Production Techniques and getting to know people

This topic has 16 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 2 months ago by ,INVASION.

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- 2019-01-10 at 20:56:43 #63899
  
  ,iangcarter1995
  Participant
  
  Hi everyone,
  
  I’ve been a member for around 4 months now and never really made myself known on here. I’ve been producing for around 5 months but so far haven’t made anything i’m actually happy enough with to finish. I spend a lot of time messing around just like I bet a lot of you do but I feel at this point I should have actually made something i’m happy with.
  
  My biggest struggle would have to be with sound design. I know 5 months isn’t a lot of time when you’re just starting out making music but i’m just wondering how long some of you guys have been producing and how long it was before you actually put something out there? Big up!
- 2019-01-10 at 21:04:15 #63900
  
  ,JOPPA
  Participant
  
  hey man ive been producing for a while now about 10 yrs all together quit for 5 years then started up again it takes a while to figure out how things work.
  - 2019-01-11 at 15:24:10 #63946
    
    ,iangcarter1995
    Participant
    
    Yea man I know my way around my software and that but I just cant achieve the sound i’m looking for. I do put a lot of time in music and DNB has been there for me through some heavy times which gives me more motivation to work on tracks and i’m just hoping persistence pays off and soon I can get something out there.
- 2019-01-11 at 02:40:39 #63917
  
  ,colateraldnb
  Participant
  
  Easy mate,
  
  One bit of advice is to look at the previous thread for the Nymfo Q&A and send him your material. I’ve been producing for 9 years and stopped this year as I haven’t made anything I’m happy with and really struggle with self confidence. I sent him my tracks yesterday and he gave me some really good advice as to where I am lacking and where I should be focusing. Even said to keep firing him new projects I have.
  
  I put out 3 singles and 1 EP a few years back but it took me a long time before i did.
  
  Producing Drum and Bass is hard but keep at it! Use the resources here for feedback and reach out to producers offering feedback.
  
  Big ups
  
  Ant
  - 2019-01-11 at 15:30:13 #63947
    
    ,iangcarter1995
    Participant
    
    Nice 1 for the advice pal but so far I haven’t actually finished any projects to send ? I am gunna knuckle down this year and get some stuff out there cause this something I really inspire to do. Could you drop a link to your tunes so I can have a listen mate?
  - 2019-01-14 at 03:07:52 #64102
    
    ,colateraldnb
    Participant
    
    Still fire them over mate. It’s always good to get feedback from an established producer:)
    
    Here are some of my releases mate:
    
    https://m.soundcloud.com/flexoutaudio/colateral-toe-tagger-30-tracks-for-5
    
    https://m.soundcloud.com/flexoutaudio/colateral-underground-immunity-1
  - 2019-02-10 at 18:25:46 #67784
    
    ,Grade
    Participant
    
    YO..your releases are dope man!
- 2019-01-12 at 06:35:27 #63994
  
  ,shrike
  Participant
  
  Happy? At 5 months…?
  
  No. You won’t be. Not 5 months.
  
  I mean, I hope you’re having a little fun, it’s music and foremost it’s supposed to be fun. But when you start to really care about it? Yeah, you’re gonna hate everything you do for a minute.
  
  If you’ve seen 2-3 blips of you markedly getting better within 5 months then CONGRATS that is likely right where you should be.
  
  I’d say it’s another 8-24 mos before you consistently make things you don’t hate.
  
  What is the difference in those extremes? Your time in the chair. Period. Honest, no fuckaround work sessions that result in some kind of progress, and if possible I would recommend at least around 4 hours a day.
  
  It’s one of the loudest, most technical, sub-ridden nightmares of frequencies in the entire world of all musical genres, and it is hard as fuck to make to the point where you don’t hate it.
  
  Hell, if you don’t hate every snare you make&mix for the first 12 months then you’re probably doing it wrong.
  
