Diary of Noobie Producer

Benjah

Benjah

New member
Project: Cruel Summer

Hey FP! I’m a newbie Producer just embarking on my journey to greatness. My production skills are very weak at this point and my intention is to take them to the next level over the summer. One trait I have picked up on is that I am extremely slow at producing. It takes me extremely elongated periods of time to put the finished stamp on my production.

SO with this thread I will be creating and documenting a goal I have set for myself as means of accountability.

My Goal is as follows::
1. Create 50 Fully Finished Beats Wednesday between May 8[SUP]th[/SUP] and August 15[SUP]th[/SUP] 2013
2. Gain an arsenal of new techniques and skills by August 15[SUP]th[/SUP] 2013


I will create a beat one day and then spend the following day learning new tricks and techniques (theory, software features, production styles etc) and loop that process.
I tend to slack a lot, and I get distracted very easily, So my hope is that going public will keep me focused a bit more. I am trying to become consistent. Consistency > Intensity.
Every day I will post in this thread either a beat for feedback to my beat or write about what I learned. I don’t expect miracles but I think this is a good way to raise my skill level. Anybody willing to join or just give support is welcome.

Thanks

-JahhProject: Cruel Summer
Hey FP! I’m a newbie Producer just embarking on my journey to greatness. My production skills are very weak at this point and my intention is to take them to the next level over the summer. One trait I have picked up on is that I am extremely slow at producing. It takes me extremely elongated periods of time to put the finished stamp on my production.

SO with this thread I will be creating and documenting a goal I have set for myself as means of accountability.

My Goal is as follows::
1. Create 50 Fully Finished Beats Wednesday between May 8[SUP]th[/SUP] and August 15[SUP]th[/SUP] 2013
2. Gain an arsenal of new techniques and skills by August 15[SUP]th[/SUP] 2013
I will create a beat one day and then spend the following day learning new tricks and techniques (theory, software features, production styles etc) and loop that process.
I tend to slack a lot, and I get distracted very easily, So my hope is that going public will keep me focused a bit more. I am trying to become consistent. Consistency > Intensity.
Every day I will post in this thread either a beat for feedback to my beat or write about what I learned. I don’t expect miracles but I think this is a good way to raise my skill level. Anybody willing to join or just give support is welcome.

Also i'm looking for a mentor. Just somebody I can look to for guidance and shoot a question too. Preferably a reason user who does hip-hop.

Thanks

-Jahh

---------- Post added 05-10-2013 at 04:35 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-08-2013 at 10:49 PM ----------

Day 1

So today, I spent mostly learning how to Use the RPG8er and Matrix In reason and also how these can be used in conjunction with kong to Make cool patterns. I will implement these tactics and upload the first beat of my Cruel Summer project tomorrow.
 
Man this sounds like a pretty dope plan, which if all goes right is gonna leave you with a bunch of good knowledge in the long run! Keep pushing, its all about motivation. I never went hardcore researching on my daws and techniques.. but just learned by making beats and getting better through the years. All I wanted to say, that if you know the basic ways of operating with the tool of choice and you are in the right zone of creativity = BAM it all just comes together by itself somehow. Good luck on your journey homie. My to scents to you: Dont. Force. It.
some things just take time :offtopic: :)
 
If you need help I could be one of your mentors. I know Reason farily well and have dabbled much in with the hip hop.

Slap Back (instrumental) by Dichotomos on SoundCloud - Hear the world

^^^^^^^^
This beat was made almost completely inside Reason. The only thing I did outside of Reason was Sidechain Compress the organ sounds with the Kick drum of the beat using Ableton.

I used the Kong for the drums. And the RPG 8 arpeggiator for the lead synth line. I find that once you have a pattern lead that you like take the time to move the entire pattern a hair (64 note resultion or smaller) to the left or right, that way you it give the pattern a totally different feel.


Looking forward to hearing your first beat.
 
Thanks for all the support guys. I am about to go check your tracks out.

Question: Should I force creativity?

