New member seeking advice!

So I'm VERY new to the electronic music making scene. I've had no history with making music, no courses or family/friends to show me the ropes, and I was never any good at playing instruments. But I LOVE music, and I constantly "hear" new tunes in my head. I want to be able to reproduce what I think of, and that is my goal with making music.

Anyways, long story short, what I work with is Ableton Live. I have the Massive plugin installed, but try to avoid using it. I really need to learn to make every sound from scratch so that I have ultimate freedom to create what I want to hear.

So here is some of my stuff, ANY advice or criticism or ideas or tips would be GREATLY appreciated!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z30YsRX6FlU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bndGYP2Ytu8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUSZSeESPqw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLD0NwAgUaQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTumM9iwNFk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1wLSnaTSE0

The last two were kind of an experiment at using a beat I made to mash with hip-hop acapelas, it was a friend's idea. I liked it, but I'd prefer to use original acapelas from either friends, myself, or maybe someone on the forum who raps/sings?

didn't listened what you posted yet but first I just want to say all what you wrote concerning your feelings as a musician beginner corresponds to what I felt when I was starting to make music as well.

And I definitely encourage you to keep your angle about trying to make all the sounds by scratch. Even if it will take you a lot more time than if you used some complex / preset based plugins, you will learn a lot more IMO. After more than four years of musicmaking, I think my sound is still draft, but I can hear the aim of it. And aim is what lacks a lot in pre-programmed synths most of the time.

ok now i'm going to listen to your music :)

  On 4/10/2012 at 10:38 PM, JoshLind said:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLD0NwAgUaQ

 

 

FYI, the majority of the area in the image you used for that video is Manhattan. The small area across the river, in the top-right corner is Dumbo Brooklyn. You should rename the song, Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges (pictured).

Otherwise, here are better Brooklyn images for you...

Sorry to be nit-picky. I lived in the BK for 11 years.

So my advice would be to work on making your sounds more complex. At some moments I understand where you'd like to bring the listener, but I feel like more character in the sound would help to catch him better.

Otherwise I dig some moments. The first track is really nice and I'm sure you could improve it with more beat programming or synths or something. I have to admit the general atmosphere of some other tracks is not in my taste that much ; though I think you should definitely keep digging. here are some good basis already !

The listener isn't hearing the processes behind the work, but rather just the work itself. I was and still am in a very similar situation. My brother was a virtuoso guitarist, pianist, musician and I was just a kid fiddling around on the computer. I still really don't know how to play an instrument to this day, but I've used my computer knowledge to do some of the work for me. What I learned though is that it doesn't matter HOW you make music, just that you ARE making music. As long as you try something out everyday, even if it sounds like absolute shit, you are becoming a better musician. If at any point it becomes more work and stress than it is fun and enjoyable, just give it a rest for a while, sleep on it, and then come back the next day.

Everyone has to start from somewhere. Seriously.

  On 4/10/2012 at 10:38 PM, JoshLind said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z30YsRX6FlU

 

kick ass violin solo!

j/k, track is pretty nice though, i dig the way the drone carries it.

My advice will be:

1-don't let the tools impose a workflow that doesn't helps your creativity

2-learn synthesis (program your own patches)

3-learn the formulas, but have fun and be you

Hey guys. Sorry it took me so long to get back, I have to admit I kind of forgot about my post here :/

  On 4/10/2012 at 11:08 PM, Antape said:

didn't listened what you posted yet but first I just want to say all what you wrote concerning your feelings as a musician beginner corresponds to what I felt when I was starting to make music as well.

 

And I definitely encourage you to keep your angle about trying to make all the sounds by scratch. Even if it will take you a lot more time than if you used some complex / preset based plugins, you will learn a lot more IMO. After more than four years of musicmaking, I think my sound is still draft, but I can hear the aim of it. And aim is what lacks a lot in pre-programmed synths most of the time.

 

ok now i'm going to listen to your music :)

Thanks for the encouragement. I definitely do want to make everything from scratch. What I'm finding hardest right now is learning to make my own basic drum beats. It doesn't seem like it should be that hard but without ay prior knowledge of how a proper drum beat is made... well, it isn't easy to just start doing.

So how's it going mate? Talk to me, I'm the best musician around here I can give you some advice.

  On 4/10/2012 at 11:18 PM, jefferoo said:

  On 4/10/2012 at 10:38 PM, JoshLind said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLD0NwAgUaQ

 

 

 

FYI, the majority of the area in the image you used for that video is Manhattan. The small area across the river, in the top-right corner is Dumbo Brooklyn. You should rename the song, Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges (pictured).

 

Otherwise, here are better Brooklyn images for you...

 

 

Sorry to be nit-picky. I lived in the BK for 11 years.

Thanks for pointing that out.. I feel kind of silly about it now. I don't think I'll change it yet, just because I have 100+ YT views and a couple comments on it, so I don't want to remove it. Thank you though, I do appreciate knowing.

  On 4/11/2012 at 4:12 AM, Maxwell said:

The listener isn't hearing the processes behind the work, but rather just the work itself. I was and still am in a very similar situation. My brother was a virtuoso guitarist, pianist, musician and I was just a kid fiddling around on the computer. I still really don't know how to play an instrument to this day, but I've used my computer knowledge to do some of the work for me. What I learned though is that it doesn't matter HOW you make music, just that you ARE making music. As long as you try something out everyday, even if it sounds like absolute shit, you are becoming a better musician. If at any point it becomes more work and stress than it is fun and enjoyable, just give it a rest for a while, sleep on it, and then come back the next day.

 

Everyone has to start from somewhere. Seriously.

Thanks for this! I appreciate that others are in similar situations with not having any "real" istrument experience.

  On 4/11/2012 at 4:23 AM, Boxus said:

  On 4/10/2012 at 10:38 PM, JoshLind said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z30YsRX6FlU

 

 

kick ass violin solo!

 

j/k, track is pretty nice though, i dig the way the drone carries it.

Haha, yeah, the violin is actually Tchaikovsky

  On 4/11/2012 at 7:43 PM, capitan mission said:

My advice will be:

1-don't let the tools impose a workflow that doesn't helps your creativity

2-learn synthesis (program your own patches)

3-learn the formulas, but have fun and be you

1 - How do you feel about Ableton? It's been tough getting to know it, but I feel like it's the most professional workstation out there...

2 - Any advice on how to learn to do that?

3 - I don't even know what the formulas means..!? :help:

Here is my newest creation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXoJ3HLByJ4

My friend sent me the acapella for it, sounded a little flat at first but I added some effects, sped it up, and mixed it to my beat. Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks :)