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do you hate your own productions??

so i seem to be going through a phaze of not liking my work infact its been years since i have made anything i like.
i have been using a lot of samples lately and i like the work flow but i end up playing the tracks back and i dont like them you can tell its been thrown together.

i try and get inspired by other peoples work but i end up getting more frustrated and i dont think its a dry spell im going through.

so any help/ideas will be great thanks

only use VSTi's or real synths from now now
ditch all sample libraries and program everything yourself
avoid yuotube tutorial cliches like the plague and make something that really sounds like you, rather than trying to make yet another "me too" track

I was thinking of this the other day, 99% of current "progressive" tracks, have no substance, all samples are the same in all releases, all midi riffs are from the same libraries with the same quantisation and the same presets and each track is merely a pityfull excuse to showof a parade of dreaded YouTube tutorials. it has nothing to do with producing anymore it''s mixing and matching templates, tutorials and sample / preset kits.

quote:

Originally posted by Raphie only use VSTi's or real synths from now now ditch all sample libraries and program everything yourself avoid yuotube tutorial cliches like the plague and make something that really sounds like you, rather than trying to make yet another "me too" track I was thinking of this the other day, 99% of current "progressive" tracks, have no substance, all samples are the same in all releases, all midi riffs are from the same libraries with the same quantisation and the same presets and each track is merely a pityfull excuse to showof a parade of dreaded YouTube tutorials. it has nothing to do with producing anymore it''s mixing and matching templates, tutorials and sample / preset kits.

thanks for replying and yeah i was thinking about going back to basics and working from scratch i guess the problem is getting from sub standerd to something really worth listening to thats the real challenge im facing.

My girl doesn't want me making music, she probably think i'm doing to get even more pussy. Thing is, its actually true haha. My music is only close to what real thing would sound like if nothing was holding me back.

It depends on what you want to achieve
some guys just want money and fame, or think they've cracked the code to producing (read: collect the right samplepacks, quickly learn the latest tutorial and download the right midi riffs then you can make very "actual" music. The real question is, once you've done this a few times, do you still find the fulfilling?

The game above is not "producing" it's "reproducing" I've quit that rat race.

I've given myself a set of tools I'm working with (in my case a Cirklon) and I've let go of everything I learned before and just started making music, from strange nerdy synth rifs to soundscapes to deep live grooves, I capture the moment and when happy I publish. unconventional, no rules and very raw, because most is live tweaking while recording in one go. Rather than overproduce to death.

I release myself and have access to all download portals incl. Beatport and spotify

https://play.spotify.com/album/0dPImivQbym0noPERUJ4Hx
http://www.beatport.com/release/cir...stances/1221066

and I get great feedback and even sell

well sometimes making a name for one self is a nice thing to have but in all reality i dont see this happening to me.

as you rightly say what are my goals well to make good music something i can play back and enjoy but that does not happen i guess making good tunes much harder then i give credit for.

well done for going it alone was thinking of using tunecore and write a album and take it from thier

I'm only in it to be the greatest, not the fame but the most original and best.

Yeah there has to be a purpose (why am i doing this), really... Though the purpose can be as simple as "just enjoying fiddling with your daw" you also need to think about your end in mind (what do I want to get out of this)

I wanted to be the producer that took all the great things I was hearing in other tracks, put them in overdrive and then make it sound as it should have been. I very quickly learned that I was by far not a good enough producer to pull that off. Then I discovered that i had something as my own "style" one can call it boring/old fart yada yada but it seems to be right in the center of my muscial gravity, something that resonates with me and what makes me happy and fulfilled. The confronting part is that as soon as you "produce" you get benchmarked against beatport top100, which can make you uncertain. Where you then think, Ok I tried to do it the hardway and I still don't sound like them. Or they still pick them over me

You can then fall back to "me too" as described above, or find a different audience and get more self assured.

let go of genre, let go of habits/patterns and play what gives you goosebumps. If you can't find goosebumps from either the porgression, the rif, or texture/tone then you might need to overthink what you're doing. maybe work faster and don't tweak to death, maybe forget about EDM full stop and start making noodles and soundscapes.

quote:

Originally posted by Raphie Yeah there has to be a purpose (why am i doing this), really... Though the purpose can be as simple as "just enjoying fiddling with your daw" you also need to think about your end in mind (what do I want to get out of this) I wanted to be the producer that took all the great things I was hearing in other tracks, put them in overdrive and then make it sound as it should have been. I very quickly learned that I was by far not a good enough producer to pull that off. Then I discovered that i had something as my own "style" one can call it boring/old fart yada yada but it seems to be right in the center of my muscial gravity, something that resonates with me and what makes me happy and fulfilled. The confronting part is that as soon as you "produce" you get benchmarked against beatport top100, which can make you uncertain. Where you then think, Ok I tried to do it the hardway and I still don't sound like them. Or they still pick them over me You can then fall back to "me too" as described above, or find a different audience and get more self assured. let go of genre, let go of habits/patterns and play what gives you goosebumps. If you can't find goosebumps from either the porgression, the rif, or texture/tone then you might need to overthink what you're doing. maybe work faster and don't tweak to death, maybe forget about EDM full stop and start making noodles and soundscapes.

well im at my mums at the moment so i cant produce but i think i will take your advice and take a step back and just play with my daw and lower my sights so thanks for your input

quote:

Originally posted by stewart.m well im at my mums at the moment so i cant produce but i think i will take your advice and take a step back and just play with my daw and lower my sights so thanks for your input

I wouldn't call it lower, becuase it's not about failing, it's about finding that something that's closer to you than what you are doing now. It might just be that the pressure you put on yourself is what keeps you going, while you might already have said goodbye to the genre full stop from your unconsiousness, it's not a concession, it's about exploring different avenues and find out what resonates with you.

quote:

Originally posted by Raphie I wouldn't call it lower, becuase it's not about failing, it's about finding that something that's closer to you than what you are doing now. It might just be that the pressure you put on yourself is what keeps you going, while you might already have said goodbye to the genre full stop from your unconsiousness, it's not a concession, it's about exploring different avenues and find out what resonates with you.

