What should I be focusing on?

[Afflict]

So lately I've been working almost exclusively on sound design, and trying to come up with some unique basses and such. But I'm starting to think that maybe I should just focus on making tunes, and perhaps the sound design will eventually follow. What are your thoughts?

[fragments]

If you've not got any theory under you belt, I'd start with that and work on arrangement. In regard to arrangement work on completing tunes as well. Learn how to write an interesting song musically. All the other stuff isn't worth a damn if you can't write a musically interesting song. I learned all the other stuff first and have regretted it the last few years.

[MoonUnit]

I spent too much time dicking around in sound design when I first started... Was very helpful, but I wish I knew more about complex song structures. Just make songs. Even if you aren't "feeling" a track that you've put a bunch of time into, finish it. The hardest part of making music for me is being able to say "yep, this song is complete."

[RhodeRachel]

I spent too much time dicking around in sound design when I first started... Was very helpful, but I wish I knew more about complex song structures. Just make songs. Even if you aren't "feeling" a track that you've put a bunch of time into, finish it. The hardest part of making music for me is being able to say "yep, this song is complete."

Word. It takes me literally months to finish a track sometimes. It is so easy to sell yourself short, thinking that what you have sucks but in actuality you are really just getting tired of hearing your song over and over. Put it out there and let people hear it. Not only will second opinions help you pinpoint the track's shortcomings, they will also provide you with some inspiration boosts!

[CYRHEN]

Learn some music theory..learn scales I normally play in C and E minor and major.

Build yourself a nice library of custom leads and basses.

Next learn proper song structure..(Intro, Build up, A B A, Halftime or Break, A B A, Break down, Outro)

Your biggest things to learn should be EQ, Compression, Saturation to make your sounds bigger and crispier.