References From Clients And Exercises

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When it comes to making music or mixing, you sort of need to start somewhere and to get inspired by others if often a good way to get started. There’s a lot of misconception on how to use references. While I covered that in a past article, I thought I’d go deeper on the topic. 

 

While there’s no right or wrong way to use references, I often use references for one thing in it. It can be a sound that intrigues me, a type of sequence, rhythm or concept that tickles my brain into trying to reverse engineer it. While I can most of the time understand what is going on, it doesn’t mean I can reproduce it as is. Some clients that I coach became really good at reproducing what they hear, sometimes with my help or not.

 

But the idea is to try something out and be open to where that will bring you next.

 

While I do a lot of production from clients, sometimes people wonder what others are into, who are the artists to follow but also, who are the artists that I personally follow for my own inspiration.

 

Many times, I have clients who start an idea based on a reference but they struggle to get it “right” as they want. I give here a few things to check first in order to get things started properly (in other words, this is where clients fail).

 

Load your reference song in Ableton (or other DAW) and you may solo it at first to be able to compare it to your project. I would advise to lower the volume of your reference as it may be mastered while yours isn’t.

 

There are a few initial points to consider:

 

  1. The tone: Use either an FFT analyzer (SPAN from Voxengo is free or Fabfilter ProQ3) on the master to see if the tone is similar. Is the curve similar or different from you

 

  1. Root Key/Scale: You can use a Key detector on your reference to see what is the root key and scale, then check if yours is set properly. While you don’t need to have the same as your reference, some clients don’t realize that their different elements are not in the same key. This will often translate with the feeling that the song doesn’t feel one or perhaps, that is sounds off. Note that it might sound off if you were overexposed and then you got used to it but for a fresh pair of ears, it might be awkward sounding.

 

  1. Speed and rhythm: Find the BPM of your reference and try to match it to yours. What is the time signature.

 

Lately I’ve been enjoying Decoda as a full analysis software. You can do so much with it as well as extract melodies in midi. I find it essential to work with demanding clients.

 

When it comes to artists my clients love the most, I compiled a few and will drop a few words why they are loved.

 

Ricardo Villalobos

Not a surprise here since he’s one of my favorite artists and a lot of people come to me know that I spent decades understanding his unorthodox style and can explain how certain of his songs are made. Love or hate him, that guy has certainly develop his own persona when it comes to production and his music composition is always opening new grounds to what you can do in music.

 

 

Things he has inspired us: 

 

  • Making super long tracks with more or less structure can be fun.
  • Leaving your songs sloppy has a more human side.
  • Combining really weird sounds all together can work if you keep some elements one can refer to.
  • Not afraid to sample obscure records as the main idea of his songs.

 

Ricardo is known to have a huge collection of modular synths but compared to many people who have a lot, he records new tests weekly so you can see the wide array of his tools. 

 

Exercises related to studying to his music:

 

– Use VCV to try the modular thinking he use and randomize some elements for madness.

– Polyrhythms are the key here with uneven time signature. Also look into Euclidean rhythms.

– Ric uses a lot of granular synthesis on percussion instruments or synths.

 

Vid

 

 

This is another that is often referred to as a reference. People love the simplicity and yet complex songs he makes. As opposed to Villalobos, his songs are quite polished and organized.

 

Things he has inspired us: 

 

  • Atmospheric techno is quite fun to make and is both exciting, while meditative.
  • Lush pads over field recordings are hypnotizing.
  • Dark tone gives a more mysterious vibe.

 

Exercises related to studying to his music:

 

  • Collect field recordings and ambient space sounds such as a restaurant or a church inside.
  • Grooves and beats that are groovy are worth being studied and I often recommend looking into pre-made loops and then copycat them. Removing a lot of the sustain of percussion to keep them short really helps having a minimal house feel.
  • He often doesn’t have bright elements and keeping sounds low will give a mysterious vibe.

 

Pablo Bolivar (Or Dub Techno)

 

Since I have a long background in dub techno, I get a lot of questions on how those pads are made. While it is not necessarily complicated, it still needs a bit of tweaking because what makes the dub techno pads captivating is the always moving side of them. That is coming from modulation or automation. Pablo does a great job of picking some nice sounds, pads and beautiful, lush melodies which makes him a reference for a lot of clients.

 

Things he has inspired us: 

  • A lot of classic dub techno has a 1 or 2 notes melodies, going full on minimal. Pablo brings in simple melodies but more complex than 2 notes which gives it memorable moments. 
  • Super clean production and mixes. Nothing unnecessary is ever added.
  • Just like Vid, his approach to have dynamic ambient makes it enjoyable for relaxation or dancing.

 

Exercises related to studying to his music:

 

  • Use a key root with a minor scale. Minor chords as well to complement the melody. Most of his melodies are 4-5 notes maximum. Consider doing chord progressions.
  • Use field recordings to complement the melodies.
  • Percussion are fairly straightforward here and repetitive. It does a fine job.

 

J Dilla

I wouldn’t say that anyone contacted me to make music exactly like him but I do have some clients into lofi hip hop, which in my opinion, is a derivative from J Dilla. He’s from the MPC generation where people would sample records and then play with it. His album “Donuts” is considered an innovative album for hip hop and is worth listening to it.

 

Things he has inspired us: 

 

  • Sampling blatantly and being bold about it. Sample some music from any source and use short notes of it, either to make your hook or to put an accent on whatever is happening. 
  • Go short. Learn to make songs that are under 3 minutes long. A challenge for techno but for electronic music, it’s an exercise that forces you to be straight to the point.
  • Exaggerate on swing for your percussion. Try to push it to the max to see what happens. 

 

Exercises related to studying to his music:

 

  • As stated above, those learning are also things to try. But I would recommend digging some records at a second hand shop and sample obscure parts.
  • Use a midi controller like the PUSH or with pads and try to manually punch in your beats.
  • Within a clip, play with the warp points to create weird stretches and elastic beats.
  • Slice up beats and reprogram them into a new patterns.

 

Fred Again

I’ve lost interest in pop music years ago and commercial electronic music has always been something I stay away from. But Fred Again has been impressing me for how he makes music and of course, for the end results. The thing about his music is that it’s basically the typical approach from any commercial, standard structure music that is made and good tastes is what matters here.

 

This means understanding chord progressions and working with key/scale is going to be the main focus. Using plugins like Captain Plugins suite will make a huge difference unless you have a lot of patience to learn music theory.

 

There are no shortcuts to this kind of music. But the tools you can use will make it easier.

 

His recent album with Brian Eno is what made me appreciate him. 

 

Daft Punk

 

I’ve been following the pair from 1995 until their separation. I don’t think there’s been many music acts that had the impact over their career like these guys did. It’s mostly due to their desire to innovate but also to take ideas that work really well and pull out some solid ideas to give it a new twist. 

 

In a past article, I was stating that there are 2 main modes when it comes to working on a project: you might want to repeat an idea you love from a song or artists vs you might want to innovate something from what you do.

 

The things I’ve learned from working with clients who want to get inspiration from them are mostly about, once more, digging for samples and then play with them. It’s sort of like what we covered from Dilla, but with a faster pace and 4/4 time signature. There was a point where the French Touch house/disco was all rage. That music was about using a sample with heavy filtering and the classic pumping/ducking effect. This technique is still used nowadays but with a bit more control where you perceive it less.

 

Besides filtering, some notable effects they use that you can explore today: Bit crushing, tape saturation, vocoder, heavy chorus/phaser. They also love a good 909 kit.

 

And to finish up, who are my personal references?

 

Ada Kaleh, Gigi Masin, Jan Jelinek, Rhythm and Sound, Vladislav Delay, Ricardo Villalobos, Matt Dear, Lawrence… but way too many to name.

 

Applying Da Vinci Principles to Music Coaching

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As you already know (well I hope, at this point), one of my speciality is to work with young or veteran music producers and remove struggles so they can create freely. Recently I’ve been studying how Leonardo Da Vinci was learning and creating, so I saw a crossover to what I do. After all, each song we make is basically a creation in itself, an innovation and a prototype for future project of ours. If it’s not already, I invite you right away to think of each song you make as a step taken in a direction that will lead you to greater things.

