Guys, need some opinions from newer producers

[mih]

Hello, I'm fairly new to making beats and gathered a few questions for other newer producers (not commercially successful yet), since I don't have a community around me.
Ï'm trying to pass it for a project, but idk if you've had the same problems as me while learning..
Putting the form here if you have 3-4 minutes, i'd appreciate it! (Questions are on learning, on putting music online, selling beats, etc.)
Either way, good luck with your music!
(I'll post the results if anyone is interested)

 

[yungsteezen]

good survey. interesting.

 

[That Guy]

What is the project?

 

[mih]

What is the project?

The project is for uni and I wanted to make something I'd use. Trying to convince them to let me prototype a platform for producers since I (kinda) make music. Also I had couple studio lessons as a gift last summer and it made a tremendous difference to get feedback from a professional, it really gives you a push. So things aligned but gotta convince teachers it's worth it as a project.

Thanks to everyone taking it, I don't have kits or anything but can listen to your beats if you want feedback.
Also if you know other people who'd take this.. the feedback is really helpful!

 

[mih]

good survey. interesting.

Thanks for taking it!
If I can summarize so far - most people don't put music online because they're not good enough technically yet, we all would want feedback, a lot of people don't understand the business side of it, and most of us use fl studio

 

[2GooD Productions]

Thanks for taking it!
If I can summarize so far - most people don't put music online because they're not good enough technically yet, we all would want feedback, a lot of people don't understand the business side of it, and most of us use fl studio

I'm not exactly new, been doing it for 20+ yrs.
There was so much I never put online, then I had a heart attack last year and realised if I'd died then 20 years of music production would have been for nothing. Also, these days it seems everybody is about themself, no teamwork or community any more. If I was just starting out, I would quit and do something else.

 

[mih]

I'm not exactly new, been doing it for 20+ yrs.
There was so much I never put online, then I had a heart attack last year and realised if I'd died then 20 years of music production would have been for nothing. Also, these days it seems everybody is about themself, no teamwork or community any more. If I was just starting out, I would quit and do something else.

Ouch
First, I hope you have recovered and are taking care of yourself.

Idk what community has been there before (especially for people like me - from smaller countries..), but I believe it's the best time to enter the music world. Basic equipment is affordable, you don't need to pay hundreds per session to go to a studio, free knowledge/tutorials everywhere, everybody can post their tracks on youtube, spotify, whatever. Yes, that opens the doors for everyone and might mean more competition, but tbh I like that. I like being able to hear music that people made alone in their bedrooms, as someone who sits alone in a bedroom a lot and now trying to make my own.

Music and art have been vital for my own well being and mental health, even if I never release anything, stopping literally gets me depressed.
Heard a quote last year about artists in general.. Don't be afraid that doing the thing you want to do is going to take time. Time will pass anyway. And I've found out I'd rather spend it on art and music.

I'd like to hear your take on the community (then and now) and your experiences and how it has been?
You said you'd quit and do something else, what would you do?

 

[2GooD Productions]

Ouch
First, I hope you have recovered and are taking care of yourself.

Idk what community has been there before (especially for people like me - from smaller countries..), but I believe it's the best time to enter the music world. Basic equipment is affordable, you don't need to pay hundreds per session to go to a studio, free knowledge/tutorials everywhere, everybody can post their tracks on youtube, spotify, whatever.

And right there lies half the problem, over saturation of the market.
Because everybody and their grandmother can now make beats, 1 it doesnt mean they should, and 2 most are in it for fame and fortune, 3 this has resulted in more supply than demand, devaluing the whole artform.

 

[2GooD Productions]

Ouch
First, I hope you have recovered and are taking care of yourself.

Idk what community has been there before (especially for people like me - from smaller countries..), but I believe it's the best time to enter the music world. Basic equipment is affordable, you don't need to pay hundreds per session to go to a studio, free knowledge/tutorials everywhere, everybody can post their tracks on youtube, spotify, whatever.

And right there lies half the problem, over saturation of the market.
Because everybody and their grandmother can now make beats, 1 it doesnt mean they should, and 2 most are in it for fame and fortune, 3 this has resulted in more supply than demand, devaluing the whole artform.

 

[That Guy]

Because everybody and their grandmother can now make beats, 1 it doesnt mean they should, and 2 most are in it for fame and fortune, 3 this has resulted in more supply than demand, devaluing the whole artform.

The other dynamic that goes with everyone making beats now is that everyone copies everyone, so everything is the same. Just generic trap beats for-fucking-ever because they're easy to make and mix. Nobody wants to be the guy who dares to step out of line with a different idea if it means not getting your dick sucked by everyone you show it to.

 

[2GooD Productions]

As for the community, hip hop used to be a big community of rappers, dj's, break dancers, producers and graffiti artists, you had Yo MTV raps, and Box and BET. You had hip hop clubs every weekend, and the music content under the banner hip hop was very diverse. Hip Hop today has become a stereotype of itself. Its diversity has become narrowed to ignorant subjects, nothing to uplift a society and everything to drag it down.

I went to a club and the whole crowd would move in sync to the hype man, hip hop wasnt just about selling drugs, fucking ho's and gang banging.

The reasons for the change in the culture are many, from there only being so much you can do to keep it "fresh". there are only so many scratching techniques, dance moves, before it all gets a bit repetitive. But hey look at house go, thats still going strong and always has.

I think there is hope for hip hop, just need to bring some of that real diversity back, rhymes that make you think, rhymes that make you think critically and question things you believed to be true. Rhymes that open your eyes to horrors that you would otherwise be ignorant, and some rhymes that just uplift people so they can get a bit wavy and dance and generally have a good time.

 

[mih]

And right there lies half the problem, over saturation of the market.
Because everybody and their grandmother can now make beats, 1 it doesnt mean they should, and 2 most are in it for fame and fortune, 3 this has resulted in more supply than demand, devaluing the whole artform.

Ok, about 1 - who would decide who should and who shouldn't. Should I stop creating? Should you? I'd much rather kids go create whatever kind of art theyre interested in, than thinking what trouble to get in today.
2 - maybe we've been in different environments, bc the creative people around me are rather shy and reluctnant and insecure and don't even start putting their stuff out.
3 - you can still have standards and decide what to listen to.

 

[mih]

The other dynamic that goes with everyone making beats now is that everyone copies everyone, so everything is the same. Just generic trap beats for-fucking-ever because they're easy to make and mix. Nobody wants to be the guy who dares to step out of line with a different idea if it means not getting your dick sucked by everyone you show it to.

Oh yea, I wasn't supporting copying 1-to-1.. I was saying that everyone should be free to do it because it'll bring different styles/music. But yea, I get what you mean. I'm all for stepping out of the line tho, that's where new/interesting stuff come from.

Also it's not like in the old days the record labels weren't looking at what is gonna be commercially successful. Many stories about how they'd push against something new/different. Same with books, movies, etc..

 

[2GooD Productions]

As for the community, hip hop used to be a big community of rappers, dj's, break dancers, producers and graffiti artists, you had Yo MTV raps, and Box and BET. You had hip hop clubs every weekend, and the music content under the banner hip hop was very diverse. Hip Hop today has become a stereotype of itself. Its diversity has become narrowed to ignorant subjects, nothing to uplift a society and everything to drag it down.

I went to a club and the whole crowd would move in sync to the hype man, hip hop wasnt just about selling drugs, fucking ho's and gang banging.

The reasons for the change in the culture are many, from there only being so much you can do to keep it "fresh". there are only so many scratching techniques, dance moves, before it all gets a bit repetitive. But hey look at house go, thats still going strong and always has.

I think there is hope for hip hop, just need to bring some of that real diversity back, rhymes that make you think, rhymes that make you think critically and question things you believed to be true. Rhymes that open your eyes to horrors that you would otherwise be ignorant, and some rhymes that just uplift people so they can get a bit wavy and dance and generally have a good time.

 

[mih]

As for the community, hip hop used to be a big community of rappers, dj's, break dancers, producers and graffiti artists, you had Yo MTV raps, and Box and BET. You had hip hop clubs every weekend, and the music content under the banner hip hop was very diverse. Hip Hop today has become a stereotype of itself. Its diversity has become narrowed to ignorant subjects, nothing to uplift a society and everything to drag it down.

I went to a club and the whole crowd would move in sync to the hype man, hip hop wasnt just about selling drugs, fucking ho's and gang banging.

The reasons for the change in the culture are many, from there only being so much you can do to keep it "fresh". there are only so many scratching techniques, dance moves, before it all gets a bit repetitive. But hey look at house go, thats still going strong and always has.

I think there is hope for hip hop, just need to bring some of that real diversity back, rhymes that make you think, rhymes that make you think critically and question things you believed to be true. Rhymes that open your eyes to horrors that you would otherwise be ignorant, and some rhymes that just uplift people so they can get a bit wavy and dance and generally have a good time.

I see.. just to be clear I wasn't defending commercial music.. I'm defending the right for people to create, exactly for bringing new stuff and evolving the music. And my thinking is the more people create, the more artists there will be to choose from. Does that make sense?

 

[2GooD Productions]

Oh yea, I wasn't supporting copying 1-to-1.. I was saying that everyone should be free to do it because it'll bring different styles/music. But yea, I get what you mean. I'm all for stepping out of the line tho, that's where new/interesting stuff come from.

Also it's not like in the old days the record labels weren't looking at what is gonna be commercially successful. Many stories about how they'd push against something new/different. Same with books, movies, etc..

1 was more a snide stab at the untalented people that have no love for hip hop and purely do it to make money.
Of course people are free to do whatever they wish in life, I spend a lot of my spare time reading about and trying to defend free speech and our rights to do whatever we wish. I hear you there.

Yes we have definitely been in different environments, when Im recording artists at the studio they are very erm "extravagant" hahaha. And when Im promoting my music there are loads and loads of artists whose confidence is way beyond their ability.
Personally, and I only speak from a beat making perspective here, I understand the introverted nature of sitting on your own making beats for hours and hours into days, weeks and years. Its a lonely task, and when you are busy being creative you could really use some help in the promotions department. Its hard to find the time to promote when all you want to do is make new music.

 

[2GooD Productions]

Oh yea, I wasn't supporting copying 1-to-1.. I was saying that everyone should be free to do it because it'll bring different styles/music. But yea, I get what you mean. I'm all for stepping out of the line tho, that's where new/interesting stuff come from.

Also it's not like in the old days the record labels weren't looking at what is gonna be commercially successful. Many stories about how they'd push against something new/different. Same with books, movies, etc..

1 was more a snide stab at the untalented people that have no love for hip hop and purely do it to make money.
Of course people are free to do whatever they wish in life, I spend a lot of my spare time reading about and trying to defend free speech and our rights to do whatever we wish. I hear you there.

Yes we have definitely been in different environments, when Im recording artists at the studio they are very erm "extravagant" hahaha. And when Im promoting my music there are loads and loads of artists whose confidence is way beyond their ability.
Personally, and I only speak from a beat making perspective here, I understand the introverted nature of sitting on your own making beats for hours and hours into days, weeks and years. Its a lonely task, and when you are busy being creative you could really use some help in the promotions department. Its hard to find the time to promote when all you want to do is make new music.

 

[mih]

1 was more a snide stab at the untalented people that have no love for hip hop and purely do it to make money.
Of course people are free to do whatever they wish in life, I spend a lot of my spare time reading about and trying to defend free speech and our rights to do whatever we wish. I hear you there.

Yes we have definitely been in different environments, when Im recording artists at the studio they are very erm "extravagant" hahaha. And when Im promoting my music there are loads and loads of artists whose confidence is way beyond their ability.
Personally, and I only speak from a beat making perspective here, I understand the introverted nature of sitting on your own making beats for hours and hours into days, weeks and years. Its a lonely task, and when you are busy being creative you could really use some help in the promotions department. Its hard to find the time to promote when all you want to do is make new music.

Agree. Kinda hate marketing but also can see how artists can benefit from it. Also have seen not so good artist being way more "famous" than others, just because they're sorta good with marketing. Also, wasnt having in mind "phoney" artists who could have millions of views/plays whatever, but no songs to remember after a year or 5 or 10.
I guess in my mind were mostly the shy, insecure people (I've been trying to motivate some around me) because it's obvious they don't do it for the money. You've worked with some of the other ones I guess There was a perceived ability vs actual ability graph that comes to mind about the confidence of those who know a little and the the confidence of those who know more(bc the more you know, the more things you find that you don't know..)

So if you could change your path all these years back, what would you be doing?

 

[2GooD Productions]

So if you could change your path all these years back, what would you be doing?

Id have become a computer programmer, probably have got into games production.
My passion for computers now comes second to my passion for music, but before the music came along, programming was my thing. But then to be honest, who knows what I would have done.
You cannot change the past, only the future, so I try not to dwell on poor life choices and fuckups that cant be changed, Im very focused on my future now, improving my art, and rebuilding a fan base. After a life poured into getting good at music, it would be a waste and a shame for nothing to come of it.

 

[mih]

Id have become a computer programmer, probably have got into games production.
My passion for computers now comes second to my passion for music, but before the music came along, programming was my thing. But then to be honest, who knows what I would have done.
You cannot change the past, only the future, so I try not to dwell on poor life choices and fuckups that cant be changed, Im very focused on my future now, improving my art, and rebuilding a fan base. After a life poured into getting good at music, it would be a waste and a shame for nothing to come of it.

Oh wow, I'm doing the opposite lmao from programming to more art oriented.
Also took me a death scare to realize what's important to me and not just meet others' expectations.

Anyway, man, it was good talking to you, I'm glad I found this forum (tbh didn't know they still existed..).
Good luck with your music and/or programming, who knows