Wrong way to make music?

What do you think? Is there wrong way to make music of any genre? I have noticed that my tracks ultimately sound very different from others on the same genre (trance) and I once tried to create something different, but I just couldn’t. All my tracks are always quite happy and uplifting. So I was thinking If I do something wrong.

But is there really a wrong way to do music? I think there is not. You do what you do, and mostly I do music for myself, because I have learned that it is impossible to make everyone happy.

I would like to hear some stories, If someone struggles with similar problems. Don’t know if it’s a problem itself, maybe it’s more about self-esteem. I am somehow afraid to express myself freely. I often notice I try to copy too much real artists (Even If I managed to release few tracks in spotify, still don’t consider myself real :smiley:)

No! There is no wrong way to make music of any genre! But, you should not expect anyone to appreciate or enjoy what you have created except yourself. If you are hoping for others to want to listen to your music, it might be a different story. For instance, if you want to write something that a live orchestra could play, and its audience would like, you would need to know a lot about what instruments can play what notes, etc., if you want to create club music, people will want to be able to dance to it.

If you want to make something truly original, then you should let your mind roam freely without constraint. These days many think that there is no such thing as talent; there is only hard work, tenacity, and a strong sense of whether a creative product is good (google “no such thing as talent”), leading to a cycle of improvement. On the other hand, it is impossible for people to have an appreciation for any piece of music that doesn’t start with the musical patterns (tones or sounds, melodies, harmonies, chord progressions, rhythms) that are typical of the genre. Those things about the music that make it recognizable as the genre.

I think the composers we like the most are those who know their genre but also have ideas of where to stretch into new patterns that surprise listeners. So the listener also has a part, based on prior experience. Somebody who is a big fan of pop diva music is never going to understand Schoenberg. Well, nobody is ever going to understand Schoenberg. Maybe a better example is Philip Glass.

And don’t forget, of the 7.5 billion people on earth, only about 5 billion are trying to create music on their computers.

I couldn’t reach your links, btw.

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The wrong way would be to not make it. Just don’t be upset when no one likes it. or, try not to be at least. When you find yourself doing other mundane tasks to avoid getting in the studio, that’s when you know something is wrong

I should have added that you can listen to music I created, following the links below, which I really like, but not many others do.

Hi Early21,

Your music is amazing! Congratulations and keep up the good work!

Kind regards

James Colah

There is no right way or wrong way to make music. Arts is purely subjective.

I went to your SoundCloud page and I totally like your music. Good job.

Thanks! My first two fans! Hoping that Jazman2k will fix his links.

If a bear craps in the forest, and there is nobody there to smell it, does it stink?

I disagree. I don’t think art is purely subjective.

Wikipedia’s description for example reads:

Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts (artworks), expressing the author’s imaginative, conceptual ideas, or technical skill, intended to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.

If this is true (and I think it is) it’s not art if it isn’t conforming to the definition above.

So, is there a “wrong way to make music?” Well, if you want to make art-music then there is. The less you do to create music and the more your computer does the less art it’s going to be. Is it still music? Probably…

To the extent that we can determine anything and to the extent that words actually matter the people that decide what art is are those who do some amount of critical analysis and stick to the definition of the word “art”. If art literally can be anything then it is everything and the word really stops being about things and is just more of an “attitude”… meaning we can’t say that an object is a piece of art, just the attitude toward it.

I think that’s useless in terms of having a conversation for the most part.

If we use the word as described and we say that a painting is a piece of art then that word has a specific meaning and it’s not the same as saying that what I made in my toilet bowl about 20 minutes ago is art as well. It isn’t. If art could be literally anything then it would be. It’s not though.

“Price”, “positive remarks” and “popularity” etc have no bearing on whether or not it’s art in my opinion.

I don’t disagree with you when you interpret the question and what I wrote that way.

