Ableton & Music Habits Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jason Timothy
This podcast is all about the mental & technical side of music production. Although Jason Timothy is an Ableton coach, the content in this podcast can be used for any aspiring music producer.
36: How To Get Organized For Music Production
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Start with a song idea then abandon it
This is going to seem pretty counterintuitive but should connect with you more
as you read. You may hear me coming from several similar angles to drive the
point home. My goal is always that you are able to take something away from
these posts & put the ideas into practice right away. I'm going to try to share
reasons why you should abandon your original song idea when new inspiration
comes.
The issue that we have is that we start with an idea in our head and we become
really laser focused on trying to get that one idea down completely as it was in
our head. This can lead to a lot of frustration, and it's usually so streamlined
that we don't leave room for other creative ideas to come in.
Because of this, we're not really using our creative brain at the time. That
doesn't mean that you're starting idea is not any good. It usually is fine, but
it doesn't translate exactly the way it is in our head......
Here's my top 10 reasons why information is more likely to lead you to procrastination and confusion than it is to lead you to a solution, unless it's done correctly. Whether you're watching YouTube videos, going to music forums, podcasts, or reading blogs like this one. If you're not putting it to proper use, then it's probably more likely a form of procrastination.
if you'd like this sort the content, make sure to share it with your producer friends. You can read my best selling book, The mental game of electronic music production for free, by going to https://musicsoftwaretraining.com/thementalgame. You'll also get my song recovery kit and my 101 Ableton tips video totally free.
If you'd like to connect with me more directly to see how I might be able to help you personally, you could schedule a free 15 minute session with me by going to https://musicsoftwaretraining.com/application
29: Creative Input Vs Creative Output
If you aren't aware of your creative input vs creative output ratio you are going to run into a number of problems when it comes to finishing songs.
If you are doing more input than output it means you aren't implementing what you are learning, you are just digesting information, and information rarely leads to transformation. Implementation requires a lot more mental energy , which is why we prefer to consume.
So what is input & what is output?
In simple terms input is the information you take in. This can be watching tutorials, speaking with a coach or even reading this post. Output is what you are putting out into the world. Output is the only way your voice gets heard. A life with input alone will leave you with your music still in you. You don't want to die having never shared your art with the world.
Dopamine: The brain's reward system
There is nothing inherently wrong with input, but we need to understand our brain's reward system.
See, our actions are largely motivated by a reward system, typically dopamine.
When we receive new information, we get a dopamine hit, the feel good drug our body creates.
All addictions are based on a reward system. People don't repeat bad habits because they are stupid, it's because they keep getting rewarded with dopamine.
The problem is, it's very hard to get ourselves to delay the reward system when there are so many ways to get a quick fix. Social media is borderline evil in the way they reward you for doing almost nothing.
When you get a reward for doing next to nothing, where is your motivation for implementation & creative output?
Most music producers get stuck in the input cycle. More videos, more blogs, more forums, more social media, more plugins, more hardware etc...
This feeds the reward system & makes you feel like you accomplished something. Sadly, this steals your drive to actually create.
The problem is that the reward system for creative output is a delayed reward. Sometimes the reward for your output is less than you had expected or hoped for. In order to stay motivated to create, we must starve the brain of it's quick dopamine fixes & feed it more meaningful but delayed rewards for accomplishing something of importance... Your art.
You reading this right now is input for you, but for me it is output & I can't predict how you will respond to this. There will certainly be a dopamine reward for the feeling or finishing this & then posting. That is the output. Me waiting around to see the reactions, likes & comments is input & that can become dangerously addictive.
If you're not careful, you can easily get into the habit of waiting for reactions to your old art instead of investing your energy into creating more output... or new art.
Very likely, your current creative input to output ratio is 90/10. This mean for every 100 minutes, you spend 90 of those minutes sourcing & consuming information & only 10 minutes actually working on your art.
Ideally you would like to have 80% output and 20% input. Even the best of us don't live up to this, but it's a great practice if you want to be among the top 5% of music producers.
In this episode I will go into 3 aspects of your music making career. These are "The Work", "The Business" & "The Busy". Whne you know how to categorize the actions you are taking or considering taking, you can save yourself a LOT of time & energy that is usually wasted. Enjoy!