  The good news? You’re in the right place, here at Sample Genie. Post WIPs, participate in monthly challenges (regardless of ability), ask questions, and share ideas. You will get better, every single day. If you can, aim for a clip a day (two if you’re feeling it), and make every single one of those as amazing as you can within the amount of time that you’ll give them. Eventually you will lift off.
  
  Guaranteed.
  
  _-| get to work |-_
  - 2019-01-12 at 06:43:03 #63996
    
    ,JOPPA
    Participant
    
    AMEN !!!!!! best advice I guess ever
  - 2019-01-12 at 17:45:42 #64019
    
    ,iangcarter1995
    Participant
    
    First off, thanks for the advice mate! I do spend plenty of time in the DAW and I do consider my skill set better than what it was a few months back, and if I take into account what you said then I am happy(ish) where I currently stand. I’ll be sure to get more involved in the forums and maybe even the competitions if I can make something that wont make your ears bleed ?
    
    Nice one
    
    Also can you drop us your Soundcloud link so I can check some of your stuff?
  - 2019-01-12 at 18:56:37 #64023
    
    ,shrike
    Participant
    
    Absolutely. I keep my SC on lockdown cuz I’m just not ready to come out of the oven yet.
    
    And mind you it’s been nearly 2 years at this point for this stretch, and I still keep my tracks private. Cuz they aren’t good enough. Wanna get better at producing? Do it cuz it’s fun and because you love it, then add a dash of insane focus, then everything else will fall into place.
    
    This video helps sum up the circumstance for all of us, at one point or another (don’t mind the kinetic typography…just listen)
    
    Ok, my tunes:
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/sh-terrible-wip01/s-rmrC2
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/sh-sd-diversion-wip01/s-bVT10
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/black-friday-mix-edit/s-Psg39
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/lock-n-lold-wip01/s-nwPCd
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/thekillingfields-wip01/s-gZ4CC
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/markofthebeast-wip03/s-84sc6
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/sh-lampsamples-v004zzz/s-iCsMz
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/sh-slochase-wip01/s-249pr
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/sh-gfynye-v02b-wip01/s-3sP2b
    
    I did the next two in addition to the entry I submitted for the Lamp Challenge. In all I think I did 5 total tunes/clips for the last challenge. I found it to be a very nice sample pack, and that a lot of what I made from it started veering in the same direction.
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/sh-lamp007-driver-wip01/s-cBtMT
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/vm-lampofuggingo-wip01/s-KKYpv
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/sh-attack-plan-wip01/s-P3IZq
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/sh-2-3rd-time-wip01/s-h2CkB
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/sh-reroute-wip01/s-bCbyL
    
    https://soundcloud.com/the_shrike/sh-theshrikesnaretest-wip01/s-pgOG8
    
    I often do a clip a night, and then if it has legs I will work it for some days more. All of these have issues, but I generally learn from the issues and move on. One thing you will read and for a moment possibly obsess over: should I always make full tunes? Should I finish every single thing that I start? I’m stuck in the 8/16 bar loop hell…?
    
    Think about this: if you want to be a commercially viable dnb artist, you’re gonna need some fertile creative ideas, and you’re gonna need a fuck ton of them. Now is your chance to stretch, try, fail, and make shit that just doesn’t work…cuz you are trying to find that 0.5% that really does work, and is even somewhat unique in the whole genre. You aren’t going to reinvent things in a day, but you should act like you can.
    
    It will be frustrating, you will want to quit, and you’ll hate much of what you make…until you don’t, and then the confidence will build and so will your repertoire.
    
    And we are here! Always here, to help you along the way.
    
    _-| get to work |-_
  - 2019-01-15 at 16:38:06 #64210
    
    ,iangcarter1995
    Participant
    
    Hi mate,
    
    That first inspirational video was a good watch and it helped put my mind at ease. I use to be a graphic designer in a past life, nothing professional like but I was pretty good then life and issues with my laptop just made it near impossible to actually pursue it. Now that I’ve started putting my creativity into music I can say i’m much happier doing this than graphic design but its the same kind of struggle I faced when I first started out back then. Knowing what you want and having loads of ideas but not having the right experience and skills to carry it out. The struggle is real but everybody goes through it at some point and I have no intention of giving up.
    
    Anyways nice one for letting me have a listen to some of your music mate. The tracks that tickled my fancy the most would have to be tracks: 3, 4, 7 and 10. I like how you combine neuro and deep dnb together and the way you set the atmosphere with your intro’s. I use to be a big fan of neuro but now i’m more into deep minimal like GROUND and Skylark and heavy hitta’s like Benny L and T>I but none the less a good track is a good track.
    
    Keep up the good work mate I look forward to hearing more from you!
- 2019-01-14 at 14:23:35 #64126
  
  ,Zero Four
  Participant
  
  Yo dude,
  
  Welcome, My names Matt. Nice to meet you.
  
  Having been down this long and frustrating path, I can honestly give you one tip. Just be you and make the music you love, if people like it then that’s just a bonus.
  
  Things get frustrating when you cant make a specific sound but just keep on grafting, don’t conform to a specific way of producing, e.g. starting with drums. Just make music and find a comfortable way that works for you. Don’t be afraid to just spend hours making sounds with plugins, synths but try and use them in tracks so the time is worth while.
  
  Don’t be afraid to get music out there cause all feedback is good feedback.
  
  Keep on grafting my friend.
  
  Matt AKA Retract:M
  - 2019-01-15 at 17:04:09 #64211
    
    ,iangcarter1995
    Participant
    
    Hiya mate,
    
    Nice one for poking your head in and dropping a message. Its good hearing from fellow producers who have been and are still going down the beginners route and I wanna say thanks for the words of wisdom.
    
    Do you have a soundcloud you link or sommet so I can get a feel for what you’re style is?
  - 2019-01-16 at 09:31:14 #64257
    
    ,Zero Four
    Participant
    
    No worries, I haven’t been producing that long, like just over 2 years and its still frustrating lol. Keep at it, cause even now I am not 100% happy with my tracks.
- 2019-01-17 at 12:38:15 #64339
  
  ,MIEK
  Participant
  
  Just stick at it and most of all enjoy it,
  
  I’ve been at this for 15 years on and off and it can take you to high points and low points, high points can be receiving excellent feedback from your heroes and you’re totally in love with the music and low points can be you’ve had enough and you’re stuck in a loop that makes you want to sell all your gear and take up fucking golf!
  
  Music production can be so rewarding but it is difficult, at the minute i’m totally in love with it but i’m having fun, as long as you’re having fun with it then the experience and skill will come.
  
  Oh and you will never stop learning, which is also fun.
  
  Peace.
- 2019-02-14 at 09:50:48 #68077
  
  ,INVASION
  Participant
  
  Hey man,
  
  Nice to meet you. I have only been producing for 1 and half years. It’s been stressful as fuck trying to get the sound I have been going for. I have found that if your just persistent, watch loads of tutorial videos, take notes and you will find yourself improving within no time. Also, I have found the best way to improve is by taking breaks out of the studio and heading back in after a couple of days. When I get stuck for writing or sound design, this is what I seem to do. Feels refreshing when you get back into it with a fresh clear mind and before you know it you will see your production improving. But going back to what you said about making something your happy with in 5 months.. Well it has taken me until now over a year, to make something I genuinely like. Producing can be a proper ball ache sometimes, but it can also be super rewarding.
  
  Would love to hear some of your stuff when you’re ready dude!
  
  If you want to check out my stuff, here is a link to my EP I’m working on to get finished before the end of March. Blugh seems to be the favourite at the moment! ?
  
  https://soundcloud.com/official-monster-dub-club/sets/invasion-off-switch-ep-wip
  
  Take it easy fella ?
  
  INVASION //: MONSTER DUB CLUB
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