Hi guys,
I've just started learning to produce, and like many people im struggling to keep it fun and stress free. I know this is what i want to be doing with my life but some tips on what areas i should read into to gain a broad foundation would be great. Also how do you guys deal with dishearted thoughts towards music when its not sounding as good as you want it and you aren't necessarily seeing progress?

There are a few keys to making any learning enjoyable enough to stick with: challenges that are suitable for your level, and feedback that you can understand, so that you can use it to improve.


In a way I think that using construction kits and presets and other pre-made things might help you as a beginner, because it means you can narrow your focus to some of the basics and still get decent results. You want to set yourself realistic challenges so that you don't become demotivated, so don't expect to make great songs off the bat. Stick to something smaller, like trying to make a good riff or a good chord progression.


As long as you feel like you're learning and improving you won't get demotivated, so stick to small things that are (just) within your grasp to master, and as you grow you'll be able to build on what you've learned to take on bigger things.

Since you're starting afresh, I would recommend throwing away all the methods and stuff you were told to read.

The most important thing about music production is the song itself, contrary to popular belief. Music first, technical stuff later.

If I were you, I would pick up Hook Theory and work through it. That's a good place to start. It explains the theory behind the music, which is something that is seriously lacking in normal theory books.

After that, analyze all the songs you really like and emulate them. I mean actually remake them in your DAW or at least map out the form and make a note of what instruments plays when and what its playing.

Then, just make songs and make some more. Finish those songs. Don't worry if they're crappy, we've all been there before, even the greats.. look up the old Madeon stuff when he was starting out and tell me it isn't crappy.

When you come across something you don't know how to do, find a tutorial for it, do it and move on, keep working on your song. Make sure that every tutorial you watch contributes directly to the song that you are making.

You WILL get frustrated, that's just normal. But I can assure that you WILL see progress if you just focus on finishing every song you make.

Be prepared to fail a lot and often. It took me 3+ years to get where I'm at now and I'm still growing/learning.

MarrowMachines said it best (or at least, resonated the most with my experiences).  Essentially you are going to be staring at a giant puzzle, where many parts connect to many other parts, and you're going to need knowledge of all of it before you really feel comfortable creating music: 

How can you write a song if you don't know how to use your DAW?  Or know some theory, at least enough to get started?
How can you start using your DAW if you don't know how the plugins work? 
How can you know how the plugins work if you don't know what the functions they're performing accomplish? 
How can you learn about the various functions without knowing what's out there, and why you'd want to use them?

The list goes on, and I didn't even touch on things like programming drum patterns (a genre-specific web of knowledge of its own) or sound design and synthesis.

The main takeaway though is *don't get discouraged*.  Over time, as you absorb more and more information, even more information will become just a little bit more accessible to you.  The trick is to wade in there and accept that you will feel lost.  Don't give up.  Google everything you don't understand. Look at the manuals for plugins/DAWs to get the explanation for how things work, and then google those things again when you inevitably don't understand.  Get used to hunting for tutorials, articles and videos to explain concepts, and searching for even more to clarify the parts of those that elude you.

Eventually it starts to come together.  I've been doing this for 3 months now, just as a hobby outside of my fulltime job, probably averaging less than an hour a day to be honest.  I've already reached a pretty solid understanding of a whole variety of topics just from eagerly consuming every bit of information I can find.

Good luck!

Quote from: dslyecix on February 04, 2016, 06:33:20 pm

How can you write a song if you don't know how to use your DAW?

Ermmm... early classical music was written with a pen and a paper for crying out loud. people have been writing songs without DAWs long before DAWs ever existed. And most of them will FOREVER be on the radio. Can't really say the same for most music that is coming out of DAWs these days.... Also, some people are STILL writing music without DAWs.

Quote from: dslyecix on February 04, 2016, 06:33:20 pm

Or know some theory, at least enough to get started?

That's why I mentioned Hook Theory. I would take music theory over mixing theory any day.

Quote from: dslyecix on February 04, 2016, 06:33:20 pm

How can you start using your DAW if you don't know how the plugins work?
How can you know how the plugins work if you don't know what the functions they're performing accomplish? 
How can you learn about the various functions without knowing what's out there, and why you'd want to use them?

You learn all of these things after you have written a song... as you're making the track. You can sketch out a full song first and then worry about mixing and plugins afterwards.

Quote from: dslyecix on February 04, 2016, 06:33:20 pm

The main takeaway though is *don't get discouraged*.

You only fully reach this state after learning to love the process.

You're not appreciating the steps it takes to learn how to walk and chew bubble gum.

I get where you're coming from, but with out proper training in regards to music, it's hard to even fathom what the sound is like in the mind. I'll also mention that with the variety of sounds a synthesizer can produce, you can't even BEGIN to consider what it would sound like or achieve what you want in your mind to start to write that down on paper man.

The OP's topic is about production, and that's what most of these answer are in regards to.

I get where you're coming from, but dsylecix and I are suggesting the emotional context that comes with learning the technical and creative side of production.
It's quite daunting as you know.

What you say is not incorrect, but i think it's out of place to suggest for a person who is just beginning their journey. Not every one has the grit to sort through all the things when considering how to make a track. I've gotten to that point where i can be efficient in my analysis and know what should be changed my mixing and mastering after 6 years of producing and an equipment upgrade...

That's miles ahead for a beginner.

Quote from: Marrow Machines on February 05, 2016, 01:02:09 am

What you say is not incorrect, but i think it's out of place to suggest for a person who is just beginning their journey.

I still disagree with this and I don't think it's out of place at all, but it's just my opinion of course. The beginning should always start with the music itself, not the techniques behind it.

Right, but depending on the circumstances the person may just find themselves learning every thing at once. Unless they can focus on one thing, every thing is enticing.

Normally, it seems people learn by wanting to do the thing that piques their interest first. and it may not be hook theory or music, as you stated.

I know this is what i want to be doing with my life but some tips on what areas i should read into to gain a broad foundation would be great. Also how do you guys deal with dishearted thoughts towards music when its not sounding as good as you want it and you aren't necessarily seeing progress

That was the aim of the topic at hand. And like i said, what you suggest seems advanced to give to a mindset of some one who is probably just starting. BUT, as I've said before, it's still great advice!

The context isn't quite clear outside of the specified questions he asked and wanted answer towards.

That's my only defense towards your statement.

Less we loop ourselves in a never ending passive aggressive producer forum talk, I'll stop there.


BTW, OP you gain confidence with each experience. The learning curve at first is bad, but if you really have grit and stick it out, you'll be better than you were yesterday. You'll always want a deep and broad understanding of your art and profession in order to be versatile and wanted. I find it best to do your own research and find some one who is willing to guide you or befriend some one your age on a similar journey so that you can learn off each other, and grow.

There's a quote from skytree, he said that "even if you just open up you daw and don't do any thing, you've made progress."
wishful thinking, but some days, that's all you can do.

Learn how to finish a song. Learn how to develop a workflow. Learn how to be a songwriter before you learn how to be an engineer.

Huge and simple.

big up