How long did it take you to get "good?"

I

ipodchicken

New member
I've been working with fl studio and a mpk 88 and I'm JUST starting to understand how to navigate and chop and use samples.

I'm still really, really bad. I set out to make a beat then I do something cataclysmicly wrong in my daw ruining everything or it just come out sounding lame.

How long did it take you to get to the point where you though "ok this is it?"

I want to get this good. Make a beast in 10 minutes...not crap in 2 hours..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irb335ThC
 
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It took me about 2 years to figure out what I needed to use to make the sound I like (from Australia so didn't have anybody to show me) then another 2 to get comfortable in the software I use to make music. I have been making beats since 2004.
 
grey_goo said:
10,000 hours
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images
 
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I had no idea what I was doing when I first started out, I believe I was handicapped because I don't play any instruments..

I knew what I wanted the beat to sound like, but I didn't know how to play it out. Or I didn't know how to make melodies. If I did chance upon a good melody, I didn't know how to "build the beat up" -- what kind of instruments to put it together with, how to make supporting melodies, etc.

For the longest time I blamed it on my equipment and lack of sounds, but if anything it's just a lack of production knowledge. When I started seriously studying (reading music theory books, watching beatmaking videos on YouTube, reading and watching piano courses, etc. damn near everyday for about a couple of months now) my music has improved a lot.

I don't think I'm making classics, but I'm making stuff I actually WANT to rap on. Still got a long way to go, but I'm starting to get there.
 


I am making beats since 2006 and however in 2008 my beats where ok, u just learn so much over time,

when you master sample arts I think it s about YOU guiding the sound to where u wanna go, not the sound guiding you.. Just dont get sidetracked by the first sound/cool chop u get, because its all about your beat breathing. greets from holland
 
Yh ive been doing beats for about a year now and still crafting and developing my style, I can make allright stuff but I know if I sit there take the time and effort I can make a good complete beat, as for making a beat in 10 minutes I dont know about that mabye just a skeleton of a beat but that sound like some souljah boy ish right there some of the sickest producers out at the moment spend hours on a beat, got to be bringing that heat.
 
I am producing for 4 months now.

Thats my last Track, so you can see the progress I've done:



Best Regards,
DJ Beswit
 
CDotF said:
I had no idea what I was doing when I first started out, I believe I was handicapped because I don't play any instruments..

I knew what I wanted the beat to sound like, but I didn't know how to play it out. Or I didn't know how to make melodies. If I did chance upon a good melody, I didn't know how to "build the beat up" -- what kind of instruments to put it together with, how to make supporting melodies, etc.
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Exactly, I have it in my head. My brain knows what I want but my hands don't know how to make it.

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What would you recommend me do to improve? I already got a music theory book but I'm not sure how its going to help much if I don't know how to apply the information...

Understanding how to read music is nice (especially since I'm learning piano from someone that played gospel piano for a church) but I need more help...
 
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pay attention to what ppl have to say despite the fact that it might suck having to hear it.

edit: ive been at it for 5 years. the beat in my sig is the latest, but my Shufflin Dollars beat has the feel of it also but its like 3 years old.

u keep at it and you will start to hear your own style/sound.

me, i love the direction i'm headed, haha.
 
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It takes a couple years of experience with ANY subject (thats worth learning) to master. Try making beats without using samples, (Morphine and Sakura are my FL fav) you might like that better.
 
I don't know what the one guy was talking about when he said it takes years for different genres, because ive been doing it for 6 months and have made a song thats decent in every genre almost deep house, house, tech, dub, but scrap the books and theory, use your ears, listen to house songs or whatever genre and disect the beat, see what they did and how they did it, ex: layering the claps and kicks, synths, dont focus on makin your own sounds because what sound your thinkin of is already a present you can manipulate, just focus on how other artist form theirs together but then make it into your own style

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Even though it might be hard, focus more on understanding on how to build songs rather than making your own, also with songs in your head, that you think of, learn the pitch of the keys on the keyboard and reallly think about the notes playing in your head and the pauses (if there are any) and then putting ideas from your mind on the computer will be a hell of alot easier
 
It does and i'm certainly no pro or even close, but exactly you HAVE to practice just you also have to know what to practise

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But on the other hand, you don't need to know that much to make a decent song (using presents)
 
I still don't consider myself "good" but i'm a lot more affluent with my production software
I never really had an issue with melodies/chord progressions whatever, but my sound absolutely sucked due to a lack of knowledge in the software

i've been working with fl a good few years on and off only recently really deciding music production is something i'm gonna do and stick with it, just the other day I learnt about automation clips...
so yeah, it's a constant work in progress and I don't think I can define myself as "good" just yet
 
Ya that was my problem at first when i started so i did alot of digging to find what plugins and expansions sound the best and that people use, it took me 3 months but i finally got everything and the sound is so much better
 
A lot of those "make a beat in 10 minutes" are trimmed videos. There is more to it then just getting down. You need to use your ears to listen to the tracks and to create new tracks for it. As well as the VERY IMPORTANT mixing stage comes after it.
I can make a whole beat in about 30-60 mins on average not counting the mixing yet. But you have ONLY just started, You have a long way to go dude. Like deanlofts said, it will take time to get use to!

You can check out music, advice, beats, videos etc here too. More coming!
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