Unison stuff? Not gonna lie it's pretty legit IMO...

[3ternal]

Started with the MIDI Chord pack, really like it, helps me make much more complex ideas much faster than I would be able to on my own. Based on how much I liked the MIDI Chord pack I decided to get the MIDI Drum Blueprint.

My credentials: Made my first full beat around 10 years ago. Have been learning and applying knowledge about making songs since almost 20 years ago (lots of gaps in there). When it comes to making songs I know just about everything I need to know, except when it comes to the musical end of things. Yeah I can make simple chord progressions, even part out things like in a composition, but it's almost always "lacking" IMO.

The reason I specified that is because there will undoubtedly be some noob thinking I'm buying these products to avoid learning. The truth is that in order to make things with complexity I've been since using Unison stuff, it'd take years for me to get there. Why wouldn't I get something to help me be productive in the interim? Definitely don't need to be lectured on making beats, believe that.

I see way too many people in the Youtube comments talking about how the MIDI Chord pack sucks and I can't agree at all. The thing is: IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE A SONG FOR YOU. Once you realize that, then you're all good. I've used the thing on three beats so far, and I've had to edit every single chord/progression I've used. I had to take this out, at this in, transpose, take different progressions and combine them, arpeggiate chords, etc.

I will not use it on every single beat that I make from now on, but I have a feeling I'll be using it quite a bit.

 

[LiveLargeBeats]

Whatever works for you buddy I too bought it a while back when i started out again..As i have no knowledge of music theory, it helped me achieve the sound trough chords i was looking for.
Later on i discovered Cthulhu, and i use that quite often, really usefull from time to time check it out.

 

[BiggChev]

Started with the MIDI Chord pack, really like it, helps me make much more complex ideas much faster than I would be able to on my own. Based on how much I liked the MIDI Chord pack I decided to get the MIDI Drum Blueprint.

My credentials: Made my first full beat around 10 years ago. Have been learning and applying knowledge about making songs since almost 20 years ago (lots of gaps in there). When it comes to making songs I know just about everything I need to know, except when it comes to the musical end of things. Yeah I can make simple chord progressions, even part out things like in a composition, but it's almost always "lacking" IMO.

The reason I specified that is because there will undoubtedly be some noob thinking I'm buying these products to avoid learning. The truth is that in order to make things with complexity I've been since using Unison stuff, it'd take years for me to get there. Why wouldn't I get something to help me be productive in the interim? Definitely don't need to be lectured on making beats, believe that.

I see way too many people in the Youtube comments talking about how the MIDI Chord pack sucks and I can't agree at all. The thing is: IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE A SONG FOR YOU. Once you realize that, then you're all good. I've used the thing on three beats so far, and I've had to edit every single chord/progression I've used. I had to take this out, at this in, transpose, take different progressions and combine them, arpeggiate chords, etc.

I will not use it on every single beat that I make from now on, but I have a feeling I'll be using it quite a bit.

really just playing devil's advocate here, so please do not take it personal.

One thing we can agree on, is that these chord packs will not make a song for you. You still have to have an 'ear' for music. In the case of chord packs, that means specifically, tension building and release. That for sure cannot be taught, but rather learned through osmosis and a certain level of education.

This is my issue with chord packs, or scale modes. The education piece is what's missing. Now, I'm not saying that you're not taking the time to deconstruct said chord packs/scale modes to improve yourself - but there is something so intrinsically "MUSIC" about learning, trying, failing and having those "ah-ha" moments. I've sat at my piano for hours playing the same melody ad nauseum until I found that perfect note. This makes the melody real. It makes it come to life, it makes you feel, live and own it.

This leads me to my last, and most vital point -- at what point does hunt and pecking for progressions and melodies make you less of a "producer" and more of a "DJ"??

I definitely appreciate these tools (chord packs/scale modes) as tools to help you get over writers block or creative repetitiveness...but there's something so much more visceral and rewarding in figuring it out by ear and truly understanding, at least sonically, why you made a musical choice.

 

[3ternal]

Whatever works for you buddy I too bought it a while back when i started out again..As i have no knowledge of music theory, it helped me achieve the sound trough chords i was looking for.
Later on i discovered Cthulhu, and i use that quite often, really usefull from time to time check it out.

My brother showed me that a couple years ago, have to look into it.

 

[3ternal]

really just playing devil's advocate here, so please do not take it personal.

One thing we can agree on, is that these chord packs will not make a song for you. You still have to have an 'ear' for music. In the case of chord packs, that means specifically, tension building and release. That for sure cannot be taught, but rather learned through osmosis and a certain level of education.

This is my issue with chord packs, or scale modes. The education piece is what's missing. Now, I'm not saying that you're not taking the time to deconstruct said chord packs/scale modes to improve yourself - but there is something so intrinsically "MUSIC" about learning, trying, failing and having those "ah-ha" moments. I've sat at my piano for hours playing the same melody ad nauseum until I found that perfect note. This makes the melody real. It makes it come to life, it makes you feel, live and own it.