Okay i know the obvious answer is NO but this has bothered me from the start when i was laying out the plan and now Kos277 has revived my fears. Where do i draw the line between self discipline and me forcing creativity. For example, lets say I am not feeling what i am doing, do I just force through it and follow the plan or should i make some adjustments to it? All feedback is welcomed.

---------- Post added at 10:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:55 PM ----------

Day 2​

Talk about rought start. The day I am supposed to upload my first beat my Internet stops working :4theloveofgod:

But I guess that is just a reminder that things don't always go as planned and I'll just have to try and overcome every obstacle hurled at me.
SO here is the First Beat.



https://soundcloud.com/tendo10/somwhere

FEEDBACK

I would prefer if feedback was given in a numbered list, so i could tackle the problem areas in my next learning session systematically.


The name of it is "Somewhere" Because you have to start somewhere right? Haha

Anyway Hopefully I can listen to this at the end of the plan and laugh.

---------- Post added at 10:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 PM ----------
dichotomos said:
If you need help I could be one of your mentors. I know Reason farily well and have dabbled much in with the hip hop.

I find that once you have a pattern lead that you like take the time to move the entire pattern a hair (64 note resultion or smaller) to the left or right, that way you it give the pattern a totally different feel.



.
Click to expand...


I am not sure i understand what you mean here and Cool, i will probably hit you and DJ Alkemy up when i get confused/stuck.

---------- Post added 05-12-2013 at 01:43 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-11-2013 at 10:28 PM ----------

Day 3 (LEARNING DAY)

Today I learned about Mixing. I started out watching random videos and then I started getting the general Idea and i came across NFX and started watching his series on mixing. I learned quiet a bit although I have not gotten that far. I experimented a lot with and I'm starting to understand the gist of it. Next Learning day I will try and get deeper into it. Consistency is Key.

 
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Okay, I've come across the term Refills before but i never actually knew what it was. I'm about to go read up on it.

And i'm really feeling that beat! I think you nailed that Black hippy sound. Such a dope group. And thanks for the idea of a beat tape. I think I'll run with it!


Thanks
 
You need to experiment, no need to come up with 50 songs or all you will be doing is producing used up sounds and unchanged software samples like a lot of the others on here.
Reason is an awesome program and before reason comes recycle. Listen to music or randomly pick a song, chop that ***** up in recyle, slow it down, find a few tones you like and bring them in with Dr rex, repeat, repeat, repeat. That way you learn the software and come up with your own sound as well. As opposed to sounding like every other motherf*cker that owns a laptop and a midi keyboard.

Make sure you make music for yourself, not others, you will find your own following.

Most people hate my shit, f'em.
https://www.futureproducers.com/for...hing/funky-dope-scratches-dak-reynold-442866/

To answer your question Refills are just more premade sounds to use in reason.
Good luck on your summer.
 
Sooo if not 50 beats how do i plan then.. I need more opinions, advice and guidance.. All i want to do is maximize my progress.
 
You're not going to become a God over the summer man, lets face it..

It takes year(s) to become a "great" producer/beatmaker. Years of accumulating knowledge upon many different subjects (music theory, sound design, learning about dynamics, using the right fx, learning about frequencies and dB levels, connecting hardware/learning the software, and just an overall "ear" for audio manipulation.)

I do wish you luck as you commence your journey to becoming a better artist, best of luck on improving your craft and keep updated. Utilize any sources you possibly can to help with your learning period as well, good luck once again man.
 
Lol, I am well aware that I am not going to become "god" over summer. I probably wont be a God 2 years from now either. I understand that becoming good at any skill is going to take consistency over time. That is not my goal.

My goal is to improve as much as possible. I know i will still be a newbie after summer. I am just making this to keep me consistent.

Thanks for the support tho.

---------- Post added at 07:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:39 PM ----------

By the way nobody is giving me actual feedback on the beat :/
 
Tallen said:
You're not going to become a God over the summer man, lets face it..
Click to expand...

