I am a producer. Started working on FL Studio in 2018 using stock plugins only. Back in that time, my tracks were really suck and sometimes I felt like I am the only one who enjoys listening to them (Knowing that I was playing my tracks in front of the audience on purpose). Soon I realize after let's say 3 years of practice and watching tutorials on RUclips, I asked my self: WTF is this what I've been doing? ~ compared to my newly created ones, it's a huge difference! I was obsessed about making orchestral and alternative music using free plugins as a starting point to my journey and it was an even worse sort of production. Then, I discovered Native Instruments a year after by accident and I thought: Why bother? Let's give it a try. Regardless of a year of practice this will ensure that I will surpass the amateur zone into something... well? pretty advanced I think and this is how I am currently capable of. Thanks to NI ofc and the priceless time I spent practicing on FL Studio. My advice to new producers: Never put off practice and learning. Just practice every single day and you will be an amazing producer I guarantee that for you, because at the end of your trip, you will have a pretty acceptable chance of learning something new, and without any effort, you wouldn't be able to make something interesting. And Nathan, you are a legend and a hell of a producer. Please keep your amazing work going.
Amen. I think being willing to fail In the beginning is important to the process. Like you said most of your early stuff you probably won’t share anyway so there are literally no consequences to failing. In fact you’ll gain knowledge on what not to do so it’s actually a good thing. The gym is a good analogy too because if your not consistent then your progress will either stagnate or be really slow. Slower than will keep you motivated because you need those little wins. Great video. I have released some stuff here on RUclips and SoundCloud but I still consider myself a beginner so this was a good reminder to have fun with it and be willing to go through the process. Thanks!
I've been an engineer for over 10 years, but the jump to becoming a producer really does show you just how much you need to humble yourself when growing a whole new skill set. Thank you for this video
This video was great for one who often gets frustrated by ”why the f*** doesn’t it sound the same as on the album?!” And needs a reality check! Thanks Nathan! 🙌🏻
Thanks dude! I've been really enjoying making these videos. I think that it goes deeper than "here's how to do something" but also WHY and the thought behind it and how to think. And thanks for noticing!! Been putting a lot of work into finding ways to make the look better!
@@NathanJamesLarsen They are awesome. These are the kind of videos that, even though probably won’t be a smash in views, the people who do watch will take immense value. Keep em coming 🔥
thanks for this vid man, recently decided to go for it & major in music but i’ve been having a really hard time practicing & it’s been making me think about quitting cuz maybe i’m not cut out for it or whatever. but coming across vids like this have really helped me realize that i developed a toxic relationship with practice & i just need to work around that & find what works best for me. my piano prof stressed to me countless times that all music majors need to practice at least 10 hours a day & it’s super competitive & everyone’s crazy talented & this & that & everything in between & as a guy who’s just getting back into it after not having lessons for like 10 years it really feels overwhelming & like i shouldn’t even try lmao. not to mention that there are kids in high school attending college piano who play better than the prof & i’m over here comparing myself to people who been playing for like 15 years straight, which i know now to be wrong (thanks). it ain’t about other people, it ain’t about how long i practice everyday, or how quickly i progress, etc. it’s about getting a little better everyday, small wins, trust the process, accept that you’re gonna mega suck at first but that’s okay cuz everyone mega sucks at first, don’t force anything, & just practice. 😌 since adopting this mindset i’ve been finding myself practicing way longer than usual, prolly cuz i don’t go into it feeling horrible & just shooting for an amount of time so i don’t feel guilty later. i also think it’s really messed up that my prof forces us to perform our songs in front of the whole class while being recorded, def not a safe space for beginners lmao. again, thanks man, keep up the good work :)
honestly thank you. I began my journey to learning music 4 weeks ago and its been slow and unenjoyable for the most part, because ive been holding myself back with a lot of the same stuff you said, comparing myself to the pros and even amateurs, and realizing how much i still need to learn and how long it will take. Its like I know in my head i shouldnt but to hear someone like yourself say it is so helpful because i do not have any friends or community to support me so its challenging. Im planning on once I actually can navigate around Garageband and understand chord progressions at least then I can reach out to others on the same level for support.
