After producing music for almost 12 years now, my message to newbies is this: There is no substitution for actually doing the thing. You can watch every tutorial vid on UA-cam, but until you roll up your sleeves, put in the time and do the thing, you’re on the wrong track. It’s no different than any other worthwhile endeavor. Be prepared, the learning curve is like climbing Mount Everest and I wish you best of luck on your journey.
my mixes still arent radio ready which hurts my feelings, however after the trial and error and passing of time, watching tutorials i can be proud to say my mixes get better even if not perfect and a couple of them seem to almost be the best i could prob do even tho someone could do it better...its frustrating sometimes to know the music is good but the mix isnt. thx for the vids
I'm still an amateur but I tell people this all the time. Everybody is so scared to make a track and work toftand do stuff thinking they need to be at a level to be valid, but unless you're willing to make bad tracks, you'll never make good ones.
@@NathanJamesLarsenwhich daw is the most easiest to learn as a beginner?because I’m gonna start my journey as a producer but I’m still stuck with the daw ..and what I heard is that even if I don’t know how to use any instrument fl studio is the easiest to learn without instrument
1. Quantity over quality in the beginning (for familiarization & learning purposes). 2. Spend time more for practising than watching tutorials. 3. Active listening, be analytical, be a detective. 4. Implement/imitate what you've analyzed from your active listening. 5. Find a mentor or find a structurized course (not just randomized tutorials).
The problem for a lot of us is that when we try to make music we have doubt that we can’t make music without being reassured that what we’re doing is correct and so we just watch another tutorial and listen to another song. And then before you know it your listening and watching tutorials more than making music. It’s very very hard to train yourself to trust yourself and make music without feeling the need to reference and make sure what we’re doing is done by the pros.
@@jakehettinger1087 same but I find myself watching tutorials for the purpose of not forgetting or losing my passion for producing since it’s very easy to be demotivated after a while of trying and not getting anywhere/ advancing your skills
0:45 Tip 1 2:40 Tip 2 4:39 Tip 3 7:00 Tip 4 7:56 Tip 5 1. Quantity over quality in the beginning (for familiarization & learning purposes). 2. Spend time more for practising than watching tutorials. 3. Active listening, be analytical, be a detective. 4. Implement/imitate what you've analyzed from your active listening. 5. Find a mentor or find a structurized course (not just randomized tutorials).
This was a really good video. I have been majority self taught as a producer, and to get to the point I am now it has been about 10 years off and on. Having these tips when I started would have been very helpful. To this day one of the things that I think has improved my skills the most is recreating beats I would find on UA-cam I really liked or even finding a drum loop on splice and trying to make my own loop that was identical using mostly stock sounds and plugins. This not only helped benefit from a sound design perspective but it allowed me to start really identifying panning as well, another thing which drastically improved my abilities.
Dude! This is the best, feature packed yet concise advice for anyone starting with music production! We live in a "paralysis by analysis" worldwide pandemic caused by never seen before information overload and very little guidance on how to handle it. No matter what you might get into (may not even be music related) there's an immediate temptation to "learn" as much as possible by watching tutorials and reviews and soon you find yourself being sort of an "expert" without an actual expertise and your artificially acquired "expertise" inhibits your creativity because you now have become your own worst critic - you have made yourself into a perfectionist. Perfectionism kills talents.
To the "get a mentor" note. People like having something you want, they like being asked nicely for help, they like being helpful and they like being thanked for it. They will actually start to really enjoy associating with you if this is the relationship you offer. So, when trying to "get a mentor" remember: Tell them you think they are wise and knowledgable enough to help you. Don't just ask a question; ask for help. Don't just thank them; tell them that they helped you. This has helped me earn my mentors interest.
Watching tutorials actually help me start my work day, because it is way easier to convince myself to spend 10 minutes on youtube than to start with projects I will spend hours on. So every time I sit down at my studio, first I watch a tutorial and take notes and then when I am already there, why not open up a project and the next thing I know I've worked on five songs for five hours. There are some videos that I've seen seven times because I really want to understand the concept. It's nice to live in such times.
Thank you so much for these tips but also at the end not trying to advertise your course. The fact that you said that your course may not resonate with everyone is a testament to your character whether you're a seen as a good producer or not. Thank you for the advice and much love!
I love that active listening tip!! One thing that has helped me a lot this year was not just using reference mixes, but coming to understand what those references were doing in the different freq bands by isolating them, and then applying those arrangement/balances in the professional mixes to my own mixes. It's weird how just isolating one section of the freq band can really open your ears to mistakes in your own mix!
I found this guys ad on Facebook day before black Friday. Just from watching the workshop, I busted the blocks in my head. I literally wake up and mess with the music before work, usually with a coffee. Get off, do the same thing before bed. In the future I'm sure I'll buy the course but righteously, this guy is one of the most sound guys I've found about this stuff. Everyone else is a gate keeper
Your honesty is so inspiring. I kinda figured most of the things you said. But hadn't been so motivated to follow them yet. Thanks for being a voice for me and a motivator. I wish everyone heard this from here. Sometimes I can really be lazy to listen to other producers' songs and imitate. But as soon as I get over that my improvement is tremendous. (Also remaking/replicating a song that you're potentially enjoying sonically and structurally can change a life forever.)
