Producing as a career is my dream, help me get started.

[NinjaEdit]

No, the motivation determines the outcome. Music intended as a product to make money is shit.

I would generalise and say the only determining factor when deciding a career (or making any decision) should be personal satisfaction. I'm not counting a day job as a career.

I'm a graduate of music. I started studying IT networking as an easy and demanded qualification. It is like what I do in my free time (sit at a computer), but I've lost interest. I've applied for some internships, but if that doesn't happen I will get into programming, so that I might program music software.

[Huts]

No, the motivation determines the outcome. Music intended as a product to make money is shit.

Statements like these always rub me the wrong way. Money as a motivation for making music doesn't automatically somehow lower the quality of what you're putting out. Chances are if you're making shit music it'd be that way wether money was your motivation or not.

[Today]

rubs me the wrong way because it's total utter bullshit
a lot of great artists made their best records to fulfill a record contract and get paid and have a career

What's closer to the truth is

"music made with the intention of being edgy, underground, 'above' what is profitable/popular in favor of being true to solely the 'artist's' 'vision', innovative, brand new, or revolutionary, almost always results in shit."

(edit) not really considering electronica there, but moreso the shithead wannabe indie hipster wankers who play guitar music which sucks, and are proud of how badly it sucks because it's different and emotional

[Sharmaji]

No, the motivation determines the outcome. Music intended as a product to make money is shit.

ha! what bullshit. I can't even begin to think how many classic motown, early rock n' roll, reggae, rocksteady, dancehall-- really, you name the style-- records were made specifically to cash in on a dance craze.

bad music made as a marketing product is a bad product. put a good song in the right hands and it doesn't matter what the hell its for.

take a reality check man-- outside of DSF, music-- and any kind of art in general-- is a business. not a hobby.

[dickman69]

^ exactly

Just because a lot of music made w/ that motivation is shit doesn't mean that ALL music made with that motivation is shit

[Ficticious]

No, the motivation determines the outcome. Music intended as a product to make money is shit.

ha! what bullshit. I can't even begin to think how many classic motown, early rock n' roll, reggae, rocksteady, dancehall-- really, you name the style-- records were made specifically to cash in on a dance craze.

bad music made as a marketing product is a bad product. put a good song in the right hands and it doesn't matter what the hell its for.

take a reality check man-- outside of DSF, music-- and any kind of art in general-- is a business. not a hobby.

Now if passion is involved it's a different story

What you make music for does not matter, it's the passion will to want it that matters. and of course having fun with it. I believe those are the points flying back and fourth here.

[Swelly]

I wasn't asking if you gave up school to make money in music. I simply asked if you gave up school to focus on your craft. And if so, has it been financially sufficient in making up for the possible career you could have had if you finished school.

[Swelly]

And I agree, music is an art, and the art you produce becomes your business if you are determined enough to master your art.

[hutyluty]

While it is true that music made with the intention of making money isnt all shit, as advice to someone on dsf then i think its definitely correct to avise people not to go into production with money as your main aim. Realistically theres next to no chance of someone getting to the sums of money they might envisage when they start producing with this mindset, its probably much healthier going into it with an attitude of taking it as a hobby and taking any money as a bonus rather than staking everything on it and failing.

[zeta]

hutyluty has it in a nutshell. Don't put all your eggs in one nest. Or something along those lines. Though if you don't mind teaching there's always that - if you're good at an instrument, especially, but I'm sure that if you really are good at producing there'd be demand for music production teachers.

I know we've derailed off the topic a bit, but realistically ask yourself, OP: will you like this music in several years' time? Will this music turn out to be nothing more than a phase? If history has taught me anything, it's that 'movements' eventually only come to be defined by one sound or several artists.

Especially since I read that record labels, though they've been happily signing for new singles by fresh EDM artists, a lot of them are extremely hesitant about anything long-term since they don't have any idea how long this crazy will last.

Also getting the sound you want: youtube it.