You said in the beginning of the video that this is going to be downer. In reality it actually turned out completely opposite. Thanks man for this. It wasn't just motivating but now this has given me a pathway to follow.💯
Ever since I subscribed to your channel during my 3 week holiday off work, your videos have allowed me to look at my music productions in a different way. I say thank you from me and on behalf of everyone else new that has joined me to watching your wonderful videos. Keep up the amazing and positive work.
Great video man! All so true! Yes... losing your creative edge due to over tasking yourself and forgetting it was suppose to be fun. Yet... disciplined practice is so essential. 👍
Yep this video is spot on! I've only been recording/producing/mixing for about 5 months now but I've already gone back to listen to my first couple of productions and I can just tell how much I've already improved in this time already. Excited to see where I am in a year! After watching your video on how to produce 10x faster, I decided to take active listening seriously by picking a song I enjoy and trying to recreate it as closely as I could just from active listening. As a beginner, I really feel like I learnt SO much from that process as it forced me to learn new techniques and try new things to achieve very specific sounds. It definitely helped my confidence because I realised that I was actually able to produce all of these sounds on my own just by trying out new things, whereas if I didn't push myself to do that after watching your video I think I would still be so unsure of my decisions when producing. And of course I tried a bunch of stuff during that process that didn't work, but I just kept trying new things until I got the result that I wanted!
Thank you so much for this reminder Nathan. Sometimes I guess I loose perspective in the run of becoming more skillful in various things like songwriting, playing guitar etc. I totally agree with you that this can lead to a serious creative burnout (with the wrong mindset and focus) where all the joy for the thing that we all hold so dear seems to be non existent. The thing that I need to remind myself: a valuable thing one can do, is to enjoy the process (and all the progress that comes from doing one thing over and over). I should focus my attention on having a great time making music (with experimenting with sounds and ideas and be open to where it might lead in the future). Like you said, music is in and of itself an awesome experience that we should celebrate.
To who ever is reading this DO NOT give up! MY biggest problem when wanted to start is that I shared my first tracks with the person I thought was my best friend. That person is a music producer and a talented one (there is almost no state of trance that his track is not there), but I was blinded by that guy I used to call my friend who have obvious narcissistic mental issues. He told me you will never be a music producer try something else, the reason why I am writing all this if you going to play your music to someone please let that person genuanly care about you. And because that guy told me I will never make any good track it made me doubt myself so much that it became depression, I loved music since I was a kid, I was finding strength in it. It has been 8 years since that man broke my creative spirit. And now as I am 33 years old I feel like it is to late for me. Do not give up, do not listen what people say to you or how much they try to put you down especially if you care about what they say. Because music production is not a race, its walk in the dark, one step at the time.
this is true although i was so happy with my early recordings but as i have got better as times goes on the main problem i have is every time i get a bit better i always want to rerecord my old stuff so i don't move on with newer stuff.
Hey .this was exactly the video I was looking for.. I just got a mac and i suck making music..😭 I will follow what ever u say.. thanks for this video 😊
yeah captain obvious, my stuff still sux, but not as bad as at first. it was so bad, especially when i was going thru midi feedback loops at 3 am, my old roommate deserves a medal for being patient, and wearing earplugs when sleeping, hehe veterans can sleep anytime anywhere, especially marines hahaha. hell i couldnt stand my own music, i started uploading it to soundcloud, just to keep the discordant melodies from echoing in my head. psh, i started playing to keep the PTSD from making me crazy. now the music makes me crazy, and the ptsd rarely stops by anymore. what a wild ride! really good video bro, keep it real, always. people hate fake, especially musiciians. looking forward to your next one/
Oh wow , ur not only teaching music production ... Ur teaching Life lessons too , Which no content creators would care to share ... Nathan man ,ur Awesome ❤️❤️❤️
Hi Nathan! First of all, I wanted to thank you for making those videos. As a young songwriter and singer, it helps me a lot to stay focused and motivated :). I have a question: how does copyrights work? I want to share my music but I’m afraid that someone might steal it if I post it… Do I need to do some paper work or something else? Thank you so much and take care! :)
Basically the moment you create something intellectual property is already created and as long as you have proof (digital recording IS proof) then you're fine. Also lawsuit for someone stealing your music is VERY expensive so realistically if someone steals it... you won't be able to sue unless you're at a point where it makes sense. In other words - don't worry about it too much.
