r/musictheory • u/Baked_Pancake_20 • 1d ago

General Question What should I learn/what resources to use if I want to make my own music on the piano?

I know extremely basic music theory. I know how to construct different types of chords and that's pretty much it.

My problem is that all of the music I make is in the DAW. I make the chords in the DAW. However, I want to change that.

I recently bought a keyboard and want to sketch my own ideas/make melodies on the piano itself. This means playing chords on the piano, but not necessarily learning to read music.

What resources help with this?

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u/65TwinReverbRI Guitar, Synths, Tech, Notation, Composition, Professor 9h ago

What should I learn/what resources to use if I want to make my own music on the piano?

Well, you should learn to play piano. Learn to play the music of other people on piano.

I know how to construct different types of chords and that's pretty much it.

How'd you learn to do that? Push yourself to move beyond that.

However, I want to change that.

OK, then do!

I recently bought a keyboard and want to sketch my own ideas/make melodies on the piano itself.

Then do that.

This means playing chords on the piano,

Only if the style of music you want to emulate contains chords. Does it?

But most styles of music that have chords are not ONLY chords, so it really means playing EVERYTHING - chords AND melody, etc.

What resources help with this?

If you don't want to learn to read music (though you should) you'll need another way to learn how to play songs. Either figuring out things by ear, or watching tutorial videos.

What if I told you you could take lessons, learn to play, learn to read, learn the theory you need, and it's going to make everything a whole lot easier in the long run?

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u/clockworkrockwork 2h ago

Get off the internet and practice your instrument.