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ToneGym

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ToneGym
Jan 30
Keyboard = Creativity Killer?
Do keys unlock ideas… or shut them down?

The Debate: “Keyboards limit creativity for non-pianists.” → False vs True for some.

Why It Matters: If the tool blocks you, your writing + ear training stall.

Team False or Team True for some, and why (workflow, theory, feel, intimidation)?
False57%
True for some43%
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Another poorly-designed question. A better survey question would be: Have you found this to be true for YOU?

I can't say if it's true for some. I can only say it's not true for me. I do have a hard time seeing how it could be true for anyone, unless you are being forced to use piano as your only composition platform. As one tool among many it could only INCREASE your idea-generation opportunities, it seems to me. But I also know there are people out there who don't think like me.

I will say that, because of my limitations on piano, the ideas I generate on piano often have certain characteristics (e.g. it's great for exploring line cliches, moving one note while the rest of the chord stays the same, stuff like that). But 1) Those are cool types of ideas! and 2) It is only ONE of the composition tools I use.

Sometimes I noodle on piano, sometimes I noodle on guitar. Sometimes a lyric line will come to me complete with a rough idea of melody and I will flesh out from there. Sometimes I just get an idea of things I want to try and I experiment within a scoring program like MuseScore. Or all of that in combination and iteration.

In my view, adding tools to your repertoire will only stifle you if you let them. (And, BTW, often deliberately constraining yourself is a great wat to be creative! It can certainly be an interesting exercise.)
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Dmitriy I
Jan 31
Incorrect, with the exception of one instrument. The question here is whether a person can play the piano or not, not whether the keyboard limits creativity.
1) The keyboard allows one to visualize all aspects of musical theory. It's no wonder that all music schools have a shared piano in their instrumental departments. I remember once discussing theoretical issues with our guitarist, who was incredibly proficient on the instrument but had no basic musical education – it was fun.))
2) Correct me if I'm wrong – all vst instruments require a MIDI keyboard. It's much easier to play a part than to click squares on the piano roll.) This is true for all instruments except the guitar. Why is another question.
3) Any process moves faster, from working on melody and harmony to searching and synthesizing tones.
I agree, the question is incorrect. However, everyone decides for themselves what is closer to them.;)
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Cuantas Vacas
Jan 31
I voted for 'True for Some', although I'm not one of them.
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Daniel Barth
Feb 01
That question makes about as much sense as asking whether a hammer limits the craftsmanship of a tiler. Sure, it may not be the primary tool of a tiler, but if you need a hammer, you use a hammer. If you don't need, don't use it... in what universe would an additional (and optional) tool limit your creativity...?
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Allie Brinks
Feb 03
false
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will ward
Feb 03
I think there are a few nuggets of truth to this idea. The linear and repeated layout of the piano can make it easier to feel stuck in the same patterns. Its just every single note, side by side, octave after octave with a pretty big range and sometimes I feel the whole paradox of choice thing going on. Also the culture around piano is generally more strict. This note, chord, scale, or way of playing is correct and others are incorrect. Contrast all this with something like a guitar, the culture is more rebellious in spirit instead of there being a right or wrong. The shapes change across the fretboard so playing it doesn't look or feel as repetitive. There are open strings, fretted notes, harmonics, hammer ons, pull offs, bends, slides, etc. that all sound a bit different texturally whereas with a piano you kind of only have the dynamics to play with. So I see where the question is coming from, but every instrument has its pros and cons and, as people have already pointed out, nobody is forcing you to only use one. I could never call the piano a creativity killer.
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Gleb Simking
Feb 03
ai generated image and ai generated question, well done
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Jensen Farris
Feb 08
If you don't know how to play it can hinder your skills, until you learn how to play.
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limitations enhance creativity.
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Marcel Linder
Feb 28
When I saw Seaboard's presentation at NAMM 2016, I thought, Damn, why do I play guitar and not keyboards? This new instrument looks so cool. So I started learning keyboards, hoping that maybe one day I could play one of those. Ivan is right when he says that limitations enhance creativity. I completely agree. But being able to play real instruments also opens up so many new possibilities.
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+ all synths are based on keyboards (afaik) so... yes