I have a feeling my tunes suck

[Jhonny2x4]

I upload my tunes and they get no more than 100 hits. I think i'm not cut out for music. Or atleast for using music as a side profession.

My friends seem to like my music but thats as far as it goes.

Does anyone else feel this way about their own music?

Also for people that are in the same boat, what keeps you making music despite knowing that your music isn't on a professional level?

[Hurtdeer]

i just really like making and listening to my own music

kept me going even when i thought i was just about the only person who would want to listen to it

it seems kind of self-centred but it does feel like you've got to have some faith and enjoyment in what you're doing much sooner than you've got to worry about making other people happy with your tunes

[Sirius]

i love my own tunes! & there aint no father to my style ay...
just straight vibes from my subconscious!!
just keep at it!!chea

[djake]

fuck what other people think, people are stupid.

[grooki]

I upload my tunes and they get no more than 100 hits. I think i'm not cut out for music. Or atleast for using music as a side profession.

My friends seem to like my music but thats as far as it goes.

Does anyone else feel this way about their own music?

Also for people that are in the same boat, what keeps you making music despite knowing that your music isn't on a professional level?

It all starts like this. Everyone once sounded really crappy. Imagine your favorite producer - when they were learning they sounded like crap. It takes ages. It takes ages to become a "professional" (whatever that means). relax about "making it" - I know it's important for an artist to be appreciated (at least I feel that way), but the core thing really has to be that you like what you are doing and like the tracks you make. Otherwise you may as well find something else that you enjoy.

[dokie]

Your tunes are what YOU make them, regardless what people think, the best thing to do is not listen to them a lot and going back to them with a fresh head -- and maybe a new perspective.

[hayze99]

Firstly, everyone has to start somewhere. If you listen to your back catalogue, 99% of the time you'll notice that your tunes are rising in quality the more you make them.

Secondly, as people are saying, you should make your tunes primarily for you and your enjoyment, and then for other people to listen to. They should be used as an expression of self.

Thirdly, I would bet that every single artist that has ever existed has gotten this feeling. It's artistic depression, and everyone gets it once in a while; where the thought comes into your head that you're getting too old, and nobody will enjoy your art, and you'll never improve. This is just as common as writer's block. You've just got to push it on by and keep going; there's no real solution to it, it's just part of the human creative process!

Fourthly (?) - If you listen to a tune even half the amount of times that you should be listening to your own tunes in order to edit and master them, you usually would hate it. Unless it's a serious classic. In an interview with Funki Porcini on Ninja Tune, he said that you finally know that you've written a masterpiece once you simply don't get tired of it after a thousand listens.

[therapist]

I'm finding the more my setup improves and the more I learn about mixing, the less ideas I seem to have. Now I just have a billion projects with some fairly nice sounds that just don't go anywhere.

[Ongelegen]

I'm finding the more my setup improves and the more I learn about mixing, the less ideas I seem to have. Now I just have a billion projects with some fairly nice sounds that just don't go anywhere.

I have this too

[DZA]

I dont like 90% of my tunes
I dont care what people think of my tunes whether they like them or not
I make tunes out of the enjoyment of making music and not for the masses

[therapist]

I'm finding the more my setup improves and the more I learn about mixing, the less ideas I seem to have. Now I just have a billion projects with some fairly nice sounds that just don't go anywhere.

I have this too

I tried making a list of all my projects and writing down what I need to do to them to make them good. I haven't done any of those things, but staring at that bit of paper makes a nice change from staring at a blank logic/reason sequencer.

You've got the right attitude I think DZA, I care immensely what people think of my tunes so I just never really show anyone any of them. Again, it's not very productive.

[Ongelegen]

I'm finding the more my setup improves and the more I learn about mixing, the less ideas I seem to have. Now I just have a billion projects with some fairly nice sounds that just don't go anywhere.

I have this too

I tried making a list of all my projects and writing down what I need to do to them to make them good. I haven't done any of those things, but staring at that bit of paper makes a nice change from staring at a blank logic/reason sequencer.

You've got the right attitude I think DZA, I care immensely what people think of my tunes so I just never really show anyone any of them. Again, it's not very productive.

I often don't return to project, because I always think the next project is always slightly better. It's also due to the fact i've been listening x number of times to the same thing.

