KVR Audio

B4ckdraft · Post by **B4ckdraft** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 6:16 am

I see all these different schools online that are specifically for people looking to become a producer like dubspot and sonic academy and Icon Collective Production School . I'm wondering is it worth it? A lot of these schools are extremely expensive and I know a lot of really big producers that didn't go and really big ones that did. Basically I've been producing for about 2-3 years and I work on music for about 6 hours a day while pursuing a career as a firefighter paramedic. But as a firefighter you only work 10 days a month and I'm wanting to chase my dream as a second career. I'm 21 years old right now and will be 23 as a firefighter so I'll have about 4 to 5 years of experience. Basically I don't know if going to an expensive producer school will be worth it especially with all of the free information that's out on the internet and forums these days and I just want some opinions and if anyone has been in this same situation please let me know what you did

V0RT3X · Post by **V0RT3X** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 6:40 am

B4ckdraft wrote:I see all these different schools online that are specifically for people looking to become a producer like dubspot and sonic academy and Icon Collective Production School . I'm wondering is it worth it? A lot of these schools are extremely expensive and I know a lot of really big producers that didn't go and really big ones that did. Basically I've been producing for about 2-3 years and I work on music for about 6 hours a day while pursuing a career as a firefighter paramedic. But as a firefighter you only work 10 days a month and I'm wanting to chase my dream as a second career. I'm 21 years old right now and will be 23 as a firefighter so I'll have about 4 to 5 years of experience. Basically I don't know if going to an expensive producer school will be worth it especially with all of the free information that's out on the internet and forums these days and I just want some opinions and if anyone has been in this same situation please let me know what you did

Good question

Well I think the hardest thing in getting free information is being able to string it together because it's clumped all over the place. That's the beauty of any education curriculum, is having a system that all fits together in a very straight forward format.

THIS works for some people, so if you look back at your life ask yourself how you learned best in school and what not. Did it help you become better at something in a formal system like schools have to offer? Or were you one of those people who created their own system? If you have the drive to spend lots of time seeking out information on your own maybe you don't need to pay anyone anything.

The only thing i can say a certificate of completion can offer you is that you have the reputation of the school backing you up when you want to get a job. This is kind of pointless if you want to make your own job producing your own music on your own time, but it can definitely help get your foot in the door working for a studio or label i suppose.

Music as a language is quite freely available to learn, and many techniques on youtube can be learned for free as well if you look for the courses.

Look at online schools like Coursera too for other sources of learning!

Good luck

B4ckdraft · Post by **B4ckdraft** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 6:43 am

Awesome thanks a lot for the info!

V0RT3X · Post by **V0RT3X** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 6:46 am

B4ckdraft wrote:Awesome thanks a lot for the info!

This is just my unprofessional opinion, and how i sort of see it. I am not a big name producer or anything, just a humble self-taught dude who spent the last ten or so years playing with music production.

My self-taught approach is very very scattered but it is starting to fit together a bit better now. Of course I am not really that interested in producing music like some of the big name popular producers either. I just make music for me really and at the end of the day I am quite happy with that, or i say it sucks and trash it

and then immediately work on another one.

B4ckdraft · Post by **B4ckdraft** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 6:51 am

I know what you mean

If you wouldn't mind could you look at my soundcloud and give me some criticism on some stuff?

https://soundcloud.com/b4ckdraft

V0RT3X · Post by **V0RT3X** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 7:10 am

B4ckdraft wrote:I know what you mean If you wouldn't mind could you look at my soundcloud and give me some criticism on some stuff?

https://soundcloud.com/b4ckdraft

Ok for starters I can only listen with my KRK KNS-8400 studio headphones because these are the only professional studio speakers i own. so giving a more critical reply regarding your mixes and how they might sound on proper studio monitors is something i can't accurately do.

I've been listening to a few of the first tracks you have and you managed to capture the important elements of the songs such as building good intro melodies. I think that is a very good step in luring the listener in!

Some of your more longer tracks seem like they could use some better mixing especially in the upper frequency spectrum, but again this is just what I can hear with my headphones.

This is a good reference album to study i would think since I know the Mau5 is very critical about having good dynamic range in his percussion and in regards to the rhythm.

