Hello, everyone. Today, I’d like to discuss a critical element in music creation: the “groove”. More specifically, why merely inputting MIDI with a mouse fails to capture the true allure of music.
Many music production tools allow us to input MIDI data using a mouse. Convenient as it may be, there’s a tendency to input notes exactly on beat, resulting in a somewhat mechanical sound. While such rhythm might be suitable for certain genres, more often than not, music seeks the unique movement and timing of human touch, and the groove it brings forth.
So, what exactly is so crucial here? It’s the “groove”. Music is not just about perfect precision; it’s the slight variations, the subtle deviations that bring out its charm. Even professional drummers can’t maintain a rhythm exactly on beat at all times. This slight deviation forms the uniqueness of a human performance, creating a groove that machines can’t replicate.
Take hip-hop track production, for example. If the rhythm is too consistent, it may make the music feel monotonous and dull. Hence, many track makers use MIDI keyboards or pad controllers to intuitively input rhythms, creating a human-like groove.
Some artists first input a basic beat pattern using a pad controller and quantize it (align it perfectly on beat). They then manually adjust the timing with a mouse, adding the element of groove. This is just one method, and countless others exist to incorporate that human-like groove into your music.
Ultimately, whatever method you choose, it’s essential to add a human-like groove to your music. Music is not just a collection of sounds but a living entity with a resonance that moves hearts. To bring out this resonance to the fullest, we should continuously seek and pursue a human-like groove in our music. So, remember to incorporate that groove into your music creation process, and create your unique, fantastic music.
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