how to do YOU become a better producer/engineer/composer etc

[DROPKICK]

Originally Posted by Krunchie

One of the best ways to improve I've found, is to find someone better than you, and figure out a way watch them work... It works wonders...

I agree!!!thumbsup Thats how Kanye, Timbo, Storch, Neptunes, Danja did it!!! Obviously they had some talent to begin with.

[alyricalmind]

The best advice I can give is always keep a detailed record of exactly what you did on every recording... mic placement, mic model, preamp, gain, reverb settings, compression, the order in which they all went, etc, etc....

I've noticed that when I go back to a lot of tracks after a few months they sound amazing to me and I wish I knew exactly what I did to get that sound... I've recently started keeping a track of all that stuff and it reallllly helps in comparing as I know exactly what it is that I'm actually comparing.

[tonymission]

Originally Posted by DROPKICK

I agree!!!thumbsup Thats how Kanye, Timbo, Storch, Neptunes, Danja did it!!! Obviously they had some talent to begin with.

agreed! my production partner and i both have a lot of respect for each other and what we bring to our collective table so to speak. we mostly do solo stuff with me on the tail end no matter what, but even one-upping each other on beats, technique, crazy concepts -- looking back -- has forced me to strive and get better every second. no wasted time.

we really dont like each other too much tho ...

[Krunchie]

Originally Posted by DROPKICK

I agree!!!thumbsup Thats how Kanye, Timbo, Storch, Neptunes, Danja did it!!! Obviously they had some talent to begin with.

Yeah, definitely one of the best ways.. Fortunately I started out early enough, at a time when if you wanted to do this, you really had to find a studio to get in an get started.. No pc's an bootleg copies of FL in those days..

I ended up in a real hotspot at the time actually.. Got to see a few big names in house music, like Marshall Jefferson, an Steve 'Silk' Hurley building tracks from scratch. A real eye opener. It really changes the way you work, an makes you up your game almost instantly.

[phillysoulman]

Learn music theory,learn how to REALLY play your instrument(s) of choice and play them well.
Learn terminology and what everything means.
learn how to relate in the real world and forget that ....and I hate to say this "ghetto mentality" thats so prevelant today.
Speak intelligently..
Stop "cussing and fussing'..GROW UP and face the MUSIC..its all there if you want it.
TRUST ME..but youve got to LEARN LEARN LEARN

And for heavens sake..find some new sounds..bag the 808,snaps,claps, worm sounds..y'all know what Im talkin' bout..and...get better attitudes...be humble..it might just get you somewhere....son
Oh yeah..did I say learn...oh excuse me, Im saying it again..homes

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by tonymission

YOU WANNA MAKE GOOD MUSIC !?!?!?!

MAKE A LOT OF SHITTY MUSIC....

the more crap you make the more you'll figure out how to NOT do it next time

This is the plan I'm using...as long as each set of tracks I make sound better than the last...I feel I'll eventually get my stuff to sound decent.

[DROPKICK]

You know what has helped me alot is not making beats!!! I don't make beats everyday but I do do something music related everyday. Like listen to music or read a book on theory/composition/arrangment or play with a new chord progression!!! Theres 3 things that made me a 100% better than when I started 1 is gearslutz 2 is understanding the relationship between chords and scales and 3 is listening to music!!! I study the music I like I mean really listen to the details!!! Making beats has taught me some stuff but I have learned far more from not making beats and studying!!! So I agree with Philly learn learn learn!!!

[Umlaaat]

2 words:

Michael Jackson

[beantownJ]

Originally Posted by coyotekells

All these people saying you gave bad advice, probably suck at everything and just don't want to believe it will be like that forever

It's that type of outlook and attitude that make your "limitations" your reality

[sequela]

Originally Posted by phillysoulman

Forget about copying other people.....try to be original and be someone that other beatmakers want to copy.

+1

thumbsup

and forget the 808 snare rolls and arpeggiated saws

[Dayl]

No offence, but the 'stop copying people' thing is absolute nonsense in many respects, especially when combined with 'learn your instrument and learn it well'.

