Zaraki KenpachiSo you want to learn music production and listening to your favorite songs makes you want to drop everything and just go for it, but no matter what you do, the learning process goes painfully slow? Well, we have good news and bad news. Let’s start with bad news: developing skills requires time, there are no shortcuts here, you just have to sit down and do the job. The good news is that you actually can accelerate the process and if you want to know how then keep reading.
Know your blind spots
Sometimes it can be difficult, to be honest, and admit to yourself that you may lack knowledge in some areas of music production, but this realization is very important in the long run. If you are not sure about whether you know something or not, observe yourself and figure out the areas that cause difficulties. When you know your weaknesses you can work towards eliminating them and perfecting your skills. If you are making the same mistake over and over again, write it down and put it somewhere you can see. It can help you avoid making it again. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses is essential if you want to become a professional. If you know your drawbacks you can seek professional help to overcome them. For example, if you are not very good at mixing, you can use online audio mixing services to hire professionals that will do the mixing for you.
Never stop learning
Learning music production, learning anything in general, is a continuous process. Whether you are just a beginner or a professional music producer there are always more things to learn. Nowadays there are a lot of great platforms available online where you can learn. YouTube is one of them. There you can find many tutorials that cover any topic you might be interested in: music theory, sound design, mixing and mastering, arrangement, songwriting, tutorials dedicated to specific software and much more. However, when you watch tutorials on YouTube make sure you are actively engaged in the video and paying attention to what is being said. It’s easy to get distracted and lost in thought, but the best way to learn is to take notes or to follow along with the teacher.
Find a mentor
Sometimes learning by yourself can be tedious, you may feel stuck and uninspired. That’s why it’s good to find a mentor or friends you can do it with. Being in a room with like-minded people will do wonders for your productivity and enhance the learning experience. Take note of little things other music producers do to incorporate them into your workflow.
Become an all-rounder
As we’ve already mentioned earlier, learning music production is a continuous process and you have to love what you do to achieve great results. Music production also includes several stages such as music theory, songwriting, arrangement mixing, and mastering. You don’t have to learn everything at once, but your clients in the future will expect you to be able to deal with most of the stages of music production if not all of them. So it’s always good to improve in these areas.
Make music as much as you can
Arguably the most efficient way to learn music production is by simply doing it. The more you do it the better you become. This process does require time but if you are hardworking, persistent, and learn from your mistakes you can achieve great results. Another great tip for you is to always look for a reason. When you listen to a song you like, ask yourself what makes it great. Analyzing tracks in that way can teach you a lot. It’s also good to analyze your mistakes, to prevent making them in the future.
Go to college
Enrolling in a music production college or university can speed up your learning process significantly. Being surrounded by experienced teachers and like-minded people helps to stay focused on the task. It will also give you the chance to get familiar with professional equipment and software.
Jaime Hay
