G.H. Hat: “Piano Jam ( An Ode To Kygo)” – ably demonstrates his playing skills

Like any genre of music, it truly takes an intelligent mind to utilize a tool or instrument and string together notes into beats. Despite the trend of artists hiring ghost producers to create their work, many of the catchiest and recognizable tracks with generic drops has been made from scratch into something compelling. Although genres like classical music and blues may appeal more to those classically-trained than those who prefer more modernized instruments, the dynamic between composer and performer is the still same.

Granted, EDM often isn’t as intricately created as classical, but there are still quite a number of musicians that you know and love that started their craft the exact same way as any composer or pianist would: practice, practice, practice.

The composition of good electronic dance music needs talent, and many DJs and producers today have studied music in college in addition to being classically trained. From those that were born into musical families to the self-taught, EDM has a long list of classically-trained producers and DJs.

Now G.H. Hat is a multi-genre composer and remixer. Remixing works from classical, pop, rock and electronic genres, composing mainly in EDM genres. Contrary to what I believed, he is not classically trained. But before you fret, take note, G.H. Hat has undergone vocal and notation training.

Hence he understands the music he is composing or remixing, unlike many of his counterparts. Not that it’s obligatory to have studied or undergone any training to make music today, but from my personal point of view it definitely helps and will give producers an edge in their compositions.

A while back G.H. Hat released the track “Piano Jam ( An Ode To Kygo)”, which has been on the Discovery Weekly playlist on Spotify every week since September. “We had to do a late night run to KFC recording this song, explains G.H. Hat, and the title sort of inspired a pun on the word ‘Kygo’ (See urban dictionary).”

Contrary to what I was expecting, the track actually is a ‘piano jam’, where G.H. Hat ably demonstrates his keyboard playing skills, again separating himself from his colleagues and even many of his peers. In fact “Piano Jam ( An Ode To Kygo)”, is a stripped down, solo piano piece which moves from dramatic chords to playful notes.

EDM has the unfortunate honor of being incredibly popular and completely disrespected outside of its genre, but it is artists like G.H. Hat who lend credibility to the genre. When a beat is well-composed, the world moves with it. Whether its creator presses play or actually plays a musical instrument couldn’t matter less to the EDM masses. Luckily G.H. Hat can straddle both worlds!