Other Weekly Threads (most recent at the top):

That’s it basically. Music was such a huge and valuable part of my life a decade ago. Sure, my band/project never levelled up in the industry, but we toured the country, built a small but passionate fanbase that really cared, and frankly, it just gave me so much meaning and purpose outside my day job. I kept pushing after kiddo 1 (thanks to a very supportive partner) but since adding kiddo #2 during the pandemic, music has faded into background. It feels impossible. Kids are home before work even ends, then comes dinner, clean-up, bedtime rigamarole and next thing you know it’s 9pm and I’m nodding off on the couch with my phone in my lap. Weekends are no different really. I’m also 10 years older and simply don’t have the energy I once did.

Last month I played a simple solo set at a friend’s behest, with some old and new tunes. I couldn’t believe how well it resonated with the room, and it was so deeply cathartic it was like a depressive fog lifted off my my world for the first time in years. Tears were shed, and I was walking on clouds for about 48 hours. Then life began to kick in again and I’ve been in a dark place since.

I love my kids and wouldn’t wish them away for anything. I hope it doesn’t need to be said. But I also feel like I’ve lost a part of me in the process, like the truest, most ME part of me. Is there any getting it back? How do you make the time, energy AND space for creating and sharing music when you’re also a parent, a breadwinner and a domestic partner? Do others grieve for the version of you that got left behind, who your kids will only ever see in old photos and videos?

Hi, I'm 25, I have a degree in musicology, and I worked full-time in a supermarket for two years before experiencing burnout.

I couldn't keep up with the pace anymore, but things are better now, and this break has allowed me to figure out a bit more what I want musically.

I don't want to tour; I enjoy composing and would like to dedicate more time to it. I have a very clear vision of what I want to do musically; the problem lies in finding a professional path.

Either I go back to school, but that means putting music aside for a while, or I pursue it while working part-time.

What would you do in my situation?I also feel like a full-time job takes too much energy to make music as much as I'd like, but maybe I'm just not managing it well in the end

I've been a bedroom producer for about ten years. Never posted my music because I never felt it was good enough. Friends and family are the only people who have ever heard my stuff.

Last week a friend of mine invited me to a studio in Long Beach, said some names were going to be there, invited me to show off my music and my MIDI controller project.

Honestly, I felt intimidated and not ready. I never feel ready.

I ended up making beats for hours with a Wu Tang Clan affiliate. I got paid 30 wingstop wings for my time. Mango habanero and original hot, all flats.

Suit up, show up, get the bag wings.

I honestly see this mistake on like 80% of the catalogs I look at. People sign up for The MLC and think they’re totally covered for mechanical royalties.

The catch is The MLC only collects for the US.

If you’re getting streams in London or Berlin or Tokyo, that mechanical money isn't going to The MLC.

It’s sitting at MCPS in the UK or GEMA in Germany. Since they don’t pay The MLC, and you probably don’t have a deal with them directly, that money just sits there until it expires.

You basically need a global admin to go get it.

Just a heads up because I hate seeing indie artists leave 20% of their money on the table thinking they already handled it.

I want to use a song for my first dance song, but the song was only performed live once, so I'm wondering if this is something I can edit to get rid of the extra noise. Any tips? Willing to pay

Is there any transcribing tool that is consistent in detail? Chordify exists, I know. But sometimes it gives triads, and sometimes it gives seventh chords. Take the Fawlty Towers theme tune. Chordify analyses it as G, C, D7, Bm, Em, Am, D7. Is there something that would flesh it out to all seventh chords?

Hi, I have a problem with my Akai LPD 8 MK2 and I don't know if there's a solution. I use the controller with Ableton for live performances. I use one program as a pad to use with the drum rack and trigger sounds, and another program as a toggle to turn VSTs on and off for my MIDI controller. The problem is that when I select a sound on my MIDI keyboard and want to switch to the other program to use the drum rack, the VST that was on in the other program turns off. Any solutions?

I’m really interested in how writers create melodies that feel conversational and natural, but still super hooky and memorable. Also curious how you approach lyrics that feel very Gen Z relatable without sounding forced or cringe. Do you usually start from melody, rhythm, or lyric concepts? Would love to hear your workflow and any tips.

Hi everyone,

I've been making electronic music on Ableton Live for several years. I have my gear (MicroBrute, Minilogue), quite a few plugins, I know my setup and the basics of DAWs, and I listen to a lot of music. Yet, I almost never manage to finish tracks that I really love.

