How do you know if you are good at making music?

[Tricky-Loops]

Commercial music is music that most peoples like.

Not necessarily. Music at the top of the charts may well be the music that sells more copies than music not in the charts, or in different charts, but it doesn't follow that most people like it. "Popular" is a misnomer. You need what? - in the region of 60 000 to 150 000 sales to get to number one in the UK, depending on the competition, out of a population of 60 million plus.

Now I realise that all that that demonstrates is the number of people who like it enough to part with money to obtain it and that rather more people will like it if they hear it on the radio or on TV. But still, that's a long way from most of the population at large. It's maybe the best-selling, maybe the most popular among the recording-buying public but that's all.

Now I don't know any reason why the major labels should distribute music that most peoples don't like. They want to make the most money out of it, so they're searching for the most popular music.

I had this mental stage some years ago when I didn't want to listen to the Top 40 any more (and I have listened decades to it every week). I thought, this is all bad music, they only want money, all sound the same, they don't like good musicians etc.

But now I listen to the Top 40 again. IMO there is much we can learn from. That doesn't mean that I want to make mainstream music. But I have to observe the mainstream music in order to see what's currently in. And then I can even avoid some trends, for example all those Autotune stuff (which declines slowly, fortunately).

[spacedad]

i just can't not do it.
(thank yourself lucky )

[mcnoone]

Now I don't know any reason why the major labels should distribute music that most peoples don't like. They want to make the most money out of it, so they're searching for the most popular music.

Yea right...and people eat McDonalds hamburgers, cuz they're just so good.

[hibidy]

Now I don't know any reason why the major labels should distribute music that most peoples don't like. They want to make the most money out of it, so they're searching for the most popular music.

Sure. In fact, most records a "label" puts out suck in that they DON'T make any money.

Anyways, why does if a music is popular or not matter here? (not directed at you tricky, please don't take it that way)

If "sucking" is about not being popular than maybe I'm not understanding where this thread should go?

[Tricky-Loops]

Now I don't know any reason why the major labels should distribute music that most peoples don't like. They want to make the most money out of it, so they're searching for the most popular music.

Yea right...and people eat McDonalds hamburgers, cuz they're just so good.

Maybe they're not healthy, but they're good - otherwise peoples wouldn't eat it!

But I know, this is a popular hide-yourself-in-your-cave-attitude: The major labels release bad music, but only I (!) make good music...

[Tricky-Loops]

Now I don't know any reason why the major labels should distribute music that most peoples don't like. They want to make the most money out of it, so they're searching for the most popular music.

Sure. In fact, most records a "label" puts out suck in that they DON'T make any money.

Anyways, why does if a music is popular or not matter here? (not directed at you tricky, please don't take it that way)

If "sucking" is about not being popular than maybe I'm not understanding where this thread should go?

If they wouldn't earn money for it, they would be dead. Therefore the cause why a few major labels run nearly the whole music industry must be: they have indeed much money! And they have the money from the people, not from a bank robbery.

It's easy to bark against the major labels, but if some day you'll get a call from Sony BMG, do you would say: "No, thanks, I don't like you, get stuffed"?

I don't think so...

[mcnoone]

But I know, this is a popular hide-yourself-in-your-cave-attitude: The major labels release bad music, but only I (!) make good music...

No. cuz I don't really make music, and the little I do isn't good imo.
It's that taste varies, and what you think is good, is not what I think is good, or even reaching a majority opinion, is good.
People are individuals, all with different ideas on what's good.
McDonalds hamburgers are not good. I could get a better one, somewhat further down the road, and more expensive, but I don't, because McDonalds is more convenient (easy to find/get to) and it's cheaper.
Not because it's good.
You even said...that pop music is "polished".
See, it's your own opinion, that "polished" is a good thing to be.
Not mine, and possibly even anyone else.
I feel it's all too superficial.
It's all air for the air brained.
That's just my own opinion...doesn't mean anyone else shares that opinion.
Polished pop music sucks.
I hate it...I think it promotes shallow, empty, thoughtless attitudes in people.
So what if it disagrees with your vision of it.
It's only my opinion after all.
Which isn't any more or less than your own.