What I meant was different though, and my focus was on the definition of the word requiring that it is a human that creates art. The more work the computer does the less work the human does. Pressing one key on a keyboard and having Cubase spit out a pre-programmed drum loop doesn’t make it art in my opinion. It makes it a drum loop, sure, and arguably music in that sense… but “art”? No.

What I meant was different though, and my focus was on the definition of the word requiring that it is a human that creates art. The more work the computer does the less work the human does. Pressing one key on a keyboard and having Cubase spit out a pre-programmed drum loop doesn’t make it art in my opinion. It makes it a drum loop, sure, and arguably music in that sense… but “art”? No.
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So I think you misunderstood my whole story and we are on different levels?

My story has nothing to do with computers but everything with how humans create art in whatever setting?

Well if we use computers to create art then that’s how we create art, no?

But yeah, I was referring to what I wrote earlier. Like I said, I don’t disagree with what I think your point was, I was just saying that it seems my point was different.

there isn’t a wrong way of creating music… as long as you enjoy it.

Enjoying your own music in your own environment, yes of course . But it depends from what view you’re approaching this? As a creator or or a listener? If the public doesn’t enjoy your music is it still ‘right’ music? Should you go on creating music the public doesn’t like or should you try and make music that the public will like?

My opinion:

Don’t ever try to change who you are no matter what! Wrong or right! Your music is you! And even if no one likes it it’s still your music! This is always better than trying to make your music to be liked by the public?

It’s better to fail with your own music than to succeed with something to just please others!

If you still have the choice? Never ever change who you are!! And if that doesn’t work? So be it and have your peace with that!

But, never ever try to be someone you’re not! Both as a performer and /or creator? It will never work and eventually can make you very unhappy! Believe me, I’ve been there! I finally found my way but it sure took a lot of heartache!

Do what you do best and develop from there.

But most of all. Enjoy what you do! If you get that feeling ‘something’s not right’ then usually it’s not.

Train and accept yourself to enjoy what you do!

If you do and display that? Then most of the time your public will enjoy what you’re doing.

There is always a public for musicians that enjoy what they do and believe in!

So whatever you do? Believe in yourself and always hold on to that!

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Hi everyone. I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to write music. Music is creativity, and each person has different tastes and views. Sometimes creativity is not always clear, but that’s the point. Keep doing what you do.

There isn’t even a working definition of music that is absolute and all encompassing. So how can there be a finite number of ways to do something which we can’t define at all, or put boundaries on?

Keep making stuff, and keep being human. That being said, if you can’t write sad music, well, then, you can fix that. There is no wrong way, but there are many times when I get bored. When I’m bored, it’s time to change how I do things, not because the other way was wrong, but because I’m BORED of it.

There’s a definition on wikipedia;

“Music is an art form, and cultural activity, whose medium is sound. General definitions of music include common elements such as pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics (loudness and softness), and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture (which are sometimes termed the “color” of a musical sound). Different styles or types of music may emphasize, de-emphasize or omit some of these elements. Music is performed with a vast range of instruments and vocal techniques ranging from singing to rapping; there are solely instrumental pieces, solely vocal pieces (such as songs without instrumental accompaniment) and pieces that combine singing and instruments. The word derives from Greek μουσική (mousike; “art of the Muses”).[1] See glossary of musical terminology.”

We can definitely put boundaries on it. Art is created by humans, not elephants. So an elephant fart isn’t music no matter how much someone likes it. Also, complete silence isn’t music, because music involves sound as a medium and as correctly described above includes those specific elements to various degrees.

So just because a piece of music may lack one of those elements, I don’t think we can say that none of them are required.

I think there is no one certain way to make music. Go on your ting, genres were appearing because some people were making outstanding sound.


Top boy! You know the score!
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I’m not sure there is a right or wrong way to make music. I think here is a question of your experience. When you are in the beginning of your creating music way you notice your tracks are different from the masters’ ones, but I don’t think it is something bad. I’m sure it is good, because the most beautiful tracks are our first ones.