When to step it up

[Immerse]

I find with each track i make there are things left to be desired, things i know i can fix and improve the song, but i move on for the sake of learning new techniques and improving as a producer. Im having trouble figuring out when i should buckle down on tracks and really finish them to finish them, or perfect the song and make it EP worthy or such. When you get a decent following? When you think your tracks up to par?

The real question here is this, when do i know when to stop making tunes to just upload to soundcloud and give for free, and actually step it up and assemble an EP to get mastered and make a bit more official?

Also: When did you begin doing this? After doing this did you put focus on promoting said tunes much more and begin taking things more seriously? I've only been producing for about 5 months but i think my stuff is getting to the point, not quite there yet but close to it, where i feel the tracks are beginning to sound a lot less homemade and more like real songs that could be played out with enough (production-wise) attention and TLC.

[Smoot]

I think it honestly depends on when you think your ready. If your happy with your tunes and want other people to enjoy them as well, then get the word out there!

[Gurnumsbug]

I don't really think there is a set and stone time to do things..

As long as i'm unsigned and still growing, I will never charge anyone for a tune I make.
Don't make music for money, because if you are, you're in the wrong business.

People who are interested and listening to the music I make, are more precious to me than all the money in the world.

[Immerse]

yah i dont know why i said id stop giving free DL's. quite a bit tired i guess.

[Gurnumsbug]

yah i dont know why i said id stop giving free DL's. quite a bit tired i guess.

Success is what you make of it mate..
As long as you're happy doing what you're doing than people will listen....it just takes patience!

Trust me, I love making night tunes..It's a bit harder for people to find me, but i'm hoping that maybe one day i'll be able to make a living off doing this as well!
But we all gotta wait man...don't give up

[e-motion]

The first dubstep anyone is going to hear from me on the internet will be an EP. Probably free though, depending on the quality.

Too early? but seriously, I've been producing for 8 years (although only 3 of them I spent producing) so don't take my word on this if you only have been for 5 months.

[SKIN E]

"I've been producing for 8 years (although only 3 of them I spent producing)" I don't understand

Don't worry too much about "stepping it up", you have been producing for 6 months and that is not a very long time.. although after a few years if you think you can pursue this on a serious level and make a living out of it.. then all you can do is network network network, talk to as many people, go to as many gigs, talk to as many promoters, think about setting up your own night, etc there is a lot to do but there are thousands of guys out there trying to do the exact same thing and I don't want to pop the bubble but, it is very unlikely you will be able to make a living out of this... and that is the sad but very truth, the same answer for us who have been producing for 5+ years.

Good luck either way

[e-motion]

Started 8 years ago, stopped 3 years after (work, university...), got back in december

[blinx]

write every track as if it was supposed to be EP "ready" in EDM an EP tends to be a mish mash of tracks once you find a label willing to sign it and release it for you. I know what you mean though, at the end of a track you keep hearing something else you could do to "make it better" but the reality is i found that you end up just butchering the song and then making it worse. There is a window of inpiration that effectivley is when ill write all my stuff, then i force myself to mix/master what i have and move onto the next track. Where i will incorporate elements i had wanted to go back and do to the last track, but this time it works faster because im aware of this form the get go... no rewriting no mind fuckery. Just keep on keeping on... eventually every track you write will be release ready and your tech will just be on point too.

[lowpass]

I find with each track i make there are things left to be desired, things i know i can fix and improve the song, but i move on for the sake of learning new techniques and improving as a producer. Im having trouble figuring out when i should buckle down on tracks and really finish them to finish them, or perfect the song and make it EP worthy or such. When you get a decent following? When you think your tracks up to par?

The real question here is this, when do i know when to stop making tunes to just upload to soundcloud and give for free, and actually step it up and assemble an EP to get mastered and make a bit more official?

Also: When did you begin doing this? After doing this did you put focus on promoting said tunes much more and begin taking things more seriously? I've only been producing for about 5 months but i think my stuff is getting to the point, not quite there yet but close to it, where i feel the tracks are beginning to sound a lot less homemade and more like real songs that could be played out with enough (production-wise) attention and TLC.

I wouldn't focus too much energy into getting songs signed, there are a lot of internet labels around atm who crawl places such as soundcloud for new artists. However, finishing song's is a valuable skill and will need to be done to improve further.

The best thing you can do if you want to improve is ask as many people as you can what they honestly think of your songs, what thing's they don't like about it so that you can iron out any flaws as quickly as possible.