[Sharmaji]

on the other hand, treat it as a hobby and it'll always be a hobby.

[Sharmaji]

I wasn't asking if you gave up school to make money in music. I simply asked if you gave up school to focus on your craft. And if so, has it been financially sufficient in making up for the possible career you could have had if you finished school.

I quit school mid-college, toured for 2 years, and then went back. I'm glad i went back, though i stopped working in the field i studied 3 years after finishing school, to go full-time w/ music.

[NinjaEdit]

So are you guys are saying MTV is good, and those artists would sound the same if they weren't in it for the money?

You're clearly guessing. Try making a tune that you like the sound of, then make a tune you think will make money, and see
a) Whether they sound the same, and
b) Which of the two people prefer.

EDIT: It's like saying a painting in a department store is the same, and as good as, a painting in an art gallery.

[Huts]

So are you guys are saying MTV is good, and those artists would sound the same if they weren't in it for the money?

You're clearly guessing. Try making a tune that you like the sound of, then make a tune you think will make money, and see
a) Whether they sound the same, and
b) Which of the two people prefer.

EDIT: It's like saying a painting in a department store is the same, and as good as, a painting in an art gallery.

nothing in this post makes any sense

[NinjaEdit]

Then you're an idiot.

[Ficticious]

So are you guys are saying MTV is good, and those artists would sound the same if they weren't in it for the money?

You're clearly guessing. Try making a tune that you like the sound of, then make a tune you think will make money, and see
a) Whether they sound the same, and
b) Which of the two people prefer.

EDIT: It's like saying a painting in a department store is the same, and as good as, a painting in an art gallery.

nothing in this post makes any sense

If you believe selling out makes you money, sorry not always. Sure every 10 years there's a new slot cause someone falls, dies, or quits making music but sorry...That is retarded sir'

There's a majority of people who like both mainstream and non-mainstream. It doesn't matter what you make, as long as the production is good. If you read into it enough as a hobby it becomes a career, really is that simple.

[adover]

Simple - practice practice practice practice practice, lack of social life, read too much to learn about synthesis, music theory, composition, arrangement, sound design, sonic imaging, your DAW etc etc etc, practice some more, put your tunes online, someone may like them, you may send them to a label, they may sign it, you may get a following, certain amount of 'luck' (especially with the amount of producers around today), many years of ear training and mistake making, looking out for opportunities and taking them, getting a normal job to satisfy the money until anything takes off IF it does... if not? Keep grinding and doing it because you can't get enough of that awesome feeling that you've written your best ever tune so far.

If you're in it for the money, why?! There's no money in music nowadays apart from the very lucky few. Get a job in sales or think of the next Facebook.

[Fbac]

I thought we were in it for the chicks?

[Today]

but seriously, quality has almost nothing to do with motives. more to do with motivation, i.e. how important your motives are to you
if it's money, but you REALLY want that money, you'll make good tunes
same for recognition or women

it comes down to what the masters sound like when you play them
personally, idc if someone just thought they could make a buck off me by making my ideal piece of music... if the music fits my ideal, i'm still gonna like it
then again, i used to listen to punk and when the majors started manufacturing punk acts, they did all suck major cock.
but that's just one genre/example

Motown was a business, and signed artists to fit consumer taste and sell records and radio adverts
That's actually the reason pop song format went to less than 3.5 minutes or so... so that advertisers could purchase slots in between songs and maintain an audience

and do you know what... ? I think the format is awesome for pop songs, and it stuck. I mean honestly, sometimes 12 minute epics are great for prog rockers, jazzers and the like, but who wants that from pop? Kanye west i guess? shit's annoying imo

[twilitez]

Didnt read the whole discussion, been there done that. Personally i dont care about a career but if i could live from it that would be epic. And by living i mean i wouldnt give a shit eating cheap mac and canned tomatoes now and then and scraping pennies, as long as no mind numbing grinder job would be involved. Honestly if you can achieve that, its already an accomplishment.