Be humble; it's not "your music", it comes from the universe, or a spiritual plane, or another dimension, whatever. You're merely the channel and the scribe. So open your mind, let the ideas flow in, experiment. Take notice of their feedback and keep trying, they'll let you know when you've got it right. Once it's right, don't change it.

And, as Ricky Nelson sang, "You can't please everyone, so you gotta please yourself."

 

Always follow your Intuition
Write your music from the Heart
That is where creativity exists.
Ignore negativity

Don't forget to have lots of fun! ,the journey is what matters ,not the destination.

 

Always record the "rehearsal"!

 

don't waste your time with people that don't care or put any effort into it

 

Don't take advice from random people on the internet.

 

Stop listening at high volume in headphones and do not go into that virus infected swimming pool in Spain, so you won't have tinnitus and painful response to any sound good or bad.

 

Don't go into any swimming pool, especially later in the summer season.

 

"Don't sell your analogue synths or any hardware synths/samplers you buy, unless you're really starving." I had many great analogues, couple of digital and a couple of samplers. The analogues would still be worth 100s of thousands of euros, especially 10-15 years ago when software synths in production still weren't that common. Great analogue synths are like investment property.

Nowadays they're not so "in" anymore. Still expensive, but people are not as interested in them since software sounds nice enough and there are plenty of new analogues who are great to have. I personally wouldn't know what to do with Jupiter-4 or PPG 2.3 now. Juno-106? TAL one is good enough. Boring synths btw.

 

As with any other art form if you can NOT do music then don't.

But if I could go back in time and give advice to myself regarding music production I would say - learn how to mix and learn it well

 

1. Dallas was right... work to the best me possible, in all ways... as the better you become in everything in your life, the better your musical expression and creation will be.
2. Trust yourself, but don't trust anyone else... contracts for all work are 100% mandatory, no exceptions.
3. Buy tools based on NEEDS only, the wants only waste your time and money.
4. That Crypto thing they are discussing in 2009 at Zac's is something you want to put several thousands of dollars into!
5. Buy a stage Piano and slowly learn it, this and music theory will be in your future big time.
6. I know you are an SSL 4000 fanboy but an API Box will be in your future and you will love it, get over it and learn it, you'll never be happier with your mixes once you learn the API sound.
7. Re-amping is your friend... learn to love it.
8. Middling work will become obsolete because of AI, keep developing your own sound, it will be what separates you moving forward.
9. Ribbon mics are amazing, AEA and Stager will change how you hear the world.
10. Learn to say yes more... spend more time with JC before he's killed and make sure to tell D Nix how much you appreciate him before his stroke gets him a week after that Stankonia session.

 

The main key to have a satisfiable musical life is: "Just Do It".

 

Just remember, that's also the key to an extended prison sentence.

 

"Less is more"

 

spend more time practicing and playing and composing and less time on the internet...

 

all you say is true, but inversely despite the plethora of musicians, software and new techniques, we actually have less real music of any significant quality being made each year. There is a tsunami of background music, inoffensive, lofi, ambient etc, I can listen to it all day and remember none of it, nor who made it.

Years ago the music was so good, you wanted to know who made it immediately, if you didn't recognize it. That desire has died.

I still collect files of music made in the last century and discovering old blues and jazz, and old live performances by artists of the time is still interesting, so I know desire for good music isn't dead. Just a sea of bad music burying the good stuff and creating more difficulty in finding those gems in the landfill that is modern music..

 

Prince knew that.. modern recording media is dirt cheap, and easy to have available in an instant. I always record ideas, If they're good I polish them, if they are not so good, I still keep them around waiting for a reason to chop up a piece and use it somewhere else..

worst case I use my phone, but its truly rare, a phone is a piece of shit for recording compared to just about anything else.

There is a device by Line 6, called instant replay, thats a dedicated recorder


comes with a mic, or without a mic.

and the TC helicon Wiretap pedal is a basic standalone instrument recorder

both are pretty cheap, and far better quality than a cell phone.

 

is this self referential?

 

focus RIGHT NOW in to arrangement and gain staging... so simple, so incredibly powerfull. 10min and u have a song, not finished but like a 80% of the idea.

 

Get a real job you lazy b******.