Leonardo da Vinci, mastered the art of innovation and interdisciplinary thinking, modern musicians and producers can draw inspiration from his principles to unlock their potential in the realm of music production. In this blog post, we will delve into each of the seven principles from the book “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci” and explore how they can be skillfully applied to music production, enabling you to become a true maestro in your craft. If you’re seeking to enhance your music coaching journey, embrace these principles as guiding stars to navigate the musical cosmos.

 

Curiosità – Embrace Musical Diversity

 

Leonardo da Vinci’s insatiable curiosity fueled his passion for knowledge and exploration. As a musician and producer, nurturing curiosità involves delving into various musical genres, styles, and cultures. Too often, as a producer, we get obsessed by a genre, a song, an artist and we focus on it for a while, forgetting anything else. Sometimes, the answers to our questions and inspiration pitfalls come from another unexpected source.

Break free from creative boundaries and venture into new territories to experiment with new sounds and musical elements. Diving in genres you dislike, switching to past eras of time, exploring the roots of another country are good places to look into. Drum and Bass took loops from funk. Hip hop samples jazz, while dub techno is inspired by reggae, which has roots in old African music. All genres taps into another culture and this means you can softly break rules by doing the same, whatever genre you’re doing.

TIP for inspiration: Find a genre to explore, pick any song and isolate an instrumental moment where you can hear the main melody then convert it to midi in Ableton.

 

Attend music festivals, workshops, pay attention to street artists and listen to a wide array of musicians from different backgrounds. Learn who inspired your heroes such as Villalobos’ love for Keith Jarrett. This diverse exposure will not only enrich your musical palette but also infuse your productions with unique flavours.

Dimostrazione – Hands-on Learning and Experimentation

 

Da Vinci’s approach to learning through practical experience resonates with music production. Aspiring producers should engage in hands-on experimentation with different instruments, digital audio workstations (DAWs), and audio effects. There is different projects one can do such as DIY reverb units, foley ideas or simply recording percussion out of anything at home.

A fact that I share to clients all the time: practice, practice, practice and make mistakes.

Practice creating diverse arrangements, experiment with modulation and synthesis, and explore various mixing techniques. By consistently practicing dimostrazione, you’ll build a deeper understanding of music production that theory alone can never provide.

TIP: I am curating a Youtube list of experiments you can try. That list is growing everyday and is filled with ideas to try.

Sensazione – Developing a Keen Ear and sharp vision

 

Sensazione refers to the sharpening of one’s senses, and for a musician, this means cultivating a keen ear for music. Train yourself to listen actively to various musical compositions, both old and new. Pay attention to the nuances of melodies, harmonies, rhythm patterns, and the subtle production details that make each piece unique. Regularly practicing ear training exercises will help you identify and appreciate intricate musical elements, allowing you to apply them creatively in your own productions.

 

TIP: Write some few notes and test all music scales to see how it sounds for you. Try all different chords as well. Spending time to know them will help later to understand melodies.

 

While we know music is about the hearing and that ear training is important, I also encourage to train your eyes as well. One thing I disliked when I used to work in a music school was that all teachers were telling students to only rely on their ears and from what I was seeing, that tip was frustrating for them. This is why I tell people to first learn to trust your eyes when you use sound analyzers and then train your ears to make the link with what you see.

As we work with visual tools such as a DAW, training yourself to know what happens when you click here and there or where to find your tools comes with practice but the visual organization is essential for speed. The faster you are with your tools, the more you’ll be in the flow when you think of an idea and want to execute it. This speed and understanding can only happen with practice… yes, once more and now you know it. I notice that even for myself, if I skip a few days of not practicing, I forget some ideas I have.

One thing I invite you to do is to learn and practice critical listening. That skill is extremely important for whatever you want to achieve and you’ll thank me later.

 

Sfumato – Embracing Musical Ambiguity

 

In the realm of music production, Sfumato encourages you to embrace ambiguity and uncertainty. This is where many producers struggle but also, the average listener. In the psychology of music listening, people can be on various modes. One is about listening to a song to reconnect with the mood, emotion, idea because of the emotional craving of having the song inducing that. An other is about discovering something new. Even when someone is open to listening to something new, they’ll have a bunch of personal filters that will make them decide if they like it or not: sounds used, tones, density, speed, scale, etc. If you come with expectations, you’ll most likely be not enjoying it.