How else are you going to learn?

While there are always going to be clones out there just like there, most people that are serious about writting music will have more influences than just a simple Kanye or Timbo crush.... if they dont, well, they will come around once they get into things a little more.

The thing is.. you can emulate how Timbo messes with his percussion, how Dre gets those snares poppin, how Mad Lib or Alchemist and Kanye flip those samples, how Just Blaze brings the power play, how DJ Krush brings the atmos, how Swizzy & the Neptunes bring the minimalist style but sound big at the same time... the list goes on... did I name drop the usual suspects?

The thing is, by the time you learn one guys tricks , then the next and then the next one, you are going to have a strong skill set and those skills and lessons are going to bleed into each other.

This is the key to learning any instrument and developing a strong technique and sequencing breaks and hip hip composition or whatever you want to label it should not be and isn't any different.

I'm down with the be original school of thought, but when giving advice on how to become better at this sort of thing... 'don't copy' is just not on the money

[symmetricalSound]

Originally Posted by Dayl

The thing is.. you can emulate how Timbo messes with his percussion, how Dre gets those snares poppin, how Mad Lib or Alchemist and Kanye flip those samples, how Just Blaze brings the power play, how DJ Krush brings the atmos, how Swizzy & the Neptunes bring the minimalist style but sound big at the same time... the list goes on... did I name drop the usual suspects?

The thing is, by the time you learn one guys tricks , then the next and then the next one, you are going to have a strong skill set and those skills and lessons are going to bleed into each other.

well there is the quote "copy one thing and it's stealing, copy more than one and it's art"

i'm not afraid of taking the things i like from my influences, the fact i have so many (and so do you) should mean the way it all gets blended will have your own feel to it. i think you can get too worried about being original.

[Stoneface]

Originally Posted by phillysoulman

Learn music theory,learn how to REALLY play your instrument(s) of choice and play them well.
Learn terminology and what everything means.
learn how to relate in the real world and forget that ....and I hate to say this "ghetto mentality" thats so prevelant today.
Speak intelligently..
Stop "cussing and fussing'..GROW UP and face the MUSIC..its all there if you want it.
TRUST ME..but youve got to LEARN LEARN LEARN

And for heavens sake..find some new sounds..bag the 808,snaps,claps, worm sounds..y'all know what Im talkin' bout..and...get better attitudes...be humble..it might just get you somewhere....son
Oh yeah..did I say learn...oh excuse me, Im saying it again..homes

There it is! Words of wisdom.

Now that I'm thinking about it....where the hell is Philly anyway. Ain't seen him in awhile. Hope all is well with you brotha!

[ISayItLikeItIs]

Learn music theory, how to play an instrument, how to write and arrange a song.

Learn the technical stuff, how to take a production from scratch to commercial quality.

Study the classics, today's trends, how to make a hit.

Study the music industry, how labels and people are connected, the type of deals that are out there, marketing, etc.

Network and work your ass off!

Believe in yourself and keep doing it.

From there on it's just about how creative and genius you are.

[Bob Olhsson]

The thing I've seen that most successful songwriters and performers have in common is a LOT of experience on stage learning what works for them as a means of connecting with an audience. They are perfectly willing to fail and be shouted off the stage.

It's really entirely about connecting with people.

[Storyville]

Originally Posted by mr_music

What up y'all!

I have been doing some thinking lately and and i am trying to understand how to become a better producer/composer/ engineer etc.

What methods i have found to work are:

- recreating hit/popular songs
- practice trying to mix a song to make it sound sonically like a commercial record
- listening to a wider variety of music
- staying disciplined

what methods have you found that work for you???

Thanks

Doing sessions with others. Musicians, producers, other engineers - I always learn and improve.

[llloki]

Use instruments you would never normally use and make something hot. Ukelele patch!

[Paul Greenway]

Originally Posted by beat you down

accept your limitations.

good one. thumbsup

[thick accent]

When I started getting into music, I looked at what all my favorite producers were using and basically bought all their gear. In a few weeks, I could do them pretty well.

Then came my revelation: I had to do me.

[symplectiq]

Somebody mentioned olympics. That exactly the case of "accept your limitations". That's why they use doping. thumbsup

I think 90% of people who's shit think that they still can do it. And that's wrong.

Almost in anything one year is enough to figure whether you suck or don't.

[Bullseye]

Know your limitations is pretty dumb thing to say in this context. It is, in fact, another way of saying, if you want to get better you must not be good so accept that you are not good and get on with your mediocre life.

The whole point was self-improvement. The OP did not ask how do I MAKE BETTER PRODUCTIONS. In fact, it was the ego and narcissism of Beat Down Boy over there that caused the problem. The implication was he, of course, knows his limitations and, lo and behold, they are few and far between. Therefore he shall continue to make good tracks while the OP should be filling out McDonald's applications.

C'mon. Because the answer is not that complicated. You want to be a better musician, practice just like everyone else that ever got good it did. WHY EVER IS THERE AN ASSUMPTION THAT MAKING MUSIC DOES NOT REQUIRE BEING A MUSICIAN, UNDERSTANDING MUSIC, LEARNING MUSIC, PRACTICING AND INSTRUMENT OR INSTRUMENTS, AND PAYING SOME *&^%$#@ DUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You don't have to go out and play weddings for 8 years or graduate from Julliard but you DO have to work on it diligently for a significant period of time. Whatever you put in, you will get out. Your limitations will change over time, but only, only, only if you do the work. Man this is silly......

[sopre]

Off topic here- Why is the moderator moving a lot of the threads that have to do with hip hop engineering/production. Someone asked about recommended vsts and that was moved to the newbie thread? That could of helped out some of my future purchases. Back to the topic at hand.....

[Storyville]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

Know your limitations is pretty dumb thing to say in this context. It is, in fact, another way of saying, if you want to get better you must not be good so accept that you are not good and get on with your mediocre life.

The whole point was self-improvement. The OP did not ask how do I MAKE BETTER PRODUCTIONS. In fact, it was the ego and narcissism of Beat Down Boy over there that caused the problem. The implication was he, of course, knows his limitations and, lo and behold, they are few and far between. Therefore he shall continue to make good tracks while the OP should be filling out McDonald's applications.

C'mon. Because the answer is not that complicated. You want to be a better musician, practice just like everyone else that ever got good it did. WHY EVER IS THERE AN ASSUMPTION THAT MAKING MUSIC DOES NOT REQUIRE BEING A MUSICIAN, UNDERSTANDING MUSIC, LEARNING MUSIC, PRACTICING AND INSTRUMENT OR INSTRUMENTS, AND PAYING SOME *&^%$#@ DUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You don't have to go out and play weddings for 8 years or graduate from Julliard but you DO have to work on it diligently for a significant period of time. Whatever you put in, you will get out. Your limitations will change over time, but only, only, only if you do the work. Man this is silly......

Yeah, I gotta agree. Very few people are "naturals". There are definitely some, but they are few and far between. Of course we hear about them which is why we think it's common place - but really we hear about people who just sit down and immediately kick ass because it's so rare.

Most people get good at something because they love doing it. For work, I mix and produce music. For fun, I mix and produce music. If you love it, you do it constantly, struggle, and get better.

So rather than asking about one's own limitations, I think self-reflection is better placed on whether or not you truly love doing it. And really, music seems attractive on the surface but for a lot of people it's really not that exciting if you take the accolades and stardom out of the equation.

[dualflip]

Originally Posted by mr_music

What up y'all!

I have been doing some thinking lately and and i am trying to understand how to become a better producer/composer/ engineer etc.

What methods i have found to work are:

- recreating hit/popular songs
- practice trying to mix a song to make it sound sonically like a commercial record
- listening to a wider variety of music
- staying disciplined

what methods have you found that work for you???

Thanks

I think you are on the right track, I would add studying, or learning new things, thats very important. But yes, the main way a piano player gets better at playing piano, is by playing it, so if you want to be a better mixer, mix!