The short answer is NO! A recent study ( https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34303313/) helps put this myth to bed. The key is not so much how much weight/resistance you use as approaching momentary muscular failure. This study looked at whether high levels of resistance were necessary for experienced lifters needed high resistance levels.
This is particularly significant because we know that gaining muscle mass is easier for inexperienced lifters, and it is much more challenging for experienced exercisers to make significant gains in lean mass.
The analysis included four different studies and concluded that "low-load RT (resistance training) elicited hypertrophic gains similar to high-load RT when sets were taken to failure."
Several studies also showed that there was a relationship between volume (sets and reps to momentary muscular failure) and hypertrophy.
Bottom Line: The key to building muscle mass is lifting with good form and continuing to perform repetitions until you can no longer perform another repetition in good form. Good form includes smooth, steady movement without using any momentum while maintaining constant tension in the target muscle/muscle group.
When in doubt it is usually better to have slower rather than faster movement speed and be particularly mindful to move smoothly when reaching the end of the lifting or lowering phase of an exercise to avoid unloading the muscle.
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