Not true. I saw producers rise from dust in a matter of months. Of course there is no magic, but if you put your mind to it and literally live, breathe, and eat music for days--anything is possible.
 
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I don't plan to eat breath and live music. I have other goals for the summer aside from music. I just want to make the best of the time i have allotted to music.

---------- Post added 05-13-2013 at 03:45 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-12-2013 at 11:23 PM ----------

Day 4 ( beat day :D)
Day 4. Still 0 feedback. I did not finnish this beat. I had to force through things Which further leads me to believe me that my plan is flawed. But anyway, I will stick with it for now and see how things go

here is the beat, PLEASE GIVE ME SOME FEEDBACK

https://soundcloud.com/tendo10/the-physchos-path-hopsin-type

also how do i include a clickable soundclick thingy on here?
 
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Benjah said:
I don't plan to eat breath and live music. I have other goals for the summer aside from music. I just want to make the best of the time i have allotted to music.

---------- Post added 05-13-2013 at 03:45 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-12-2013 at 11:23 PM ----------

Day 4 ( beat day :D)
Day 4. Still 0 feedback. I did not finnish this beat. I had to force through things Which further leads me to believe me that my plan is flawed. But anyway, I will stick with it for now and see how things go

here is the beat, PLEASE GIVE ME SOME FEEDBACK

https://soundcloud.com/tendo10/the-physchos-path-hopsin-type

also how do i include a clickable soundclick thingy on here?
Click to expand...

You need to sort the levels out. I had to have my soundcard three quarter way up just to hear it.

About the beat. Definitely needs a lot of work. Sounds like you are using stock sounds, and not the best sounding ones too. You definitely know the structure needed to make a track but it just sounds like a preset beat on a keyboard at the moment. Try getting some drum librarys together and spend time listening to different sounds before you make a beat. Keep at it though.
 
Okay working on it

---------- Post added 05-14-2013 at 03:37 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-13-2013 at 11:52 PM ----------

Day 5 (learning)

Today I learned about mixing drums and compression and eq. I also spent some time looking for refills and playing around with them. Mixing seems like a fun process, I really enjoy it.


---------- Post added 05-15-2013 at 04:36 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-14-2013 at 03:37 AM ----------

Day 6
had a hard time finding inspiration then it hit me :D. I took a different route and made a soca beat. I am from a small island in the caribbean called Antigua and this is what our music sounds like (kind of). Its not mixed and there are some errors that need fixing.


https://soundcloud.com/tendo10/hotel-soca-instrumental-rough

---------- Post added 05-16-2013 at 04:10 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-15-2013 at 04:36 AM ----------

Day 7

Researching midi controllers and did a little more mixing learning

---------- Post added 05-17-2013 at 01:07 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-16-2013 at 04:10 AM ----------


Day 8 ! ( beat)
So today is the 8th day and I had a terrible time making this new beat. i don't even like it. It sounds.. blehh.. Anyhow, I'm being consistent :) and I'm seing improvements in my understandings of little things and speed of production. AT first I thought a beat day was absurd, now i see I can do a lot more than that. But i won't cause i have to invest time in other areas of my life that I want to develop also.
Enough chat. Here is the shitty beat :bigeyes:



https://soundcloud.com/tendo10/synth-school-day-7-beat-4https://soundcloud.com/tendo10/synth-school-day-7-beat-4
 
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give your tracks more love, give more attention to the details of the track.
don't go like i have to fininsh this today! you're no pro.. and still they spend longer then a day produceing.
try to finish a track once a week, and i wish you good luck! (2nd track pretty nice for a noob)
 
Whats goin on. I peeped out your day 4 beat it sounds pretty dope. I think the drums gotta hit a little harder though, thats pretty much the only thing I would say. Put some transitions in here. You have everything sounding tight and good as far as structure goes. Keep messing with enw sounds and try things that your favorite producers do. Thanks for the feed by the way.
 
Day 9 ( Learn)
Mixing again. I did a lot more experimenting than learning today. I have also made a decision on the Midi controller keyboard i want and I'm going to order it soon.

 
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