3:15 am rant: the joys of not making music

[knotoo]

this is a "cool story bro" vibe so beware.

Since 2007 (dabbled a bit with beats in 2005 but whatever) I've spent countless hours making beats. Sacrificed social life because of it, the whole nine. spent countless hours developing what I thought was something "unique" and "my own". tried to differentiate myself, tried to avoid trends, and so on. i'm a nobody in this electronic music shit but that's besides the point. tried different approaches i.e. banging out tracks in one session to keep the inspiration going. tried spending weeks and months on tracks (this approach is more suitable to me, i've learned...). thought about eps, albums.

never have i felt more relieved than about 9 months ago or so when "real life" got in the way and I couldn't really fuck with beats as much. not as much time. renoise hasn't even been opened in forever. and at this point, i think it's a good thing.

I've never been like "i'm a producer" and all that because i'm not, i'm a dude in my mid twenties with a laptop, keyboard, and woodwind instrument lol. who would i be fooling? this is a hobby. and should be treated as such. not to sound negative, but there's no "bout to blow" moment, even less so than a lot of delusional rappers i've come across.

i'm enjoying not obsessively making beats and being more of a music fan again, and not feeling jealous and hopeless every time i hear a sick beat that i didn't make.
got to the point i couldn't/wouldnt listen to FlyLo beats without feeling some sort of weird anxiety (not really though) because his Sonny Liston shit puts my Marty Marshall shit to shame any day of the week, any second of the day (idiotic).

and guess what, maybe i'm not ever destined to be involved with music in any capacity (still working on the label thing though ). there's a LOT of more talented dudes than me and I'm glad they exist, and they should be heard.

some of us weren't meant to be producers. being a fan has just as much value.

and on that note, whatever beats i do make this summer will likely never see light of day...and i like that.


GOOD NIGHT

[ehbes]

produce for yourself first, everyone else second

[nowaysj]

feeling jealous and hopeless every time i hear a sick beat that i didn't make.

Been there, am there. [Suffering] is weakness leaving your [mind] though, don't forget.

got to the point i couldn't/wouldnt listen to FlyLo beats without feeling some sort of weird anxiety

Been there too. I feel like if I step up my game... twice. I could be at that level... that level being 4 years ago! haha whoops.

there's a LOT of more talented dudes than me and I'm glad they exist, and they should be heard.

Yeah I feel you. Honestly there are some people just gifted with this shit. Really kind of hate those people, but not really, cause a lot of them do nothing with it. At best they produce mediocrity. Sometimes they really do climb the mountain, and honestly that is just inspiration for me to do the same, granted I've got a peg leg and a hook for an arm, but still.

some of us weren't meant to be producers. being a fan has just as much value.

True. The people that aren't meant to be producers are the people that don't like to produce. The people that like to produce, well they're producers whether they like it or not, and whether their tracks suck or not. This isn't a romantic characterization. This is like if you like crack, you are a crack head. It is just the way it is. You don't really get to choose.

and on that note, whatever beats i do make this summer will likely never see light of day...and i like that.

So you are a producer. Haha, too fucking bad for you. You've got the sickness. Put your shit up on soundcloud and you'll get like 6 people that like your tracks. Are you going to make millions, have strippers throwing money at you, hells of no, but that shit is a lie and an illusion crafted to deceive the deceivable. (and it is very effective) I'm real queezy anytime music is commodified. Why music? Most likely because of its power. As you set up your channels of deception and control, you must use standard business analysis in picking the most efficient means to those ends. Evil bastards.

I tell you already, you've got one person waiting to hear your summer's beats.

[outbound]

The way I think about it is this...

Making music is like taking a piss, you have to relax and let the inspiration come to you. Sometimes you'll be bursting to make something, other times you'll want to make something but maybe you only get a little bit out. Either way if you stand there trying to force it then you're going to achieve fuck all

[Brothulhu]

The way I think about it is this...

Making music is like taking a piss, you have to relax and let the inspiration come to you. Sometimes you'll be bursting to make something, other times you'll want to make something but maybe you only get a little bit out. Either way if you stand there trying to force it then you're going to achieve fuck all

That was perfectly put haha

[deadly_habit]

it took me 10+ years to see a real release in my eyes and any modicum of success in my eyes in that regard
i can also say it's 10% skills/your production 90% who you know and how much self promotion/luck you have in contacting people or getting your music listened to the right ears
frankly i accomplished personal goals i had and then some and can't be assed with all the social networking and such when i could be just making beats at this point
it's a matter of what you want to do and what you're content doing

make what you're happy making at your pace

[VirtualMark]

Lol at the taking a piss analogy. Does this mean if someone's watching, you can't make music?

