Working as a duo

[bodom418]

Just looking for some insight from anyone out there who currently works regularly with another producer; this is something I've been considering looking into lately in my own city. Wondering if you have any sort of set jobs or designations, or if its all a mish mash, what the upsides/downsides are... Discussion, engage!

[overture]

I've been thinking about this lately too, i'd love to work with another producer but i just don't know anyone who makes music or is interested in producing :/. Guess i should get out there n start meeting more people haha, but yeah i'd be interested to hear some stories etc...

[bl0rg]

i currently work in a duo, and its amazing...

we both work on songs, but then hit the studio to finish them, making the production process much faster.

[DrastikMeazures]

I've worked with my friend from high school for years. It's been extremely helpful in many ways, but also a bit difficult at times. We don't share a studio, we each have our own, but we try to use exactly the same programs and pluggins down to every update. Which makes it possible to send projects back and forth to each other.

One thing I'd suggest is that you learn to give and receive criticism without involving emotion. I can't count the number of times we've disagreed on the direction a tune should take, or I've worked on a part for a whole day just to send it off to him and have it scrapped for something else. Don't take it personal, and don't be afraid to say if you don't like something.

It's nice to have a sounding board for ideas, help if you've got software issues, and a little friendly competition to push yourself harder.

[BigManDoeski]

Collabing brings out the best in me

[AxeD]

I know quite a few people in my neighborhood who produce music / dj. Don't think I would want to work with any of em though,
I'm afraid you'll both need almost exactly the same taste in music otherwise it won't work out.

[Kronickz]

I work with a few friends from time to time that live near me and it always helps cause they know something i dont or do something differently and it expands my knowledge. Also i been starting to send stems and project files back n forth with people over AIM and do tunes that way as will. Its always nice to have another out look on tunes.

[Suangi]

Worked with partners in the past. In the producer/musician & producer/musician situation, we usually met up to jam and write/record tracks together. I've also worked on a project with an MC before. I enjoyed that a lot. we would meet up and work on ideas, and I would work on tracks in my time as well as during our sessions. The back and forth exchange of ideas really keeps things moving. There's also the extra motivation to finish tracks when someone else want them to be finished, and is there to help that happen. Plus, if you like to burn while you work on your music, it's nice to have friends around.

[bl0rg]

I'm afraid you'll both need almost exactly the same taste in music otherwise it won't work out.

nonsense...when i started this musical project he liked house, and i was into heavy metal, but we both were into dnb and dubstep for while.

differences can allow for more creativity.

[daeMTHAFKNkim]

My friend just got Ableton and he's currently learning it now. I'm going to teach him some techniques/things that I know and when he comes back from college we're going to make some bangers!

[wormcode]

I have worked with a close friend for over 10 years now on various projects, and we shared a commercial studio for a couple of years. We have always been mostly into the same stuff, and are very like-minded. What's important though is that you both are good at different things, and both enjoy doing different things when it comes to producing & engineering. For example, he hates sampling and cutting/chopping/slicing samples and sounds, but I love doing that, it's a main hobby of mine along with cratedigging. He's very hands-on and uses his ears and starts banging ideas out, I handle the technical aspects of mixing it all. We have been able to do many genres like this over the years, from techno to commercial rap for clients.

It can work otherwise, but it's harder and you'll find yourselves disagreeing more I think, and things can get touchy when criticism comes up as mentioned.

Also, having to always be into the same exact music I also agree isn't true. He hates a lot of the music I love (non-edm stuff, like dub or old motown), but having different influences brings a lot to the table.

[Volatile Psycle]

After moving back to nearer my hometown since uni i've been working with an old friend recently and we've stuck up a wicked working relationship.
We are both now playing to our strengths and as a result the quality is getting better, we are getting tunes finished quicker and more often.
We do work well though and we both have no quarms about telling the another if something is shit

[Disco Nutter]

I'm afraid you'll both need almost exactly the same taste in music otherwise it won't work out.

Not really true. People with different taste bring in different things to the table and make the new sound even more exciting. You just have to be able to work together and get that synergy effect, you don't have to have the same favourite musicians or type of music. And you have to be a bit more open minded.

[Killamike49]

I love it. It's just hard to tell someone you don't really like when they've been working on it forever. Haha.

[Ldizzy]

find someone who u get along with and who likes music.. itll happen by itself

[blinx]

Live bands i love working with other ppl

Producing Music, i think id really only like to feature other musicians and vocalists these days. I have to many ideas to try and explain them to a partner anymore.

It may have helped to have a partner who actually produced, but i still have had more success solo then we ever had as a duo.

[Ongelegen]

find someone who u get along with and who likes music.. itll happen by itself

this!

I occasionaly make music with a friend who doesn't make music himself in any from, still very fun. Mind that we just do this for fun and never finish anything as we do this like 2-3 days a year

[Lichee]

find someone who u get along with and who likes music.. itll happen by itself

this!

I occasionaly make music with a friend who doesn't make music himself in any from, still very fun. Mind that we just do this for fun and never finish anything as we do this like 2-3 days a year

ye I make tunes with one of my best mates, he's learnt Logic since we started making tunes (he already knew Protools so it was quick), before it was just me making it and him throwing in ideas. It works really well, he's a professional drummer and having someone who knows music theory like the back of their hand is handy to work with. My tunes are much cleaner with him

But the main thing is someone you're confident with, flows so much easier with mates.

[cmgoodman1226]

I find that personally when I've tried to collaborate with others, nothing seems to get done. I just seem to work best alone. Maybe I just haven't got the hang of it or just haven't found somebody at relatively the same skill level as me (I've worked with guys who are worse and ones that are far superior to me-> usually the latter, not the former); but the times that I've tried never really seem productive. When I've worked with guys not quite as good as me usually they just watch me make music (which is wierd) and when I've done it with guys much better than me usually I'm just watching them making music. It's really kind of frustrating because I would love to branch out and do some collaborations...

[AxeD]

I'm afraid you'll both need almost exactly the same taste in music otherwise it won't work out.

nonsense...when i started this musical project he liked house, and i was into heavy metal, but we both were into dnb and dubstep for while.

differences can allow for more creativity.

? So you were into the same thing.