In many ways, the trajectory for a DJ is simple: master
technical fundamentals, get great at selecting music, and try and develop a
unique style that’s all your own. While the trajectory for production is in
some ways very similar, modern DAWs provide such a myriad of options that make
it easy to fall into one of many pitfalls, especially when just starting out!
Today we’re looking at 5 of the most common mistakes almost every beginner
producer makes, and how to avoid them.
Beginner Producer Mistakes
1. LESS IS ALWAYS MORE
When starting out, the impulse of the vast majority of
producers is to grab at every extra plug-in and piece of tech they can get
their hands on, and why not? Each product invariably markets itself as the
be-all, end-all product that will immediately inject your tracks with fresh
energy and life.
While it’s true that there are a lot of pieces of gear and
plugins out there that (when used properly) are godsends, grabbing a handful of
them and throwing them into your newest track won’t do anything but throw in a
bunch of processing that’s too complex for you to handle.
It might be difficult, but instead of trying to use a
million different tools to achieve the same effect, try becoming an expert in
using a few: mastering one synth and one compressor will do far more for your
workflow than half-understanding the functions of ten synths and twenty
compressors, a mantra that’s been repeated by the likes of Skrillex, who made
his entire Scary Monsters album with only Ableton’s onboard processors.
2. LOUDER DOESN’T MAKE IT BETTER
There’s perhaps nothing more infuriating in the world of
production than lovingly mixing down a track, spending hours tweaking every
knob, every parameter, automating down to the second, and then referencing it
to a professional club track and watching your smile sink slowly as your track
is absolutely pummeled by the thump of its professional counterpart. For a lot
of producers, this is a massive source of frustration, and rightfully so, as it
can feel like there’s absolutely nothing one can do to compete on the level of
these thumping mixes.
The solution that a lot of beginning producers jump to is
the notorious “brickwall” limiter, which is basically akin to using a butcher
knife where you should use a scalpel. The reasoning often cited for this
practice is usually something along the lines of “Mastering techs use limiters, and they make
loud tracks, so I should too.” Unfortunately this results in all kinds of
negative and unanticipated effects, like pumping sounds, dynamics loss, and distortion.
Ultimately, it’s better to take some time to learn a bit about the mastering
process, or to save up to pay a mastering engineer, than to take the easy route
and absolutely squash your tracks.
3. DON’T FEAR THE PRESETS
It seems increasingly that the production world is divided
into those who view presets as the ultimate cheat, and those who view them as
the only way to produce. While their ultimate purpose likely lies somewhere
between those two opinions, it’s incredibly important to have a reasonable
approach to presets (and by extension, samples and sample packs).
Many producers might cringe at the sound of a Nexus piano
preset, it’s important to remember that the end goal of a producer should be
satisfaction artistically with themselves and with the audience, which may or
may not be comprised of people who can recognize presets. This isn’t
necessarily license to go and write something like “KNAS,” but you should
always keep an open mind to both samples and presets, if only as tools to
compliment your sound and radically increase your efficiency.
An easy way to use presets and samples without losing the
integrity of a track is to mix genres that traditionally aren’t related: for
example, try using hip-hop synth samples in a techno track; you’ll find that
the jarring presence of a sound from an entirely different sonic universe can
produce some exciting and novel results.
4. I SOUND LIKE
[FAVORITE PRODUCER], AM I FAMOUS YET?
Far too many producers confuse learning the ins and outs of
a system with learning how to make a specific product. When starting out, the
drive is somewhat clearly to make a track reminiscent of the track that got you
into production in the first place, or at very least, the track you love at the
moment. In a recent interview with DJTT, Lucky Date recommended emulating the
sounds of a favorite artist as a great starting place for new producers.
There isn’t anything inherently wrong with having a fondness
for a sound or style, but producing with a constant eye towards making one type
of sound will stunt one’s growth as a producer and as a musician.
Tutorial-hunting and remake attempts will only teach you the sound that is the
end result of a process invisible to everyone but the original producer.
Instead, spend time reading and learning about general
techniques of compression, EQing, and sound design; the end result will be a
much richer production experience and a wealth of knowledge that’s applicable
to a wide variety of production styles and changing tastes.
5. OBSESS OVER THE
ART, NOT THE CRAFT
This is a simple thing to remember, but it’s lost on tons of
producers starting out: there will be a point at which you are fairly
comfortable with your production skills. Whenever that point may be, it’s
crucial to remember that a production skillset isn’t the end goal, writing
music is!
It’s fantastic to have a well-mixed track with plenty of
perfectly synthesized sounds, but if it’s a boring track, no amount of clean
mixdown will ever make it interesting. Think of the core principles of sound
design as guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Once you’re relatively
comfortable with understanding each of the features of your chosen DAW, try
doing something unconventional or even technically “dumb,” like using a limiter
on a single track, or heavy reverb on a bassline, or using a really wide imager
on a synth line. These adjustments might not make your track better
technically, but this sort of experimentation is almost always guaranteed to
make your track more interesting.