In short:-

1. Focus on learning and practising
2. This will lead to better productions,
4. This will lead to more people liking your music (making it more marketable from a business point of view)
5. This will lead to more/better labels wanting to sign your music

(Bonus step - Get feedback on what works and doesn't, this will feed straight back into step 1)

[Immerse]

good points there. i think im going to dedicate a time to finish all my WIP's currently on soundcloud, and take my new skills back to my old tracks to clean them up and make them sound decent.
the effort would be to make my soundcloud make more of a professional tune showcase spot as opposed to a place to dump all my finished shit. think this is a good idea? trash all the ones i dont find up to par and clean the ones i do? i feel like having a 7 out of my 8 tracks not really presentable discredits me as an artist to anyone who would try to take me serious.
am i on target with this?

edit: thanks everyone for the input, good stuff! appreciate it. also as a sidenote, do you think beginning to learn to dj so early in the game would take away from producing at the point for me? do more harm than good? im looking into buying some tables in the future

[Praya]

: do you think beginning to learn to dj so early in the game would take away from producing at the point for me? do more harm than good? im looking into buying some tables in the future

can't see how it could be a problem. Presumably you listen to a lot of music in your free time anyway, so just use this time to learn djing, its always more fun listening to new music by mixing them together. Plus your ultimately making tunes for djs, so it's better to have the perspective of one yourself.

[Sharmaji]

as someone just starting out, i'd suggest that you build a network of peers and DJ's who will play, and play out your music before you put it up on soundcloud/etc for the public to consume. based on their feedback, your music will get better, and the product you then put out will be better-- leading you to develop a fanbase, as opposed to a bunch of folks who passed by your page and saw music that was essentially not a finished product to you-- but was to them.

WIP's are a dangerous weapon; they're only in-progress to you.

[__________]

Step it up NOW

Don't give away free downloads of unfinished shit.
If you're making beats for a laugh...do whatever.
If you genuinely want your shit to be played by people, and you want to make music which will be remembered...step your game up EVERY DAY.
Good music doesn't make itself. You need to constantly push yourself to make some crazy shit.

Aside from realising your song structure is crazy, or the mixdown is well off compared to similar music, DJing won't help your production.
You can compare/improve your song structure and compare/improve your mixdowns without owning turntables. If production is your main aim, spend the turntable money on better monitoring, plugins, etc.

[Immerse]

decisions decisions, yet all good advice. thanks all

[Immerse]

WIP's are a dangerous weapon; they're only in-progress to you.

interesting, and very true

[Cubicle]

Step it up NOW

Don't give away free downloads of unfinished shit.
If you're making beats for a laugh...do whatever.
If you genuinely want your shit to be played by people, and you want to make music which will be remembered...step your game up EVERY DAY.
Good music doesn't make itself. You need to constantly push yourself to make some crazy shit.

Aside from realising your song structure is crazy, or the mixdown is well off compared to similar music, DJing won't help your production.
You can compare/improve your song structure and compare/improve your mixdowns without owning turntables. If production is your main aim, spend the turntable money on better monitoring, plugins, etc.

I'm going to print those first 4 lines out and spray paint them on my wall. Such a motivation that shit gave me man

[Khazm]

Aside from realising your song structure is crazy, or the mixdown is well off compared to similar music, DJing won't help your production.
You can compare/improve your song structure and compare/improve your mixdowns without owning turntables. If production is your main aim, spend the turntable money on better monitoring, plugins, etc.

I disagree with that. For me, DJing does help me with production, especially in the inspiration sector. IF you're DJing in front of crowds, then you know what type of music sets them off, and so you try make something similar etc.

Kind of hard to explain, but I wouldn't say it doesn't help at all.

[Alistairr]

I think it honestly depends on when you think your ready. If your happy with your tunes and want other people to enjoy them as well, then get the word out there!

[Mad_EP]

as someone just starting out, i'd suggest that you build a network of peers and DJ's who will play, and play out your music before you put it up on soundcloud/etc for the public to consume. based on their feedback, your music will get better, and the product you then put out will be better-- leading you to develop a fanbase, as opposed to a bunch of folks who passed by your page and saw music that was essentially not a finished product to you-- but was to them.

WIP's are a dangerous weapon; they're only in-progress to you.

Big Dave always knows the score..


Look at it this way:

- if you are unsigned, you don't want WIPs floating around cos labels and DJs might think that really is your best and pass you by.

- if you are signed, then people (fans, DJs, press, etc) might think you have fallen off and then not take you as serious anymore.


Lesson learned - WIPs are for you and your trusted inner circle only.