I'll be more serious now...

I think being a "pro" is really all about being able to see your ideas through to completion.

First, having an idea for a track; then, fleshing out that idea with synths and drums, and adding all the elements you need; then, locking in the final arrangement and mix; and finally, either mastering it or sending it off to a mastering house.

A "pro" is someone who really makes a routine out of this, who finishes tracks regularly, is pretty satisfied with them, and who can send his tracks out to labels with a reasonable expectation that they'll be interested. That's what "professionalism" means to me: doing the task to a high standard of quality and getting it done reliably.

IMHO, people can call themselfs a pro if people are willing to pay any kind of fee to get a product or a service provided by 'the pro'. The amount of fee has nothing to do with it.

It's also a bunch of crap that you can call yourself a 'pro' when you have some sort of education in music. A lot of topnotch producers don't have a musical education of any kind. I even heard that Armin said that:"It's best to know as little about musical theory as possible", however, I think this quote is arguable.

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Upcoming releases:
Hernandes ft. Stine Groove - Without You (Kyota remix) (Redux Recordings)
Kyota - Senegal (Flashover Recordings)

pro = sellout

quote:

Originally posted by Theran Armin said:"It's best to know as little about musical theory as possible",

lol explains alot

Great responses coming in.

I can't believe Armin said that. Only because I have NO formal music theory knowledge at all.
I use to read books like Reason power and online like tweakheadz trying to understand what compressors do and limiters and flangers etc but after a while its like trying to read and understand how sex should feel.

Its a bad metaphor but all of what I know is just knowing how a specific knob is going to affect a sound when I tweak it (most of the time, sometimes its a random suprise) but if you asked me to articulate in words what is happening your shit out of luck.

To me, its kind of like making music with a blind fold. Like you have no logic beneath the surface but you just develop a sense of what things do even if you can't articulate exactly whats happening. I wonder if theres any pros out there like me lol.. doubt it

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Sequencers: FL Studio 9XXL & Reason 3.
Main Synth Bass GTs - Pro-53, V-Station, Sytrus, Subtractor, Trilian, Blue, Sylenth & Z3ta.
Main Synth Lead/Pad GTs - Z3ta, Sytrus, Sylenth, Vangard, Albino & Nexus.
Main FXs GTs - Waves Plugins, Soundtoys, Volcano, FL Native FX.
Hardware - Truths, Echo Audiofire, Virus Snow, & Novation Xio Midi-Synth.

Pros usually don't release videos of them making a track do they?

I'm not talking about interviews with Computer Music when they show Steve Angelo working for 20mins.
I mean a real pro like Blank & Jones (sorry I'm bias towards them) or even Above & Beyond sitting down from begining to end.
Not to steal their ideas but more for like motivation.

Like people who work out sometimes watch bodybuilding vids before they go to the gym (me lol).
Don't they know a lot of people would prob be interested in a product like that and buy it?
Again not to steal ideas but to evolve out of our own styles/limits etc.

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Sequencers: FL Studio 9XXL & Reason 3.
Main Synth Bass GTs - Pro-53, V-Station, Sytrus, Subtractor, Trilian, Blue, Sylenth & Z3ta.
Main Synth Lead/Pad GTs - Z3ta, Sytrus, Sylenth, Vangard, Albino & Nexus.
Main FXs GTs - Waves Plugins, Soundtoys, Volcano, FL Native FX.
Hardware - Truths, Echo Audiofire, Virus Snow, & Novation Xio Midi-Synth.

I think a lot of pros are too busy making tracks, playing out, or doing their other jobs -- even people with lots of tracks signed might not make music full time -- to sit around making videos of themselves.

I know balls about music theory , i know nothing about any other daw bar FL studio.But i like making music and if it sounds good,and i think thats the key , if it sounds good , go with it.
In the past ive seen in here , people who boast about having cubase 100000.44.55555555 super dooper version 6 , and there music is still rubbish.One guy used and boasted of 20 pieces of hardware and bored me after 2 minutes.
So i conclude ,is what solarstone use irrelevant?, and i dont want to know because it is very good music.If they said they use cubase, do i automatically have to hate them because i use FL studio?



no.

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Bring on my soundcloud ya!

Interesting topic.

OK, so here's an interesting real-life scenario and question for all of you. This is the brief overview of my musical life and I'm providing it here not to blow my own horn (no pun intended), but because it's relevant to the discussion of what a pro is/isn't and also raises the questions of (1) once you are a pro, are you always a pro, and (2) if you are a "pro" in one aspect of music (e.g., performance), how far does that carry you into other aspects of music (e.g., production)?

I've been playing musical instruments for about 35 years and had formal training from an early age. My first college degree was a BA in Music Theory/Composition. I played professionally, in every sense of the word, for over 15 years and made a pretty good living from live gigs (as a bassist, keyboardist, and vocalist) in dozens of different bands, orchestras, ensembles, etc., doing some paid studio session work, and working as an audio/lighting tech. I even relied on my music income to pay my way through two other degrees, a BS and MS in biology.

Now, I have have a family and a great career as a biologist, so I gave up the live gigs in favor of producing my own music in my home studio. I've had one song signed (will be released next month) and have generated a good deal of label interest in other songs, but haven't really pursued it for a variety of reasons (not enough time, personal/artistic reasons, etc.). I've had people offer to pay me for my songs, tell me that they'd buy my CD if/when I ever get around to producing it, etc. But, to date, I have not made a dime from my home productions and, in fact, I spend thousands of dollars every year on equipment and software. I'm pretty active on a lot of music/production forums and have developed a good rapport over the years with many established, working pros who come to me on occasion to ask my advice.

So the question is, am I a "professional"? Seriously, I'd like to know what you guys think because, to be honest, I don't even know the answer.

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cryophonik.com | facebook | soundcloud

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

pro is when you have a lot of hardware

quote:

Originally posted by echosystm pro is when you have a lot of hardware

Even if it's a rack full of Behringer gear?

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cryophonik.com | facebook | soundcloud

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

A person who makes a living out of what they do.

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My Soundcloud

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik Even if it's a rack full of Behringer gear?

ESPECIALLY if it's a rack full of Behringer gear