When Its Time To Get A Mentor

R

Reign Supreme

New member
Hey FP fam....


Wanted to get everyone's opinion about the need for mentors when coming through the ranks as a producer. How do you go about making the right connections to where an established producer (established doesn't necessarily mean meeting Kanye West or Just Blaze although it wouldn't hurt but someone who has had some success in the industry.) can give you the ins and out of the industry, can give you honest criticism about your tracks and where you can improve, and can steer you in the direction you need to go in order to meet your goals.
 
I dunno about 'mentors' but I have 'several' friends who are either producers or players (of varying genres) themselves that I often bounce off of.
One of my best mates makes (what I can only describe as) junggly-folk songs... He and his sister (my oldest friend) have management and publishing - although skint, they get paid and are doing well...
I trust him and he knows more about midi than anyone I've ever met, so if I'm stuck with something he's my first port of call!
 
Were you guys friends before you started making music? Or were they people that you have met along your journey with making music? To be honest, I'm more interested in meeting producers or players of various genres as well. My problem is that I suck at networking...period! LOL! So meeting people who produce has always been a chore.

With alot of these "producers" out there claiming to know everything about the music industry, how did your friends opinion become something you trusted?
 
Those 2 I've been mates with since kids - we were in a band together when we were 13!
Playing/singing in bands throughout my teenage years through to my mid-twenties - most of the people I know are involved in music (either bands, djs, mc's, producers) or arts... I'm just lucky I guess
 
For myself, finding a mentor was necessary to not only learning, playing and understanding jazz music, but also for navigating the local jazz scene. It took awhile, but finding the right instructor who would help push me out of my comfort zone was key to my development. When it comes to the arts, music especially, there are certain things you can only really truly learn by following the example of others. Its like the saying goes-as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
 
Pumpthrust said:
For myself, finding a mentor was necessary to not only learning, playing and understanding jazz music, but also for navigating the local jazz scene. It took awhile, but finding the right instructor who would help push me out of my comfort zone was key to my development. When it comes to the arts, music especially, there are certain things you can only really truly learn by following the example of others. Its like the saying goes-as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
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Okay...so how did you go about finding your mentor? What were their expectations of you? What were you expectations of them?
 
Reign Supreme said:
Okay...so how did you go about finding your mentor? What were their expectations of you? What were you expectations of them?
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1. Went to gigs and jams where the top jazz players are at. Going to jazz camp last year built my network up significantly. To get what you want, you need to surround yourself with people who already have it.

2. Expectations were for me to listen, practice, be prepared, be punctual, and do exactly what he says do exactly how he says to do it. And don't be funny with his money or his time.

3. My expectation of him was to be a solid player, experienced with the music scene, gigging regularly, and knowledgeable. His degree in music education and jazz performance from one of the top music programs in the country helped alot with my decision to study with him. I needed someone who not only can do what I want to learn how to do, but is doing it regularly.
 
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It's all in the networking. Whether you're a producer, beatmaker, singer or engineer, you meet more people as you progress. Thus you have a catalog of people you can call on if you need help. Through those relationships, some grow stronger and some break. I would not go out saying "I need a mentor." More so, prove yourself a humble, hard working individual to people you may know in power. I'm sure having Just Blaze as a mentor would be phenomenal. But I believe you have a higher chance of running into his friends or members of his camp, than him.

With that being said, prove yourself. I myself have a few people I can call "mentors." But I have known them for years, supported what they have done and even interned with them.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the sincere words man!

So should I concern myself more with building up my catalog of beats THEN try build a relationship with other producers and network that way? Or is it a little bit of both?
 
Reign Supreme said:
Thanks for the sincere words man!

So should I concern myself more with building up my catalog of beats THEN try build a relationship with other producers and network that way? Or is it a little bit of both?
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No problem. It's both. You just continuously work and meet people. Just like when you make friends in school, that's networking. Work, ask questions and build.
 
Guest said:
No problem. It's both. You just continuously work and meet people. Just like when you make friends in school, that's networking. Work, ask questions and build.
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Gotcha. Thanks again.

I uploaded my first track in Soundcloud the other day. Give me an honest opinion about it if you can.

The link is in my signature.
 
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