| I remember back when music production to me was | | | | distracting than having to find, fix or fiddle with |
| a bit of a nightmare; I would have written some | | | | something that is unprepared. This tip will not answer |
| really nice songs that I was proud of, I would feel | | | | the question: How do I produce music? It is an |
| quite happy, but then I would feel a pang of | | | | important piece of knowledge though and it won't be |
| frustration as I knew that when I started mixing | | | | taught in music production school or the University of |
| them, they would start to sound bad and I could not | | | | Music; it is something you have to learn yourself. Plan |
| get my songs to sound the way I wanted them to. I | | | | and prepare everything involved and then you will |
| would then end up hating my much loved songs. This | | | | find you have more time to do what you have to do. |
| is why I have come up with some music production | | | | I am not just talking about furniture either I am also |
| tips to consider before you start to mix a song of | | | | talking about audio files and folders on your hard |
| yours or someone else's for the first time. | | | | drive being organised, having enough space on your |
| Make sure you listen to different types of music - | | | | hard drive and having all the software/hardware |
| Listening to a wide variety of genres can really | | | | working perfectly before you start. |
| improve your mixing/listening skills and also your | | | | You must be a realist when it comes to mixing |
| writing and theory skills. If you listen to the same | | | | writing - Base your goals upon your skills and |
| genre of music your ears can get used to certain | | | | equipment. Do not be expecting to have a studio |
| things that are present within specific genres. That is | | | | quality track or album. Unless of course, you have |
| what puts a certain type of music into a certain | | | | been into a studio. Even then, you will not have a |
| genre. If you hear opposed to listen to the music | | | | budget that certain bands have but this is a normal |
| you will pick up many music mixing tips that you | | | | process normal. Do not make yourself homeless by |
| would not have if you listened to one form of music | | | | buying a piece of equipment expecting it to |
| only. You do not need to like EVERY form of music | | | | transform your recordings. The word demo pretty |
| but just try and listen to some that are distinctly | | | | much means 'rough, the best I could do with the |
| different from each other to improve your music | | | | equipment I have at this time' if the song is good it |
| mixing techniques. | | | | will show. |
| Re-arrange your 'space' before you start to mix - | | | | You need to stick at it and pick up music production |
| Get everything that you know you are going to use | | | | tips along the way; finding one source that you know |
| in the right place; the right place being very close to | | | | is good and a style you like is the best place to start. |
| you. There is nothing more time consuming and | | | | |