Music Production and Keyboard Skills

Do you need to be a keyboard player to be a successful desktop producer?

I believe there is a very short answer to this question, but the explanation is fascinating and makes for an interesting topic for discussion.

Before we can answer this question, we need to consider what it means to be a “producer”. The dictionary definition of a producer is “a person who supervises or finances a work (as a staged or recorded performance) for exhibition or dissemination to the public.” The production of music has evolved for many centuries, but the role of the producer really has not changed much as defined above.

The producer acts much like a director of a movie. His or her main purpose is to make a finished product on time and under budget. The great producers capture great recordings of great performances of great songs. They know how to “cast” the right musicians for each part. Like a good director, a producer understands people and how to coax the best performances out of them.

My short answer to this question is, “No, you don’t have to be a keyboard player to be a successful desktop producer.” A producer needs to develop a network of good musicians, know how to communicate clearly with an engineer, and have a solid plan for getting the finished product to the market. Having a good working knowledge of music theory, harmony, and arranging allows the producer to communicate with musicians in a language they can easily understand, and helps the producer gain their musical trust.

Of course, with the advent of “cut and paste” technology and “looping”, everyone thinks they can “produce” music. But the fact of the matter is that there are no short cuts, and if music production is what a person really wants to do, they owe it to themselves, the music, and the listener to assimilate as much information as they can about the art of making music. This includes all of the aforementioned skills.

What keyboard skills are most valuable in music production? Timing? Sight-reading? Knowledge of scales and chords?

Timing and sight-reading skills are important, but can easily be compensated for using quantization and step recording techniques. A knowledge of chords and scales is of the utmost importance because these are the building blocks for producing music that makes sense to other people. This is an ongoing process which takes a lifetime to appreciate.

I’d also like to mention hearing (ear-training) as another skill that is a must to develop because a good ear helps one work more efficiently. It is nice to hear an idea in your head, and know exactly where to find those notes without having to search for them.

Another important keyboard skill to develop is a very thorough understanding of your controller. It is important to know the function of the modulation wheel, pitch bend, and all of the other knobs on the controller. Again, there are no short cuts when it comes to understanding your controller. Some of them have greater learning curves than others, but it is amazing what some of these keyboards can do with a little imagination and some time spent reading the manuals.

What strategies can you employ that will help you efficiently record expressive musical parts?

Once again, I refer to the dictionary definition of strategy. A strategy is “a careful plan or method.” As mentioned earlier, the more you understand your tools, the more expressive your recordings will be. Reason and Logic are very powerful applications, with a lot of wonderful plug-ins and sounds, but they are only as good as their operator.

Having a good plan for what is to be accomplished ahead of time is very helpful. For instance, if a project will require the use of a big string section, then some time should be spent listening to great string arrangers, and some experimentation with different string sounds, effects, and playing techniques should be done before launching into the project.

One of the best strategies for me has been to get the best musicians I could find to play the parts for me. We live in an age where distance is no longer an issue. We can have musicians from all over the world perform on our tracks. I endeavor to get my music into the hands of the masters, because they can say it better on their instruments than I ever could.

As an example of efficiently recording expressive musical parts, I’d like for you to click on the link to one of my compositions titled “When I Think Of You”. I got my good friends pianist/keyboard player extraordinaire Bernard Wright and bassist Mike McKinney to play on the track, while I played drums, produced, and engineered. I know without a shadow of a doubt that the music would not have been nearly as expressive with me alone playing all the parts.

Another strategy I’ve employed with wonderful results, is collaboration. I’ve been blessed to work closely with one of the world’s most brilliant thereminist, keyboardist, music synthesist, and music technologist named Shueh-li Ong. I had the opportunity to compose three pieces for the upcoming CD “Xenovibes III: Xing Paths”. This got very interesting for me, because not only did I learn that a good producer knows which musicians to choose for a given piece, but a good producer knows that a given piece might benefit from the productions skills of yet another producer. I’m aware of the old adage “too many chefs spoil the pot”; unless Gordon Ramsey or Emeril show up. When they show up in your kitchen, you step aside and expect to learn something. Collaboration requires humility, an eagerness to learn, and mutual respect; it can yield tremendous results.

Please visit Xenovibes to hear the results of my collaborative efforts with Ms. Ong.

Final thought:

Q: What’s the difference between G-d and a DJ?

A: G-d doesn’t think he’s a DJ.


-John Anthony Martinez