The thing is being a beginner I don't really understand what is bad production and so when i slowly progress then when I listen to my old tracks I understand that it kinda sucks but my latest track to my ears still sounds pretty good even when I was Day 1 and now 2yrs later so I how do you think I can solve this and really understand what is being a good producer really is?
Compare it with something different to get clear parallels. What makes a pro football player pro? Experience and inner reflexion. You will try out many many many sounds and bpm and stuff overall. Step by Step you will know more and more. Best tip I can give you is to focus on quantity producing not quality. They dont have to be good, just hearable. You will find out what will fit to express your emotions into that music you create :)
@@peace4531 I gotchu :) But ayy, just subscribe Nathans channel and activate the bell :D This man is throwing out the best and most important knowledge about music production. Ngl
Learn what is wrong with your tunes. You need to train your ears. Get MetricAB and compare your tunes with a professional production and listen to what is different in terms of spectral balance, dynamics, width, song structure etc
Hey James!!! I have a problem....I come up with amazing melodies and I have idea about music theory and all.....but I really don't know where to start....no, not that I am a complete beginner in FL but I have some knowledge about how everything works in here, I have learned quite a bit of arrangement and also am surviving on the trial version.....(gonna purchase it for my birthday, cause that's the day u can literally ask from ur parents anything).....I am confused about whether to start with sound design or mixing or layering .....am confused....can u please give me a checklist on what to follow/learn to become a pro from a noob (or it's much much better if u can make a video on it).....cause I am not alone who faces this problem.....production has soooo many aspects, it can be very difficult for us to figure out from where to start....Please give us a pathway/ guideline ..... and really fell in love with ur channel !!! U are really awesome.....u r like a messiah for us beginners!🥰🥰😀
I'm going on 2/3 years nowww...I wanted to give up to but I'm still going strong. I actual got better..I got my old beats on my channel unlisted I honestly shit cringy..😂😂😂
Can anyone tell me if im doing music Production every day for hours how long does it take to do whole songs inclusive Production, Mixing Vocal, recording?
I don’t think there is a general set amount of time allotted to producing a whole song. My advice is that as a beginner, go at your own pace. I normally take my time and let my song breath so I can come back and work on it with fresh ideas. Don’t work all day on a song. Take a little break and then go back to it.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
I hope this serves to encourage you!
I am a producer. Started working on FL Studio in 2018 using stock plugins only. Back in that time, my tracks were really suck and sometimes I felt like I am the only one who enjoys listening to them (Knowing that I was playing my tracks in front of the audience on purpose). Soon I realize after let's say 3 years of practice and watching tutorials on RUclips, I asked my self: WTF is this what I've been doing? ~ compared to my newly created ones, it's a huge difference!
I was obsessed about making orchestral and alternative music using free plugins as a starting point to my journey and it was an even worse sort of production. Then, I discovered Native Instruments a year after by accident and I thought: Why bother? Let's give it a try. Regardless of a year of practice this will ensure that I will surpass the amateur zone into something... well? pretty advanced I think and this is how I am currently capable of. Thanks to NI ofc and the priceless time I spent practicing on FL Studio.
My advice to new producers: Never put off practice and learning. Just practice every single day and you will be an amazing producer I guarantee that for you, because at the end of your trip, you will have a pretty acceptable chance of learning something new, and without any effort, you wouldn't be able to make something interesting.
And Nathan, you are a legend and a hell of a producer. Please keep your amazing work going.
Amen. I think being willing to fail In the beginning is important to the process. Like you said most of your early stuff you probably won’t share anyway so there are literally no consequences to failing. In fact you’ll gain knowledge on what not to do so it’s actually a good thing.