Understanding that your listener has it’s own personal story once they listen to your creation will help you understand how you want them to hear it. Finding the right balance of ambiguity is the key to educate your listeners to be able to deal with more.

 

Music is an art form where unexpected twists and creative risks often lead to remarkable breakthroughs. Allow yourself to explore unconventional chord progressions, atypical song structures, and unorthodox sound combinations. Question what others tell you that you can’t do. Of course, some technicalities are essentials but if it’s purely arbitrary and personal tastes, it might be worth exploring the why behind anyone’s discomfort. Embracing the uncertainty will open doors to uncharted musical territories and give your productions a distinct, avant-garde charm.

But uncertainty is also the path of the musician. We don’t know if people will like our music, we don’t know if what we do will be understood, what kind of reaction it will bring us and ultimately, open or slow down our ascension as an artist. To develop ambiguity endurance is a good investment.

 

TIP: Consider that there are so many songs that have technical imperfections that eventually became seen as a risk, that they set the path to new standards. Accepting ambiguity means to accept imperfection, which is hard for perfectionists.

 

Arte/Scienza – Balancing Artistic Vision with Technical Expertise

Leonardo da Vinci famously harmonized art and science, a practice that resonates with music production, especially in electronic music. I firmly believe if he was around, he’d certainly be interested in how electronics can mimic sounds. Balancing your artistic vision with technical expertise is essential for achieving a polished and professional sound. While artistic expression fuels creativity, understanding the technical aspects of audio engineering, mastering, and sound design empowers you to bring your musical ideas to life with precision and finesse.

Some classes, courses and technical knowledge you could look into that would be beneficial could:

  • Studying computer science. I often say that if you’re computer challenged, it will be a hurdle to make electronic music for all the technology needs behind it. Studying how your computer works, hard drive, files management, hardware optimisation and also, coding, will definitely help in one way or another, especially if you have to troubleshoot.
  • Signal flow. Understanding the basics of sound with phase, polarity but also basics as what is loudness, how speakers/monitors work will help. You don’t need to study engineering in itself. But if there’s one concept I find essential, it’s gain staging. Especially for DJs, since so many are completely clueless on how to use a DJ mixer properly, which leads them to misunderstand how music is made. This would also cover bits and sample rate, two concepts essential for basic quality upgrade of your music.
  • Music theory. Maybe not that much needed as one can go a long way with little knowledge but to know the basics will certainly help.
  • Computer logic. If you’re not familiar with Boolean maths, logic (If, Then, etc), I would encourage you to look into it.
  • Sound synthesis. Looking into envelopes, LFOs, MIDI, signal rate, etc. There’s a lot to learn but getting the base will help you across many tools you’ll use because those ideas are general and used across many plugins, synths.

If you want to break rules, you need to understand them first. It will be also useful to be able to criticize all the misleading feedback you’ll read online.

 

Corporalità – Nurturing Physical and Mental Well-being

In the fast-paced world of music production, it’s vital to prioritize your physical and mental well-being. Long hours in the studio can take a toll on your health and creativity. Make time for regular physical exercise, meditation, and activities that rejuvenate your mind. A clear and focused mind leads to enhanced creativity, allowing you to channel your emotions effectively into your musical compositions.

Over the past 30 years, the rave scene and electronic music world has built a lot of glorification upon drugs consumption and many artists received royal treatment for how poorly they’ve treated their body. While I value the importance to celebrate and do experiment, I also think that all the self care possible will do justice on the long run. If your art needs years to be recognized but your health won’t let you see it, then you’re failing your success.

In my case, I see how running, doing workouts and lots of yoga has paid off. The days where I run 10km are extremely productive and more creative than any evenings I spend partying and trying to accomplish something. Finding the balance helps much. I’m happy that in the last few years, there are more importance for healthy lifestyles and I totally see the point of that.

TIP: Learn to spot inner tensions when making music which should be a cue that you need to stop, go for a walk to think about whatever is happening and then come back.