I have a few of my own:

Making music is like ironing a shirt - you have to get all the creases out until it perfect.

Making music is like cooking - put the right balance of ingredients in, mix it then cook or export it

Making music is like riding a bike - you have to keep pedalling to get anywhere

Making music is like going to the moon - its achievable but pretty tough

Making music is like fixing a car - you'll need the right tools and knowledge to get it done properly

[knotoo]

i also truly believe real instruments are a whole different layer. the computer is fun, but banging out melodies on keyboard (and i'm not a skilled keyboard player by any stretch of the imagination) is far more interesting, even if a lot of those melodies never get recorded. they were cool for a brief moment in time. that statement is some "captain obvious" shit but whatever.

the social networking thing is a weird one...i haven't really been on sound cloud in the past 10 months. twitter a bit more often but i use it mostly as a news feed rather than the "follow for follow" nonsense that goes on there.

[blinx]

Best advice ive ever heard, just make your music your way.... If other ppl attach to it, great! If not your still having just as much fun.

The other thing is learn to dj/mix. So when you find other producers that are good you dont take it so negativeley... Instead incorporate their success and create synergy between you tunes and their tunes... Allowing for unique and selfless creations to come about. Really just stay positive and have fun... If you lose that feeling than take a break until it feels like fun again. Production will only be what YOU make of it... Nothing less nothing more.

[Brothulhu]

Lol at the taking a piss analogy. Does this mean if someone's watching, you can't make music?

VirtualMark confirmed for having Shy Bladder

[deadly_habit]

i know plenty of skilled producers who could put some commercial acts to shame who just make music for themselves and never pursued releases etc
it's all a matter of what YOU want to do

[joegrizzly]

There's no reason you cant build a successful life, and produce as a hobby or whatever, I dont plan on making money from this, that would be stupid, nobody really makes money solely from producing... I got my backup plan in full swing. Also, dont try and please the internet, cause thats hard to do, just do your own thing, get familiar with your local DJ's and have them spin your shit out on the weekends, if you've been producing for 5-7 years you should be able to come up with something to please the dancefloor.

stay up bro!

[cheshirebeats]

Whaaaat the fuck is this?

99% of the people producing music in the world aren't getting paid for it.
I've been offered money for my music (hip-hop beats, that regardless weren't worth the money anyways lol) but I just refuse because I don't do this for money, I do it because I love it. I feel like as soon as money gets involved it will ruin everything. I've always planned to release my music online for free no matter how far I get with it because I feel its something to be shared. I work hard at this because I love doing it, not because I need compensation or because I'm waiting to blow up.

This is the age of the bedroom producer man. DSF, DOA, you and me and everyone else in this thread... We are the future of the music industry imo. The point is not to get signed; the point is to make the music that you feel needs to be made, and to get it out there.

[narcissus]

liberate art. play for free. far out man.

[massimoz]

I totally agree with all of this. Every morning I dread starting to make a beat, developing back pain by the end of the day etc. It is amazing when you're at the point of mixing, but what I hate the most is learning about everything so that what you make sounds crisp. Here are a few thoughts I've had since trying to commit to music for the second time:

* I almost think that the more autistic one is, the more likely they are to be a good producer as they have the extraordinary capability to commit to some so trying, so repetitive and so technical

* The more geeky and technical one is, the better. Creativity is not as important

* Learning production is like learning a foreign language - it's super hard, boring and uninteresting up until the point where you know it and you can go around countries speaking that language fluently. Oh how satisfying and joyful that is! It is not a burden to speak a language you know

[VirtualMark]

Making music is like becoming a jedi master - only a select few people can do it, you need to train hard and focus and really feel the force(music)

Making music is like getting raped - it'll be a lot easier if you enjoy yourself

Making music is like picking your nose - there's more than one way to get the job done

[hasezwei]

i know that feel.... i used to be just excited about new interesting music, now i'm excited but also anxious cause i feel like the stuff i do will be obsolete if i dont keep up with the rest like it's some kind of race towards something.

during the last years i didnt properly produce most of the time, i didnt bang out a track idea every day, not even once a month. it just felt forced. during the last month though i've made about 20 ideas and thats because i had to. i've had a horrible shitty job that was ruining my life and the precious free time i had left was spent making beats i can listen to at work to deal with it better. at that point i didnt give a fuck what anyone else thought about my music.
ripping a loop straight from someone else's track? i don't give a fuck what you think.
mix and matching samplepacks like legos? i don't give a fuck what you think.
and most importantly: mixing down so me and my friends like it, not that someone over the internet tells me it's gonna sound good on a funktion one system cause for fucks sake no one will play that shit on a funktion one and i like it that way.


we're all doing this because when we started it was so much fun that it became a habit. so if you're wondering why it isnt fun anymore maybe its best to go back to where you began. forget all the rules, forget the morals of sampling or being ashamed of using presets. do this shit for yourself period.

[OfficialDAPT]

this is a "cool story bro" vibe so beware.

Since 2007 (dabbled a bit with beats in 2005 but whatever) I've spent countless hours making beats. Sacrificed social life because of it, the whole nine. spent countless hours developing what I thought was something "unique" and "my own". tried to differentiate myself, tried to avoid trends, and so on. i'm a nobody in this electronic music shit but that's besides the point. tried different approaches i.e. banging out tracks in one session to keep the inspiration going. tried spending weeks and months on tracks (this approach is more suitable to me, i've learned...). thought about eps, albums.

never have i felt more relieved than about 9 months ago or so when "real life" got in the way and I couldn't really fuck with beats as much. not as much time. renoise hasn't even been opened in forever. and at this point, i think it's a good thing.

I've never been like "i'm a producer" and all that because i'm not, i'm a dude in my mid twenties with a laptop, keyboard, and woodwind instrument lol. who would i be fooling? this is a hobby. and should be treated as such. not to sound negative, but there's no "bout to blow" moment, even less so than a lot of delusional rappers i've come across.

i'm enjoying not obsessively making beats and being more of a music fan again, and not feeling jealous and hopeless every time i hear a sick beat that i didn't make.
got to the point i couldn't/wouldnt listen to FlyLo beats without feeling some sort of weird anxiety (not really though) because his Sonny Liston shit puts my Marty Marshall shit to shame any day of the week, any second of the day (idiotic).

and guess what, maybe i'm not ever destined to be involved with music in any capacity (still working on the label thing though ). there's a LOT of more talented dudes than me and I'm glad they exist, and they should be heard.

some of us weren't meant to be producers. being a fan has just as much value.

and on that note, whatever beats i do make this summer will likely never see light of day...and i like that.


GOOD NIGHT

Cool Story Bro

[OfficialDAPT]

this is a "cool story bro" vibe so beware.

Since 2007 (dabbled a bit with beats in 2005 but whatever) I've spent countless hours making beats. Sacrificed social life because of it, the whole nine. spent countless hours developing what I thought was something "unique" and "my own". tried to differentiate myself, tried to avoid trends, and so on. i'm a nobody in this electronic music shit but that's besides the point. tried different approaches i.e. banging out tracks in one session to keep the inspiration going. tried spending weeks and months on tracks (this approach is more suitable to me, i've learned...). thought about eps, albums.

never have i felt more relieved than about 9 months ago or so when "real life" got in the way and I couldn't really fuck with beats as much. not as much time. renoise hasn't even been opened in forever. and at this point, i think it's a good thing.

I've never been like "i'm a producer" and all that because i'm not, i'm a dude in my mid twenties with a laptop, keyboard, and woodwind instrument lol. who would i be fooling? this is a hobby. and should be treated as such. not to sound negative, but there's no "bout to blow" moment, even less so than a lot of delusional rappers i've come across.

i'm enjoying not obsessively making beats and being more of a music fan again, and not feeling jealous and hopeless every time i hear a sick beat that i didn't make.
got to the point i couldn't/wouldnt listen to FlyLo beats without feeling some sort of weird anxiety (not really though) because his Sonny Liston shit puts my Marty Marshall shit to shame any day of the week, any second of the day (idiotic).

and guess what, maybe i'm not ever destined to be involved with music in any capacity (still working on the label thing though ). there's a LOT of more talented dudes than me and I'm glad they exist, and they should be heard.

some of us weren't meant to be producers. being a fan has just as much value.

and on that note, whatever beats i do make this summer will likely never see light of day...and i like that.


GOOD NIGHT

Cool Story Bro

[Huts]

i know that feel.... i used to be just excited about new interesting music, now i'm excited but also anxious cause i feel like the stuff i do will be obsolete if i dont keep up with the rest like it's some kind of race towards something.

I feel that. I hear someones track and its like 'fuck thats sick wish I did that first', now every time I use a bass that sounds like x or drums that sound like y you're going to be compared to someone else's 'sound'.