Ok so I realized I’ve been doing all these things for the past year, I was quite a natural at music production, especially since I was a musician and a natural pianist. I used a free program and I was learning how to produce large EDM, hip hop, pop, lofi, ambient, Orchestral etc. within less than a year I was excelling at genres I’d never ever think of making. Now I know why! Literally everyone needs to use these tips, they will change your growth exponentially!
I can literally write a whole paragraph appreciating every single thing you said ....But let me make it short "YOU ARE LEGIT"....100% no BS....and Thank u as always..💖
Great Video. Recently I’ve been randomly loading some of my favorite songs I purchased on iTunes and loading them into Logic I create markers for each section verse chorus etc and build my song around that arrangement. I try to build up the song instrumental around how many elements I hear per section on a professionally produced award winning song. They say success leaves clues study the scene thanks for making your videos they are really useful
I really, REALLY wish this ep's thumbnail had an actual bar graph _showing_ the 10x increase in learning speed. My disappointment is now up 83%, as seen in this chart 📈 Seriously though, this channel rocks...
That first tip has already blown my mind. I focus a lot on getting a high quality sound the first go around, then get frustrated cause it doesn’t sound pro, but never take into account that I’m new to production and really just don’t know what the frick I’m doing haha
That's huge that you can see that, though. Now you can take steps to make more quantity and ALLOW yourself to really learn through action! Get after it!
3 роки тому+2
Dude! I had to stop the video to write this down before I forget it. There are some things that are so obvious that we simply ignore them. I have experienced the problem of watching more tutorials than actually doing the stuff I was learning, cause I ended up being so mentally tired that I couldn't put the knoledge to practice, and in the next day when I wanted to do it, I completely forgot what I "learned" and had to watch the tutorial again and got stucked in that loop again. Some of these tips I've been using without been aware of it, and know by listening to you externalizing them, it helps me to keep the focus and working on the important part of learning something I've been watching your content lately and have learn so much in just a few videos. So... thank you so much for the good knoledge you share.
This is SOOOO true. We can know something without realllllly thinking it through and when you actually have the light bulb moment it can be huge! Keep on and keep pushing! It's hard. This isn't easy - but have fun with it and it makes it easier! You got this
When I got back into making music, I instinctively pushed myself to make as many tracks as possible. I made 10 songs in 3 weeks and learned a tremendous amount! In trying to say, your approach is the right one
*this concept is TRUE* ..and still to this day , the more time i spend on chord progressions and fancy arrangements etc the less i like the work i do.. my best pieces came out of the thin air in minutes. I write tons of stuff and got good at being fast so it's a numbers game .. you 'process the raw material' and for every ton you get a real diamond..but if you 'force the quality' you get a mediocre 'man made diamond' i never fully mix down anything until i have a small 'group of diamonds' and then finish just those! i imagine the mixing process to be the same.
You say this is "true" but not really. Might be the case for you - my counter is that if you want to have the ability to be "raw" then it starts by developing an actual skill that ALLOWS you to be raw. If I just relied only on raw talent I would literally not have a career.
@@NathanJamesLarsen OK, what I claimed to be true was the concept of distilling a 'volume of production' and using the 'cream of the top' as the product, so that the idea is that it is generally more productive than using just a few products and trying to 'turn them into cream', and as well the idea that by becoming proficient at producing a larger volume, the skills you can obtain on the MACRO scale are transferable on a more focused scale to the individual projects using the awareness of 'what works' to the 'micro' of 'what I want' , the 'raw talent' that can be obtained quickly by doing a higher volume in a short period of time is valid. this is what the education system does..because it works.(as long as the student actively participates!).. you don't agree? //please explain further (aside from just saying that you need some 'ability to be creative' in order to be 'actually creative') I was trying to agree with you lol.. oh well. (you said: *'my counter is that if you want to have the ability to be 'creative' then it starts by developing an actual skill that ALLOWS you to be 'creative').*
I'm not in the music industry, I don't even know how I came across your video. But REALLY great advices! I've learned more coding related knowledge from working with a mentor than building random projects on my own. This man is out here preaching the truth!
Thank you for prioritising honesty over more reach on youtube. I come from a classical and schoolband backround but produce for around 2 years now, aspiring to score allround anime music one day, and even though people tell me that I could make some succesful producing tip videos myself it just felt wrong, because I am not yet at a point where I can actually bring value to the table like you do. Keep the good work up and know that your effort is much appreciated.
This video is such a sea of information, really wish this channel had like more than a Million subs so people could actually watch his videos when they're starting out.. I started learning producing like 2 years ago, using UA-cam ofc, and even now I see a few people here and there on the internet who say they're starting out and need tips, basically all they need is this video right here.. All the secrets and key information is in this video, damn..