The gym is a good analogy too because if your not consistent then your progress will either stagnate or be really slow. Slower than will keep you motivated because you need those little wins.
Great video. I have released some stuff here on RUclips and SoundCloud but I still consider myself a beginner so this was a good reminder to have fun with it and be willing to go through the process.
Thanks!
I've been an engineer for over 10 years, but the jump to becoming a producer really does show you just how much you need to humble yourself when growing a whole new skill set. Thank you for this video
This video was great for one who often gets frustrated by ”why the f*** doesn’t it sound the same as on the album?!” And needs a reality check! Thanks Nathan! 🙌🏻
I love these "let's sit down and have a chat" video. Also, the background, colours, etc, is straight fire!!!
Thanks dude! I've been really enjoying making these videos. I think that it goes deeper than "here's how to do something" but also WHY and the thought behind it and how to think.
And thanks for noticing!! Been putting a lot of work into finding ways to make the look better!
@@NathanJamesLarsen They are awesome. These are the kind of videos that, even though probably won’t be a smash in views, the people who do watch will take immense value. Keep em coming 🔥
I can always count on your videos to fill me back up when I’m running dry! 🙌
thanks for this vid man, recently decided to go for it & major in music but i’ve been having a really hard time practicing & it’s been making me think about quitting cuz maybe i’m not cut out for it or whatever. but coming across vids like this have really helped me realize that i developed a toxic relationship with practice & i just need to work around that & find what works best for me. my piano prof stressed to me countless times that all music majors need to practice at least 10 hours a day & it’s super competitive & everyone’s crazy talented & this & that & everything in between & as a guy who’s just getting back into it after not having lessons for like 10 years it really feels overwhelming & like i shouldn’t even try lmao. not to mention that there are kids in high school attending college piano who play better than the prof & i’m over here comparing myself to people who been playing for like 15 years straight, which i know now to be wrong (thanks). it ain’t about other people, it ain’t about how long i practice everyday, or how quickly i progress, etc. it’s about getting a little better everyday, small wins, trust the process, accept that you’re gonna mega suck at first but that’s okay cuz everyone mega sucks at first, don’t force anything, & just practice. 😌 since adopting this mindset i’ve been finding myself practicing way longer than usual, prolly cuz i don’t go into it feeling horrible & just shooting for an amount of time so i don’t feel guilty later. i also think it’s really messed up that my prof forces us to perform our songs in front of the whole class while being recorded, def not a safe space for beginners lmao. again, thanks man, keep up the good work :)
honestly thank you. I began my journey to learning music 4 weeks ago and its been slow and unenjoyable for the most part, because ive been holding myself back with a lot of the same stuff you said, comparing myself to the pros and even amateurs, and realizing how much i still need to learn and how long it will take. Its like I know in my head i shouldnt but to hear someone like yourself say it is so helpful because i do not have any friends or community to support me so its challenging. Im planning on once I actually can navigate around Garageband and understand chord progressions at least then I can reach out to others on the same level for support.
You said in the beginning of the video that this is going to be downer. In reality it actually turned out completely opposite. Thanks man for this. It wasn't just motivating but now this has given me a pathway to follow.💯
Ever since I subscribed to your channel during my 3 week holiday off work, your videos have allowed me to look at my music productions in a different way. I say thank you from me and on behalf of everyone else new that has joined me to watching your wonderful videos. Keep up the amazing and positive work.
Great video man! All so true!
Yes... losing your creative edge due to over tasking yourself and forgetting it was suppose to be fun.
Yet... disciplined practice is so essential. 👍
I really hate that I’m seeing this at night, cause now I have motivation to get things started but tomorrow it’ll all be lost
Yep this video is spot on! I've only been recording/producing/mixing for about 5 months now but I've already gone back to listen to my first couple of productions and I can just tell how much I've already improved in this time already. Excited to see where I am in a year!
After watching your video on how to produce 10x faster, I decided to take active listening seriously by picking a song I enjoy and trying to recreate it as closely as I could just from active listening. As a beginner, I really feel like I learnt SO much from that process as it forced me to learn new techniques and try new things to achieve very specific sounds. It definitely helped my confidence because I realised that I was actually able to produce all of these sounds on my own just by trying out new things, whereas if I didn't push myself to do that after watching your video I think I would still be so unsure of my decisions when producing. And of course I tried a bunch of stuff during that process that didn't work, but I just kept trying new things until I got the result that I wanted!
Thank you so much for this reminder Nathan. Sometimes I guess I loose perspective in the run of becoming more skillful in various things like songwriting, playing guitar etc. I totally agree with you that this can lead to a serious creative burnout (with the wrong mindset and focus) where all the joy for the thing that we all hold so dear seems to be non existent. The thing that I need to remind myself: a valuable thing one can do, is to enjoy the process (and all the progress that comes from doing one thing over and over). I should focus my attention on having a great time making music (with experimenting with sounds and ideas and be open to where it might lead in the future). Like you said, music is in and of itself an awesome experience that we should celebrate.
To who ever is reading this DO NOT give up! MY biggest problem when wanted to start is that I shared my first tracks with the person I thought was my best friend. That person is a music producer and a talented one (there is almost no state of trance that his track is not there), but I was blinded by that guy I used to call my friend who have obvious narcissistic mental issues. He told me you will never be a music producer try something else, the reason why I am writing all this if you going to play your music to someone please let that person genuanly care about you. And because that guy told me I will never make any good track it made me doubt myself so much that it became depression, I loved music since I was a kid, I was finding strength in it. It has been 8 years since that man broke my creative spirit. And now as I am 33 years old I feel like it is to late for me. Do not give up, do not listen what people say to you or how much they try to put you down especially if you care about what they say. Because music production is not a race, its walk in the dark, one step at the time.
I've been enjoying your video's. They are very helpful. Bless you, and thanks for sharing... Greetings from The Netherlands !
this is true although i was so happy with my early recordings but as i have got better as times goes on the main problem i have is every time i get a bit better i always want to rerecord my old stuff so i don't move on with newer stuff.
Hey .this was exactly the video I was looking for..
I just got a mac and i suck making music..😭
I will follow what ever u say.. thanks for this video 😊
yeah captain obvious, my stuff still sux, but not as bad as at first. it was so bad, especially when i was going thru midi feedback loops at 3 am, my old roommate deserves a medal for being patient, and wearing earplugs when sleeping, hehe veterans can sleep anytime anywhere, especially marines hahaha. hell i couldnt stand my own music, i started uploading it to soundcloud, just to keep the discordant melodies from echoing in my head. psh, i started playing to keep the PTSD from making me crazy. now the music makes me crazy, and the ptsd rarely stops by anymore. what a wild ride! really good video bro, keep it real, always. people hate fake, especially musiciians. looking forward to your next one/
I needed this... thanks for the messaging. And your stuff is great. Thank you for posting.
notification squad!!! I love your content :)))
Right on, man...this is golden advice!!
Hey, You should do a video on how to practice the art/craft more efficiently that you learned from your piano teacher, that would be great.
This is quite motivating, thanks.
Dude I just LOVE your transparency
This is soo relatable and quite encouraging. Thank you!
We all needed to hear this, thank you!!
Thank you, encouraged me a lot!
I love your channel Nathan
Thank you
I'm doing production really long ago but watch your all video to see how other people's work
Oh wow , ur not only teaching music production ... Ur teaching Life lessons too , Which no content creators would care to share ... Nathan man ,ur Awesome ❤️❤️❤️
Love this! Love that you see that! I want to do more than just "here's how to do stuff." I wanna help people think!
Love your style dude.
That was really great nathan
This channel provides pure motivation 🥰
Music is a way to express yourself and everyone is unique.
Just give urself some time to define who you are and what to express (sry for bad eng :c)
Well said. Again.....
I love this channel..you're always on point.
🙏🙏
Hi Nathan! First of all, I wanted to thank you for making those videos. As a young songwriter and singer, it helps me a lot to stay focused and motivated :).
