Improving production

NinjaEdit · Post by **NinjaEdit** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:42 pm

A lot of new and aspiring producers ask how they can improve their skills, so I thought I would make an "official" thread.

Here are some theoretical models:

Control theory and Process control
Use feedback from your output (recordings) to update your process (workflow).

Bloom's taxonomy
To learn something, you must know, understand then apply it in that order. After that are higher ways of thinking: Analysis, evaluation, and creation. If you look at a video tutorial, aim to understand it conceptually, then open your DAW and do it for yourself.

Pereto Law or 80/20 rule
The universe is exponentially skewed. There are plenty of applications like: Most of the work is done in a small period of the time; Few of your tunes get much more attention; Most of your samples sound like shit (you'll use few most of the time); You'll improve the fastest to begin with, etc. Focus on the "high percentage" stuff and attempt to ignore the rest.

What would you tell a new producer to help them improve their own production skills?

OfficialDAPT · Post by **OfficialDAPT** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 5:07 pm

Interesting concepts

ehbes · Post by **ehbes** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 7:21 pm

Isn't this what the production bible is for.....

OfficialDAPT · Post by **OfficialDAPT** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:34 pm

ehbrums1 wrote:Isn't this what the production bible is for.....

Not really.... I haven't seen these theories or methods anywhere in there.

ehbes · Post by **ehbes** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:37 pm

OfficialDAPT wrote:
ehbrums1 wrote:Isn't this what the production bible is for.....
Not really.... I haven't seen these theories or methods anywhere in there.

take a look at sections 7 and 8

OfficialDAPT · Post by **OfficialDAPT** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:41 pm

The only faint similarity I see is in section 8.2, 8.3, or 8.4. I still don't see them getting into creative theories and laws or rules.

ehbes · Post by **ehbes** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:43 pm

at some point the artist has to do their own work

idontreallygiveashit · Post by **idontreallygiveashit** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:50 pm

Reading all these so called "laws" and "rules" seems very counterintuitive
Why cant people just expirement ffs

OfficialDAPT · Post by **OfficialDAPT** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 9:29 pm

ehbrums1 wrote:

at some point the artist has to do their own work

I agree but we were talking about what the production bible was for and I just said I didn't think it was included.

Triphosphate · Post by **Triphosphate** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 10:59 pm

I can see how this would exist seperate from the bible, I don't really see how the feedback loop stuff is relevant. And the taxonomy kinda just makes me say "yeah? So what?" The 80/20 really fascinates me. For me, I think, my melodies are my 20% and the rest of my music is my 80% (beats and basslines). So I should spend less time learning music theory and designing leads and more time studying sound design and drumming patterns. So yeah this resonates with me... It can be taken further... But I'm on my phone and I can sense a large tangent coming so I will think on this and come back.

Turnipish_Thoughts · Post by **Turnipish_Thoughts** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:23 pm

jonahmann wrote:snip

Great Idea!

To the responses, this is quite a bit different from the production bible as this is regarding processes of improving yourself in a given practice, regardless of what that practice is, of course it's being applied to music production. But this model of understanding is theoretical/critical and seperate from the 'nitty gritty' of how to actually perform the functions required to produce music, which is what the production bible is about.

NinjaEdit · Post by **NinjaEdit** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:53 pm

By the way guys, feel free to contribute your methods.

I'm pleased to hear the reponses. I didn't really see a thread in the bible which was about how to improve at production yourself, maybe just some specific self-improvement under 'lifestyle.' I think this could even be included in the bible.

I don't really see how the feedback loop stuff is relevant.

It's like if you were a production line which corrected itself based in the last finished product. Like "the snare is too dry," so you start using more reverb on the snare.

Reading all these so called "laws" and "rules" seems very counterintuitive

The article called it the "Pareto Principle," which might be better. Part of the significance of it is that it counter-intuitive.

alphacat · Post by **alphacat** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:22 am

And remember: these are just conceptual tools like our DAWs or the idea of music itself. If they work for you, awesome! If not, keep trying to find something else that does.

Hircine · Post by **Hircine** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:26 am

Just keep making tunes in a style that you like, reading the forum and sending out dubs to other underground producers and djs, eventually you will get good.

ehbes · Post by **ehbes** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:27 am

Hircine wrote:Just keep making tunes in a style that you like, reading the forum and sending out dubs to other underground producers and djs, eventually you will get good.

if they are underground how will they receive them ?

Hircine · Post by **Hircine** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:29 am

ehbrums1 wrote:
Hircine wrote:Just keep making tunes in a style that you like, reading the forum and sending out dubs to other underground producers and djs, eventually you will get good.
if they are underground how will they receive them ?

it's a badman ting, nothing u will ever understand fatty bwoy

ehbes · Post by **ehbes** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:32 am

I'm the baddesst badman this side of the rio grande

Hircine · Post by **Hircine** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:33 am

ehbrums1 wrote:I'm the baddesst badman this side of the rio grande

ehbes · Post by **ehbes** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:34 am

Hircine wrote:
ehbrums1 wrote:I'm the baddesst badman this side of the rio grande

that was south of the rio grande

and 5 years ago..

NinjaEdit · Post by **NinjaEdit** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 1:51 am

You're seventeen already?

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