This video happens to be the most honest talk I found! "Do not worry of the quality, produce more quantity" , that's motivating. Appreciate you for motivating to go ahead instead of not starting at all. Huge respects for your honest lines!!❤
Great content. This video was really comforting because it validated what I've done to learn. Active listening is THE most important thing to producing/songwriting. All the greats are greats because they repackaged and combined the greats. Active listening helps your brain unconsciously go to a similar place when you're writing your own stuff. You'll find yourself instinctively use techniques you wouldn't have used before. When you experiment with those ideas, you only get better at discerning the little things that make songs great, which, in turn, helps you become a better listener. It's exponential.
I've been trying to produce music for like 2 years, and i always was getting stuck on demos because i felt like it doesn't sound professional enough so i kept messing with the effects and plugins instead of just writing notes and somewhat structured tracks. I really needed someone experienced to tell me that i don't need to make my first songs very professional, and you just did. Now i'll be confident leaving a project if i can't make it sound better with my knowledge and move to the next one, or just make not so perfect melodies and sounds for just learning purpose. I really like how you went honest with this and i can see you are. I'll give you a sub for now. Thank you for these tips.
Nail on the head!! Thanks for laying out so clearly. I've been a pro guitarist and producer for 40 years and I always preach my 'gym analogy'; You can buy a fancy gym membership , get the cool outfit, hire a reputable personal trainer, learn about nutrition, go on a strict diet, watch workout videos, buy supplements, and visit the gym every day......But all that stuff is useless, until......... you actually grab that weight and start lifting it til it hurts! You've got to put in the work, it's that simple. Like you said about quantity. The more time you spend creating (and finish what you've started! regardless how good or bad. Super important, I think), you will automatically improve. That's a given, so if you go easy on yourself you'll grow much faster than if you're forcing yourself into frustration in order to create a masterpiece. In this culture we are brainwashed that we have to be 'good' at everything and that pressure plus high self-expectations is holding us back. How often have you heard somebody say "Oh, I can't sing"? Bullshit! If you can talk you can sing! Doesn't say anything about how pleasant it sounds 😃. In cultures where music serves other social purposes, like celebration or worship, and where being 'good' is irrelevant, as long as you participate, people are having fun and do it all the time, so they automatically get 'good' to some extent. I believe that if you focus on the journey you're more likely to reach your destination, or a different destination, which is OK, as long as you've enjoyed the journey. I'd like to add to what you said about your kids (great example, BTW). How do kids learn? They PLAY! There is a reason it's called "to PLAY music". They playing part is long forgotten. I know, the music industry is extremely tough, and to survive 'joy' is pretty much a luxury. But since there are so many external factors at play on the path to 'success' (however you define that for yourself), we might as well put some of that joy back in the rat race. And you'd be surprised where that could get you.... I know, nobody asked for me to write all this. It's just my personal observation after being inspired by this great simple and honest video. Hopefully some of it might resonate with somebody. One last thing, while I'm on my soap box: Gene Simmons (of all people 😃) has a great quote: "Inspiration is overrated. You can't wait around until it hits you. You just have to put in the work everyday, all day. Sometimes by the end of the day you end up with nothing, some days you end up with a masterpiece. Just like the gold-digger who goes to the mountain every morning and digs all day. Some days he finds gold, some days he doesn't. But if he doesn't go he for sure won't return with gold."
as someone with ADHD I constantly follow along to tutorials with my daw on my main and the tutorial on my secondary monitor so I can practice as they're teaching :) otherwise I'll forget the technique
I really really appreciate your videos. You’re a realist with experience and you tell it like it is. I’ve been making music for well over 20 years but I’ve only been producing for 2. I went to college for it and studied but you do have to apply what you learn. I’m definitely looking in to your courses and I’ve also been able to use a lot from what I’ve learned through your videos. Keep doing what you’re doing and congrats on your new baby!
Love this Aaron! Thanks. And yeah lots of people get degrees without really learning anything - not saying you - but in general. I got my degree in music composition and there were plenty of other composers who showed up to class and never improved because they wrote one or two compositions per semester... 🤦♂️ Would love to have ya!
Very important creativity principles and great references in the video. I find you are a serious and authentic teacher. 👍 👍 When I was a visual art student, a few millenniums ago..., our teacher once told us: ''Never throw out you failed drawings or studies that you deemed to be failures or garbage. These can become the seeds for your greatest innovations later on.''
Wow, only 6 dislikes. I clicked this video as just something to watch before bed thinking it wasn't really geared towards me, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear some very thoughtful pieces of advice being shared. This is something I think a lot of people getting started should watch, as it addresses a lot of the problems that confuse new producers, straightforwardly and giving guidance for the right direction to head in. You got a like!
#2. is a direct call out for me, and you're absolutely right! I always watch tons of videos about songwriting and music theory, but i tend to not always apply them, and just "try " to store them in my memory and hopefully access them when i'm writing something next. I should stop watching these videos late nights because everyone else is asleep, but i'm always way to active that time haha.
Watched this now, and I've been on a path of learning and discovery in the world of mixing, something I never imagined. Everything you've said here is everything I've come to realise over the last few weeks. Such good points.
I only just recently found your channel and it has already helped me more than 80% of the other videos I’ve found on yt. This video in particular is super great, lots of straightforward advice. I’m a noob to all of this so it really helps to find a good channel like yours. Thanks for all you do!
i just recommended somebody your channel. Especially the video you did about producing and NOT mixing. A lot of 'mix channels' do not press enough that it's not the mix that is the problem but is't the production... Thanks man!
