๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ข๐จ๐ก๐
There are a lot of similarities between the journey to creating good music and the discovery of "your sound". It boils down to repetition and thoughtfulness.
This brings to mind one of my favorite quotes from the book "Art & Fear": "You make good work by (among other things) making lots of work that isnโt very good, and gradually weeding out the parts that arenโt good, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ง๐๐ฃโ๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง๐จ. Itโs called feedback, and itโs the most direct route to learning about your own vision. Itโs also calling doing your work. After all someone has to do your work, and youโre the closest person around."
๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ ๐ฃ๐ค ๐ฉ๐ง๐ช๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐. ๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐ช๐ฅ, ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ข๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ค๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐ข๐ช๐จ๐๐.
For that reason, I believe finding your sound is directly related to your musical output. ๐ฆ๐ผ ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ต ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐น๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ฎ ๐๐ป๐ถ๐พ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ?
โข Lead a healthy lifestyle, eat well, exercise regularly, get enough sleep.
โข Show up as much as possible without burning out.
โข Seek inspiration everywhere. Listen to a lot of music outside of your genre and outside of electronic music.
โข Develop good studio habits and treat the time as isolation: close your door, turn your WiFi and phone off, get locked in.
โข Try to build a routine to encourage flow state. This is obviously harder if youโve got a day job or family running your schedule, but try to mix things up, keep a journal, and see what makes a big change in your output. Maybe wake up early and produce before going to work?
โข Build good production habits so your workflow can become second nature. Understanding the fundamental tools and their use will eliminate second guessing.
โข Create a starting template with your favorite synths, drum racks, processing chains, etc. Note: itโs very easy to overdo this, resulting in limited creativityโthereโs definitely a balance thatโll help speed up creation when youโre in the zone.
โข Focus on the important things and donโt be afraid to scrap ideas and start over. Struggling to fix mixdown problems on a poorly arranged track, or obsessing over the sound design of a bad melodic idea is probably not the most effective use of time.
๐๐ป๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐, ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ณ๐๐น๐น ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐น:
The same way you might critically listen to a reference track (Iโll write a whole post on this), you should examine your own music. If one of your tracks got a lot of DJ support or gives you chills, maybe itโs worth doing a quick analysis on it, ranging from broad concepts to super specific things.
For ex: What about the arrangement made it super playable? How often did you add a new percussion element? How did you transition between sections? Was song centered around one single motif? Was it (regardless of intention) written in a musical mode? Does it look like A minor but the bass root is in D?
The list of takeaways can be endless, and you shouldnโt treat it as gospel or just write the same song again, but you can certainly leverage some ideas for the future. ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐บ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ด๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ, ๐๐ผ๐โ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฏ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ.
๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐น๐, ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ:
โข Reuse parts from older projects whether they were released or not. In Ableton you can add your root folder to the sidebar and drag individual tracks from any project into your current project. I do this all the time when trying to quickly bring good drums into a new track, or if I want to reuse a certain synth patch/processing chain. Itโll speed up your process and encourage the repeat use of certain sounds.
โข Save presets, audio effect racks, etc to be able to quickly reuse sounds and effects in new projects.
โข If you create a cool patch or idea but it doesnโt fit into your current track, bounce it to audio and save it in ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ. Over time youโll build up a library of your own sounds that you can reuse. I do this a lot when Iโm just jamming on my analog gear with no intention of writing a songโitโs basically a sample pack creative session. Some sounds Iโve made during these sessions have been used over and over again in many of my tracks (like a long mutating drone or a cool percussion hit).
Just like my last post, a big takeaway here is ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ. Show up, experiment, make some music, and gradually hone in on what feels the most "you" to you.
๐โ๐ฑ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ. ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ?
There are a lot of similarities between the journey to creating good music and the discovery of "your sound". It boils down to repetition and thoughtfulness.
This brings to mind one of my favorite quotes from the book "Art & Fear": "You make good work by (among other things) making lots of work that isnโt very good, and gradually weeding out the parts that arenโt good, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ง๐๐ฃโ๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง๐จ. Itโs called feedback, and itโs the most direct route to learning about your own vision. Itโs also calling doing your work. After all someone has to do your work, and youโre the closest person around."
๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ ๐ฃ๐ค ๐ฉ๐ง๐ช๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐. ๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐ช๐ฅ, ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ข๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ค๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐ข๐ช๐จ๐๐.
For that reason, I believe finding your sound is directly related to your musical output. ๐ฆ๐ผ ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ต ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐น๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ฎ ๐๐ป๐ถ๐พ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ?
โข Lead a healthy lifestyle, eat well, exercise regularly, get enough sleep.
โข Show up as much as possible without burning out.
โข Seek inspiration everywhere. Listen to a lot of music outside of your genre and outside of electronic music.
โข Develop good studio habits and treat the time as isolation: close your door, turn your WiFi and phone off, get locked in.
โข Try to build a routine to encourage flow state. This is obviously harder if youโve got a day job or family running your schedule, but try to mix things up, keep a journal, and see what makes a big change in your output. Maybe wake up early and produce before going to work?
โข Build good production habits so your workflow can become second nature. Understanding the fundamental tools and their use will eliminate second guessing.
โข Create a starting template with your favorite synths, drum racks, processing chains, etc. Note: itโs very easy to overdo this, resulting in limited creativityโthereโs definitely a balance thatโll help speed up creation when youโre in the zone.
โข Focus on the important things and donโt be afraid to scrap ideas and start over. Struggling to fix mixdown problems on a poorly arranged track, or obsessing over the sound design of a bad melodic idea is probably not the most effective use of time.
๐๐ป๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐, ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ณ๐๐น๐น ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐น:
The same way you might critically listen to a reference track (Iโll write a whole post on this), you should examine your own music. If one of your tracks got a lot of DJ support or gives you chills, maybe itโs worth doing a quick analysis on it, ranging from broad concepts to super specific things.
For ex: What about the arrangement made it super playable? How often did you add a new percussion element? How did you transition between sections? Was song centered around one single motif? Was it (regardless of intention) written in a musical mode? Does it look like A minor but the bass root is in D?
The list of takeaways can be endless, and you shouldnโt treat it as gospel or just write the same song again, but you can certainly leverage some ideas for the future. ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐บ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ด๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ, ๐๐ผ๐โ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฏ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ.
๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐น๐, ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ:
โข Reuse parts from older projects whether they were released or not. In Ableton you can add your root folder to the sidebar and drag individual tracks from any project into your current project. I do this all the time when trying to quickly bring good drums into a new track, or if I want to reuse a certain synth patch/processing chain. Itโll speed up your process and encourage the repeat use of certain sounds.
โข Save presets, audio effect racks, etc to be able to quickly reuse sounds and effects in new projects.
โข If you create a cool patch or idea but it doesnโt fit into your current track, bounce it to audio and save it in ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ. Over time youโll build up a library of your own sounds that you can reuse. I do this a lot when Iโm just jamming on my analog gear with no intention of writing a songโitโs basically a sample pack creative session. Some sounds Iโve made during these sessions have been used over and over again in many of my tracks (like a long mutating drone or a cool percussion hit).
Just like my last post, a big takeaway here is ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ. Show up, experiment, make some music, and gradually hone in on what feels the most "you" to you.
๐โ๐ฑ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ. ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ?
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