Quality Control on Release Material

Thanks, guys! :)

Another thing I've started doing when I get stuck on tracks is to mute tracks one by one until I'm down to the core of the track - for instance the bass, melody, and some effects. And then I delete everything else and start building it up from scratch again with new sounds. It does wonders sometimes because I know for a fact that I tend to get stuck when making music, because I fall in love with a certain sound but don't know how to move on from there. I guess this is what people usually call "killing your darlings".

Squee, both of those suggestions are great.

Only vaguely related to original topic but I didn't wanna make a new thread for every random music idea that pops into my head:

I'm wondering if there might be benefit to focusing on one artistic pursuit alone for an extended period in order to ensure all available creative/emotional energy is channelled into it. Like instead of doing photography & painting & music & videos all at once, just do one for several months or more & don't go on to something else until you've come up with a cohesive body of work and/or have hit an impassible roadblock

there are so many things to become totally rainman at, so little time

I'm pretty sure if varies from person to person. Sometimes ideas come to you when you're making music, sometimes they don't. Sometimes you get an idea while in the shower and other times you don't. Sometimes you're completely uninspired when it comes to painting and other times you're not. If you're up for it and you feel like you've got something on your mind that would turn into a great track then it's time for you to make a track, but if you feel like just lying on the couch then that's what you should do.

To me though music and any kind of visual medium - be it paintings, videos or what have you - are interconnected. When I see photos I hear sound and vice versa, so I don't see the harm in working on both things side by side. I can only talk for myself of course, but I am able to lose focus like no other so it's good for me to have something to fall back on.

Oh, and another thing... don't get too academic about music. I actually hate myself for having written this post because one should not think about what he/she does. It should just come naturally. Don't think about it. Just do it.

^You're probably right. TBH the only time I overthink music is when I'm not working on music. Like, I'll spend a few hours working on tracks without really thinking at all about what I'm doing, then finish & go "okay I'm happy with that but wouldn't it be cool if I did something really elaborate next time & adopted a strict production mindset"....then I pretty much immediately realize it's way more fun to do it the way I've been doing it

Well, once you're out of "the zone" and you're no longer working on your tune then it's time for you to listen to the track with your academic ears. What works and what doesn't? How's the build-up? Etc. That's where the quality control comes in.

I do all sorts of creative stuff to varying levels of embarrassment.

Sometimes all at once, sometimes I can draw or paint but not make tracks or vice versa.

You just have to be pretty free about it and do whatever you feel like, really.

Although I am guilty of forcing some things, music especially. Sometimes you just gotta make it happen

as for releasing, I've done eps and net albums and will do them again but I'm in a bit of a transitionary period right now, learning new shit, trying to sort out my production and not being locked into writing for some release.

Its a breath of fresh air, really.

So I'm just putting out whatever, so if someone else is interested in checking it out they can.

At the end of the day, as cool as it is having other people enjoy shit I made, I'm in it for me.

I'm my own opponent. I'm the only one I'm really concerned about pleasing