Connessione – Uniting Musical Elements

Finally, embrace Connessione, Leonardo’s principle of recognizing interconnectedness. Music production involves various elements like melody, harmony, rhythm, and texture. Learn to see the bigger picture and identify how each component contributes to the whole. Effortlessly blend diverse musical influences and genres, making your productions a testament to the beauty of unity within diversity.

One exercise I’m doing much these days is to listen to melodies in any song and then pay attention if the notes are going up or down, what is the pattern. Then I pay attention to the rhythms of those notes and see if they come at the same time or not. That kind of attention is a way to observe how music is made across genres in order to see how I can create my own melodies. Any notes can then be applied to my music, maybe also reversed engineered in modular terms, such as a way to use an LFO to create regular melodies.

 

 

As you embark on your music production journey, channel your inner Leonardo da Vinci and embrace his timeless principles. Cultivate curiosity, experiment boldly, and listen attentively to the musical world around you. Embrace ambiguity, balance artistry with technicality, and prioritize your well-being. Recognize the interconnectedness of musical elements, blending diverse influences into your unique compositions. By applying “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci” to music production, you’ll unleash your creative genius and pave the way for a remarkable musical legacy.

The Importance of Practicing Ambient and Experimental Music

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In the vast realm of music creation, there lies an uncharted territory where boundaries are blurred, and sonic landscapes become a canvas for exploration. It is in this genre that experimental music and ambient scores find their essence, sometimes blurring the lines on which is which. These forms of music not only push the boundaries of traditional music-making but also serve as a gateway to developing skills in narrativity within musical compositions, because each song defines its own rules. 

If you’ve been following my music career or read this blog, you know that exploring and breaking the norm is an important value for me.After making music for years, I have hit some walls of frustration. Each time, it was the feeling of having the impression I had seen it all, said it all. How much can one reinvent himself within a genre?

If music is about having fun, the idea of making the same song over and over felt alienating. Exploring the techniques behind making ambient and diving in experimental helped a lot with any desire to evolve, grow.

 

 

Ambient or Experimental Music

 

To understand the significance of ambient and experimental music, it is crucial to unravel their origins and intentions. Ambient music, pioneered by visionaries such as Brian Eno and Tangerine Dream, sought to divert the focus from conventional patterns to approach music as a tool to set moods. Music becomes then a tool, a tapestry. Ambient music invites listeners to listen, attentively or not, to music that has or not, a destination or goal. By embracing ambient compositions, music creators develop a keen sense of space, dynamics, and the art of capturing evolutive ideas.

Understanding how to make ambient music opens up many opportunities for any other genres you wish to make. Especially for dance floor music, if you remove rhythmical parts, you’re left with ambient music.

 

Ambient music is intended to induce calm and a space to think,” Eno elaborated in the record’s liner notes. “It must be able to accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular. It must be as ignorable as it is interesting.” Brian Eno

 

On the other hand, experimental music emerged from the roots of musique concrète, a genre that pushes exploring techniques and boundaries. The experimental approach to music-making involves understanding the boundaries and rules of a genre, its traditional structures, inviting artists to push the limits of their tools and venture into proposing a new approach. It encourages musicians to question the norm, embrace the unpredictable, and find harmony in chaos. In this ever-evolving landscape, experimental music fosters an environment that encourages innovation and unearths new possibilities.

If you have been working on the same genre for a while, you are totally ready for exploring experimental music. Composing without a goal else than breaking your routines is where I’d encourage you to start.

Since a lot of music that succeeds into being recognize often involves revisiting an idea, it often starts with the artists breaking rules while keeping a base. The same-same but different is a good way of describing it. What I often see as experimental music are all these attempts at taking risks, without filters. There is no right or wrong. If you are trying something new, you’re on the right path.

 

There are different axis of exploration:

    • Deconstruct arrangements or review the patterns. If a genre has a specific percussive pattern, try to move the beats around.
    • Using tools in a way they weren’t originally designed.
    • Taking an idea and shuffling it around to see all its possibilities.
    • Learn about generative techniques for music making. This can be done in Ableton Live and VCV, but also in Bitwig.
    • Spend time in the nature and listen to the sounds as they come. I love listening to bird songs and try to understand the pattern and sound design of their singing. I sometimes record them and use them in Ableton as a sequencer.

