10 Things I wish I knew when I started Music Production
25 Key keyboards are not playable for most keys, making getting one a waste of money and time. So I advice new people to get at least a 36 key, or maybe a 49 key if you can make the space. You won't have a problem reaching 2 full octaves for any key anymore!
There are more ways to make money than getting placements in music or music royalties. You can make merch, do tutorials, reviews, sound design, lessons, tour, selling beats to unknown artists, just to name a few.
It's quite common for music producers to state this narrative that "using loops is bad" and I think it's not whether or not you use loops, but how you use them. They are no different than drum samples, or even samples lifted from music, if you can flip them creatively into your music i think it makes it more special no matter where the source is from.
When you start producing music, it is very easy to get overwhelmed. There's so many different directions you can take the music, there's a ton of different devices, effects and instruments, this is without even getting into mixing and mastering aswell. I recommend focusing on either sampling or writing your own music first, you can learn both at once if you want, but its just another thing you are adding into the pile of mind tasks. Anything you can do to help you just focus on the music is great, this is one of many reasons we provide mixing and mastering services. We do the mixing and mastering so you don't have to worry about it!
Music theory and music theory tools are not scary, they are your friends. Understanding music theory can help take your music to the next level, you can go by ears, but you don't understand why things work aswell as someone with some decent theory under their belt. It can be scary to learn, because when you learn the basics you feel limited, but it's important to realize that they are just the basics and they aren't hard rules by any means.
You don't need much if any gear to start producing music. Especially if you are sampling, you could get away with using just a computer keyboard if you wanted for quite a while. I know I said earlier you will want a large keyboard, but that's moreso for if you want to not be limited while composiing chords in real time.
Make the music you want to, you aren't hear to please other people. Even if that is a byproduct of making the music you do. Please yourself first with your music, and it'll be easier to please other people with it.
You shouldn't expect support from your friends, this may sound a bit odd because usually friends support you through anything. But with music its different, people have very niche tastes, and your music may not scratch the itches that they like scratched in their brain. Even if they do like the same type of music, your music may not be there yet or if it is maybe they haven't heard it in the right setting yet, but don't get offended, they will most likely come around eventually.
Focusing on one genre will speed up your process to making successful finished music. If you don't really have genres or anything of the sort in mind, it's kind of like you're wandering in the woods. You don't know what you will find, or if what you will find will be good or finished. There's nothing wrong with wandering but if you can have some direction to your music, it's a lot easier to know if it's done.
One of the easiest things to do in this field is to overwork yourself. Make sure you take breaks, do the other things you want to do sometimes. The human mind craves dynamics and hates stagnation. I know this because I experienced a burnout a few years ago. It made me realize I just can't produce music when I don't want to. That's what I was doing, I would produce all day and all night even when I didn't want to, rain or shine, feeling great or sick, and it took its toll on me.
If these tips interest you, check out the full video below for more analysis and ideas.
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