Hey Raph can you send some money my way man?

I regret a couple of my older releases, but otherwise, no.

always a little depressed when it is finished. I think this happens to everyone, Nothing ever really gets as good as you hear it in your head. Looking back, i am less harsh. I would imagine most producers that don't suck are harsh critics of their own music and always feel like they fall short which makes them try harder making them better.

quote:

Originally posted by Looney4Clooney always a little depressed when it is finished. I think this happens to everyone, Nothing ever really gets as good as you hear it in your head. Looking back, i am less harsh. I would imagine most producers that don't suck are harsh critics of their own music and always feel like they fall short which makes them try harder making them better.

I don't know that feeling like it's not good enough is the same as hating them.

I'm never satisfied, that's for sure.

quote:

Originally posted by stewart.m well sometimes making a name for one self is a nice thing to have but in all reality i dont see this happening to me. as you rightly say what are my goals well to make good music something i can play back and enjoy but that does not happen i guess making good tunes much harder then i give credit for. well done for going it alone was thinking of using tunecore and write a album and take it from thier

Dont despair - most of us have been where you are right now
Nothing worse than spending a whole evening on a track only to listen back to it on your ipod or whatever and be disappointed

it took me a good 6 or 7 years until i could consistently make a track that i could listen back to and enjoy - sure there were the odd couple of tracks but they still werent up to scratch really.

My advice - stop making tracks that you dont like! sounds like im being smart but you are the one at the controls - you have to be more decisive, if you start something and you feel its going nowhere, then ditch it - start again!

Stick to the idea - do not get sidetracked by adding meaningless sounds

Have a clear idea of what you want to make, keep working at it - you will get to a stage where you will be happy with what you are doing.

Influence yourself - listen to music you like, music that sounds interesting, go to parties where good music is being played - that for me is important

Listen to some commercial releases for comparison. Where are you falling short? Ideas? Arrangement? Mixing?
Also, a good monitoring system really helps - doesnt have to cost megabucks ( hi raphie )

its a long road for sure and im not sure where the end is

my 2c

quote:

Originally posted by evo8 Dont despair - most of us have been where you are right now Nothing worse than spending a whole evening on a track only to listen back to it on your ipod or whatever and be disappointed it took me a good 6 or 7 years until i could consistently make a track that i could listen back to and enjoy - sure there were the odd couple of tracks but they still werent up to scratch really. My advice - stop making tracks that you dont like! sounds like im being smart but you are the one at the controls - you have to be more decisive, if you start something and you feel its going nowhere, then ditch it - start again! Stick to the idea - do not get sidetracked by adding meaningless sounds Have a clear idea of what you want to make, keep working at it - you will get to a stage where you will be happy with what you are doing. Influence yourself - listen to music you like, music that sounds interesting, go to parties where good music is being played - that for me is important Listen to some commercial releases for comparison. Where are you falling short? Ideas? Arrangement? Mixing? Also, a good monitoring system really helps - doesnt have to cost megabucks ( hi raphie ) its a long road for sure and im not sure where the end is my 2c

well im glad im not the only one that goes through this because i was ready to hang up my prodution gloves so thank you for your input

"Because nothing is ever good enough for ourselves. We're our worst critics."

Nope. <3 all my own stuff, sometimes listening to it on my ipod when I get tired of mainstream trance.

Produce what you <3, not what other people want, and be much happier for it. Also doesn't hurt to step away from music for awhile and come back to it when you have the urge to produce...

Gl man.

Shit eveyone is coming out of the woodwork now - where you been mang?

back OT. At first I think theyre fine then upon listening to them with a freash head, I wouldn't say "hate", more just depressed, especially when I listen to someone else's track that just kills it.

Sometimes I'll be really into what I'm making during the process, but 3 days later when I come back to it, I facepalm and ask myself what the hell I was thinking.

Sometimes I wish I had a little person sitting in the room to tell me his honest opinions on my shit so I didn't waste so much time going down the wrong path.

quote:

Originally posted by Looney4Clooney always a little depressed when it is finished. I think this happens to everyone, Nothing ever really gets as good as you hear it in your head. Looking back, i am less harsh.

Have to agree with Clooney on this one. If you listen to ANYTHING as many times as you invariably listen to a song during its conception, it begins to wear on you. By the time I'm done with a song, it's almost a relief to not have to hear it anymore and start something fresh. I've found I don't really give my work its proper due until looking back at it a few years later, when I can regain some perspective.

I mainly like everything I actually finish, but seeing I haven't made a single track since around 2011...

I'm my own biggest fan. Actually, I think I may be my only fan.

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik Actually, I think I may be my only fan.

You liked you before you were cool. I think that makes you the ultimate hipster.

but what if you never become cool?

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