 

“Sound is the vocabulary of nature. The moment at which music reveals its true nature is contained in the ancient exercise of the theme with variations. The complete mystery of music is explained right there.” Pierre Schaeffer

 

Brian Eno made a deck of card named “Oblique Strategies” in which you pull a card to get some random inspiration or solution facing an issue. I find that it is a tool to explore and you can use an online version here.

Connecting Unrelated Concepts

 

One of the most compelling aspects of experimental music and ambient scores lies in their ability to connect unrelated concepts, looking beyond music for inspiration. Just as Rick Ruben’s book suggests, the exercise of connecting unrelated concepts can ignite an unexpected starting points. By drawing inspiration from various music genres, as well as other art forms such as visual art, literature, or film, musicians can infuse their compositions with a sense of depth and uniqueness.

Some suggestions:

  • Take a scene of a movie and put sounds over it, then keep only the audio. The images will guide the arrangements.
  • Read a book, pay attention to the story and imagine a sound track for it.
  • Get inspired from architecture. See how the importance of maths plays a crucial role in the structure of a structure. As you know, music is math and perhaps you can apply some observations to your music.
  • Learn to dance. I’ve followed so many dance classes in my life and when I get to move, it makes me understand the experience of the dan

 

Translating ideas from different domains into musical elements can yield astonishing results. For instance, by borrowing the tonal color palette from a painting, a musician can evoke specific emotions or create vivid sounds while darker colors can evoke deeper, lower tones. Similarly, incorporating elements of storytelling into musical compositions adds a narrative dimension that captivates listeners. By embracing this approach, artists can craft soundscapes that transport audiences on transformative journeys, blurring the line between music and storytelling.

 

Beat Making Revised

 

Electronic music often places emphasis on rhythm and beat making. However, by honing one’s skills in ambient and melodic composition, musicians can develop a strong core foundation that seamlessly integrates with rhythmic elements. Ambient music and experimental scores allow creators to focus on constructing melodies, exploring harmonic progressions, and crafting intricate sound design. These core strengths, when mastered, provide a solid platform upon which rhythmic elements can effortlessly blend and thrive.

One way that I love to work is to generate ideas, scores and random melodic moments which will then be material to use within sessions where I make beats. In other words, I often divide my music sessions into two categories:

  • Melodic content, hooks, sampling. Finding ideas and generating some. Arranging random ideas into one coherent hook.
  • Beats, beats, beats. Work on creating grooves, beats, sound design, complex or simple loops.

And then, two more categories:

  • Innovate. Try to invent new ideas.
  • Imitate. Try to emulate or reproduce ideas I love in other’s music.

 

Experimentation within ambient and experimental music opens doors to unexpected discoveries. Those experiments can be happening by multiple ways such as finding new free tools, new Youtube tutorials about genres or techniques that we haven’t explored yet or by simply exploring randomization within Ableton. By breaking away from conventional rhythmic patterns and exploring sounds that might be unsettling, musicians can unlock new possibilities for beat-making that take a step out of the comfort zone. 

 

TIP: I find that once you have sequences, you can then slice it in detail and then rearrange it to taste.

 

As music creators, it is vital to embrace the vast realm of experimental music and ambient scores, for they offer unparalleled opportunities for personal and artistic growth. By immersing ourselves in the sonic landscapes that these genres provide, we gain a profound understanding of space, atmosphere, and the delicate interplay between elements. Furthermore, by connecting unrelated concepts and drawing inspiration from diverse sources, we infuse our compositions with a richness and depth that transcends traditional boundaries.

 

In the realm of electronic music, where rhythm often takes precedence, developing core strengths in ambient and melodic composition lays the foundation for seamless integration with beat making. By engaging in experimental music-making, we unlock our true creative potential and embark on a journey of self-discovery, innovation, and boundless imagination.

So, let us venture forth into the realm of experimental music and ambient scores, where the uncharted territories of creativity await, ready to be explored, experienced, and shared with the world.

