It can be difficult to build up yourself as a music producer, trying to gain experience and success, when there’s an overwhelming amount of genres, audio tools, and career paths to be discovered. The dream of making a living out of it can seem one of the best deals in the world, while on the other hand, feel like a daunting undertaking. Luckily, there are many successful and well-established music producers who have already crossed the beginner’s road, and we can learn a lot from their experience. That said, in the next tutorial, we will share some useful tips on the matter.
Overcoming self-doubt
Many, if not all of us, have gone through periods of self-doubt, of that, you can rest assured. One of the real tests of your creative talent is actually the capacity to cultivate self-doubt in a positive way. Take a break and do other activities that inspire you or make you feel capable. This will boost your confidence. Self-doubt is perfectly fine. Just don’t let it devour your love of music.
The journey is long, so be patient
You can’t force your way into the music business quickly. Working harder and longer than everybody else might just lead to burnout. That said, working hard is important, but other aspects, like releasing the right track at the right time, and a bit of luck are just as relevant. Be ready for disappointments and setbacks. They’re part of the process. Stick to it.
Producers build and trust their taste
Most of us have access to the same software and audio equipment. That means that at the end of the day, there are just a few aspects that make producers differ from one another. Your taste dictates what you think sounds good or not. It’s what makes you unique. It serves as a motivating guide and forces you to work towards that expectation. Becoming an artist can be seen as a long struggle to desperately try to make your ‘taste’ a reality through the type of music you produce. Trust that.
Present to the world your true self
It’s perfectly fine to borrow some elements from famous tracks or from the genre of music you are into at the moment. However, don’t desperately try to follow whatever genre of music is “cool” right now, just for the sake of it. Develop and nurture your own sound.
Less is more for the seasoned producers
Due to the endless number of machines and audio tools, it’s easy to lose focus and get lost experimenting. Try to ask yourself: “Do I really need to use ten different synthesizers, and fifteen different compressors?
You should try various approaches and ways to sculpt your sound, but experiment with fewer alternatives at your disposal. This will make you look within your own head for solutions and compromises, instead of searching for the external and abstract.