In this episode I go a bit off the music path and into the subject of reality. Although I make no claims to how reality works, I have found these ways of framing it useful. Enjoy
In this episode I dive into a concept or just how fast small amounts of daily music production can add up each month & can litterally help you finish an album every year.
Everyone dreams of being the best. It's the pinnacle of any form of art. But is it possible for you? Is there a new way to look at this subject that is more empowering & inspiring? Let's see!
Everyone dreams of being the best. It's the pinnacle of any form of art. But is it possible for you? Is there a new way to look at this subject that is more empowering & inspiring? Let's see!
In this episode we will dive into what I consider to be the biggest time suck you will ever face when trying to create your art. This distraction alone can & does completely derail people from their true passions. Let's pull this back habit out by the roots.
In this episode I give you some amazingly simple techniques to better your understanding of your major & minor scales. This should give you the confidence to write melodies & chord structures more confidently.
Are you currently struggling with procrastination when it comes to your music making? Here are my tips to putting an end to procrastination, so you can do more of the thing you love.
Are you overcomplicating your music making? What if it could be easy? Let's explore this together in the episode of the Ableton & Music habits podcast.
In this episode I dive into the downfall of giving too much importance to your music. We can be music more creative when we explore it with a more playful attitude.
In this episode we explore what makes music great. And much of it is probably not what you expected.
In this episode we get into common EQ mistakes you are probably making. By correcting this, your productions will increase exponentially in quality.
In this episode we explore the real obstacles to you creating your music on your own terms. We explore how desire plays a big role in what becomes possible for you.
In this episode we explore the idea of genius & where it actually comes from. Is it within you, or is there more to it?
In this episode we discover our beliefs about what is allowed to be easy & what must be hard to make great music. If you feel like you are cheating if it's easy, this episode might give you an upgraded perspective.
In this episode I am making a stand for you & your own unique creative genius. If we are lucky, we find someone who believes in us before we are able to believe in ourselves & this can be life changing. If you've been feeling down on yourself & your music, trust me when I say that I've been where you are.
In this episode I share how to approach a label regarding signing your music. There is absolutely a right and wrong approach, and the wrong approach now can really hold you back in the future.
In this episode I tell my story of how I pushed through my writer's block & started finishing loads of release quality songs very quickly.
In this episode I share with you both the importance of Mastering your music AND the need to have a professional ear on your music. Mixing is your job, let a mastering engineer do his.
In this short episode I do my best to help you get rid of the fear of starting to make music & instead embracing your limitations of equipment, talent & know how. Some of the best bands start as a group of people who had no idea what they were doing. You might be in great company!
In this episode I share a quick thought experiment that you can apply to your music making that should help to get you better results. If you have been making things hard on yourself with your music, maybe this is exactly what you need to hear.
In this episode we dive into why when it comes to your music production, quantity is much more powerful & effective than quality. Disagree? Fair enough. Give this podcast a listen & see if it gives you a new perspective.
In this episode we talk about the right and right way to approaching a digital or vinyl record label. Do this wrong & it can hurt your chances of getting signed for years to come. Enjoy!
In this episode I share the transformative effect the working on music everyday has had on me & how it completely transformed my productivity & mental game. If you struggle to find the time or the discipline, you should find this episode helpful!
In this podcast we get into 3 Simple Steps To Recovering Songs That Have Lost Their Spark. This is a very common issue that you will face during the process of most of your songs, so by solving this, you'll find your productivity will skyrocket & give you much more confidence. Enjoy!
In this episode we dive into the importance of improving your listening skills. Your production skills will always be in direct proportion to how well you can listen & break down the details of what is hitting your ears.
I also get into how to get the most out of your studio monitors or headphones when mixing.
In this episode I get into the false beliefs that often lead to music producers feeling the need to purchase new equipment. There is certainly a time & place to make a new purchase, but it's possible you may need to change some of your belief systems first.
I also share my thoughts on audio mastering as well.
In this episode I share 10 things I wish I had known when I started producing. These are things nobody seems to talk about & yet they are of utmost importance to understand if you want to succeed in your music making.