you do get the occassional record that does that...the first conceiled project record adam beyer did for svek is a great example of using musicality and atypical melodic progressions in techno. i do agree we need more of this.

as for training...i played jazz guitar for 7 years in combos...i think learning to improvise and make music on the fly has shaped many of my strengths as a producer, though it's also underscored some of my shortcomings (such as hating the process of arranging music).

so i don't know. maybe "musical" training can be both a good and a bad thing, depending on how it plays out.