[hibidy]

Hey, let's get "that" group involved now about what music is good and what isn't and go completely away from what the OP was saying.

[Tricky-Loops]

But I know, this is a popular hide-yourself-in-your-cave-attitude: The major labels release bad music, but only I (!) make good music...

No. cuz I don't really make music, and the little I do isn't good imo.
It's that taste varies, and what you think is good, is not what I think is good, or even reaching a majority opinion, is good.
People are individuals, all with different ideas on what's good.
McDonalds hamburgers are not good. I could get a better one, somewhat further down the road, and more expensive, but I don't, because McDonalds is more convenient (easy to find/get to) and it's cheaper.
Not because it's good.
You even said...that pop music is "polished".
See, it's your own opinion, that "polished" is a good thing to be.
Not mine, and possibly even anyone else.
I feel it's all too superficial.
It's all air for the air brained.
That's just my own opinion...doesn't mean anyone else shares that opinion.
Polished pop music sucks.
I hate it...I think it promotes shallow, empty, thoughtless attitudes in people.
So what if it disagrees with your vision of it.
It's only my opinion after all.
Which isn't any more or less than your own.

I've never said that pop music is "polished"...

But even "polished" pop music could bring in some shine. By no means I'm a supporter of major labels. I've only stated that peoples themselves spend their money for them - and I don't think they're giving them their money because the music of the major labels is so inexpensive (on the contrary). They rather do because they don't know the other artists. If you want to make advertisements and reach as much people as possible, you can't succeed without a major label. Except you have win in lottery...

[ATS]

I feel that I'm terrible at making music. I've played some songs for friends and they haven't really said anything and nowadays I feel like selling all my gear and quitting. Do you think we just have to find an audience for our music? But isn't good music liked by most? how do you know if you are any good?

How long have you been doing it? I think it took me a good 6 or 7 years before I got "good".

[Tricky-Loops]

Hey, let's get "that" group involved now about what music is good and what isn't and go completely away from what the OP was saying.

What is "good"? Some are "good" after 3 years, some after 10 years, some after 30 years and some will never be...

I can only encourage people not to give up, but rather to try, try and try...music business is no tropical island, it's a battlefield...

But if making music makes no fun, too, then it's better to leave it behind.

[mcnoone]

What is "good"?

That's the problem there in a nutshell, and it's also the answer to the OP's question.
In order to know, then we have to know. What's good?
No one can seem to determine that, because it's indeterminate.
Something the human mind has difficulty in understanding.

note@trickyloops: I might have been mistaken, it was another poster in this thread that posted a, "you wish you could produce such polished tracks" when referring to popular music.

@hibidy:What I stated was directly OT.
They don't like the OP's music, because their so used to the mickeyd burgers, that they forgot about the better tasting wendy's ones.
Sorry...I'm really hungry atm.

[trimph1]

That is it..what, really, is 'good music'? Who is the 'Master Subject' who can define, for all time, that wonderful phrase? Surely not 'Tricky-Loops' , 'hibidy', 'Hink' or myself or anyone else for that matter. We went through this when TomG was around and who knows how many other people who came along and tried to say that it was popular music or what have you...

Having been involved in a band with a couple of 'regional' hits way back in the early 1970's...talk about telling how old I am here ... I'm sort of in the position to suggest that one cannot really say what is 'good' or 'bad' music. Too many music critics and other tried and failed for that to continue...

Enjoy what it is you are doing...

[tapper mike]

Good or bad are just labels that we put to things. If you love what you do then you wont give a flying d!ck about what others think.

Toxic and flammable are also just labels. Where did I put my lighter?

[dusted william]

Sometimes I crave a McDonalds Quarter Pounder. I haven't had one for years, but when I want one, no other burger can compete...

Something about the ketchup, beef, and cheese, mixed in the pickle and slices of onion.


dw