Problem
Most DJs are comfortable in playing music. More often than not when it comes to music production they get bogged down by
- complexity of DAWs (Digital Audio Workstation)
- Sound Design (creating a sound signature from synths)
- Music Writing and the ability to stay focussed on the creation process.
Hence many DJs work with engineers who know the softwares inside out. When it comes to music writing, ofcourse they can hire a session musician but that does take away from being able to write music on one's own. A lot of products already exist in the market which have an intuitive interface and a large pallet of sounds to play with which almost solves the first and second problem.
Most of the user base which I researched have day jobs and once they are in home - they open their DAW and would stare at it blankly. Ofcourse they would try adding loops and samples but soon they would get tired of being restricted to loops and would want to create something that is inherently own. In other words they want more musical control of their project.
Most of the user base which I researched have day jobs and once they are in home - they open their DAW and would stare at it blankly. Ofcourse they would try adding loops and samples but soon they would get tired of being restricted to loops and would want to create something that is inherently own. In other words they want more musical control of their project.
Soon they would start fiddling with piano roll, trying to punch in some random notes to see if something sounds good. More often than not, they would write a small midi loop by trial and error but wouldn't know how to add other elements to build a complete track that harmonizes with the original midi note.
Current Tools
Current Tools
The scale feature (midi effect) in Ableton is good for producers who have the knowledge of scales already and know which scale their melody is in. It allows them to pick a scale but isn't so helpful for people who don't know the basics.
Scale feature from Ableton
Persona
After spending time with seasoned DJs and amateur producers in their studios over the years, interviewing them (which didn't feel like an interview cause it was an informal discussion in a relaxed setting) - came up with this persona. Probably the most expansive, thorough and indepth user research I've done till date, because when you're working on music with someone in a studio - you just don't ask him a series of questions but actually see, feel and experience his frustrations in the process of making music.
Musical Scope
Since most of the producers that I've worked with are into electronic music, they are into underground genres like techno, progressive house (not commercial EDM), trance, tech-trance, psy and breakbeat. The below diagram shows a simple structure of an electronic track.
Solution
Once the producer creates a short midi loop (his original idea) - let's say it is a lead and is in A minor. Now the software scans the scale from the midi notes and when the producer starts creating another element of the track - let's say bass, the software gives him a blank piano roll which consists of blank notes that are in a scale that harmonizes with his original midi loop. In this case for bass, it will be all the white keys of the piano.
The same thing can happen for pads, when he starts making pads, the software can give him the scales which would be compatible with his lead, a restrictive piano roll would ensure whatever notes he punches in, he would not sound off key. He can go on building the track like this.
A restrictive piano roll means a restriction on music ofcourse, but the idea is not to restrict the producer's original idea. The software imposes a restriction only after it receives the scale by scanning his original midi loop (user input). This restriction is only there for him to be able to complete tracks.
User Flow
The below diagram attempts to show what the producer sees and what he does next whlist producing his track in the
Just for the record this solution doesn't choose the notes for the producer, it only gives a restrictive pallete to choose from after user's initial idea, the producer would still have to choose his/her notes to build the complete track.
It also aims to educate the producer about basics of music theory by the document that it generates after every track which gives the producer an idea about the music theory in relation to his track.
