Where's the "help"?! (semi-rant, but not really)

[Eswerve]

Didn't really know where to put this so I just thought here would be the best place. I don't want to tap into anyone's "secrets", but from what I've found from some of the comments and reviews of my tracks along with others, actual "help" is few and far between. There's a lot of suposed "constructive criticism" that consists of comments like "I don't like that or this is wrong" but hardly any of "this could make you and your tracks better if you tried this". I don't know if I have the wrong definition of constructive criticism when it comes to music and I know the music industry is cut throat and you're more oft to be told you need to find a new career path than to be told you have talent (just look at American Idol), but I thought this forum was here to help someone become better at a chosen craft whether you are doing this as a hobby, just love for music or trying to make a career out of music production? I think it's mostly related to the song reviews, for the most part the other forum sections are great and have a wealth of knowledge, but the real guts of this site is the music that's being produced.

So I wonder why the comments in the section that even makes this site relevant are not of the same quality. The comments that I have received have been pretty vague or opinionated/biased to that persons views or sound preference, but I guess that's with any music. I don't know if I'm expecting too much from this site. I know many of the more experienced producers, when they started out did not have the avenues that are afforded to most people now adays and that simple techniques that over time can be learned but are some of the "keys to success" when it comes to music production are well guarded. But I tend to think that a lot of the experienced people forget that at one point in time, they were on the same level as the person just starting out. And whether they had many people telling them they couldn't do it or people who supported them 100% and helped them out, at some point they had questions that needed answers and at each point in their journey, finding the answers became much easier. I know there is a big difference of someone trying to take the easy way as opposed to actually doing it. Most people tend to not appreciate things they do not have to work for, so I can understand not wanting to freely "give" advice away. So I'm not looking for a handout or advice on how to "make it", just to "make it better" in relation to what I want. Thanks for any comments or reading.

[The Tone Ranger]

Some people forget where they were/where they have come from. Most old school cats didn't have the advantages we do as beatmakers/producers today and didn't complain about the come up. You have to remember some cats that are peeping your music do not have the experience to actually give you quality advice. What do you want, a bunch of unqualified individuals giving you bad info????? I will be trying to get more involved with reviewing other peoples music as soon as I finish preparing mine and will do my best to give good advice.....but this site is a luxury for us all.....not a must. Take the good & bad reviews in stride my friend. As far as I know this is the biggest producer community on the net and we all should be gracious. ~PEACE~

[Eswerve]

Love the quote in your sig. Gonna have to keep that in mind. No I appreciate this site, I mean it's been instrumental in helping me out. I'm just now getting to the point of putting "book knowledge" (manuals, forum posts, books, etc) on music production/creation to practical use. I can understand not wanting an unqualified person trying to make a qualified assessment. It's like the blind leading the blind. I don't want it to sound as if I'm not appreciative of this site. That's definitely not it. I guess cause I wasn't really around any other producers or beat makers to see how things are done before I made the decision to start making my own music and what goes behind it that I find that I'm doing a whole lot of searching with no answers because I don't know what to search for or if I'm on the right path to find answers to what I am searching for. Using your Quote as an example.

[The Tone Ranger]

I was a similar kind of situation. Everyone around me always rhyming, nobody making beats. I decided to step up and take the plunge. Home Recording For Dummies book was my start. I then read every single book I could find about starting a record label,publishing(you have got to know how to stay paid) and busic buisness books. When I hit the internet it was on.....Teaks,FP,Ill,beattalk,warbeats.....I read, I read, I read. Saved up for my Triton, put to use what I read. Had to read a manual too. On to korgforums. Learned sampling(the purest form of hip hop) copped the BeatTips Manual and then on to composing. Emedia Software helped me get some keyboard/piano chops. Idiots Guide to Music Theory book schooled me on basic theory. Practice,practice ,practice. Nothing truly worthwhile is easily attained. I'll post up all of my books soon. I hope this helps. Espescially since I single finger typed all of it!!!!! Lol. With all this music stuff I have no time to learn typing!!!!! ~PEACE~

[Eswerve]

LOL I hear you, I pretty much have the same books and did basically the same thing. Cept with me, I was the one writin and writin and tellin all these so called "producers" around me all I need is beats and kept getting told "Yeah, I got you!" with nothing to show for it. My path is a mirror image of yours. I hope everything works out for you! Keep at it, cause I know I will.

[The Tone Ranger]

Stay focused. Knowledge Rules. ~PEACE~

[GoodMoney]

I love this post...i agree there's a lot of knowledge on this site and would havenever known anything about interfaces midi or monitors or anything had not been for this site but as TOne said theres a lot of unskilled ppl on the site and not a lot of knowledgable ppl so the nonskilled ppl dont know how to give a constructive response simply because they dont know wut to tell u...on the other hand, some of the pool of knowledgeable ppl are just jerks and they give u crap for any little question u ask...so when it comes to FP u gotta take the good with the bad ya know...and be glad theres a site like this in existence...i wish there were more sites like this but for now FP got it on lock down lol

[The Tone Ranger]

No doubt. FP= Largest producer community on the net. Run with us or get run over.

[Razorblade2500]

The 4th edition of the beattips manual is one of a kind. You can't find any other book with that much info on producing beats. His newest book gives you step by step instructions on becoming a producer. There is no other book that can break down hip hop the way he does. He goes into every stage differnt stage during production (drum programing, sequencing, mixing, filtering, ect.) If you feel like you need some sort of direction with music, the beattips manual is perfect for any level of producers. Don't believe any of the negative feedback you here from this site. The beattips manual will help you become the beatmaker you have always wanted to be. So get out the and buy the book. You won't regret it.