I think learning how to structure your music in EDM seems to be a big thing because you want to really capture the audience and keep them going and going because people wanna keep dancing. At least with modern EDM music genres this seems to be the case!

I am no pro at this stuff though, but so far you seem to be headed in the right direction. My biggest advice would be to focus on your mixing skills and learn as much as you can about getting good Dynamic range in your tracks. Don't try to make them really f**king loud because that doesn't necessarily mean its good.. this is one thing i really appreciate about Deadmau5.

Btw what kind of DAW do you use?

How good are you with sound design?

Do you have a good grasp of melody through understanding music theory and chord progressions?

What sort of sound design tools do you use?

B4ckdraft · Post by **B4ckdraft** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 7:20 am

Yea some of those longer songs are the first complete songs I came out with when I started producing the first two are ones that I am currently working on. I think sound design is my strong point. I don't use anyone elses sounds I make all of the synths leads and bass myself. My mixing and mastering is my worst area. I use massive sylenth FM8 Zebra 2 and sytrust to make pretty much all of my sounds oh and toxic biohazard

wonshu · Post by **wonshu** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 7:26 am

I got my composition bachelor from Berklee.

It was an incredible experience, I learned an incredible amount and it allowed me to move beyond being a drummer and into seeing music in a wider context and not just my own self expression.

I would not miss this for anything in the world. Hanging out with around 3000 likeminded young musicians in such a small place was inspiring to say the least.

Now: does it make me a better composer/producer? Well... I personally don't think so. BUT it gives me a _lot_ of tools, oversight, stylistic variety and knowledge to be able to work within a wider variety of mediums.

As you may be able to tell, I work as a contract composer, that means I don't write music for the fun of it or to release under my own name. Well, I do, but I don't make money from that. It's a different mindset from why I got into music in the first place, but I wouldn't want to switch it for anything in the world. One day, I get to do accordion music for theatre, the next day a crime show, the next some comedy and so on. It's very very good and I don't know if without the tools and knowledge to quickly adapt I would be able to do this.

Those are my incoherent 2 ¢

Best,
Hans

V0RT3X · Post by **V0RT3X** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 7:32 am

B4ckdraft wrote:Yea some of those longer songs are the first complete songs I came out with when I started producing the first two are ones that I am currently working on. I think sound design is my strong point. I don't use anyone elses sounds I make all of the synths leads and bass myself. My mixing and mastering is my worst area. I use massive sylenth FM8 Zebra 2 and sytrust to make pretty much all of my sounds oh and toxic biohazard

Ah ok cool! I sent you a PM regarding some research results i did in trying to come close to the Mau5 sound.

wonshu · Post by **wonshu** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 7:36 am

Oh, and regarding being able to profit from the name of the school:

For me personally it didn't work. From the very beginning I had the feeling when I brought it up that people thought I was trying to brag or something. So I stopped mentioning it.

But I know from many friends I studied with that they made good use of the name. I'm just wired differently.

Best,
Hans

Tronam · Post by **Tronam** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 9:12 pm

Though I don't believe any school can manufacture that ever elusive creative drive into someone that doesn't already have it, they can be extremely useful for helping you develop discipline and effective workflow. This varies from person to person. For some, an organized progressive curriculum can really help them focus and learn how to become goal oriented. For others it moves too slowly, isn't spontaneous enough, and can kill some of the mystery and self-discovery that goes along with developing your own approach to music making. If you can look at the experience as merely more tools to add to your own toolbox, the knowledge you'll gain could be invaluable. We tend to be pretty habitual creatures, so sometimes having someone else make you do something you wouldn't ordinarily do or seek out on your own could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Tricky-Loops · Post by **Tricky-Loops** » Thu Oct 10, 2013 9:27 pm

If you're rich and have enough money for some semesters in these schools, then it's better invested there than throwing the money out for a world cruise...

Just keep in mind that you aren't a producer after finishing school. And you'll only learn the basic stuff, too... There is no certificate that you can show to apply for Abbey Road Studios, it's just a piece of paper.

If you want to have better chances in a studio, I'd rather go to an university and learn "mixing engineer" or "sound engineering", not to a private "producer" school.

I'd say it's better to use the money for studio equipment and good books than to spend them for private schools.

Is Music School worth it?