Music Production: Common Challenges and Ways To Overcome Them

The art of music production has changed over the years with the advent of digital audio workstations (DAWs). These digital music creation stations have made song production more accessible. However, they have also inundated the industry with tracks that are miles away from greatness. Our music production advice will help you to stay updated.

Fruity Loops, Logic, Reason, Pro Tools, or Ableton Live platforms can create great beats but successful song production requires large doses of originality. This is the reason why the flourishing artist spends their late nights researching on their style and devouring content on the best song production techniques.

If you want to take your place in the hallmark of fame or wish to stand out like your sources of inspiration, you have challenges to overcome. Below is a list of problems that you are bound to encounter along the way and pointers on how you can overcome them.

Music Production Advice #1: How to Get Started

Any professional song producer will tell you that getting started in art is one of the most difficult challenges that you will have to overcome. If song production were easy then every artist would be touring the world, living the big life. You would not need years of practice to become great. Any aspiring musician would start out and make a killer track on their first try.

Studies show that most song producers either are too inexperienced or very experienced. Many music producers are starting out and are looking for a launching pad or have gone through the dip and are now emerging from it.

Dig deeper into the study above and a pattern reveals itself; 61.4% of artists show an interest in production in their first year. This figure drops to 8% and 5.3% in the second and third years respectively. It is therefore clear that most new songsters quit as soon as they start. Production becomes too difficult upon introduction and they decide not to pursue it, especially if they started out to become instantly famous.

Musicians do not succeed simply because they want to make music. To turn pro you have to start, then commit and reaffirm that commitment through your actions day after day, year after year. Approach this journey with effort and consistency in mind, and then create songs that have high standards to master the art.

To counter discouragement, start and enjoy your day-to-day little victories. The secret to getting started is showing up and doing what needs to be done. If you have started a song, finish it! If you take to giving up, you will eventually become a quitter. Take your art seriously, master your tools, commit to the process, and lay down your laurels to ensure focus.

Music Production Advice #2: Do Your Music Theory Homework

Most aspiring song producers do not have any idea what lies in store in their career on the road to fame. Before legitimacy and fame knocks on your front door, you have to not only get started but do the heavy lifting as well. The bulk of successful song production lies in the middle and requires tons of creativity and problem-solving skills.

You will need to work on a track and make it less boomy or rewrite a dry chord progression. You will also have to figure out how to layer in sounds that do not blend. It is also up to you to add or subtract structural sounds to enhance a song. This is the reason why every song producer needs to learn his or her modes, chords, and scales.

Music theory is to a song producer what culinary arts school is to a chef. Granted, learning music theory is learning how to apply rules in production and you might be worried that dull rules will squash your creativity. To the experts however, learning music theory is not any different from studying a DAW or your favorite musical instrument.

Music theory is a tool that guides the best producers on how to describe music in a language that everyone understands and appreciates. Through it, you will create better harmonies and melodies and work well with other artists. Want to excel in music production? Take an online course and learn the basics of music first.

Music Production Advice #3: Professional Mixing & Mastering  

One common scenario that song producers face is making songs that seem to appeal to the crowd but are labeled as either  ‘over-compressed’ or ‘terribly mixed’ by mixing and mastering sound engineers. You might be at the crossroad as well, where you have to decide whether you should adhere to the tough standards of the industry or simply release your music as it is and please the crowd.

The professionals say that while the composition and idea trump production value, it is wrong to underestimate the difference between an amateur and professional mix and master content. It does not matter therefore whether you are producing hit songs or royalty-free music. More people will love a song that is professionally produced especially when competition arises.

Mixing and mastering are critical phases in song production ensuring that tracks sound great when played together. These postproduction steps ensure that a song’s sonic elements have optimal cross-system playback quality.

Music Production Advice #4: Planning/Productivity

The internet age has increased access to knowledge and information but it has its drawbacks. It has robbed many internet users the ability to stay focused due to its easily distracting environment. Social media is for instance a very crucial marketing tool for song producers. These platforms however can be black holes that tap all your attention and pull you out of your productive zone.

Tons of desktop and smartphone notifications will pop out just when you are at the top of your game lowering your productivity. In Deep Work, author Cal Newport says that this new environment and economy will benefit those that can master difficult skills and those that can produce at an elite level, faster.

Quality and speed are vital for success and they are driven by an ability to focus. You, therefore, need to plan for productivity by;

• Setting goals and time blocking your calendar for production sessions
• Eliminating any potential distractions such as phones, social calls, till deep work is accomplished
• Starting small and committing at least a half an hour to productive work
• Working when your will power and creativity is at its peak

Music Production Advice #5: Finding a Good Education

There are varieties of online resources and courses that can teach you how to become a better song producer. Take those master classes and overcome any limitations that may inhibit your potential. The best learning courses will have a fantastic curriculum, proper structure, accountability, and agenda.

A learning environment will not only sharpen your creativity but also expose you to your peers and people that have the same interests as you. Here you can network, garner inspiration, and create friendships to last a lifetime.

Conclusion

Most of these challenges mentioned above come by because of lack of trust in your ability as an artist, a lack of intention in your work ethic, or the industry’s production process. You can tackle these issues by taking responsibility for your success, motivation, education, and focus. If you feel more comfortable consulting with a professional music producers don’t hesitate to reach out to Supreme Tracks today.

Be intentional about your art and create a future that opens doors to success, for you and other musicians that you will inspire along the way.