This leads me to my last, and most vital point -- at what point does hunt and pecking for progressions and melodies make you less of a "producer" and more of a "DJ"??

I definitely appreciate these tools (chord packs/scale modes) as tools to help you get over writers block or creative repetitiveness...but there's something so much more visceral and rewarding in figuring it out by ear and truly understanding, at least sonically, why you made a musical choice.

I agree with everything you posted. Judging by your post, you know as well as I do there's basically not enough time in the day to learn everything we'd like to learn. I mean under the umbrella of "producer" you could learn about mixing, recording, mastering your whole life and never even touch the music side, and vice versa. That's without getting into things like writing songs, or even playing instruments.

It's all too much to learn. Not necessarily too much, but too much to learn in a reasonable timeframe. I'd like to be able to start pumping out higher quality stuff while I'm still young(ish). I don't have five years to wait until I have a good enough grasp of chord progressions.

Now as for 'producer vs. DJ', my opinion of what a producer does, his role: A 'jack-of-all-trades', a guy who can take an idea for a song and flesh it out from start to finish, can figure out/solve whatever problems arise along the way. In other words more of a "facilitator" of sorts. I want to be a guy who can adeptly (not masterfully) be able to solve most problems that occur in the process of making a song ex. writing music, recording, mixing, composition, songwriting, etc. I don't need to be a master at any of those, I just need to be "good enough" at all of them. I don't have to be a great guitarist if I know a guy who's a great guitarist, all I need to be able to do is effectively communicate ideas with him.

 

[LiveLargeBeats]

yess, exactly!!

 

[LiveLargeBeats]

Its just usefull as a starting point sometime, and tweak from there on...i mean, who has the knowledgde of just layin down a few bach chords? right?
To each his own, and use a bit from everything to create your own workflow and style imo.
I like playing the keys and see what ill come up with regarding melodies n stuff, i dont click em in as i see lots of these new producers do. they basicly click everything in lol. Very handy nonetheless, but again to each his own its your music

 

[2GooD Productions]

really just playing devil's advocate here, so please do not take it personal.

One thing we can agree on, is that these chord packs will not make a song for you. You still have to have an 'ear' for music. In the case of chord packs, that means specifically, tension building and release. That for sure cannot be taught, but rather learned through osmosis and a certain level of education.

This is my issue with chord packs, or scale modes. The education piece is what's missing. Now, I'm not saying that you're not taking the time to deconstruct said chord packs/scale modes to improve yourself - but there is something so intrinsically "MUSIC" about learning, trying, failing and having those "ah-ha" moments. I've sat at my piano for hours playing the same melody ad nauseum until I found that perfect note. This makes the melody real. It makes it come to life, it makes you feel, live and own it.

This leads me to my last, and most vital point -- at what point does hunt and pecking for progressions and melodies make you less of a "producer" and more of a "DJ"??

I definitely appreciate these tools (chord packs/scale modes) as tools to help you get over writers block or creative repetitiveness...but there's something so much more visceral and rewarding in figuring it out by ear and truly understanding, at least sonically, why you made a musical choice.

This

 

[3ternal]

All I'm saying is if you have the money to spare it's worth it in my opinion.

 

[Frankie_Lee]

I bought it about a year ago and it was a great intro for someone like me just starting out. To be honest, the PDF intro to music theory was probably the most valuable thing in the pack for me! I did use some of the progressions at the beginning but now I'm happy with the MPC One chords. I prefer just banging around and seeing what sounds nice. Would love to know how much he's made out of that pack though

 

[Greg Savage]

I'm shocked they're still in business. Basically, spitting midi out from toon tracks and reselling it people.

 

[3ternal]

So for example a reason I don't feel bad at all about using loops:

I found a pretty awesome melodic loop that goes 4 bars. The problem I have with it is it only goes those 4 bars. I feel it could really be expanded on. I'm now going to remake that loop in Reason so that I can expand on it. I'm not gonna let that loop ending where it does stop me because I can faithfully recreate/interpolate it.

 

[Iron Keys]

I've used the thing on three beats so far, and I've had to edit every single chord/progression I've used. I had to take this out, at this in, transpose, take different progressions and combine them, arpeggiate chords, etc.

I must be missing something, because this almost makes it sound pointless.

Isn't that the stuff you'd be doing without a chord pack anyway?

 

[Frankie_Lee]

Pretty much. I found they worked quite well in Garageband when I was starting out making music. But once I moved to my MPC they became redundant as it's much more fun using the pads set to chords. Once I started learning some theory then it became more fun playing around with stuff on a keyboard too.

But I suspect there's people making music for clients that find stuff like this really helpful. Makes it possible to chuck stuff together quickly. Really comes down to your motivations.

I don't think people should really lose their heads over the whole "ethics" of the thing though. Some people want to sound different, some people want to sound the same.

 

[3ternal]

I must be missing something, because this almost makes it sound pointless.

Isn't that the stuff you'd be doing without a chord pack anyway?

Yes, now minus the time that it takes to draw/play everything in. Instead I drag and drop stuff into the sequencer until I hear something I like.