How can I produce music without the thought of impressing someone or for the sake of fame?
-
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 241 posts since 15 May, 2012
Hey,
I have produced music on and off for about 10 years. But most often when I get a good idea down and I feel it has potential to be a great song, my mind turns into perfectionist mode with thoughts of impressing others with my music, comparing the songs against other similar songs or simply for the sake of fame.
I do music for fun and I enjoy every minute of it. But these thoughts pop in every time I make music and then I fall into a perfectinist trap where I have to perfect every small details until i'm satisfied.
Tips?
I have produced music on and off for about 10 years. But most often when I get a good idea down and I feel it has potential to be a great song, my mind turns into perfectionist mode with thoughts of impressing others with my music, comparing the songs against other similar songs or simply for the sake of fame.
I do music for fun and I enjoy every minute of it. But these thoughts pop in every time I make music and then I fall into a perfectinist trap where I have to perfect every small details until i'm satisfied.
Tips?
-
- addled muppet weed
- 105553 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
-
el-bo (formerly ebow) el-bo (formerly ebow) https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=208007
- KVRAF
- 16368 posts since 24 May, 2009 from A galaxy, far far away
If you are not satisfied without perfecting every small detail then why would you not do so?
Some people throw stuff together and are happy with the results, while others need to sculpt every last detail until they feel it is right. No different to other forms of art where some painters are happy to slap, daub or literally throw paint at the walls, while others have a far more exacting style.
Neither way is incorrect, and a lot of it depends on genre as to how far down the rabbit-hole you can go. Also, if you are just putting something out as an acoustic jam or modular synth jam, then it is unlikely to call for much polishing, if any at all.
Personally, I have spent far too much time having to excuse all of the things I don't like about my music. I have the option to just throw stuff out, and let go of my misgivings about the results, or ensure that I never let anything 'out' until it is the best I can do at that moment in time. In the end, I am resigned to never putting anything out again unless I feel that it matches my expectations going in.
Again! Neither way is incorrect, and there is no judgement against people who have different approaches.
Ultimately, If you get joy from the process of making the music to the potential you feel it has, then just keep going. Maybe look to other artists that have that same meticulous process. Here are some examples that really exemplify that precision. Every tiny click is exactly where it is supposed to be:
BT - Somnambulist
This song holds the Guinness World Record for most vocal edits in a single recording. It has 6,178 edits all done completely by hand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iFizEkfEAQ
The acapella version:
https://soundcloud.com/bt/bt-somnambulist-simply-being
edIT - Ants
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j81fYZVvFh4
Trifonic - Parks On Fire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4R1nl_UbSk
Amen Tobin - Journeyman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se7w6pqBBxg
Another artist that just blows me away is Imogen Heap. All of her albums are available as deluxe versions that contain the original versions, along with the instrumentals. Becoming familiar with the songs and then listening to the amount of detail that goes into the music is a real education in arrangement, and how using delicate hints and constant evolving of textures can really make a song so much more interesting. That she engineers, and produces it all in her home studio makes it so much more of an incredible achievement, imo
Imogen Heap -- Goodnight and Go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk8EtvBnaJA
Instrumental version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbcntTBzBEU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui-DxSx8iek
-
lilmartianonthebeat lilmartianonthebeat https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=441297
- KVRer
- 12 posts since 20 May, 2019
The mental game of music shouldn't be underestimated.
I struggle with this as well - I try to trust my instincts and know when I should be creating and when I should be studying. You want to avoid normalizing self-doubt as part of your creative process. If not, at a certain point your brain will automatically get on a "self-doubt" train every time you sit down. Sometimes it's best to step away from creating, and just study. Check out a tutorial, read a book, transcribe some ideas from a favorite song.
Meditation and mindfulness can be helpful for quieting your negative thoughts. The concepts in Effortless Mastery https://www.amazon.com/Effortless-Maste ... 8&qid=&sr=can be applied to creating, I would definitely check it out!
I struggle with this as well - I try to trust my instincts and know when I should be creating and when I should be studying. You want to avoid normalizing self-doubt as part of your creative process. If not, at a certain point your brain will automatically get on a "self-doubt" train every time you sit down. Sometimes it's best to step away from creating, and just study. Check out a tutorial, read a book, transcribe some ideas from a favorite song.
Meditation and mindfulness can be helpful for quieting your negative thoughts. The concepts in Effortless Mastery https://www.amazon.com/Effortless-Maste ... 8&qid=&sr=can be applied to creating, I would definitely check it out!
not really a martian - not really from here. tryin to learn everything I can about how humans make music.
FL20 and Live 10
FL20 and Live 10
-
- KVRAF
- 2275 posts since 20 Dec, 2002 from The Benighted States of Trumpistan
Make music when under the influence of the substance of your choice: you'll either be having too much fun, or be too disoriented, to care.
For a longer-term solution, pay close attention to who you become when such concerns control you, and decide if you really want to be that person. You may find that being that person helps you achieve your goals, or you may find that you hate that person. Either way, it'll give you the power to choose, and it'll be a hell of a lot faster than learning to laser focus your mind (which is itself invaluable -- just not relevant here).
For a longer-term solution, pay close attention to who you become when such concerns control you, and decide if you really want to be that person. You may find that being that person helps you achieve your goals, or you may find that you hate that person. Either way, it'll give you the power to choose, and it'll be a hell of a lot faster than learning to laser focus your mind (which is itself invaluable -- just not relevant here).
Wait... loot _then_ burn? D'oh!
-
Distorted Horizon Distorted Horizon https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=392076
- Banned
- 3882 posts since 17 Jan, 2017 from Planet of cats
Just do what I do. Make music that won't definitely impress anyone, and you don't even have to dream of becoming famous.. Makes you free from lots of stress
-
el-bo (formerly ebow) el-bo (formerly ebow) https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=208007
- KVRAF
- 16368 posts since 24 May, 2009 from A galaxy, far far away
Or maybe start three similar threads on the same day, and then not bother to respond to any of the answers
- KVRAF
- 4590 posts since 7 Jun, 2012 from Warsaw
Good thing BT got a chance to create Stutter Edit so we don't have to do it all by hand anymoreBT - Somnambulist
This song holds the Guinness World Record for most vocal edits in a single recording. It has 6,178 edits all done completely by hand.
Blog ------------- YouTube channel
Tricky-Loops wrote: (...)someone like Armin van Buuren who claims to make a track in half an hour and all his songs sound somewhat boring(...)
Tricky-Loops wrote: (...)someone like Armin van Buuren who claims to make a track in half an hour and all his songs sound somewhat boring(...)
-
- addled muppet weed
- 105553 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
maybe the fame got to himel-bo (formerly ebow) wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 5:53 pm Or maybe start three similar threads on the same day, and then not bother to respond to any of the answers
-
thecontrolcentre thecontrolcentre https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=76240
- KVRAF
- 35098 posts since 27 Jul, 2005 from the wilds of wanny
No photos!vurt wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 6:00 pmmaybe the fame got to himel-bo (formerly ebow) wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 5:53 pm Or maybe start three similar threads on the same day, and then not bother to respond to any of the answers
-
Distorted Horizon Distorted Horizon https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=392076
- Banned
- 3882 posts since 17 Jan, 2017 from Planet of cats
I'm impressedvurt wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 6:00 pmmaybe the fame got to himel-bo (formerly ebow) wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 5:53 pm Or maybe start three similar threads on the same day, and then not bother to respond to any of the answers
-
- KVRAF
- 2989 posts since 5 Nov, 2014
Ignore those thoughts, it's the only way to be happy, they will never stop and you will be always chasing that stupid carrot feeling you are never good enough, it's a rabbit hole, you will end up with suicide if you reach the end of that hole, but never the carrot.
-
- KVRian
- 1058 posts since 27 Apr, 2016
Or you could enjoy the sensation of satisfaction making it as perfect as you can do with the skills you have now. You can only do anything in the moment as well as you are skilled and equipped to.
Actually no other time really exists so do the best you can/want to now.
There is also happiness for some to know they did everything they could have done at the time they made a specific track.
Actually no other time really exists so do the best you can/want to now.
There is also happiness for some to know they did everything they could have done at the time they made a specific track.
-
- addled muppet weed
- 105553 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
indeed, all that exists is "now".Synthman2000 wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 6:57 pm
Actually no other time really exists so do the best you can/want to now.
anything else is imaginary
live in the moment.
its a gift.
that's why its called the present
-
- KVRAF
- 2989 posts since 5 Nov, 2014