Efficiency and Productive Mindset- Cognitive Approach to Music Production.

kraed

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-Efficiency and Productive Mindset- Cognitive Approach to Music Production.
Series of articles about structural guidelines and practices to get the most out of your music production.

A few years back I embarked on a hobby that has gotten the best out of me recently. It has managed to stick through out the years enough to shape me and make me reconsider a lot. Music, both instrumentation and digital production, has turned into an ongoing thing that lead me to immense hours of reading, listening, watching countless videos, learning, practice and even made me change to a fine arts school to make the most out of it. As it became a part of me, the more psychological and personal aspects became the most fundamental and structural of all. I took it upon myself to write my personal take on principals, details, and behavior far from what you expect to make you efficient on your work and goals.

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Part 1: Personal Fundamentals
Helpful insight which builds and boost productiveness, confidence, potential and helps get rid of frustrations that keep you from your work.
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-Breaking Bad Habits
As we start music production we immerse ourselves with so many factors that influence us both rightfully and wrongfully which stick with us as we learn to expose our music. So many external factors are actually the cause that drives us into bad habits and insecurities we are not aware affect negatively on our execution. We bombard ourselves with tons of video tutorials, plugins and samples download, extensive hours working on tracks, trying to create that perfect low shivering bass or that crispy tight snare and so on goes the endless list of actions that makes us think it will enhance our performance and productivity when in reality it doesn't build a comfortable personal system in which we can fluently manage ideas, progress rapidly on our work, and motivates us to make the most out of our talents. The fact is taking care of the technical details without ever understanding what helps us reach our productive capacity will actually do the contrary. We should concentrate and learn what builds a rich environment, focus, and mind to maintain clarity and productiveness during all our sessions. This is what I consider the most beneficial, crucial, and important aspect we must take in mind to be able to produce effortlessly, comfortably, and enjoyably. It achieves consistency, motivation, awareness, and one of the most important tools you will ever have...creative flow.

-Establishing Commitment and Goals, the Strongest Connection Between You and and You're Work
To grasp Music Production as a serious thing one does and consider it as something you want to be successful at plays the biggest part on how far you get. If you understands what you want and hope to achieve while constantly reflecting it somewhere your mind will become clearer on what it has to do to make it happen. It will become more than just an off and on thing a lot of people have, it stirs away the mind clutter that makes us end up on producer's/musician block in which one can't finish nor start a track (and that's a thing we REALLY want to get rid off, once and for all). That commitment you can establish by yourself will set and accept the challenge to do and reach where you want to. It's the biggest fuel, the biggest motivator you can have that will aid you along the way.

Once you know what you want to get out of producing and what you are willing to do you must make it take place not just in your mind. Having a physical visual stimulant that shows the commitment you made will really comfort you and support you. It will determine in your mind that it is real, it takes a physical form outside of your thoughts and reassures you Music Production is not just a small hobby anymore. It reflects your thoughts, effort, and ideas about what you do and why. A very practical way that's efficient and simple (I picked this idea from one of Ill Gate's Methodology workshop, definitively worth watching) is to make a written contract with yourself establishing that commitment and having it placed wherever you produce, work, or make your music at. Seeing it there will constantly remind you of it and how well you're keeping up.

Established goals are the very next thing one must have along side your commitment to progress. Goals can vary depending from person to person, having the clear picture on which are yours will become very beneficial. Taking time to break down long and short term goals helps us maintain a great amount of mental clarity which is needed to produce, it concentrates us on what we are aiming for with our work. It results in distributing time well and makes it easier to work with ourselves. Having them in a written form, similar to the commitment, will help set and achieve them at ease.

-Motivation and Organization
Let's admit it, most of us have gone trough it, that period of not being able to create material, stuck without finishing those tracks, as well as difficulty to get our heads into new ideas. We can't figure out what's going on. The cluttering factors in our mind that I explained above are the major causes of such hard times in our execution and performance, as we restructure and build a system that is personally shaped to our potentials we achieve the greatest amount of mental focus which drives away distractions and preoccupations.Then the achievements and stability of our work starts to build up. This builds confidence on oneself, motivation which will assure you that you can and will make great tracks, that you can get them out there for people to here, work on that EP you've been thinking on starting, and all of those goals we establish once we get serious.

Another important aspect I incorporate into my production is organization. Managing a well organized, practical method of arranging thoughts, ideas, motives, and projects not only helps keep track of time and resource, it also a great source of motivation since it shows the systematical progress of our work. It helps develop ideas into full blown projects and enriches our creative thinking. Keeping a handy notebook in which you can log your work, write ideas/concepts down, plan tracks/practices/sessions, and do frequent free writing is very advisable. It enhances our creative process and is a great way to sort out our mind before heading to lay a track down.