Hi Nathan, I always wanted to learn music production. I took a big step today, by purchasing your course (1st installment). I have done piano grade intermediate level earlier. And I have been writing and imagining music and songs for almost all life. Trust you bro. Hope I will not be disappointed.
so just accepting your knowledge and skills as they are and doing what you need to do right now, without the skills you dont have, without the tricks you dont yet know is basically what Shoma Morita teaches.
Thanks I’m a 14 yo who got producer edition fl studio for christmas I’m completely new made 3 beats 1 on garage band, 2 on fl all sound like total ass and I have totally nobody who does what I do, so no one to guide me😂 gl yall, I got this
Dude you are smart ! I love your videos. I totally agree with you about the first thing you said right away. Quantity versus quality at first.👍👍👍good advice
One of the absolute best things that kicked my production chops up a notch (aside from getting feedback) was to do the Arrangement Exercise (basically active listening, but you create a template in your DAW out of the track). Take a track you like or find interesting, put it in the DAW, tempo sync, then start marking places, intro, build, drop, break, verse, chorus, etc. Then keep going through it and concentrate on one element at a time, make channels for all the sounds you hear and make MIDI clips (could even write in the notes) for all the elements, hats, kick, snare, percussion, cymbals, bass, lead, piano, synth, bass 2, bass 3, etc. Then when you're done you have a template you can fill in with your own compositions.
Everything you've said is applicable to most things. I'm a Software Engineer and the best way to learn how to write killer code is to write a lot of code by making your own toy projects and implementing patterns you see in other software. In software, we've also got a word that I think you'd like: "tutorial hell" which is to describe the act of sitting on youtube/similar and just consuming tutorial after tutorial without acting upon what you've learned.
All of this is true. I've been DJing for 16 years now and just started producing a couple of months ago. Doing and finding a mentor has been the best thing. Everything takes time but you need to be willing to invest that time more in the doing part.
After producing music for almost 12 years now, my message to newbies is this: There is no substitution for actually doing the thing. You can watch every tutorial vid on UA-cam, but until you roll up your sleeves, put in the time and do the thing, you’re on the wrong track. It’s no different than any other worthwhile endeavor. Be prepared, the learning curve is like climbing Mount Everest and I wish you best of luck on your journey.
Amen!
Amen
my mixes still arent radio ready which hurts my feelings, however after the trial and error and passing of time, watching tutorials i can be proud to say my mixes get better even if not perfect and a couple of them seem to almost be the best i could prob do even tho someone could do it better...its frustrating sometimes to know the music is good but the mix isnt. thx for the vids
I'm still an amateur but I tell people this all the time. Everybody is so scared to make a track and work toftand do stuff thinking they need to be at a level to be valid, but unless you're willing to make bad tracks, you'll never make good ones.
@@NathanJamesLarsenwhich daw is the most easiest to learn as a beginner?because I’m gonna start my journey as a producer but I’m still stuck with the daw ..and what I heard is that even if I don’t know how to use any instrument fl studio is the easiest to learn without instrument
1. Quantity over quality in the beginning (for familiarization & learning purposes).
2. Spend time more for practising than watching tutorials.
3. Active listening, be analytical, be a detective.
4. Implement/imitate what you've analyzed from your active listening.
5. Find a mentor or find a structurized course (not just randomized tutorials).
Thanks
Love this wish I could afford your course ! ❤
Is there a course you suggest?
The problem for a lot of us is that when we try to make music we have doubt that we can’t make music without being reassured that what we’re doing is correct and so we just watch another tutorial and listen to another song.
And then before you know it your listening and watching tutorials more than making music.
It’s very very hard to train yourself to trust yourself and make music without feeling the need to reference and make sure what we’re doing is done by the pros.
This is the Same Exact thing that what I feel
you just gotta suck it up and make bad music- you will then improve quickly.
My brother , literally, the answer to this is Nathan’s step 5. 7 years of solo jam vs 3 years of networking
Very Relatable.
You've really made a good point and I appreciate it
I'm guilty of spending more time watching online tutorials than making music/beats. This video just changed that.
Yea ikr! Me either lol, thanks to nathan for givin these tips
Early on I was too. I think MOST are guilty of it
Exact same situation for me. My ratio of time spent watching tutorials to time spent producing has been too far on the tutorial side
We are addicts!
@@jakehettinger1087 same but I find myself watching tutorials for the purpose of not forgetting or losing my passion for producing since it’s very easy to be demotivated after a while of trying and not getting anywhere/ advancing your skills
0:45 Tip 1
2:40 Tip 2
4:39 Tip 3
7:00 Tip 4
7:56 Tip 5
1. Quantity over quality in the beginning (for familiarization & learning purposes).
2. Spend time more for practising than watching tutorials.
3. Active listening, be analytical, be a detective.
4. Implement/imitate what you've analyzed from your active listening.
5. Find a mentor or find a structurized course (not just randomized tutorials).
You're the best, thanks
thank you!!