 

Lessons Learnt After Years Of Making Music

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I had multiple discussions with clients, friends or other musicians about how things have gone over a span of 20+ years. For people who have been interested in music making, they sometimes find the first few years to be a bit challenging and wonder how it is like when one gains experience, as if it gets easier.

 

The truth, which is my experience shared with many peers, is a bit unsettling for certain people because I like to say that it is a bit like parenting. It doesn’t necessarily get easier with time but there are constant challenges at first that get easier later on, while new issues will appear. This means that through the development of a musician, you go through stages where you aim to resolve some issues which open doors to more issues you didn’t even know existed.

 

In other words, when you know less, you also have to deal with less issues because you ignore them and just work your way through.  When I hear my son listening to some random songs he loves on Spotify, made by obvious amateurs, I can tell that this was made without any knowledge but the average listener doesn’t know that as well.

 

Through the years, there are a multitude of facts I compiled that I want to share with you. These are just factual understandings having success, failure, struggles and victories, both from myself and seeing it in others. This is the main difference between a young producer and someone with experience: time teaches you some hard truths.

 

Fact: The Advantages of Limited Knowledge Are Real

 

I remember sitting in front of my newly acquired gear. Going to this synth store, I went a bit crazy. I bought a lot of gear without knowing anything about them. Then I went home and struggled to connect everything properly but I started playing with them.

 

Everything was exciting. Everything sounded awesome. I felt pure joy as I didn’t know what I was doing but it was just really fun. I had no idea what I was doing and I would just try to control what came out of them. There was no Youtube to give me instructions and I’ve never been attracted to read manuals. It was all about trial and error.

 

What I see is that when you know less, things appear easy and that can give you a lot of energy. I’ve seen people really new at music making and creating a hit. Then, they never were able to really do any more music. The fresh start is sometimes very easy but then as you try to get better, you learn more, realize your mistakes, buy proper gear to then realize you just complicated your workflow. The curve to get in the flow is then harder.

 

Things get complicated when you build expectations or compare yourself.

 

TIP: I always recommend newcomers to try to play with sounds instead of aiming at making songs.

 

TIP 2: Use less to maximize your flow state and idea making.

 

Fact: Growth through Practice, Not Gear

 

One of the challenges a producer with a bit of experience will face is to fall in the trap that they need the perfect conditions to be inspired, productive or successful. This is the root of procrastination and writer’s block. People who buy too much stuff while not practicing usually don’t get anything done.

 

If you want to be good at music production, make it the central part of your life. Make room to practice everyday, listen to tons of music, search for nice samples, recordings, ideas and spend a lot of time learning your tools before acquiring anything else. Build vocabulary of the sounds you like, tools you use and recognize what you hear in other’s songs.

 

If you have Ableton Live, you already have everything you need. Just go and start new ideas, everyday, all the time and follow what you absolutely love doing. If you practice what you love doing, you’ll become a master in that field. You don’t need to be able to do everything yourself, all at once.

 

Fact: Completing a Song Does Not Guarantee a Release

 

Imagine we compare music to pictures. Are all your pictures on your smartphone deserving to be published in a book?

 

If you finish a song, the hard truth is, it will interest only a number of people and from those, a handful will be interested in paying to listen to it. But we’re so flooded with music daily that we pick carefully what we want to invest in.

 

This means that the more music you do, that you finish, the more it will get “better” and that more people will be interested in it. The more you make music to be published or please others, the further you’ll be from who you are.

 

Does this mean it’s not worth finishing music?

 

No. It’s important that you go through what you do just like you fully cook a meal.

 

TIP: Adopt the idea that whatever you do, is important to yourself only. Share humbly to the right people.

 

Note: I’d add also that releasing a song doesn’t mean you’ll get success.

 

Fact: Validation-Seeking Can Lead to Misleading Feedback

 

This is a HUGE portion of the people who roam on production forums, Facebook groups and any online debate. Their logic is often a sum of multiple reads, some personal experiences and they’re searching for answers but will also share some of their views, imposing it as a fact.