[LordBid]

well look man how long have u been producing for? Like im only about 7 months in and am finally writing full songs, yea i know they suck but I keep doing it cus practice makes perfect. don't get down on your beats man and if you truly enjoy producing keep doing it, if not maybe it isn't for you. As a graphic designer for my day job its great to have another form of artistic expression to vent my overactive imagination on! keep at it man, FLY LIKE AN EAGLE, don't be like a turkey man

[Sharmaji]

Not directed to OP specifically:

if yr excited about dubstep and you're following people's advice here: kick on one, snare on 3, LFO wobble, split your bass channels...

sorry to say but in all likelihood, yeah, your tunes are gonna suck. It's the inveitable conundrum-- people want to learn how to make a sound that got them excited in the first place, the interwebz offer that solution, they work at it and 3 months later, they've got a sound that sounds predicatable and dated.

get in the mindset to always push further than what you're comfortable with. New bits of kit, approaching something beyond your skill level, using shit the wong way, etc-- all of these are great ways to move into something that's fresh, uncharted territory for YOU.

if you're still finding your comfort zone: again, sorry to be devil's advocate but i rarely hear something amazing from folks in that position. It certainly does happen tho, and it's remarkeable when it does, but usually a stroke of luck. The amazing tunes that come out of nowhere from someone you've never heard of before-- that person's usually got dozens of finished tunes on their hard drive.

why?

cuz they knew those tunes sucked takes time to move beyond that, and incredible restraint to keep your suckage to yourself and the circle closest to you, and some serious confidence to believe that you don't inherently suck-- just that the tunes you're currently making do.

allow yourself to suck. embrace it, even. but learn from your suckage and find yr voice!

[Recessive Trait]

what i find discouraging is when i read things like how breakage got his first kit when he was 17 and then like 6 months later he's putting out his first single, first LP four months after that.

for some it's a quick jump to the top. for the talented amongst the rest of us it's a long hard uphill road to the lower-middle echelon.

and for people, possibly like the op, who have no talent and no inspiration, nor any knowledge of how to work their kit - well, making music isn't for everyone.

[Hurtdeer]

what i find discouraging is when i read things like how breakage got his first kit when he was 17 and then like 6 months later he's putting out his first single, first LP four months after that.

for some it's a quick jump to the top. for the talented amongst the rest of us it's a long hard uphill road to the lower-middle echelon.

and for people, possibly like the op, who have no talent and no inspiration, nor any knowledge of how to work their kit - well, making music isn't for everyone.

talent is a myth instilled in people to make art seem divine, knowledge can be learned, and inspiration comes from experience.

anyone can write music if they want to have a go, it's just a matter of being in the right frame of mind (ie, if your desire to be a big name dubstep artist actually surpasses your desire to write music, you're already stuck). And like was said, most people start off shit and eventually acquire the skill over time. Some are lucky and just get it straight away, and others... well it took me about, I think, 5 years before I felt any technical accomplishment

don't feed people crack like "making music isn't for everyone"... if you want to make it, do it. That's all the reason you need.

[sixth sense]

Music keeps me sane so I just keep at it with good intentions in mind even though I believe my stuff isn't that great

[Pedro Sánchez]

Soundcloud/Myspace/Youtube Hits and Quality are 2 different things. Look how many spam merchants are reaching a millions views or plays for music that is wankfest, just that they managed to get a million morons to check it out, i'd rather get 2 people with valid opinions I respect to check out mine.

[Ongelegen]

Soundcloud/Myspace/Youtube Hits and Quality are 2 different things. Look how many spam merchants are reaching a millions views or plays for music that is wankfest, just that they managed to get a million morons to check it out, i'd rather get 2 people with valid opinions I respect to check out mine.

+ dont worry what other people think, if you enjoy the production stage then stick at it, you'll will gradually get better

[abZ]

what i find discouraging is when i read things like how breakage got his first kit when he was 17 and then like 6 months later he's putting out his first single, first LP four months after that.

for some it's a quick jump to the top. for the talented amongst the rest of us it's a long hard uphill road to the lower-middle echelon.

and for people, possibly like the op, who have no talent and no inspiration, nor any knowledge of how to work their kit - well, making music isn't for everyone.

talent is a myth instilled in people to make art seem divine, knowledge can be learned, and inspiration comes from experience.

anyone can write music if they want to have a go, it's just a matter of being in the right frame of mind (ie, if your desire to be a big name dubstep artist actually surpasses your desire to write music, you're already stuck). And like was said, most people start off shit and eventually acquire the skill over time. Some are lucky and just get it straight away, and others... well it took me about, I think, 5 years before I felt any technical accomplishment

don't feed people crack like "making music isn't for everyone"... if you want to make it, do it. That's all the reason you need.

Music isn't for everyone for a lot of reasons. For one you have to be dedicated to it and it takes up a lot of your time. I do agree that talent is kind of a myth yet some people catch on quicker than others. My development has been very slow as a matter of fact. But I kept cracking away and there is still a ton of growing for left no question but I really wouldn't want it any other way. The quicker you master things the quicker you get bored.