i have the feeling that all my previous tracks, even those who have less than a month of existence need amendments, i guess you are never happy with the result, take it as a challenge, a hobby is always a hobby

I get this whole thing.

I've been producing for a few years now and hate the whole process and hate the result. I've finished 3 remixes now for various labels and hate the result of each one.

People will send me messages saying, oh man, this remix is awesome! And I'll just think to myself, 'you're an idiot'. No matter how much praise they get, I'll always think they're garbage.

And honestly, what's the point of doing something you always end up hating and have no desire to do? There's always gonna be some activity or something you try in life and eventually say 'this isn't for me'. Hell, people end up studying things in school for years only to end up hating their profession in the end. Sometimes you realize things early in the game, other times it's late.

Only you know what to do, though. It sounds like you know what to do, but you're just angry you wasted the time and money, hence the rant. That's fine, but it doesn't matter what people here tell you about either selling your stuff or just taking a break - only you know what's best for you, and if you haven't had any joy from production in the past 10 years, then I'm sure you're ready to move on, but that's for you to decide.

___________________
http://soundcloud.com/yanixmusic

Reading between the lines here, I'd guess that the problem with many disgruntled producers is that they focus so hard on the destination that they forget to enjoy the journey.

But, I'd also guess that a major part of that problem is the destination itself. Based on the majority of threads I've read from people starting out, it seems like every newb producer starts out with the goal of getting signed, rather than the goal of just making music for the sake of making music. Well, getting signed isn't as difficult as it used to be and the bar continuously gets lower and lower. Years ago, it took a pretty stellar track to get signed, but with the oversaturation of bad labels, it doesn't take much to get signed anymore and I think that somewhere along the way the bar got lowered below most producers' own standards. I wouldn't be surprised if the OP was feeling the brunt of this - he started 10 years ago, so there's a good chance that his standards are more in line with the standard of tracks released back then than they are with today's standards.




(btw, I'm not saying that there aren't great tracks anymore - just that there are far more bad tracks these days, which has lowered the overall standard).

___________________
cryophonik.com | facebook | soundcloud

Sonar Platinum | Ableton Live 9 | Logic Pro X | Access Virus TI2 Keyboard | Kurzweil PC3X | Nord Lead 4R | NI Maschine

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik Reading between the lines here, I'd guess that the problem with many disgruntled producers is that they focus so hard on the destination that they forget to enjoy the journey. But, I'd also guess that a major part of that problem is the destination itself. Based on the majority of threads I've read from people starting out, it seems like every newb producer starts out with the goal of getting signed, rather than the goal of just making music for the sake of making music. Well, getting signed isn't as difficult as it used to be and the bar continuously gets lower and lower. Years ago, it took a pretty stellar track to get signed, but with the oversaturation of bad labels, it doesn't take much to get signed anymore and I think that somewhere along the way the bar got lowered below most producers' own standards. I wouldn't be surprised if the OP was feeling the brunt of this - he started 10 years ago, so there's a good chance that his standards are more in line with the standard of tracks released back then than they are with today's standards. (btw, I'm not saying that there aren't great tracks anymore - just that there are far more bad tracks these days, which has lowered the overall standard).

QFE

___________________

@Soundcloud

:::OUT NOW!:::
Garrido & Skehan ft. Erin - Waiting For You (Nightshift Remix)
Elvin Ong - Motion (Nightshift Remix)
Tidal Forces - Machine Blue (Nightshift Remix)

quote:

Originally posted by meriter Your primary focus should be making good music. That's all. No one gives a shit how you do it. And the people that do are fags.

quote:

Originally posted by trance-ecj I've been producing for a few years now and hate the whole process and hate the result.

You even hate the process of making a track?

So how do you do it? Just grit your teeth and try to slog your way through it?

I don't understand why someone would go on like that. Music is a passion, not slave labor. Is someone holding a gun to your head and forcing you to produce?

hey guys i haven't written a song in 10 years i think it might be about time to start thinking about quitting music yes or no

quote:

Originally posted by GrangalanJr You even hate the process of making a track? So how do you do it? Just grit your teeth and try to slog your way through it? I don't understand why someone would go on like that. Music is a passion, not slave labor. Is someone holding a gun to your head and forcing you to produce?

It's more of just...everything I do in the studio, I compare it to the best producers out there, and it doesn't come close...whether I'm making a sound, EQ'ing the sound, layering, creating effects...I end up hating it all because it's not as good as the best music out there.

I want my stuff to sound incredible, not just satisfactory, some might say I set the standard too high, but that's what I'm after. And every step along the way in making a track, I'm always realizing what I do isn't that incredible, so I end up hating it.

That's sort of what I meant by 'hate the process'

___________________
http://soundcloud.com/yanixmusic

quote:

Originally posted by trance-ecj It's more of just...everything I do in the studio, I compare it to the best producers out there, and it doesn't come close...whether I'm making a sound, EQ'ing the sound, layering, creating effects...I end up hating it all because it's not as good as the best music out there. I want my stuff to sound incredible, not just satisfactory, some might say I set the standard too high, but that's what I'm after. And every step along the way in making a track, I'm always realizing what I do isn't that incredible, so I end up hating it. That's sort of what I meant by 'hate the process'

I have the same problem. I have to remind myself that at my level its not going to happen. I can only make what I can make, and that's it.

I would love for my stuff to sound as good as things that inspire me, but it's not realistic.

I can't play virtuoso pieces until I am a virtuoso.

I hope you stop hating the process.

___________________

quote:

Originally posted by dj_alfi change your avatar for fucks sake.

quote:

Originally posted by trance-ecj I want my stuff to sound incredible, not just satisfactory,

My thought on this is that EVERY Human endeavour has a 1 step at a time process. It's about making sure each tiny step no matter how small, is fit for the process.
What I notice is people rush things, but there is no reason. Even a simple closed hat needs care and love and time.

I find myself rushing each step and have to stop and remind myself to slow down.

Even something like the wrong reverb tweak can and does make a big difference. People say the public don't notice, but this is absolutley wrong. People know quality - they can spot the quality of an Audi just by it's lights. They may not know why the lights seem better, but none the less they still sense overall quality sign posts.

Shit man you probably know all this, sorry.

Thing is you sound like someone that no matter what hobby you do, you will still want to be the best, so the frustration may not end with ebaying the music hardware,

___________________
https://soundcloud.com/butlerrichard

quote:

Originally posted by Richard Butler My thought on this is that EVERY Human endeavour has a 1 step at a time process. It's about making sure each tiny step no matter how small, is fit for the process. What I notice is people rush things, but there is no reason. Even a simple closed hat needs care and love and time. I find myself rushing each step and have to stop and remind myself to slow down. Even something like the wrong reverb tweak can and does make a big difference. People say the public don't notice, but this is absolutley wrong. People know quality - they can spot the quality of an Audi just by it's lights. They may not know why the lights seem better, but none the less they still sense overall quality sign posts. Shit man you probably know all this, sorry. Thing is you sound like someone that no matter what hobby you do, you will still want to be the best, so the frustration may not end with ebaying the music hardware,

I just got ass raped at my 2nd dayjob for working on a project for over a year. Why? (aside that it's a 2nd day job and I'm kind of free to do as I please).. is insane amount of detail I put into every singe thing I do.

I'm a fucking perfectionist and it's killing me in everything - be it work, painting walls, or even personal relationships. Yet, I'm far from perfect. I can spend hours making visio diagram perfect.

However, had an epiphany some time ago. My boss yelled at me and said: fuck this perfection, I just want a god damn diagram. Grab a piece of paper, draw it out by hand and hand it over, I'll make it a visio.

Took me 10 minutes. I then took diagram and made a sloppy rendition of it in visio, focusing more on "blocks" approach, rather than perfect fitting of the line to the middle of the drawing object. Guess what - reaction was the same.

Sure, I get compliments at the level of detail that goes into my work by my peers but the "consumers" of my work - hardly give a shit.

I once spent 8 hours making a noise-based percussion just the way I wanted it. Got it down pat. Did it get used anywhere? Noooooo.

It took me over 40 hours to re-create percussive melody in The Quest - C# and it sounds JUST LIKE original, note by note. But it will never see the light of day. I get side-tracked on other things, losing interest. that's why I have hundreds of individual ideas, semi-finished work, or just long-winded musings, many created in semi-sober states. Did it result in anything that can be considered a "completed work", for whatever that means? noooooooooooo....

It's fucking frustrating but I can't focus. Right now, I should be working. since 11AM (it's now 4:20pm ha!!!!) I've been wasting time instead of working. That should give you an idea why music became yet another jail cell I stick myself into every once in a while.

I guess I should go do some work, right?

___________________
Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate

Maybe you should try some exercises in speed-producing??? Just set yourself a ridiculous time limit (e.g., 2 hours) and force yourself to take a complete song from a basic idea to a completed track in that time. It almost forces you to think big picture, organize a structured game plan in your head (or the opposite - throw organization out and just go with the flow), and, most of all, it usually prohibits you from getting too bogged down in the details. You might want to try this and post your results. If you have good ideas, people will hear them despite the absence of details and you'll then have a better idea where your problem(s) lie(s). OTOH if you end up with a half-ass piece that struggles to go anywhere, then you'll know that your obsession with details is keeping you from seeing the forest for the trees.

As for me, I've found that I'm definitely a big-picture sort of person when it comes to production. I have no shortage of ideas, but I don't like spending time on all the details (sometimes to the detriment of the song). I mean, I do it to a point, but as soon as I start to feel like I'm just working on details for the sake of working on details, I usually stop myself and move on the next song.

___________________
cryophonik.com | facebook | soundcloud

Sonar Platinum | Ableton Live 9 | Logic Pro X | Access Virus TI2 Keyboard | Kurzweil PC3X | Nord Lead 4R | NI Maschine

There's nothing, for me, which kills it faster than the shit which sucks the fun out of it, entirely. For me, if I'm stuck with a song because I don't have the skill to pull it off, then I find a way to make developing that skill fun. There's other stuff which can completely kill the mood I have for it and, right now, it kind of feels like I'm spinning my wheels and sucking down a huge tube of whale shit, so I'm kind of where the OP's at, in terms of attitude.

___________________

Now with extra singles!
my old stuff, not quite up to snuff - but I still dig it - UPDATED 9/23/2012