I look deeply forward for your feedback, opinions and thoughts on my writing. I wish for it to be helpful and encouraging as it has been to me. Soon hope to follow this with a continuation that will approach Work Flow and Creative Process but would love to hear your take on this material first!
 
Great info. I'm definitely interested in seeing what you come up with next. If you could take these ideas and further expand on them, maybe include more examples of how to implement breaking bad habits or creating new ones (just an idea), i'd say you'd have a pretty interesting read that im sure a lot of people here on the forums would flock to.

Whats that old saying? The game's to be sold . .
 
Thanks! I was thinking on elaborating more with practical examples but kept some out since they relate to other areas which i might dedicate a whole post to. Regarding the old saying (The game's to be sold, not to be told i think it is), starting and figuring things out in music production is quite a difficult task now a days. Many young people wish to start but are not sure how nor why, that as well as the huge amount of frustration blockage provokes is really a tough thing to deal with. If I can relieve some of that hardship from someone and actually help them express themselves trough the arts...that is very rewarding!
 
Good info indeed. Some I'm already aware, but like I say it never hurts ta have uh reminder so you can put more of it into action. The sad thing is, this thread'll never get as many views/replies as "FL vs. Pro Tools" or "Lex Luger Sucks, Lemme Know If You Agree With Me" threads. Lol ppl rather gossip about the BS then learn some real knowledge. The other sad thing is that most who'll read this information won't put it ta use at all, which basically means they don't believe it.
 
The music production scene needs the right kind of support. Perhaps most of people don't acknowledge the importance behind this but has it been promoted the same way as those countless tutorials around? I consider it to not be a matter of believe, it's one of understanding. It's a personal goal I've set to help the scene and those who want to achieve their personal motive so I'll try to keep up and post different tutorials and articles on similar subjects.

For those who did find it interesting I advise to look for and watch ill Gate's Methodology workshop on youtube. After I saw that video...I started getting serious about my work. He explains this aspects further and better! I implemented most of what he says in my performance and it does change drastically.
 
You can 'understand' as much as you want, regardless your actions will show whether you truely believe it or not. I just bookmarked the videos you mentioned. I'mma check em out. I appreciate everything you're doin.

---------- Post added at 08:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:42 PM ----------

Lol just noticed I've seen that vid already. Thanks anyway!
 
Thanks, man! Your actions do show what you believe but i consider this subjects as aspects you should understand how they work rather believing it works, agree?


I've watched it several times already xD
 
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Thanks, man! Your actions do show what you believe but i consider this subjects as aspects you should understand how they work rather believing it works, agree?


I've watched it several times already xD

If you don't understand/comprehend, how can you even believe it? Lol think about it.. You'll see how that's 'right', but fukd up at the same time.
 
Just look at many religious fanatics and such...they believe it...don't understand one bit xD It's possible...many trust extensive hours on a track, discussing the gossip you mentioned, and watching tons of tutorial will aid them manage producing better but those are not the only aspects to take in mind and are not the ones that build up the progress. Knowing it works, understanding it works, and believing it works are different concepts.
 
great post. most important thing is to set yourself goals. the 'breaking bad habits' section is very true as well.. common mistake is to flood oneself with tons of plugins etc. which kills our productivity and creativity. stick with a few high quality plugs and use them to the fullest. music production is an ongoing learning process and thats the beauty of it.
 
Should i go about making a more detailed post as well as other subjects? Really looking forward into workflow...

---------- Post added 08-13-2012 at 11:54 AM ---------- Previous post was 08-05-2012 at 06:42 AM ----------

Hm, would love to hear a bit more of your comments...

---------- Post added 01-10-2013 at 04:12 PM ---------- Previous post was 08-13-2012 at 12:54 PM ----------

bumpity
 
I think organization in music is dangerous. It breeds habits and templates and comfort zones. It encourages you want to use the same structures over and over, which leads to boring music. Organization is a tool of the bureaucrat not an artist.

For example, people set up template projects... terrible idea. People reuse the same same sounds over and over. This is all to do with commercialization, nothing to do with making good music.
 
I think this is a great thread and would deffos like to hear more! In fact i can relate to what you mean.

I have taken 2 years break from producing after just finishing a degree in Music Tech. this was due to things not being right with me, life etc. It also affected me during the last year of producing before this, finding motivation, fatiguing very easily whilst producing. Not able to control the excess baggage in my head hindering my concentration and focus, drive, ambition!

I just started reading a book which i actually found from this forum and it is great for helping with cognitive thinking and developing a better understanding of yourself and how to improve your success in life. I'm only on the second chapter but it has already got me thinking about writing out my own "contract" of what i hope to achieve and using it as a daily mantra, as well as goals and stuff.

To anyone who finds this thread interesting you should definitely check it out. "Think & Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill
 
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