I wish more people would use production templates and build their own presets. Im really glad I started doing it because it allowed me to focus on what really matters: The music. When I had to spend a decent amount of time picking out the sample for a song, I was able to trick myself into thinking that picking out a kick was an interesting creative choice. I think this is the biggest issue with producers these days. Just because something takes a long time to decide upon or implement doesnt mean its interesting to the listener. A good kick is important, but its not INTERESTING, which is an important distinction. Just because you resampled your bass 5 times doesnt mean its better than the massive patch straight out of the box. At the end of the day if the listener doesnt feel or imagine or dance or relate, you have not made interesting creative choices. I often have to remember that Im not making music specifically for other producers. Personally, I make music because I want to have an impact in some small human way. Stop trying to convince me or yourself that deep house is more interesting than footwork is more interesting than trap is more interesting than moombahton is more interesting than dubstep is more interesting than electro house is more interesting than progressive house. Its all the same samples and minimalism applied to a new framework. Sample choice, genre choice, mastering choice, BPM choice, qualification, quantification, selection, categorization. Its all meaningless when the song actually hits somebodys ears. It can increase the quality of PRODUCTION, but not the quality of the song itself. Just make the damn song, and try your hardest to remind yourself that most listeners couldnt care less about your methods as long as the track is expressive or meaningful. So do your listeners a favor and build a template with all your best kicks, snares, claps, hats, ETC so that you can start focusing less on your decisions and more on your songs.
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 18:00:02 +0000