I have a question: how does copyrights work? I want to share my music but I’m afraid that someone might steal it if I post it…
Do I need to do some paper work or something else? Thank you so much and take care! :)
Basically the moment you create something intellectual property is already created and as long as you have proof (digital recording IS proof) then you're fine.
Also lawsuit for someone stealing your music is VERY expensive so realistically if someone steals it... you won't be able to sue unless you're at a point where it makes sense.
In other words - don't worry about it too much.
@@NathanJamesLarsen Okay thank you so much! :)
This is encouraging. Thanks man!
You da man, Phil!
I've learnt alot and I Know alot but when I open my DAW I don't come up with anything good😔
you are kinda mentor to me these days.....thanks
The thing is being a beginner I don't really understand what is bad production and so when i slowly progress then when I listen to my old tracks I understand that it kinda sucks but my latest track to my ears still sounds pretty good even when I was Day 1 and now 2yrs later so I how do you think I can solve this and really understand what is being a good producer really is?
Compare it with something different to get clear parallels.
What makes a pro football player pro?
Experience and inner reflexion.
You will try out many many many sounds and bpm and stuff overall.
Step by Step you will know more and more.
Best tip I can give you is to focus on quantity producing not quality.
They dont have to be good, just hearable.
You will find out what will fit to express your emotions into that music you create :)
@@tnc7004 Thanks for the tip!
@@peace4531 I gotchu :)
But ayy, just subscribe Nathans channel and activate the bell :D
This man is throwing out the best and most important knowledge about music production. Ngl
@@tnc7004 I am already subscribed and notified! 👍
Learn what is wrong with your tunes. You need to train your ears. Get MetricAB and compare your tunes with a professional production and listen to what is different in terms of spectral balance, dynamics, width, song structure etc
This is the video all need to watch.
You should post the first song you made
I want to be a producer, coz I only live once.
Very helpful bro 🤝🌷🙏
Thanks
Hey James!!! I have a problem....I come up with amazing melodies and I have idea about music theory and all.....but I really don't know where to start....no, not that I am a complete beginner in FL but I have some knowledge about how everything works in here, I have learned quite a bit of arrangement and also am surviving on the trial version.....(gonna purchase it for my birthday, cause that's the day u can literally ask from ur parents anything).....I am confused about whether to start with sound design or mixing or layering .....am confused....can u please give me a checklist on what to follow/learn to become a pro from a noob (or it's much much better if u can make a video on it).....cause I am not alone who faces this problem.....production has soooo many aspects, it can be very difficult for us to figure out from where to start....Please give us a pathway/ guideline .....
and really fell in love with ur channel !!! U are really awesome.....u r like a messiah for us beginners!🥰🥰😀
I really think you should watch my video Learn to Produce 10x Faster. It's on my channel!
I started 5 years ago and still get the constant nagging but I still don't discourage my self
I'm going on 2/3 years nowww...I wanted to give up to but I'm still going strong. I actual got better..I got my old beats on my channel unlisted I honestly shit cringy..😂😂😂
I feel like you uploaded this already .. but fuck it, it's still a good video lol
Can anyone tell me if im doing music Production every day for hours
how long does it take to do whole songs inclusive Production, Mixing Vocal, recording?
I don’t think there is a general set amount of time allotted to producing a whole song. My advice is that as a beginner, go at your own pace. I normally take my time and let my song breath so I can come back and work on it with fresh ideas. Don’t work all day on a song. Take a little break and then go back to it.
I am a beginner and this is how I work . Very productive
I knew you watch my stuff 😂
Yeah I'm a beginner, of course I suck 😅 but I'll give my best.
True tho!
My mom say my music is meh and told me to quit :)
Oof. I'm sure your music's very good.
Oh man.. that is not cool.
My parents were actually pretty honest with me early on by not "puffing me up" but they didn't tell me to quit!
@@NathanJamesLarsen she said its a waste of time...
Don't listen to anyone that says this. Alot of people will say this even about the best. Practice. Just like almost anything. Have fun!
I blow
First❤❤❤👆🏼👆🏼
Holy moly it's Johnny Harris of vox.com