Your best hacks for chords/scale modes

[Bulbizarre]

I have been trying to build richer melodies and chords in my productions and I'm leaning to using different modes and degrees and such. Usually used to do everything by ear and moving the notes one by one until I like it, but I realize a lot of people know some codes that make them spawn shatteringly good progressions by just knowing how a said degree progression feels like, or knowing perfectly all the intervals for every scale or something.
So I bought the Scaler vst to assist me on this. It does what it says on the box to some extent, but to be honest, it's very boring to use and also pretty slow to calculate the midi input.
Do you guys have any secret technique, or a workflow that gives you nice ideas quickly ? (beside improving on theory)

[ramseysounds]

I think if you need to ask the question, music isn't for you
Just my opinion.

[i need Help]

Do you guys have any secret technique, or a workflow that gives you nice ideas quickly ? (beside improving on theory)

Sounds like you’re searching for some of that musical “Unobtainium”.

Some of that “Secret Sauce”.

That Super Mario Brothers Warp Flute that lets you skip from level 1 to level 10.

… I think that’s all I’ve got lol.

Anyways, Godspeed on your quest. My only hope is you realize sooner than later that, despite what TikTok and YouTube Shorts tells you, there’s no “ChOrD CoDeZ” or “SeCrET SauCe” that’s gonna remove the need for time and effort to get better at writing compelling music. I’m not saying you’re not putting in the time/effort, since you did say “besides” improving on theory, but I think said time/effort is better spent actually honing one’s knowledge of proven techniques, however “boring” or time consuming, than chasing shortcuts.


Edit:
One more!

You’re searching for that Konami Code that lets you unlock years of experience instantly lol.

[arise78]

ive been just using my ears and built out my chords

[Propellerhands]

Do you guys have any secret technique, or a workflow that gives you nice ideas quickly ? (beside improving on theory)

Either do it by ear or by learning music theory. There are no shortcuts. There are however random melody generators, but in my opinion they all suck and I think there should be no place for randomness in music.

So in short, git gud. Practice, f-around with your daw and melodies until you find something that you like and want to make into a full track. That's what most people do, even those who know music theory and can master an instrument.

You’re searching for that Konami Code that lets you unlock years of experience instantly lol.

exactly lol. It is the problem with current generation and their attention spans which do not go above a 15 second tiktok video. Who's to blame? I would guess people producing such content are at least partially to blame. They act like drug dealers selling meth to kids. Hey this one quick video will show you how to sound like Marcin Garlicks in just 60 seconds! WATCH!

I hate such clickbait content. 1st world problems.

[vurt]

add some notes till it sounds good?

screw chords anyway, polyphony is a fad!
long live the ping!!!

[Etienne1973]

No shortcut but for me analyzing good songwriting was (and still is) definitely an accelerator. I don't try to reinvent the wheel but learn everyday more about how and why my favorite music I like to listen to works and my attempts suck. I don't give up, I live and learn.

If you ask me, great compositions (at least the ones I like) have a lot to do with math. Sometimes more than my creative artist's mind likes to hear and see.