not in my experience, vast majority of critics are pretty emphatic

implying that the rest of us didnt get overwhelmed at first but we still made it so can you

 

Focus on the inner world not the outside.
Making music and making a living off music are different things.
I quit music because the information wasn't available back then but now it is. Or maybe that was just the excuse I told myself. I just didn't put in the work. Other people were making music with less at the same time.
I spent this whole year just watching tutorials on production, mixing, mastering and to me it sounds 100x better then anything I could make last year.
People expect that it's just going to happen straight away.
Keep learning you're only 26. Your track Flow sounds really good snare is a bit loud and left but what ev. I'd just keep on going sounds like you've put in a bit of work to get that far already. It would sound dope with a Grimes type singer on it.
Maybe try find a singer. Make an 80's retro thing like Prospa.
That sound with that 80's vibe would be easy to self promote on social media.
Spend a whole week just focusing on the one thing you think you could improve in your music.
Watch some Gary Vee. Put in more work. Or just live a life of excuses, forever doomed to wondering what could have been.

 

hi
I work with Autistic adults to support them in their daily lives, so I can kinda of see where you are at.
First of all the whole music production thing is a bit of a journey for many people( I'm still tinkering after many years but I prefer to see this as a hobby to express myself) so you will go through downtimes where you will have self doubt and unfortunately your autism can feed into it. You have anxiety at a time when many people are also going through difficult times( covid etc) so you are not alone with this.

I am scared to put music (if I manage to complete any) online for fear of being told I am rubbish etc

When I am looking around in the music forums on the internet and I see people talking about mastering etc it does overwhelm me plus also makes me feel like I am no good, as I am not doing things manually, instead using Ozone advanced 9's mastering assistant.

I get it
putting music out for constructive criticism is unnerving especially if people don't seem to respond at all( leaves you hanging there)
and mastering ( that along with mixing is my number one thing I need to figure out).

I think the idea of being part of a project can be helpful or a simple collaboration.
I did one for a person via reddit who I thought was way ahead of me, but I felt I had nothing to lose. I managed to surprise myself by what I added. Maybe because it wasn't my work originally, but I still managed to contribute something and again its may have been simply that I had a different perspective that they didn't have. Sometimes that works for bands( when they are not too busy pretending to be spinal tap or Bad news )

the other thing i can suggest is to visit your doctor about your depression and anxiety, and maybe they can prescribe something to get you through this period. Either something short term meds or something therapeutic. Autistic adults use music ( and music therapy ) as a form of expression. Today the young man I worked with has played two instruments with me and is happy as larry in expressing himself( hes non verbal).

regardless I think you have done pretty well so far by coming here to ask for help( that takes a lots of balls!)

This band of deplorables in AZ have lived enough to be able to help you here and there and prod you in the right direction to keep going.

 

Sure but not Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim. He was only 22 in 1985 when he joined The Housemartins, an indie band which had a short but quite successful career. Cook's first solo endeavor at age 27 in 1990, Beats International, topped the UK singles chart with "Dub be good to me" which was also a top10 hit in many other countries. Countless other aliases made him a persona in all types of dance music and acid jazz as well with FreakPower until the Fatboy Slim moniker became a household name globally.

Shiiiiit. I must have thought about this a million times in my 35 years "career". Luckily there was always something or someone to remind me that this is my calling. I admit to have made long pauses between music making. Always doing something related though, like gigging or djing or studying.
I heard your track. It ain't half bad. Not at all miss. And while i can hear the various 80s influences, your track stands out from the myriads i keep listening to because it has soul. This to me, is the most important aspect of any track. It contains the correct dreamy atmosphere, groove and melodic structure to become a great pop song. So to me obviously you have the talent and what it takes to keep on trying and creating. Hell, so many untalented peeps make music that listening to new music is becoming a choir rather than a pleasant experience with each year passing by. Your track was a treat to my ears.
My humble opinion, it's just a phase you 're going through. I could easily be your dad in age (54 yo now, going 55) and i 've been in this crossroads too many times. Just keep making new music, keep on keeping on. Never forget the people who make music, we create something out of nothing. For this we are blessed, because this something is directed at the people's heart and soul. The more music i make the more i feel like a priest of sorts, since i dare to cater for the soul's pleasure, love, anger, etc. Touching, reaching people with your music is no easy feat. Yet it's an inescapable calling that comes from deep within.
No matter how well one can master the technical aspects of music making, there will always be a guy with one guitar or piano that will play his/her song and make you cry, smile whatever. This simple mystery is the embodiment of music's magic. You got this, just don't let it fade away. It's a long way to the top and all you gotta do is keep moving
Cheers and happy safe holidays:

 

If you love music, who gives a damn of anyone else's opinion, the only one you have to please is yourself, if you are happy with what you play then others will surely like it also, musical tastes are so varied that surely there will be many people that like what you play, look at all the positive feedback you got on soundcloud. There are so many really good musicians with severe health issues that don't give up the music they love. I have severe health issues but never gave up, I'm the most miserable hardheaded old coot imaginable who just refuses to give up playing guitar. I could tell you my whole story but it would take at least an entire page or more to tell you the whole story in short form. The tune you posted on soundcloud is really good and it is an open pallet for so many styles of guitar solos you can put to it. Do yourself a great favour, kick yourself in the butt and grab your guitar and solo along with your track. I'm very sure there are many people on the forum who would like to encourage you and offer to exchange ideas on how to continue creating your music. Good luck and best wishes for the upcoming Christmas holidays. PS don't take medical advice from anyone but a qualified and experienced doctor, wanna-be know it-alls and well meaning people offering medical advice is a disaster waiting to happen. Isolation from the world is another health enemy, you need to have good friends to talk to and keep in contact with even if it is on the phone or by messaging, even everyday chi-chat about nothing special is beneficial.

 

Your music is really nice, and you do have an ear for good melodies, and that is more than most people doing EDM (most of them just rip some other peoples wav-files from sample packs).

Your mixes needs a lot of attention (compared to top notch productions). But don't let that stop you from making music!! You will get better every day. Start to analyze your favorite artists productions and try to mimic parts/sounds of it, you will learn plenty from it.

I've made terrible mixes in the past but some tracks is still very dear to me. Nothing beats playing those old tracks to an audience that likes that style. If it is a really good track, people won't care about the mixing quality or mastering (to a certain degree of course).

I'm only proud of one song I have made in my entire life, because it's very different from anyone else and it's a whole story and gives ME goose bumps, still 15 years after I made it... It took me years to finish that track back in the 2000 era.... No help, no instructions videos, etc. Just hard work and hell of a lot of inspiration on melodies.

You could get help from a another person who is better at mixing (which I never had the chance to do really). I'm over 40 and still struggling, I'm A LOT better at mixing now but I have so little inspiration/time to do really good tracks nowadays. I don't want to be famous, I just want to make more tracks that gives people goose bumps...
I mix other peoples music sometimes. My releases are sometimes mastered by a known mastering engineer (via the labels I released on), to be honest I wasn't impressed by the result but my mixes where pretty bad from the beginning so.....

And btw: DON'T MASTER YOUR OWN MUSIC. Just don't. It's a rabbit hole and people spend their lives being good mastering engineers, and it is nearly impossible to do it on your own tracks since you are biased. Just to a little bit of Compressring, EQ and Limiting. Just a tiny bit.
If you are indeed really happy with a track you made, pay a real pro to master it for you if you want to release it on a label or Spotify or whatever.

Focus on what YOU think is fun. If you don't like mixing, don't focus on it. If you don't like mastering, don't focus on it.
Find a friend or someone to collaborate with that shares the same taste or interest in music production.

My old friends that "made it" hooked up with older producers, by doing that they learned a lot and also got a foot in the business.
For me, I'm not interested in the business part at all.

Take care!

 

Music is like a permanent disease, you can stop doing it, but it will always be in yourself.
It can be good to stop for a while.

 

I started playing guitar when I was twelve. I played in several (not famous) rock groups, back in the 1960's. Then work took over and I didn't have time for music for years. When I was close to retiring, I started playing again. I bought Backing Tracks, because there were no fellow musicians nearby.

I used to play to the Backing Tracks, then I started making my own. I have never had any instruction of any kind in mixing or mastering. I picked up bits on the internet and I'm entirely self taught.

I'm now close to 80 years old and still making music, playing my guitar and enjoying life. Only losers give up. Don't be a loser. Who cares what other people think? Some like Opera, others hate it. Me, I hate the modern crap they call music. I make my own Backings from music that I like. I don't give a f**k if you like it or not. I don't care if there is a note out of place or whether I should EQ some sound that a bat might hear. My EARS tell me if I like it and surprisingly enough a lot of other people like it too.

If YOU like the music you make, that's good enough. The more you listen to it, you think "Hmm, maybe the strings are a bit loud", so you remix, then you learn something new like 'ducking', so you go back and remix everything you have ever done. I think some (most) of my songs I've remixed at least 20 times as my learning curve progressed.

I have NEVER felt like giving up. I don't CARE what other people think. If I had a band, I would still get up and play, even at my age and if I make a mistake, I've been at it long enough to be able to cover it up. I tried to sell some of my backing tracks, but people today have no time for MUSIC they only buy Hip Hop, Rap, EDM and noise. I don't care. If THEY like noise, it's THEIR problem, not mine. I like MUSIC. Full stop.

 

Hello,

First of all sorry if this is going to be a long answer. I will try to be as honest and true as possible and touch upon issues not mentioned.

you have many answers with good points it's up to you to assess what resonates with you.

your autism aside (that is up to a qualified Dr to deal with) keep in mind that while Music is an art but it is also a business and a ruthless one. these are two very different aspects that not everyone can deal with and manage properly. I've read about many bands and artists that were very famous and talented and yet got robbed by their publishers, companies or their managers so much they did not recover.

you ask is it worth continuing? well frankly this is up to you to decide. are you living of it ? or do you have a paying job you could keep music as a thing on the side? do you have the passion and desire to make it or you just want to create music you love? if you have a true passion it is very hard to quit and tormenting if you do.

Now about your track. it is not bad, better than a lot of the music I hear when I download music for inspiration. now will it make you rich & Famous ? frankly I doubt that although ppl with much less talent have become famous or made lots of money. here in my country people take famous songs put a new drum loop under it (from a sample CD probably) and call themselves a DJ and get famous and make money. I listen and laugh (sometimes bitterly) you see ppl in general don't know about the technicalities they will almost always prefer the "hot" guitarist to the one who can really rock, that's just the way it is and will always be. same thing for the sexy chick in a video clip vs the ugly woman singing her heart out. I myself sometimes watch a video song for the sexiness and almost immediately forget the tune ...
few days ago I listened to Paul McCartney new album, well it did not impress me. I mean the man is a genius but does he still have the desire to prove it to the world? probably not. does he need the money? of course not so his motivation is not that extreme so that he works nights and days to release that perfect song

also many one hit wonders prove that it's not always about talent.

what I am trying to say is that it's not always about the music. luck, perseverance, looks, good management etc all play a part

I am 50 years old I fell in love with music in my early twenties I studied piano for a few years so was able to play Beethoven, Chopin etc but I set my standards high and frankly I was not totally dedicated or talented so I quit. I played in a Rock/Pop band for few years (not a good way to make money here) so I got a job as a sales manager for years until I got bored so I learned interior design and 3d Vis and I've been working in that for 13 years now but all this time I could not forget music I used to compose few bits and loops Until a while ago (took inspiration from guys on this site) and decided I must finish tracks and post and so I did (4 till now were posted here) it did not make me famous overnight nor am I expecting that anymore but a few encouragement and kind words were enough to keep going.

moral is if you love it, don't quit. do music for your own pleasure of course while trying to make a living the best possible way to raise a family and support yourself.


best of luck pal to you and to everyone on this site

Regards.

 

Thank you to the vast majority of people on this thread who have given positive feedback, You have really given me a boost of confidence, so for the last few days have been busy in my studio working on a track

 

If your artistic activity is contingent upon what others think, or don't think, of your music, quit now.

 

Hear, hear. How right you are. The vast majority of of today's little snowflakes wouldn't know good music if it bit them in the ass. They only worry about being politically correct, so white music is BAD and black music is GOOD.

Today's motto is "Do not think for yourself. listen to what the politically correct people tell you to like". Every radio station, music house and TV show will emphasize this by playing the music that you MUST like over and over and over and over, until, people who DO have a mind of their own want to SCREAM in frustration.

The utter rubbish they used to play in our gym (before they shut it down like everything else for the 'flu) used to make me wear earplugs to be able to exercise.

 

I wonder if there are forums for painters and writers where the same sentiments and insecurities are exchanged and debated.

@Sounddept is it the creative process of making music and sharing music that has you frustrated or are the pressures of making a living as a music creator getting too be unbearable? The two are different things and I think you should separate them mentally.

There is the creative aspect that gives a aural and physical presence to an emotive idea and then there is a separate process in which one can extract valuation and capital from that creative endeavor. Just replace the word musician/producer/engineer with painter in your original post and see if that helps you get some perspective.

If it makes you feel better to do it, then continue doing it. If it is making you miserable, then stop if you want to you can always come back to it later. If you are trying to get rich, while doing something you like doing but want everyone to love you and adore everything you do while sitting on throne surrounded by beautiful women twerking in thongs with thic asses... well you my friend have the same dream and the same frustrations as 8/10 people who make music on the Internets. Welcome to the club.

best wishes.

 

Sounds a little rote and scripted but I agree with the overall sentiment just not the tired ass ole Abe Simpson 'get off my lawn' shtick in the delivery.

I have pretty broad musical tastes and I even don't consider 95% what they used to play at the Gym enjoyable music so that's not really anything to go by.

 

Last edited: Dec 23, 2020

Hey there,

I thought I'd add and hope it's of use to you. I recently had a massive long time House Producer/DJ give me career advice and the one question he had for me that really resonated was "what exactly is your goal?"

I didn't even really know the primary goal - so I thought it over. As shallow as this may sound, I want to make money and live off of what I love, but the hard truth set in. I looked at the options, and it goes like this (from my own research)

80% income is DJing (and I am not really interested in that)
10% sales (or probably much less, especially if you don't have your own label)
10% Merch and other misc.

Well, given the current circumstances for live events, that can be scratched. Being a musical artist and trying to make a career from it is a tough one these days. There's piracy, .00001 cent sales with streams, and a slew of other things preventing you from reaching a realistic goal (career wise).

To top it off, you'll get to experience all the politics, stress and added "anxiety" from the industry! All this while you make zero $$$

So I'd suggest just having fun doing what you're doing and make this a hobby! Study lots on Youtube tutorials and books. Computer Music Mag is another great one! If you don't have inspiration, do something entirely different that you enjoy. Just a simple walk in nature does wonders!

 

Last edited: Jan 7, 2021

Thought I'd add one more thing. Don't share your music unless you're absolutely comfortable getting criticism. Be your own critic and then go from there. Instead of trying to sound like a major artist, why not find others close to your level and work with that?

Be careful of critics who take a strip off your work, but can not even do the work themselves. There are those who do this as a means to embolden themselves. I'd be open to those with knowledge though, as they would more than likely give you humble criticism. Try not to take it personally. I think it's hard for all artists to be open to criticism so don't feel like you're alone. I think it's even tougher being the one criticizing, because you can have a whirlwind of animosity in return!

 

Last edited: Jan 9, 2021

@Sounddept
Music is something wonderful, please stick with it!

 

do you enjoy the other things you used to? your description sounded to me like you might just be depressed, and if you could address that you'd enjoy music as much as you did before