quit djing to produce? - Page 3
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  1. #21
    Tech Mentor deathy's Avatar
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    Military doesn't usually give you a whole ton of choice as to where you're going to live, but I also expect the military would be his primary income.

  2. #22
    Tech Mentor daviedavedave's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by deathy View Post
    Military doesn't usually give you a whole ton of choice as to where you're going to live, but I also expect the military would be his primary income.
    You're right, completely misread the post!

  3. #23
    Tech Mentor Nick V's Avatar
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    If you really want to produce music, you should start yesterday.. I can say with confidence that it takes a lifetime to master and you could spend a lifetime and still not master it. IMO anyone with the drive and a decent sense of rhythm can get pretty good at DJing in the span of 2 years or so. The may not be winning DMCs or playing at the big clubs but should be able to hold their own.

    With production as soon as you're feeling confident about one aspect you realize there is this whole other aspect that you're just scratching the surface of. There's just so much to learn - just learning to write good drum parts can take years to figure out and then you've got sound design, composition, mix engineering, arrangement, mastering, and that's not even going into all the crap you have to learn to get your music out there and market yourself (still need a lot on that last part myself ).

  4. #24
    Tech Mentor deathy's Avatar
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    Nick speaks truth. I've been composing for almost 30 years, and still only produce what I consider to be average quality tracks.

  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by deathy View Post
    Nick speaks truth. I've been composing for almost 30 years, and still only produce what I consider to be average quality tracks.
    Ha...I'm way ahead of you. After being "just" a DJ for almost 20 years, about two years ago I got the re-mix & production bug, so I started taking a bunch of music courses on coursera last year - music theory, digital music synthesis, composition, etc. All good, all highly recommended. After just 18 months of effort I have managed to make best sounding hold or elevator music you can imagine. !@#$@!#@%#$

    Seriously, if you have taste and are trying to do anything creative....the first many years are filled with frustration and self doubt. That's normal, and it (most likely) means that you actually care.

    Although not immediately related to music....there are some great ideas here on taste, art, design, and creativity. The Ira Glass quote REALLY resonates with me at this point.

    “All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. “
    — Ira Glass
    https://medium.com/@lastres0rt/three...s-ae145b3477dc

    http://paulgraham.com/goodart.html

    http://domain7.com/blog/importance-taste-designers
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  6. #26
    Tech Mentor deathy's Avatar
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    The part that drives me out of my mind is that if I spend too much time working on a single track, then my taste filter starts to falter as I start getting so used to hearing the same noises that I ca no longer tell that it sounds terrible. I've decided that it's best to get other friends who compose to start sanity checking my work so I know if I've lost sight of how bad it is.

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by deathy View Post
    The part that drives me out of my mind is that if I spend too much time working on a single track, then my taste filter starts to falter as I start getting so used to hearing the same noises that I ca no longer tell that it sounds terrible. I've decided that it's best to get other friends who compose to start sanity checking my work so I know if I've lost sight of how bad it is.
    Limits! Set yourself limits you would be surprised how some limits can actually induce more creativity from you. There needs to be a set point where you either shelve it and move on or finish the track.

    The shelf will always collect things but you'll probably find yourself actually finishing more.

    I know exactly what you mean! It's an easy rut to fall into.

  8. #28
    Tech Mentor deathy's Avatar
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    Yeah, back when I was doing a lot more composing I was pretty good at knowing when to quit. My songs tended to be pretty dry effect-wise because of it, but I think it sounded better for it. A friend of mine who I made music with was one of those folks who would layer so many effects onto the tracks that in the end, it sounded like a bucket of mud.

  9. #29

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    thank you guys. I'm sorry for snapping when you guys when you just giving me honest to good truth. and....sadly i posted the same thing on digital dj tips and they decided to make it a post on their website and whenever i open my Facebook or check the comments i have everyone telling me I'm a piece of shit and should give up and am way to cocky. I worded this post horribly.


    Now that i have realized what i have done wrong. let me explain the full situation.

    I have been djing for a couple years like i said. came from overseas djing every weekend and having a blast doing it. I dj'd to fund that habit and my drift car i had. So when i came back here and it became very hard to find gigs i started losing faith. I would talk to the managers, become friends. become a very frequent customer at the clubs and just make myself look as best as possible with being polite to the bouncers, tipping waitresses, and getting to know the dj's as best as possible. Ive been doing this for 5 months now with no luck. I have a steady set of followers here on this base already that know me as a dj and like my mixing. Heck, i even had the Chief master sergeant of the base ask me to dj for a base wide dorm party. I have connections here and they work pretty well. But I'm finding getting connections in a bigger city very hard.

    So i have come to a dilemma of do i continue to try and get gigs and social market the heck out of myself, or do i put my main focus on trying to begin producing. Yes i could do both, but when i work 12hr shifts, school, and random bull#hit that comes up with the military. I only truly have time for one hobby at a time. Now i love dj'ing. It helped me get through some hard times and it helps me relax and relieve stress. I truly do love doing it. But I'm also finding myself wanting to get into producing more and more. My dream since i was a teenager years ago was to become a touring edm superstar. Now, that is very unrealistic but i have to try. So if that means i have to give up one love to begin another. I will do it.

    So from reading that. What do you guys think i should do. Temporally put my love of djing to the side to produce. Or keep working my ass off to get the djing jobs i desperately crave?

    Again. I'm sorry for coming off as an asshole in my post and seeming to dish on anyone who uses a laptop or sync or anything like that. I truly did not mean to offend you. So please forgive me for that one moment of assholeness.

  10. #30
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    you can mix here and there and work on tracks also, if you get board with one then switch for a while. it's like riding a bike, little breaks don't make you rusty.

    I work a ton and find time to do both! depends how I feel.

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