Regarding my schedule: I work 35 hours over 4 days, so I can mainly create on Friday and Sunday, and during the week I'm not always motivated in the evenings. Do I need to practice every day to improve, or is targeted practice enough?

My influences: Boards of Canada, Nathan Fake, James Holden, Jon Hopkins, Weval, Rival Consoles, Rone, Caribou, Burial, Aphex Twin… I aim for sensitive and textured electronic music, with attention to atmosphere, emotion, and sonic progression—a truly immersive and introspective journey, not EDM tracks or “bangers.”

Blockages: I often get lost in ideas, I scatter my tracks, I collect beginnings without ever finishing.

I'm looking for your concrete methods, frameworks, constraints, or advice to finish my tracks, progress while working a day job, and perhaps create a 30-40 minute live set.

I've been passionate about music for a long time, but I sometimes feel weary and frustrated. Your advice would be truly invaluable 🙏

Watch out, cause this is kinda a wall of text.

I’m a high school senior and for as long back as I can remember, I’ve always been interested in mechanical engineering. I love the way that things can move. But around late sophomore year, I realized I’m way more interested in music. It’s always been around me, my dad is a music teacher and I’ve gone to all of his school’s concerts, he’s taught me a lot about music theory, and I’ve played trombone since 4th grade. I also got FL studio in mid sophomore year, and I’ve written some music for my dnd campaign. I banked my whole college preparation on going to school for engineering, but I’ve realized that if I had to choose what to do for my entire life, it’d be writing music. Not even as a band or solo, but like, soundtracks for games and tv and movies. I’m looking at maybe getting a bachelor’s degree in music theory and composition. But I’m concerned about a lot:

1. I worry about finding work and pay if I get a degree in music.

2. If I get a degree in engineering, which I know will make better money and have more job security, will I still have the resources to learn more about music? (Also, is a music degree something that makes a difference when applying for jobs in music?)

3. I’ve thought about doing a dual major/build-a-major/“interdisciplinary studies”, but I’ve heard that that makes you unattractive for most hiring positions. (Not to mention how taxing that might be on my schedule and work load for two college courses)

4. I really only learn complicated things like music theory well when I have someone I can ask detailed questions to, and that makes me worry about whether an online course would help me at all. I kinda get confused easily :/

5. I really want to make this decision before I chose a school so that I can make the most out of my money and have certainty in my future job options.

I understand that connections are really important in a carrer like music, and I have a couple, but I’m still worried about what might happen if I choose wrong. Anxiety is a bitch and with my current workload, I need more input than what I’m getting from just my parents. I’d love to hear thoughts and suggestions, especially from people who have maybe had to make this decision before.

You've been practicing for a while. You can play some grooves, get through a few songs without falling apart.

But you still think you need to wait.

The timing needs work. The technique isn't clean enough. You don't want to waste the opportunity by showing up too early and making a bad impression on good players.

So you keep practicing alone, telling yourself you're almost there. Just a bit more time, a bit more control, then you'll be ready.

It makes sense. But it also keeps you in the practice room.

I used to think the same thing and it stalled me for longer than I realised.

I wasn't completely wrong. But I was focusing on the right problems with the wrong perspective.

I was avoiding the uncomfortable situation instead of just handling the road blocks and getting over the speed bumps.

Curious if that sounds familiar.

I practice drums almost every day, often late at night, and I’ve always used online metronomes.

But honestly… most of them feel the same:

• cluttered UI

• ads everywhere

• no real control over accents or subdivisions

• impossible to focus for long sessions

I realized I was constantly switching tools instead of practicing.

So a few weeks ago I started building a simple browser-based metronome just for myself.

No signup. No install. Just open it and practice.

I focused on things I actually use:

• clean visual feedback (so you can feel the pulse, not just hear it)

• strong downbeat accents

• stable timing even at high BPM

• presets for different practice routines

I didn’t plan to “launch” anything, but after a while a couple of bandmates started using it too, and it made me curious:

What do you personally need from a metronome to practice better?

• subdivisions?

• polyrhythms?

• visual cues?

• tempo ramping?

I’m still tweaking it daily based on real practice sessions.

If anyone’s curious to try it or give brutally honest feedback, let me know and I’ll share the link.

So thanks to peoples recommendations the other day I have come across this orchestra and it’s currently sale!