This was a really good video. I have been majority self taught as a producer, and to get to the point I am now it has been about 10 years off and on. Having these tips when I started would have been very helpful. To this day one of the things that I think has improved my skills the most is recreating beats I would find on UA-cam I really liked or even finding a drum loop on splice and trying to make my own loop that was identical using mostly stock sounds and plugins. This not only helped benefit from a sound design perspective but it allowed me to start really identifying panning as well, another thing which drastically improved my abilities.
“Stop watching tutorials”
Me: ahh yes, I like what this guy is putting down. I’m gonna watch more of his tutorials!
🤣🤣🤣🤣
I'm gonna do that as soon as I check every video here.
Stop playing Man 🤣🤣🤣
Dude! This is the best, feature packed yet concise advice for anyone starting with music production! We live in a "paralysis by analysis" worldwide pandemic caused by never seen before information overload and very little guidance on how to handle it.
No matter what you might get into (may not even be music related) there's an immediate temptation to "learn" as much as possible by watching tutorials and reviews and soon you find yourself being sort of an "expert" without an actual expertise and your artificially acquired "expertise" inhibits your creativity because you now have become your own worst critic - you have made yourself into a perfectionist.
Perfectionism kills talents.
This has to be one of the most influential music production lesson I had & will have in my life for sure.
To the "get a mentor" note.
People like having something you want, they like being asked nicely for help, they like being helpful and they like being thanked for it. They will actually start to really enjoy associating with you if this is the relationship you offer.
So, when trying to "get a mentor" remember:
Tell them you think they are wise and knowledgable enough to help you.
Don't just ask a question; ask for help.
Don't just thank them; tell them that they helped you.
This has helped me earn my mentors interest.
Watching tutorials actually help me start my work day, because it is way easier to convince myself to spend 10 minutes on youtube than to start with projects I will spend hours on. So every time I sit down at my studio, first I watch a tutorial and take notes and then when I am already there, why not open up a project and the next thing I know I've worked on five songs for five hours. There are some videos that I've seen seven times because I really want to understand the concept. It's nice to live in such times.
Thank you so much for these tips but also at the end not trying to advertise your course. The fact that you said that your course may not resonate with everyone is a testament to your character whether you're a seen as a good producer or not. Thank you for the advice and much love!
Structure!!! That was one of the biggest things I lacked before the course.
Everything here is 100% spot on 🔥
You're a gem, Brandi!
I love that active listening tip!! One thing that has helped me a lot this year was not just using reference mixes, but coming to understand what those references were doing in the different freq bands by isolating them, and then applying those arrangement/balances in the professional mixes to my own mixes. It's weird how just isolating one section of the freq band can really open your ears to mistakes in your own mix!
My one thing I'm guilty of is not finding this channel sooner, the advice here is simply fantastic.
Best tips 💯💯💯❤️🔥
I found this guys ad on Facebook day before black Friday. Just from watching the workshop, I busted the blocks in my head. I literally wake up and mess with the music before work, usually with a coffee. Get off, do the same thing before bed. In the future I'm sure I'll buy the course but righteously, this guy is one of the most sound guys I've found about this stuff. Everyone else is a gate keeper
Love the insight. Very true. I’ve learned more from making songs in Logic Pro over the last 10 years than I could by watching videos.
Yep 100% - I'm all for watching tutorials to learn but you gotta actually do it
Your honesty is so inspiring.
I kinda figured most of the things you said. But hadn't been so motivated to follow them yet. Thanks for being a voice for me and a motivator. I wish everyone heard this from here.
Sometimes I can really be lazy to listen to other producers' songs and imitate. But as soon as I get over that my improvement is tremendous. (Also remaking/replicating a song that you're potentially enjoying sonically and structurally can change a life forever.)
Ok so I realized I’ve been doing all these things for the past year, I was quite a natural at music production, especially since I was a musician and a natural pianist. I used a free program and I was learning how to produce large EDM, hip hop, pop, lofi, ambient, Orchestral etc. within less than a year I was excelling at genres I’d never ever think of making. Now I know why! Literally everyone needs to use these tips, they will change your growth exponentially!
This kind of honest content is the shit that I’m always looking for. Gotta support the real 💯
I can literally write a whole paragraph appreciating every single thing you said ....But let me make it short "YOU ARE LEGIT"....100% no BS....and Thank u as always..💖
Love this Akash! Thanks a ton and you're awesome!
Great Video. Recently I’ve been randomly loading some of my favorite songs I purchased on iTunes and loading them into Logic
I create markers for each section verse chorus etc and build my song around that arrangement. I try to build up the song instrumental around how many elements I hear per section on a professionally produced award winning song. They say success leaves clues study the scene thanks for making your videos they are really useful
Yes! That is great! I know others who do that too! Great way to avoid feeling stuck! Make a map!
❤
I really, REALLY wish this ep's thumbnail had an actual bar graph _showing_ the 10x increase in learning speed. My disappointment is now up 83%, as seen in this chart 📈
Seriously though, this channel rocks...
Dude - I love YOUR channel!
I will try harder in the future to better implement said thumbnail strategies! LOL!
