Does your music sound AMATEURISH? Pro Composers tell you why.

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[Ant]

I want to chime in on what the Spitfire guy said about using live players. Using live players doesn't always improve the track if you don't choose the right player. Case in point: I was working as a music producer in Germany at a local studio in Dusseldorf. We found this young artist from England whom we wanted to produce. It was just him and his acoustic guitar, and he would sing his original songs in front of you...and you'd be gone. Fantastic songs and talent. Anyway, we record him and decide to overdub his guitar playing with a pro session player as this young guy's playing was not perfect: hesitant, timid, and not all strings strummed at the same time. We thought we could improve on that. So we hired this famous german session guitarist that, apparently, had been playing session guitar on almost every hit on the radio. His techie came up a day earlier with a van to set up. In the van, over 100 guitars, some of them costing tens of thousands, many, many old famous amps, microphones (U78s, etc) and also his own matrix switching system so that he could dial a different sound from the control room. When he set-up his amps, he's measured the distance of the mic to the amp with a measuring tape. You get the picture yet?... So he starts playing. The songs were not difficult technically speaking, so he played them faultlessly, even when double-tracked or triple-tracked, it was perfect, utilising the perfect guitars, amps and microphones. Perfect. Yet, after he left (and got paid solidly), his tracks - we realised - were totally inadequate and soul-less, and un-usable. Why?...TOO perfect! Cut the story short, we went back and re-recorded our young artist, with his hesitant, shy, vulnerable playing style. It was magic. That's what the song needed: this vulnerability and innocence and "analog" imperfection, so much so that I even kept the creaking sound of the bar stool in his booth just before he started playing! Food analogy: it was like the crust of a fresh French baguette... Choose the right human player, because any player - just a player who's human - might not actually improve the song, that's my point.

[wolflahti]

"Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something."
—Jake the Dog, Adventure Time

[Exspazament]

Even with basic gear, you can create a helluva sonic landscape. Limitations breed creativity.

[greyklopstock]

I think learning to copy is awesome. For me, that's how I got good at everything from bass to drum programming. I'd say, "how'd they get it like that?" And go deep into the rabbit holes until I could recreate it. Then you can put it together with other stuff. This is all such great advice and feels fantastic to hear

[CatFish]

As someone coming to this from the opposite end, a total hobbyist, having fun learning, these insights are great. Help me understand why different parts of what I record sound like different shades of dog snot.

[justin.johnson]

Music is felt, not heard. Good players will always create a feeling that's unique and special.

Great talk, appreciate it.

[makcings]

Summaries
Muddy Mixes: This is a common issue where there's a build-up in the low mid frequencies (200Hz to 500Hz). This is often due to the choice of instruments and how they're mixed together. The speaker suggests thinking of mixes as an upside-down pyramid, with the low frequencies at the bottom and the high frequencies at the top.

Lack of Dynamics: Many new composers fail to effectively use dynamics in their music. This can be especially problematic when trying to recreate an orchestral performance or other complex soundscapes. Understanding how to manipulate the dynamics of an instrument can greatly improve the quality of a composition.

Unfinished Music: The speaker recommends always trying to make a track sound as polished as possible before sending it off. This includes spending time on mixing and mastering the track to the best of your ability.

Misunderstanding the Genre: It's important to thoroughly understand the genre you're working in. This includes researching the best music in that genre, learning about the recording techniques used, and understanding the mindset of the creators in that genre.

Lack of Originality: Many new composers struggle to find their own unique sound and instead end up sounding like other artists. The speaker suggests learning from multiple artists and combining what you like from each to create something uniquely yours.

Looping Sections: Overusing loops can make a track sound repetitive and uninteresting. It's important to make your music change and develop over time, even if it's an underscore track.

Hiring Live Musicians: The speaker discusses the benefits of hiring live musicians to add to the quality of the music. While it's possible to create professional-sounding music using only digital tools, live musicians can add a level of authenticity and depth to a track.

Reverb: The use of reverb was also discussed. The speaker suggests using the same reverb on all instruments to create a cohesive sound.

By ChatGPT 4 😅

[HarmonicWave]

I still remember buying an album of a popular artist the day it came out (back in '98) and got a surprise ticket to a back lot concert the next day (behind the store). This was an artist who had sold millions of albums previously. Anyway, he didn't have his band with him so he played his own guitar, but then the song had a piano part and he literally slung the guitar behind his back with a short pause in the music and started playing piano. The song on the album was professionally recorded and mixed, but here he was playing two different instruments, like, "hold on, let me switch." it was great.

[joedorseymusic]

Thank you for pointing out that gradual growth gets you there. As a hobbyist, wearing all the hats can be daunting and you have to give yourself some grace in the process. There's a lot to learn about singing, songwriting, playing various instruments, arranging, tracking, mixing & mastering. Labels hire a seasoned professional to handle each of these tasks. Weekend warriors like myself will keep moving up that in-the-box production hill slowly but surely. 👍

[petermowry]

I think a lot of the comments were probably based on one’s own insecurities and obstacles they’ve overcome (including mine). We are hyper aware of our weaknesses as artists and it’s easy to spot those in others.

What I like about this video is your ability to discuss the journey of the artist and how being “amateur” at something is actually a strength because it creates space for learning moments. Continually showing up and working hard at whatever one feels needs attention in their craft is perhaps one of the most important aspects of being creative today.

[MuzixMaker]

A good mix starts with a good arrangement.

[joa]

For me definitily playing mistakes are the worst. Bad tone quality is one thing, but the first things my friends always noticed when I started making music were timing issues or other mistakes. The most important thing I learnt was not to be lazy, practice my stuff, do as many takes as needed and edit every thing that is bothering me.

[alienfortytwo]

this was really informative, thank you.
for my fellow hobbyists: don't try to cram all those cool new musical concepts you learned about and all those sick ideas you had in a single track. Keeping things clear and focused is really important. At least thats what I've learned from my experience. Oh, also make "breathing pauses" in your melodies even whe making instrumental music (you don't always have to, but it's generally better this way).

[neonvoid]

i only play unprepared live improvs daily on live stream - this not just a great creative outlet but also tremendously helped to fight perfectionism - most thing wont be perfect in this situation but we just have to keep going & build on that.

great video, great insights / tips

[TacticsTechniquesandProcedures]

Your chill vibe but wealth of knowledge is rare. THANK YOU.

[HORNGEN]

There are literally no people born with these skills. Even if you have composition talent, technique is technique and it takes years to develop.

[ellybargmusic]

As an amateur composer this was so interesting to watch. Tying to achieve a balanced sound is one of the things I find most difficult and your pyramid trick just made so much sense when you mentioned it– will definitely keep it in mind moving forward! Thank you for sharing your insights ❤

[ricdontap]

Thanks for spending the time to help us all out.

[RetroPlus]

The editing and presentation of this video is perfect, well done.

[studiodsr]

I would add the slight caveat that sometimes composers mock up pieces with string or drum plugins and don’t spend a ton of time making them sound realistic because the person they play it for knows it’s meant to be re-recorded with real instruments. So I’d separate demos / mock-ups from music that’s presented as final