The crappiest part of producing

[Lambox]

I've come to realize that the crappiest part of producing is releasing tracks. Why, you might ask? Because every time I upload a track on Soundcloud or anywhere else, a week later I learn something new that could have been useful in that track.

Now, there are two obvious arguments here:

1. I could go back and make changes to the track and then reupload it.
   This is true. However, if that were the case, I would constantly be going back and making small changes and then reuploading tracks. And even then it's going to bug me that people have downloaded it and have the crappier version.
2. I should not release a track until I am completely happy with it.
   The thing is that I am happy with a track when I release it (I try not to upload junk). But I listen to tracks that I finished two months ago and think to myself "damn, this would have sounded better if I [insert recently learned technique here]."

The problem is that, as producers, we will never stop learning new tricks, techniques, and methods. The shitty thing is that I guess you have to learn to let things be unless you plan to completely rework an old track.

Just a thought. Anyone else plagued by this?

As an afterthought, I never even thought about this until a track I finished a year ago got relatively popular on the interwebz. By my ability now, I consider that track to be garbage. I even thought about deleting it. Then all of a sudden I see it popping up on blogs and Hype Machine. I reworked the song and did some updating to it. But I realized afterwards that it was kind of pointless. After all, what am I going to do? Should I hack into the hype machine and get all the IP addresses of people that downloaded my song and then hack their computers and replace the old mp3 with my updated one? Not that that's even possible. I'm just sayin'.

It's worth also noting, that if you mull around a track and apply new things you've learned and never upload it ever, it will sit on your HD until you die and no one will hear it. Hmm.... Damn it!

[Nephew]

Just keep on trucking ahead mate, all part of the game. Even producers who been doing it for years face this issue, just keep applying what you've learned onto your next project and keep building on those new techniques .

[cutflow]

Just keep on trucking ahead mate, all part of the game. Even producers who been doing it for years face this issue, just keep applying what you've learned onto your next project and keep building on those new techniques .

what he said ^

and in addition, i think i read somewhere years ago of an artist who made a track, released it, and then he wud open the project once every two weeks and add that new thing he found. so he releases the track again after a year and calls it a (name rework) or something after the title. and then releases it. idk if this could work for u

[wrong chris]

you don't have to release everything you do in the studio. I've been producing (mostly learning) for the last 10 years or so, haven't released anything and the few songs I've "finished" were never really finished.

When I started there was no such thing as a blogosphere or a beatport, you pretty much had to get signed to a legitimate label to release music. This meant that releasing songs I had made within the first couple years of producing was out of the question because record labels are not going to sign novice producers - period. What I've gained from that old harsh (but realistic) climate is that I've set a personal bench mark for myself which is this; before I try to get signed I must first create a work that not only compares with the top producers, but also competes with the top producers.

Up until now you've chosen the road of sharing your learning process with your audience, but my advice to you is be mindful of one thing:Guys like me who have hard drives full of "music no one will hear" don't see it that way, what we really have are hard drives full of experiments and lessons leading up to a potential body of work that will one day be the most true representation of our abilities.

I know you weren't looking for advice and I probably come across as DJ Dad telling you what to do, but for your situation I think if this problem of yours is a reoccurring one then maybe it's time to realize "hey, i'm still learning SO much right now - maybe i should cool the jets on releasing everything i do for a year or so and just focus on the learning process."

[Nephew]

you don't have to release everything you do in the studio. I've been producing (mostly learning) for the last 10 years or so, haven't released anything and the few songs I've "finished" were never really finished.

When I started there was no such thing as a blogosphere or a beatport, you pretty much had to get signed to a legitimate label to release music. This meant that releasing songs I had made within the first couple years of producing was out of the question because record labels are not going to sign novice producers - period. What I've gained from that old harsh (but realistic) climate is that I've set a personal bench mark for myself which is this; before I try to get signed I must first create a work that not only compares with the top producers, but also competes with the top producers.

Up until now you've chosen the road of sharing your learning process with your audience, but my advice to you is be mindful of one thing:Guys like me who have hard drives full of "music no one will hear" don't see it that way, what we really have are hard drives full of experiments and lessons leading up to a potential body of work that will one day be the most true representation of our abilities.

Spot on mate, any producer will tell you that their tracks are never finished. Still find myself going back to older projects and working on them time and again. maybe applying new techniques, or maybe just coming back to it with fresh ears and noticing different things.

Producing is something you'll never master, it's an experience that will keep growing on its self your whole life.

[BradCee]

But I listen to tracks that I finished two months ago and think to myself "damn, this would have sounded better if I [insert recently learned technique here]."

it's called progressing/growing as an artist. if you knew all these tricks straight off the bat, then all your tracks would sound the same, which would also be the case if you went beack and tweaked everything.

you regular listeners/followers will appreciate this 'evolution' of tricks as it shows you care enough to learn/try something new, and not stay still with a tried/tested/proven formula.

hating on your own stuff a few weeks later is a healthy thing imo

[Lambox]

you don't have to release everything you do in the studio. I've been producing (mostly learning) for the last 10 years or so, haven't released anything and the few songs I've "finished" were never really finished.

All of that was excellent advice. Thank you. It is worth saying though that my ratio of unreleased to released songs is probably somewhere at or about 10:1.

The only time I do send my tracks out onto the internet are when I think other people will actually enjoy hearing them too.

Producing is something you'll never master, it's an experience that will keep growing on its self your whole life.

True. The more I produce, the more I realize I don't know shit.

it's called progressing/growing as an artist. if you knew all these tricks straight off the bat, then all your tracks would sound the same, which would also be the case if you went beack and tweaked everything.

you regular listeners/followers will appreciate this 'evolution' of tricks as it shows you care enough to learn/try something new, and not stay still with a tried/tested/proven formula.

hating on your own stuff a few weeks later is a healthy thing imo

I suppose you're right.

Thanks, guys.

[betatron]

lam, this is exactly my problem :/

[wrong chris]

not to derail the thread, but today i'd have to say the crappiest part of producing is not having an air conditioned apartment.

holy smokes is it ever hot out, uggghhhh... summer is not a kind season for studio rats lol.

[Lambox]

not to derail the thread, but today i'd have to say the crappiest part of producing is not having an air conditioned apartment.

holy smokes is it ever hot out, uggghhhh... summer is not a kind season for studio rats lol.

Yeah that has to be awful. I'm living at home until next month, when I move back into my house at school. Needless to say there's no air conditioning. Even if there was, my roommates would rather spend the little cash we have on booze then pay for something like air conditioning.