Kush just commented this video... Wow. 🔥🔥🔥
When I looked at who it was that commented I was like... "wait... no... wait. Really?" Haha
@@NathanJamesLarsen This is a very helpful channel. Thanks for taking the time to make these videos. 🙌🏼🔥
Fu$k, even I squealed with excitement by the Kush-Meister laying some silky comments down.
now thats greatness- instead of leading on to watch more videos- also yours- you are totally for the personal progress of your viewers. huge respect.
🙏🙏🙏
That first tip has already blown my mind. I focus a lot on getting a high quality sound the first go around, then get frustrated cause it doesn’t sound pro, but never take into account that I’m new to production and really just don’t know what the frick I’m doing haha
That's huge that you can see that, though. Now you can take steps to make more quantity and ALLOW yourself to really learn through action! Get after it!
Dude! I had to stop the video to write this down before I forget it. There are some things that are so obvious that we simply ignore them.
I have experienced the problem of watching more tutorials than actually doing the stuff I was learning, cause I ended up being so mentally tired that I couldn't put the knoledge to practice, and in the next day when I wanted to do it, I completely forgot what I "learned" and had to watch the tutorial again and got stucked in that loop again.
Some of these tips I've been using without been aware of it, and know by listening to you externalizing them, it helps me to keep the focus and working on the important part of learning something
I've been watching your content lately and have learn so much in just a few videos. So... thank you so much for the good knoledge you share.
This is SOOOO true. We can know something without realllllly thinking it through and when you actually have the light bulb moment it can be huge! Keep on and keep pushing! It's hard. This isn't easy - but have fun with it and it makes it easier! You got this
When I got back into making music, I instinctively pushed myself to make as many tracks as possible. I made 10 songs in 3 weeks and learned a tremendous amount! In trying to say, your approach is the right one
*this concept is TRUE* ..and still to this day , the more time i spend on chord progressions and fancy arrangements etc the less i like the work i do.. my best pieces came out of the thin air in minutes. I write tons of stuff and got good at being fast so it's a numbers game .. you 'process the raw material' and for every ton you get a real diamond..but if you 'force the quality' you get a mediocre 'man made diamond' i never fully mix down anything until i have a small 'group of diamonds' and then finish just those! i imagine the mixing process to be the same.
You say this is "true" but not really.
Might be the case for you - my counter is that if you want to have the ability to be "raw" then it starts by developing an actual skill that ALLOWS you to be raw.
If I just relied only on raw talent I would literally not have a career.
@@NathanJamesLarsen OK, what I claimed to be true was the concept of distilling a 'volume of production' and using the 'cream of the top' as the product, so that the idea is that it is generally more productive than using just a few products and trying to 'turn them into cream', and as well the idea that by becoming proficient at producing a larger volume, the skills you can obtain on the MACRO scale are transferable on a more focused scale to the individual projects using the awareness of 'what works' to the 'micro' of 'what I want' , the 'raw talent' that can be obtained quickly by doing a higher volume in a short period of time is valid. this is what the education system does..because it works.(as long as the student actively participates!).. you don't agree? //please explain further (aside from just saying that you need some 'ability to be creative' in order to be 'actually creative') I was trying to agree with you lol.. oh well. (you said: *'my counter is that if you want to have the ability to be 'creative' then it starts by developing an actual skill that ALLOWS you to be 'creative').*
I am assuming that 'raw creativity' is the same as 'raw'
this felt like a sit down talk with dad
"Good artists borrow, great artists steal."
💯
Gods Create
Thomas Edison be like "yeah, I'm amazing. Stuff it, Tesla."
Hummmm and get sued? Naah 😂
😊🥃🥃
This is really true I starting to realise that producing ain’t easy especially learning tools and ear training is so important.
I'm not in the music industry, I don't even know how I came across your video. But REALLY great advices! I've learned more coding related knowledge from working with a mentor than building random projects on my own. This man is out here preaching the truth!
Thank you for prioritising honesty over more reach on youtube. I come from a classical and schoolband backround but produce for around 2 years now, aspiring to score allround anime music one day, and even though people tell me that I could make some succesful producing tip videos myself it just felt wrong, because I am not yet at a point where I can actually bring value to the table like you do.
Keep the good work up and know that your effort is much appreciated.
This video is such a sea of information, really wish this channel had like more than a Million subs so people could actually watch his videos when they're starting out.. I started learning producing like 2 years ago, using UA-cam ofc, and even now I see a few people here and there on the internet who say they're starting out and need tips, basically all they need is this video right here.. All the secrets and key information is in this video, damn..
You nailed it bro . Thanks.
Life is too short and we must adopt all these tips as a producer.
This video happens to be the most honest talk I found! "Do not worry of the quality, produce more quantity" , that's motivating.
Appreciate you for motivating to go ahead instead of not starting at all.
Huge respects for your honest lines!!❤
Great content. This video was really comforting because it validated what I've done to learn. Active listening is THE most important thing to producing/songwriting. All the greats are greats because they repackaged and combined the greats. Active listening helps your brain unconsciously go to a similar place when you're writing your own stuff. You'll find yourself instinctively use techniques you wouldn't have used before. When you experiment with those ideas, you only get better at discerning the little things that make songs great, which, in turn, helps you become a better listener. It's exponential.
