAngel has left the building.
So, to anyone else asking the same question, welcome to the (very large) club.
Ask yourself this question: "Why do I want to make music?" If the answer is anything other than "Because I have to else I will die!", then give it up.
You're welcome.

[UltimateOutsider]

Even when I use InstaComposer together with presets, my creations still sound like MIDI 20 years ago. When I put a key filtering device (to only play notes in scale), it still sounds like crap. Almost feels like every channel of the track exists in its own space and tempo.

I'm asking a sincere question here, no snark intended at all: Why are you attempting to make music when you don't appear to have any musical ideas?

What I mean is- when I first got into recording music, I already had song ideas in my head. Melodies, arrangements, lyrics. I could hear them in my head, and I needed to learn how to record/produce them into something I could share with others.

If you're using a tool like InstaComposer, that tells me you don't have any melodies/chord progressions to start from. And when you say you don't know how to make the different parts work together that sounds like you don't have a coherent idea of what you want your arrangement to sound like.

The whole journey of music production (for most of us) is turning that idea in your head into a song you can hear... but it genuinely sounds like you're trying to create something out of nothing. You need to have a starting point. There are some folks who take a different approach; they get inspiration from a specific instrument or sample or tool, and grow that into a full track- but those folks have usually already developed some skills by producing covers or some of their own original ideas first.

[BertKoor]

it looks like TasmanianAngel has left the building.

He joined 8 years ago and wrote 161 posts. He'll come back one day.

[jamcat]

it looks like TasmanianAngel has left the building.

He joined 8 years ago and wrote 161 posts. He'll come back one day.

Which is what has me really confounded. He’s taken 8 years to get around to trying to learn the basics? He’s been around longer than the Beatles were.

[donkey tugger]

Making music doesn't have to be some manner of all-consuming pseudo-mystical/quasi religious calling, as some infer.

Some of us just enjoy it as a diverting hobby to pass the time. Yes, we like to improve and get better, but the existential hand wringing and psychobabble all seems a bit much. Practical advice - good. Faux psychoanalysis/philosophical angst - bad.

[BertKoor]

Can anyone recommend tutorials that explain the basics of (electronic) music production?
[...]
It's like I have absolutely no sense of rhythm and melody, so bad that it defeats even the AI melody generators and presets together.

Find a local music teacher with some home production experience.

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

Sounds like you're putting a lot of pressure on getting a certain sound? I'm guessing that there was something you found fun when you started getting in to music? Try to get back to doing more of that, so you can enjoy the process of creating, instead of focusing on the result that you want out of the process. Regarding the music theory then i agree with the previous poster, that you'll have a better time if you know some basics instead of guessing blindly. But not all tutorials fit all learners. I for one had great help from Gracie Terzians tutorials on YT.

This is great insight.

Also. When you listen to music., can you hear the different instruments? Do you recognize the arangement. Intro...repeating parts. Build up. Break down. middle eight or bridge etc.
These may be more important than music theory .

Try and copy what you like.
Down load midi files and dissect and modify them