|
Do you practice ?
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Mad for Brad |
Just wondering if you guys structure your production/learning ?
It seems there are a lot of posts mostly by Richard regarding how they aren't satisfied with their current level. From someone that has learnt to be very good at many things in very little time, I consider myself sort of an expert on learning things quick.
Now if you really want to improve , you need to work smart. There are books written about how to master things but they all pretty much say the same thing.
First , you need to set long term and short term goals. Then divide the goals into specific tasks. For example. some people claim they are bad at sound design. If that is the case and it is your goal to become better, spend 1 hour a day just doing sound design. Ultimately you should be doing about 5 hours a day.
1 hour sound design
1 hour listening
2 hours production
1 hour lets say theory or engineering
just an example and give yourself exercises or small term goals for the week.
the point is that you need to structure your learning. Most people just make songs which is good but it is not the fastest way to improve as a musician/producer. You need to compartmentalize the tasks, spend a few years woodshedding then bring it all together. It does take more time , more investment and more discipline but the pay off is much bigger. I honestly think you should only be doing outright creation after maybe 5 years of learning. |
|
|
| Beatflux |
| 2 pros have told me to just finish songs outright even if they are ultra crap. It seems like a skill in itself, and there are people who are making fantastic loops who get stuck there. I honestly do not want to be THAT guy. I don't see why you can't do both, if you have the time... |
|
|
| Mad for Brad |
| you can. Which is why I set time for it in the suggested break down of your efforts. But if that is all you do, you will be lacking in other areas. YOu might see gains right away but if you really learn in a structured way including the aspect of creation , you will get better much faster. You will find the skill most pros have in EDM can be achieved quite easily in 5 years but people do not have a structured way of learning. |
|
|
| Pagan-za |
| I often take little breaks from making 'actual music' and rather spend my time doing other things, whether its playing guitar, messing in ableton, or just practicing techniques. I find that little breaks away always mean that when I do sit down again to make music, my whole technique and approach has changed(and always for the better). |
|
|
| daeus |
I've been learning since 2005 so I'm probably a good person to comment, from Cubase and now to Ableton DAW's, I try to structure but never set any time-based goals, just to "sound like a pro eventually".
I dont want to send anything until I'm happy (I'll try post an example).
I wish I had taken on music lessons and still thinking of doing it though as my music theory still sucks and wish I knew how to progress chords more but meh.
But generally, yea, I've focused on small things each time and just experimented ALLOT, a labour of love.
The main thing that I feel takes me time/destracts me is all the different VST's and DAW F*cking issues/CPU limitations
- I've come across so many VST's I get destracted from putting tracks together,
- Cubase used to crash on me ALL the time - and I always hit CPU limitations, so just recently brought a dual socket system with dell next day support, so no months of down time like before - and now its a dream :D Multiple FX vsts on over 15 channels at a time, 10+ different VSTis to allow experimentation - heaven!!!!! sorry getting excited
Along with those distractions I'm also a victim of the trance to house genre change time phenonmenon, so over the years I've got less trancey so my styles been changing too, which also adds to the learning progress! Generally I still love all good EDM tracks so its all good..and this will be reflected in my music hopefully encompassing all EDM genere's and production techniqies to equal something fresh. |
|
|
| nortek |
| i only need to forget about everything else and results will come. if my mind is filled with other like school, money, bills, work etc. i can just forget about it, its not even worth turning the daw on. |
|
|
| daeus |
| quote: | Originally posted by Beatflux
2 pros have told me to just finish songs outright even if they are ultra crap. It seems like a skill in itself, and there are people who are making fantastic loops who get stuck there. I honestly do not want to be THAT guy. I don't see why you can't do both, if you have the time... |
I have learnt finishing tracks is also quite important yes, to this day I havent so I have been concentrating to just keep moving on with a track recently, this in turn forces you to create the sounds required to add to the tracks progression of start/build/end and your style comes out through this I find. |
|
|
| Kysora |
Around 2 years into producing my sound was complete garbage, every channel was way too loud and there wasn't any room at all in the mix for anything. This is a good example:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pag...&songID=8045644
That was finished 13 months ago. I completely stopped working on music for a while and tried making small loops that were, comparatively, quieter and simpler, and slowly turned the volume up as I worked on new loops until I got the kind of sound I wanted.
I don't really have dedicated practice sessions but I work in FL every single day for at least an hour or two, usually trying to come up with a new idea for a project but in the course of that I suppose I'm learning. But besides what I did about a year ago to fix my sound I've never opened FL with the intent to practice anything.
Not to make this about me but is anyone impressed at where I've gotten with three years of experience? I've got a track up in the MP forum.. it's kind of intimidating being in a forum full of people who've been doing this for decades and I wonder sometimes if what I'm doing now is bad, good or better than you'd expect for the time I've been at this. I know everyone progresses at different rates but I hope I'm not on the slow end, considering I don't practice. |
|
|
| Andy28 |
| quote: | Originally posted by daeus
"sound like a pro eventually". |
I think this is everyones goal, but yeah, a cant say iv dedicated any time to just learn one part of the process.. Maybe thats why its taking so long.. Never looked at it this way before but as m4b says i guess it would speed up your progress..
As for Kysora, I think he's doing really well for the time he's been producing for, its far from the slow end, wish my progress was that quick.. |
|
|
| kevin shawn |
| quote: | Originally posted by Beatflux
2 pros have told me to just finish songs outright even if they are ultra crap |
This. The only thing I practice on are my weaknesses that others tell me about.
First I was stuck in loop mode for about a year and I forced myself to start finishing tracks even if I didn't like the idea that I had. Unless it was utter e then I would just start a new project. Now if I have a solid idea I can bang out a track in a day or two.
Right now my last few tracks have gotten feedback about not having enough percussion and that the mixes have been a little muddy. I'm going to sit down and force myself to just write my next track or two and base it around the percussion and drums. My melody will be secondary and my focus will be on the drums and percussion.
I think that realizing what areas of production you are most weakest is vital for success as a music producer. I want as much feedback, both good and bad on my music so I know what areas I need improvement. Once you know where your weakness is you should be able to put in the practice to make an improvement in your overall sound. |
|
|
| Owsey2008 |
I could never endure any form of routine when it comes to music. A lot of the time I don't want to be anywhere near it. I create only when I really feel like it. For example, I went nearly 2 months there without doing anything productive, but I've completed 3 tunes since Monday.
But during time away I enjoy grabbing my Guitar and playing far away from my PC. |
|
|
| LoWahn |
| quote: | 1 hour sound design
1 hour listening
2 hours production
1 hour lets say theory or engineering |
Am I the only one that would absolutely kill to have this kind of time to work on music every day :(
M4B: You seem over-educated in music. You should come do my IT job for a couple months and let me start catching up. Good deal, ya? |
|
|
|
|