 

I’m very picky of who I trust when it comes to getting things explained. Anything non-technical is always a gray zone. One’s story might be true for herself but maybe not you.

 

When I’m being explained something, I don’t apply what’s said. I try to understand it, by its logic and then test. I’m very allergic to whoever tells me that music should be done in a specific way or not. Feedback on my music is always about technical, and neutral points. If I want one’s appreciation, I will ask directly and also pick the people to share.

 

TIP: Useful information comes when you ask the right questions.

 

Fact: Solid Ideas Outlast Solid Production

 

This one will be controversial I think but I’m pretty firm on that point. Just to prove my point, I can tell you that any ear-worm ideas will stick to your mind for days but a very nice snare/kick, not really. 

 

You don’t remember nice production compared to a 4 seconds catchy hook, but it does create a nice impression. I sadly see a lot of shit ideas being hidden by impeccable production. It makes you swallow the poor idea but it won’t age well. I’ve heard incredible hooks with a shit production and honestly, sometimes it tricks your brain that the poor technical approach was intentional. 

 

This is how some lofi production got big because I think that some were initially made by people who didn’t know what they were doing. But then they’re emulated and copied. When I see people trying to make music sound like in the 90’s, they don’t understand that back then, we were frustrated by our limitations and we were trying to sound futuristic.

 

Acid house was minimalist because people only had a budget for an 808 and a 303. 

 

Finding good hooks is a mixture of luck and experimentation, curiosity and openness.

 

TIP: Whatever stage of music making you’re in at the moment is enough. If you accept your limitations, you’ll be able to achieve more than you think.

 

Fact: The Power of Networking and Community Is a Game Changer

 

You can be the best music producer but if you have no community to support it or a network to share it, there are a lot of possibilities that your music will never be heard. This is something that I discussed much in this blog but the importance of knowing the right people will lead you to opportunities that your music alone.

There’s this myth that if you do the perfect song, all the doors will open in front of you. That’s not something I’ve seen, ever. There’s way more amazing songs that were never published because of the artist’s lack of contacts.

 

Fact: Success, Cycles, and Breaking Free from Illusory Competition

 

Chasing success is something we all deal with at one point or another. Seeing others succeed might trigger the feeling that we’re not on the right track, that we missed something important, that we also deserve the same (for whatever silly reason). What we define as success is very personal. There are different types of successes and if we chase them all, we will always feel like we’re missing something.

 

The different types of success associated with music production could be organized in different spheres. Some people see it in who they work with, some into their social accountability, who they release with, number of sales, bookings, etc.

 

If you persist in what you do, you’ll go through ups and downs, just like anyone else. You can’t always be at the top of your game or always present in media/social circles. One’s success doesn’t leave you in their shadow. It might actually open doors for you if you go along with it.

 

TIP: No one is stealing attention/gigs/success from you. The only person you’re in competition with is yourself and that is a choice.

 

 

Fact: The Elusive Nature of Hit Songs

 

I remember attending a panel at Ableton’s LOOP gathering with Young Guru who is a famous producer from LA. He shared his view on what is a hit and I totally agree with him. 

 

“A hit is a song that is hitting the right idea, at the right time and picked up by the right people.”

 

One doesn’t control if his song is a hit or not. The minute you understand that this is out of your control, it can be both making you feel free or depressed. If you chase success and want to make hits, it might sound discouraging because you’ll understand it is like a lottery. It really is.

 

But it can also set you free. Creating with a goal as an absolute is often creating large blind spots where you miss out on beautiful results you’ll discard as you’re focused on something you don’t control.

 

The day you’ll make a hit, it’s possible that you might not even know it. It just happens, or not. You don’t have control over it. But the more you chase making successful songs, you might end up down the perfectionist path.

 

The journey of a musician encompasses challenges, failures, triumphs, and personal growth. Through my own experiences and observations, I’ve shared several factual understandings about success, limitations, creativity, and community. Embrace the joy of exploration, persevere through practice, and remember that your music’s impact goes beyond commercial success. Seek genuine feedback, prioritize solid ideas over flawless production, and build meaningful connections within the music community. Success may not be constant, but the fulfillment lies in the pursuit of artistic expression and the continuous evolution of your craft.