I LIKE HOW YOU REPLY TO PEOPLE... CUZ WHEN MOST OF US START OUT NO ONE IS WILLING TO HELP US
!!!!!
lol, he's not replying
@@Jisooee Sad Life :(
I've been trying to produce music for like 2 years, and i always was getting stuck on demos because i felt like it doesn't sound professional enough so i kept messing with the effects and plugins instead of just writing notes and somewhat structured tracks. I really needed someone experienced to tell me that i don't need to make my first songs very professional, and you just did. Now i'll be confident leaving a project if i can't make it sound better with my knowledge and move to the next one, or just make not so perfect melodies and sounds for just learning purpose.
I really like how you went honest with this and i can see you are. I'll give you a sub for now. Thank you for these tips.
Nail on the head!! Thanks for laying out so clearly. I've been a pro guitarist and producer for 40 years and I always preach my 'gym analogy'; You can buy a fancy gym membership , get the cool outfit, hire a reputable personal trainer, learn about nutrition, go on a strict diet, watch workout videos, buy supplements, and visit the gym every day......But all that stuff is useless, until......... you actually grab that weight and start lifting it til it hurts!
You've got to put in the work, it's that simple. Like you said about quantity. The more time you spend creating (and finish what you've started! regardless how good or bad. Super important, I think), you will automatically improve. That's a given, so if you go easy on yourself you'll grow much faster than if you're forcing yourself into frustration in order to create a masterpiece.
In this culture we are brainwashed that we have to be 'good' at everything and that pressure plus high self-expectations is holding us back. How often have you heard somebody say "Oh, I can't sing"? Bullshit! If you can talk you can sing! Doesn't say anything about how pleasant it sounds 😃. In cultures where music serves other social purposes, like celebration or worship, and where being 'good' is irrelevant, as long as you participate, people are having fun and do it all the time, so they automatically get 'good' to some extent.
I believe that if you focus on the journey you're more likely to reach your destination, or a different destination, which is OK, as long as you've enjoyed the journey.
I'd like to add to what you said about your kids (great example, BTW). How do kids learn? They PLAY! There is a reason it's called "to PLAY music". They playing part is long forgotten.
I know, the music industry is extremely tough, and to survive 'joy' is pretty much a luxury.
But since there are so many external factors at play on the path to 'success' (however you define that for yourself), we might as well put some of that joy back in the rat race. And you'd be surprised where that could get you....
I know, nobody asked for me to write all this. It's just my personal observation after being inspired by this great simple and honest video. Hopefully some of it might resonate with somebody.
One last thing, while I'm on my soap box:
Gene Simmons (of all people 😃) has a great quote: "Inspiration is overrated. You can't wait around until it hits you. You just have to put in the work everyday, all day. Sometimes by the end of the day you end up with nothing, some days you end up with a masterpiece. Just like the gold-digger who goes to the mountain every morning and digs all day. Some days he finds gold, some days he doesn't. But if he doesn't go he for sure won't return with gold."
as someone with ADHD I constantly follow along to tutorials with my daw on my main and the tutorial on my secondary monitor so I can practice as they're teaching :) otherwise I'll forget the technique
Yup! Finding a mentor is one and applying acquired knowledge to more songs. Thanks!
I really really appreciate your videos. You’re a realist with experience and you tell it like it is. I’ve been making music for well over 20 years but I’ve only been producing for 2. I went to college for it and studied but you do have to apply what you learn. I’m definitely looking in to your courses and I’ve also been able to use a lot from what I’ve learned through your videos. Keep doing what you’re doing and congrats on your new baby!
Love this Aaron! Thanks. And yeah lots of people get degrees without really learning anything - not saying you - but in general. I got my degree in music composition and there were plenty of other composers who showed up to class and never improved because they wrote one or two compositions per semester... 🤦♂️
Would love to have ya!
I love that more quantity than quality.
Your honesty actually got me subscribing to your channel ❤
Currently stuffing my brain while at work. Excited to get home to my desk to put it into practise
So much VALUE in 10 minutes. Thank you so much!
Life is way too short to learn it all on your own 💡
Great video dude :)
Learned a lot from this !
Very important creativity principles and great references in the video.
I find you are a serious and authentic teacher. 👍 👍
When I was a visual art student, a few millenniums ago..., our teacher once told us:
''Never throw out you failed drawings or studies that you deemed to be failures or garbage. These can become the seeds for your greatest innovations later on.''
Wow, only 6 dislikes. I clicked this video as just something to watch before bed thinking it wasn't really geared towards me, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear some very thoughtful pieces of advice being shared. This is something I think a lot of people getting started should watch, as it addresses a lot of the problems that confuse new producers, straightforwardly and giving guidance for the right direction to head in. You got a like!
This the realest music production videos ive watched so far
I am sure this video will realy change my life. Thank you for this video!!
Dug your video on never finishing a song. Thats been me for the past few years. You just got yourself a new subscriber. Great work!
Thank you for this! I think you just pushed me away from youtube and back to Logic. I really appreciate how direct and honest you are man.
