If we ask 10 music producers their #1 advice for beginners, we would probably have 10 different answers. Music production is a very complex process. People spend their entire life working hard to master it. If you are just starting out, it can be very scary, no wonder why so many people give up or don’t even start to produce their own music.
However, there are some myths that every music producer starting their career should be aware of. We are going to share the most common three with you.
1. I Need High End Studio Equipment And A Lot of Money
This is very common scenario for new producers: They decide to produce their own music, what’s the first thing they do? They go online shopping for new gear. I know, I’ve been there before. You think you need the best MIDI controller. You search for the most expensive studio monitors. A high end computer. A comfortable chair. Acoustic isolation panels. A case of Redbull. A table to put all your equipment.
This could all be true many years ago when only the wealthy were able to produce music. It involved going into a high-end studio, and recording with “actual” hardware. Fortunately, things have changed. The costs of getting involved into music production is way cheaper. Your laptop, a pair of headphones, a DAW, and your brain is all you need to start producing music. Is it cool to have the coolest gadget? Definitely. Does it help? Absolutely. Is it necessary? Not at all.
There are countless examples of producers who made WORLD top hits on their bedroom. Who here knows Daft Punk? :P Our advice is to focus on more important things that will actually help you produce better music such as:
- Showing up everyday to produce
- Learn. Learn. Learn.
- Practice as much as you learn
This is the most effective way to improve your music production skills; not by buying hundreds of thousands in equipment ;)
2. I Should Only Produce When I Am Inspired
Many people have this romanticized view of art. They think that inspiration and creativity are only bestowed upon a select group of people. So, in their view, if you are not “born creative”, you have no chance of succeeding in art. But, this is a lie. If you study the life of great artists such as Mozart, you will see that his masterpieces were not created from some magical moment without him trying and failing hundreds of times prior to that.
A key to creativity is to pursue knowledge without a sense of whether it will be relevant in the future. Too often, people assume that they can judge in advance what they need to understand and what they do not. Instead, creative people build up their knowledge base so that they will be ready for the opportunities that come later.
Someone once asked Somerset Maugham if he wrote on a schedule or only when struck by inspiration. "I write only when inspiration strikes," he replied. "Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o'clock sharp." Great artists know that inspiration and creativity are the results of showing up and working hard everyday. Don't wait for inspiration to start producing. Start producing so that inspiration knocks on your door. By performing the mundane physical act of sitting down and starting to work, we set in motion a mysterious but infallible sequence of events that produces inspiration.
3. Using a Particular DAW Will Make My Music Sound Better
Avicii produces on FL Studio. Steve Angello produces on Logic X. Deadmau5 produces on Ableton. I think you see my point ;) The best DAW is the DAW that works best for you. The DAW that fits your workflow better than the others. Every DAW has its own positive and negative aspects, but the quality of your music will not depend on the DAW you choose.
Most of the DAWs have a demo version or a money back guarantee. So, our advice is to give them a try and see what works best for you. Don’t commit to the first one you come across. You might find yourself liking another DAW a lot better after having given it a try. However, don’t spend all your time learning everything about every DAW. Again, focus your time on the things that actually matter to make yourself a better producer.
Sources:
The War of Art - Steven Pressfield
10 Myths That Most Music Producers Believe Are True