Do I Need To Know Piano To Make Beats?

Updated: Oct 8, 2023

The answer to, “Do I Need to Know Piano to Make Beats”, is obviously no. You do not need to know piano to make beats, but obviously it will help.

Try my Piano for Producers Course!

However, knowing piano for beatmaking will help in a couple ways:

• Allow for quick improvisation of loops, and catchy parts
• Make your beatmaking process much easier, as you understand music scales, and what notes sound good etc
• Creating catchy basslines to those hip-hop sampled beats

Will Learning Piano Make My Beats Better?

Yes, definitely! But depending on what style of beat you are trying to make, maybe not!

I’ve created a course that teaches you how to play piano from a beatmaker’s point-of-view.

For example, do you make hip-hop sampled beats only? Piano may be of no necessity to you, as you are taking already created music, and making your own beat out of it. However, having an understanding of a bit of piano scales can help you with those catchy basslines in sampled hip-hop music. Or, creating a catchy synth/piano part over top of the sample!

Piano Scales — What are They?

Scales are simply the notes within a scale. For example, if you are playing in C Major, there is only white notes. So in that scale, you have C, D, E, F, G, A, B. There are no other notes in C major, except the ones just mentioned.

This is a scale, this is how you know what notes are within that scale, that that is how you can improvising knowing that your notes will sound good together as you play.

Piano scales, are the same across all instruments, as all instruments have to be in tune in order to be played together at the same time.

If you are struggling with learning the piano, you can check out these piano lessons.

Piano in Beats — Answer the Question,

I get the question, “Do I Need to Know Piano to Make Beats?”, around Beatstruggles lots! And now’s the time to answer the question!

The answer is.. there is no answer! — Nowadays, there’s so many different ways to make beats, and it all depends on what kind of beat you are trying to make.

Obviously, if you want piano in beats, guess what, you’re going to have to learn the basics of piano.

On the other side, if you just sample beats, you don’t even need a keyboard. Just purchase a Korg padKONTROL, Maschine, or an MPC to do the job ;).

You can also get away with using Edison, and your typing keyboard if you’re on a tight budget.

Make Beats by EAR — No Lessons,

Honestly, this was me in the beginning. I have an ear to create something catchy, however, I still felt very restricted at times, not being able to fully express what I wanted to get across in my beats.

Things to help you get to that next level in your piano skills is piano scales, learning tricks with your left hand while playing piano, and arpeggios. (Also search left hand piano arpeggios into Google!).

If you learn how to play the piano, it will only allow you to be more creative and release what you are trying to express in your music. It also allows for much quicker beats by being able to improvise loops, and by knowing what notes sound good together, cause you knew your scales!

Steps to Beatmaking,

For me personally, learning about making beats, mixing, the effects you can add, sound design etc.

All this stuff can be so overwhelming. Music/beatmaking is a one day at a time trade. Find your avenue of where you like to dip into audio the most, whether that be making beats, making sounds, or wanting to learn the piano, practice that skill until you start getting better.

From there, figure out where your skills are weak. Go on to Google, and research until you find your answer, then practice!

Where’s that Sampled Beat?

The sampled beat is not available right now, but you can listen to all of my music!

Hopefully this video breaks down a bit more information regarding piano and beats. Also, breaks down the difference between piano beats, and sampling!

Other than that, hope this video helps and maybe even taught you guys a few things!

Let me know if you have any questions or comments!

Please contact me if you have any questions about learning the piano. My piano course has helped thousands!

About Author: GratuiTous

GratuiTous discovered FL Studio around 2009 when a friend introduced him to the DAW.. he then began making FL Studio tutorials in 2011 which lead to creating his Beatmaker Training Platform. He also authors music production books, and hosts the "Music Production Made Simple Podcast". Fun Fact: He was an electrician in Canada for 10 Years!

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