Love it - thanks Evan. Truth ain't easy but it's the right thing
This is definitely true. I recently realized this since I began to learn music production for 3 years.
Quantity over quality is what I NEEDED to hear. Blew my mind. Thank you.
#2. is a direct call out for me, and you're absolutely right! I always watch tons of videos about songwriting and music theory, but i tend to not always apply them, and just "try " to store them in my memory and hopefully access them when i'm writing something next. I should stop watching these videos late nights because everyone else is asleep, but i'm always way to active that time haha.
This was by far the best advice I have gotten on producing.
Word!! Love hearing that!! Thanks a ton! Keep at it hard and keep improving!
Love this man, thanks dude
Watched this now, and I've been on a path of learning and discovery in the world of mixing, something I never imagined. Everything you've said here is everything I've come to realise over the last few weeks. Such good points.
Thank you for encouraging people like me to learn even from scratch
Your content is beyond amazing.
This is great advice from the pro....thanks a lot Nathan..am your number one fan.
You're awesome thanks! 🔥🔥
I only just recently found your channel and it has already helped me more than 80% of the other videos I’ve found on yt. This video in particular is super great, lots of straightforward advice.
I’m a noob to all of this so it really helps to find a good channel like yours. Thanks for all you do!
That was the greatest "tutorial" ever seen, wish I've seen this like 2 years ago
Always be willing to learn, and never give up!
i just recommended somebody your channel. Especially the video you did about producing and NOT mixing. A lot of 'mix channels' do not press enough that it's not the mix that is the problem but is't the production... Thanks man!
You’re an incredible teacher, thank you so much, I genuinely appreciate these videos. 👏🏽
Man, I'm new on your channel and I'm already a fan. The way you transmit ideas is awesome. Thanks!!
Hi Nathan, I always wanted to learn music production. I took a big step today, by purchasing your course (1st installment). I have done piano grade intermediate level earlier. And I have been
writing and imagining music and songs for almost all life. Trust you bro.
Hope I will not be disappointed.
Subscribed. This was the video I needed to watch. Thank you.
Difficult discussion, but honest! This advice applies to most other subjects too.
I feel so much better after watching this, so motivated and ready to try over and over again
thats also mindset that you can implement on the every aspect of life. thank you for great thoughts.
Thanks for the "Quantity over quality" tip. It's not an obvious thing but it actually helped me a lot
so just accepting your knowledge and skills as they are and doing what you need to do right now, without the skills you dont have, without the tricks you dont yet know is basically what Shoma Morita teaches.
10,000 hrs rule is only for "mastering" that skill, not learning it.
Thanks I’m a 14 yo who got producer edition fl studio for christmas I’m completely new made 3 beats 1 on garage band, 2 on fl all sound like total ass and I have totally nobody who does what I do, so no one to guide me😂 gl yall, I got this
Dude you are smart ! I love your videos. I totally agree with you about the first thing you said right away. Quantity versus quality at first.👍👍👍good advice
The thing you've told now would have helped my grandfather 4years ago..... Thanx for the information 👍👍👍
Subscribed, I love the no-BS approach to this video Keep up the great work Nathan!
One of the absolute best things that kicked my production chops up a notch (aside from getting feedback) was to do the Arrangement Exercise (basically active listening, but you create a template in your DAW out of the track). Take a track you like or find interesting, put it in the DAW, tempo sync, then start marking places, intro, build, drop, break, verse, chorus, etc. Then keep going through it and concentrate on one element at a time, make channels for all the sounds you hear and make MIDI clips (could even write in the notes) for all the elements, hats, kick, snare, percussion, cymbals, bass, lead, piano, synth, bass 2, bass 3, etc. Then when you're done you have a template you can fill in with your own compositions.
Everything you've said is applicable to most things. I'm a Software Engineer and the best way to learn how to write killer code is to write a lot of code by making your own toy projects and implementing patterns you see in other software. In software, we've also got a word that I think you'd like: "tutorial hell" which is to describe the act of sitting on youtube/similar and just consuming tutorial after tutorial without acting upon what you've learned.
100% agree! I've been watching tutorial after tutorial just to discover that I am learning so much more by doing!
Fantastic info. I’m going to watch all your vids now!
Really helpful!!
Awesome! Glad to hear that!
He does a great job of using logic and knowledge of everyday life to prove his points
hey Nathan the video that everyone was waiting for you really did a great job!
Thanks Binjomin! Appreciate it so much!
Your advice is always so useful! Thank God for putting you on this planet. 🎁
Great video Nathan! Totally agree with the points 🙏🏼
Once I saw the title I knew I needed this
Very helpful thanks 🙏🏻💙
This literally hold true for learning most things thankyou so much i will try to take ur course or anyone elses when i have money
being in a different environment helps.. best music always is on the go for me.
One sentence..... You are totally RIGHT.
❤️😎😎😎 boom
This is gold. Nice one man
this is the best tutorial Ive watched. I needed this. thanks man.
All of this is true. I've been DJing for 16 years now and just started producing a couple of months ago. Doing and finding a mentor has been the best thing. Everything takes time but you need to be willing to invest that time more in the doing part.