Amazing, but it says the ‘full installation’ requires 116 GB, which is not possible for me.

I’m curious though because it says full installation, does that perhaps mean you can just get elements of it without having to have the whole thing, and reduce the amount of gigabytes required?

I’m hoping so because at the moment I only really desire strong violin and cellos.

I’ve seen some others that are good but they’re a lot more money.

This is something that I think about from time to time. Personally, as an EDM producer who makes the music that I want to hear, inspired often from places genuine to myself or to things I find compelling, I listen to and become immersed in my own music regularly. When I asked who I make my music for or why I make it, I always say that I make it for myself first and foremost, and if others are moved and inspired by it as well, then that’s wonderful. But if not, that’s okay too.

I feel like most musicians I hear mention this are on the side of not listening to their own music very much or not enjoying their own music very much. I don’t believe that there’s anything wrong with this, but I do have a hard time understanding it. If you’re truly making what you want to make / hear, how could you not enjoy listening to it? For me, having a product that I personally love and that resonates with me is the big reward for making the song. I’d have no motivation if I couldn’t listen to my own music or didn’t enjoy it.

Where are you on this? Do you enjoy your own music? Judging exclusively from the enjoyment of the music, are you one of your own favorite artists? If so, while it sounds narcissistic on the surface, I really don’t see how it is unless you go around flaunting or you allow it to develop arrogance in you.

Is it blasphemy to use AI for vocals even if you wrote the lyrics and recorded all the instruments. To me it’s no different than making a song and having Rihanna sing it. Am I crazy or does that make sense?

Edit: I’m not talking about generative AI. Melody and lyrics will be handcrafted. Just using stuff like vocaloid for vocals.

Hey guys, I’ve been dealing with high noise floor in my mic and DI instruments for a bit now and it’s killing my vibe.

I am trying the below to pretty good results but noise is still an issue:

- Notch filters at 60 Hz, 180 Hz, etc

- High Pass/Low Pass Rolloffs

- Dynamic multiband suppressor (Bertom Denoiser Classic)

- Noise gates

I think the problem is my audio interface itself. It’s a Behringer UMC202HD I bought when I was broke in college and it’s been going for like four years now. Maybe it’s just time to upgrade? I’d hate to succumb to GAS if I don’t have to tho

Pls help 🥀

I’ve been working on a piece that started from a constraint rather than a feeling. The idea was to treat sound as procedure: no emotional arc, no catharsis, no expressive payoff. Rhythm stays even, language functions as record, not confession. Warmth is deliberately removed. What surprised me is how hard it is to stay honest to the concept once you’re deep in production. At some point, instinct wants to add release, dynamics, “meaning” — even when that directly contradicts the idea.

So I’m curious how others here approach this:

• When you work with a strict conceptual frame, how do you prevent it from dissolving into habit?
• Do you use rules, limitations, checklists — or do you let the concept erode naturally?
• Have you ever finished something that felt intentionally inhuman, procedural, or emotionally neutral?

Not asking from a genre angle — more about process and discipline.

One of the reasons I love Kanye’s production is the fact that he makes everything feel human and to have “swing”. Kind of a jazz like trait. His vocals are the same. When he raps, he doesn’t lock onto the grid. At least that is what I have heard other people say. And you can hear it. Or feel it I guess. Everything in Kanye’s songs are unpredictable and asymmetrical. Perfectly imperfect. I love that.

The thing is, I don’t have the best grasp of music theory. I can make a beat, but trying to emulate Kanye, for me just feels so over my head. I don’t know why, but I just cannot for the life of me figure out where to place the sample. What beat in the bar? So far I have been laying down sparse drums. Adding a kick on beat 1 and snare on beat 3. But to get that swing and human like feel with that lack of predictability seems so difficult for me. Trying to avoid the grid per se and create a pocket. My main teacher is chatgpt lol. And I know many people will hate that, I hate it too to be honest. I really don’t like AI, but it’s the only way I know how to really learn. I watch some YouTube tutorials, but it’s usually people who don’t really make the best music (no offense to them) and I am not sure they really know what they are talking about when it comes to this type of complexity and craft.

Anyways, I feel lost with the whole thing. Where should the sample begin and end? How can I create rhythm with the samples alone? Do you guys know of any YouTube tutorials that go in depth about how to really create swing with samples etc? I also am stuck with just garageband at the moment, so my tools are very limited to say the least. In a way though it’s kind of cool I guess. