Studying Music production...TIPS!!!

iJackPot

New member
I want to really own my craft as a producer and need help. I want to start taking a couple hours out of the day to practice my production skills. Now I know making beats will ultimately make me better but I know people who have been using there daws for years and suck at it compared to somebody who is actually good with the same amount of years. What I'm asking is what are some good studying tips? Should I make beats as usual but maybe focus on mixing one day then mastering the next and sampling the next.

Here is a schedule that I thought would be efficient for me.

Monday - Mixing
Tuesday- Mastering
Wed- Sound Design
Thursday- Sampling
Friday- Daw Basics
Saturday- Basic Music Theory
Sunday- Freestyle (study anything)

Or should I study do this...

Week 1 - Mixing and Mastering
Week 2 Sound Design and Samping
Week 3 - Daw Basics and Music theory
Week 4 - Freestyle

Basically, Just keeping working on a certain aspect til I nail. I don't want to be lack in any aspect of my production, aka I don't want to be the guy in the gym with big arms and chicken legs. So if you guys have any tips on how I can enhance my studying that would be great. I already take notes when I watch videos on certain tops so i can refer to them later.
 
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take each of your seven days and turn that into seven sessions per day for each sub topic - a better approach imnsho as you can take what is learnt in each session and apply to the others as each day progresses
 
I'm not sure if one thing is more important than the other to learn before the other (except learning the DAW and some common basic production tips - start with that), but I would separate it even more:
- DAW + common production tips
- Music theory
- Learning all of the different plugins
- Sounddesign
- Mixing
- Mastering
And so on.

I'd also dive into each one for a non set period of time, so I'm sure I have good grip on something before I move on (for example that I understand mixing pretty well before I dive into mastering).

But I think it's a bit of a personal preference.
 
I'm just trying to organize it as if I was in school taking courses. I think I'm going to do the first schedule. nothing wasn't more important then the other just general tops that I think I should go over.
 
I feel that you're going to burn yourself out by being overly rigid.
The most beneficial part of all of this is establishing a habit of learning something new and useful every day.
It can be exciting to design intense plans for personal growth,
but something that's too strict can become unsustainable in light of real-world obstacles.

-Ki
Salem Beats
 
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a schedule for when to get better at music.. make music when you feel it.. cuz if you overload you're going to get frustrated and not make anything.. just do it when you feel like it.. works for me ..
 
It rarely works like that , cause imagine you put tuesday as you mixing day, but you have a new idea, so you won't create the beat cause you mixing old ones ? I've tried to do it like this, and I never could cause you don't feel the same everyday and you time is not the same everyday. You might get mad at yourself cause you didn't accomplish your work for the day, just go with the flow, after all music is vibrations.

It's all about the moment, try to work on music as much as possible. If you feel like creating, create, if you feel like mixing, mix, if you feel like mastering, master, if your ears are tired and you don't want to listen,, go online and read on what you don't know or don't understand. Always research what you don't know or don't understand.

Those who work for years and don't get better probably don't look for their mistakes, rather live in their own self ego created lie.

Don't need a schedule, but make sure most of you time is spent thinking or working on your music.
you're never gonna "nail it" because there is no wall, music and mixing is an art that you will always find new ways to create with.
Sometimes I hear tracks from famous producers who made that a GREAT mix, then the next beat he has, has a sloppy mix "to my ears"; a lot has to do with opinion.

I learned that most videos on youtube by amateur producers aren't really helpful unless you want to hear the difference between a sound with and without the effect... but reading how things work is the best. Instead of watching a guy use a compressor, read how to use a compressor, instead of listening to a guy say just stick that reverb preset, learn what each knob does for the reverb.

And remember if it sounds good, then it's probably good, but also remember, everyone has different trained ears. So your good might not be my good, BUT it's YOUR music so you are the final judge.
 
Honestly, the schedule you follow isn't nearly as important as your willingness to commit to it. Many people (including myself) have taken a similar approach to yours and eventually burn out by not being committed. So make sure you're completely committed to following your schedule and be strict. Sure, life events will pop up but don't make small things an excuse to just 'catch up tomorrow'. Also, reading is great but make sure you actually get in your DAW and practice using the stuff you learn in your own music. You get an amazing grasp on the concepts you learn when you put it into your own work.
 
IMO, I would focus most the majority of your time on sound design, music theory and mixing. The best way to do this is by making beats. Pick/design all of your sounds, find a suitable chord progression, compose a melody and sequence your drums (not necessarily in this order). Make a 4 to 8 bar loop then start mixing. Export the track and go listen to it in your car, in your consumer headphones, laptop speakers, etc. Then do it all over again. By doing this you are studying/practicing each aspect as it relates to each other rather than a stand-alone subject. Hope this helps.
 
IMO, I would focus most the majority of your time on sound design, music theory and mixing. The best way to do this is by making beats. Pick/design all of your sounds, find a suitable chord progression, compose a melody and sequence your drums (not necessarily in this order). Make a 4 to 8 bar loop then start mixing. Export the track and go listen to it in your car, in your consumer headphones, laptop speakers, etc. Then do it all over again. By doing this you are studying/practicing each aspect as it relates to each other rather than a stand-alone subject. Hope this helps.

I kinda like this right here!!!
 
IMO, I would focus most the majority of your time on sound design, music theory and mixing. The best way to do this is by making beats. Pick/design all of your sounds, find a suitable chord progression, compose a melody and sequence your drums (not necessarily in this order). Make a 4 to 8 bar loop then start mixing. Export the track and go listen to it in your car, in your consumer headphones, laptop speakers, etc. Then do it all over again. By doing this you are studying/practicing each aspect as it relates to each other rather than a stand-alone subject. Hope this helps.


this..except dont stop at an 8 bar loop.. Finish composing the song before mixing it and going out to speaker reference it.

Too many ppl these days make some loop then repeat it for 4 minutes and call it a song. Its boring. incorporate arrangement and producer skills into the song too or all you will ever be doing is making single section loops.
 
This is music my friend, not rocket science! You have to relax your brain a little when it comes to this, your making it way more complicated than it is. What i suggest you do is just make music, and love doing it. Thats how i learned and I stick to that code. If theres something I want to know then i do my research and get it right. Other than that just do what you do.
 
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