Stay creative.

Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun – Mary Lou Cook.

 

Very controversial take, but I think learning music theory too extensively, almost obsessively, and trying to rewire my brain to fit into a "correct" pattern actually hurt my creativity a lot.
Especially since I create highly experimental music that revolves around unconventional harmonies and structures.

Another thing I've learned is to never wait for inspiration or a "muse" to hit. Just sit down and start tinkering. After about 20-30 minutes, your mind naturally forgets it was waiting for the muse, and you slip into a flow state.

Also, literally turn off the internet and don't waste any more time than necessary, embrace the principle of "Muda - eliminate waste". Focus only on what truly matters.

And most importantly, always finish your projects, particularly if you have a brain that’s a bit ADHD like.
Over time, it becomes a habit, and your productivity skyrockets in the long run.

When you realize that almost everything in life comes down to habits, it's like a revelation.
You start to see that you can reshape your entire consciousness in whatever direction you choose.
I know it sounds like common sense (something we all already know), but when you actually apply it, it's incredible how little time it takes, usually just 40-60 days to completely rewire your habits.

 

As a musician/songwriter who was also into computers & coding, I'd say ... don't spend all your life on #efnet and getting involved in all that. 2 million plugins is a distraction, concentrate on music, which is why you were there in the first place.

I also feel a bit guilty about helping open up "music for the masses"in the 90's. All it did, ultimately, was destroy "music".

A bit controversial, but my honest thoughts.

 

Do it properly. And not halfa$$ed. Everything. Do everything, every detail, properly. If you don't know how to do something properly, look it up or ask. Learn how to do it properly. Make everything so that you can be proud of it 20 years later. And do not be stupid ... compare your work to to what others in the mainstream made. And do not betray yourself: you have the same tools as the "pros" have. If your work doesn't sound as good: it's your fault. You didn't do it properly. USE TONAL BALANCE by iZotope. Works wonders.

 

Doing music as a hobby is cheaper than therapy in the long run!

 

Forget about it and do something else.

 

Learn about notes.

 

Only if you're making overground "music theory based" music! Now if only someone would come around and tell me what these mythical "notes" actually are... I don't think that person exists.

 

Use your ears the most, then the tools when you learn to use it in context

 

Oh, and a serious one... take notes. Write shit down. Ideas, riffs, chords, lyric fragments, techniques, settings, implementations, even justifications ("I used this because..."). In session (be it a rehearsal, a jam, or a studio recording) it's your best friend.

Keep some sort of thing always nearby for this... a small notebook and a pen, postit notes (as long as you collect these), a smartphone, your DAWs note feature*... whatever floats your boat.

We all like to pretend we remember everything (we don't) and there's ample time to defer something for later (there isn't). Having shit down helps with this. Especially when coming back to a thing a year later.

*) In Ableton the "Edit Info Text" is a goddamn lifesaver. If you use Live, embrace it, live it, love it. I'm sure it can be done in others as well. I wish you could add photos to this for getting hardware knob positions and patch cables into this. Oh well, I just save those in the project folder separately.

 

My daughter thought that I should spend time with a therapist to help me get through the thing I'm dealing with at time present. I told her...sweet you, I write songs.

I did take heed and saw the therapist during that month for good measure though!.

 

My advice would be 'don't wait, put your music out, send it to people, go to meetings, concerts, events, everything that you possibly can, network like a maniac and enjoy it'

 

"Don't even try getting into music m8. Ever."

 

it would be this - DONT use FL Studio like everyone else. Use Studio One, Cubase. learn the daw in and out..
i regret using fl studio 10 years ago

 

Yeah, do a thing, put that thing out there, move on to the next thing. Do not hover over one thing and scratch it like a festering wound, because it'll never heal.

Keep a constant motion, do not dwell on shit too much. The next tune will be better than the last, and if you don't move on you don't learn. Also it's fun (perhaps getting a bit... altered) to look back and hear how much you've come along.

 

Yeah, people might never discover the fun because they're too afraid of criticism and of failing to meet their own high (sometimes impossible) expectations

 

Amen. We're all our own harshest critics.

 

A healthy amount of self criticism or self reflection keeps you grounded, hopefully, at anything you do in life, not just music.

I think there's a much bigger and darker picture though that no-one wants to discuss.

Any attempt to do so would just descend very quickly into the usual chaotic free for all, so let's not go there.

It is what it is. Enjoy making music.

 

…: “Don’t go to AudioZ…”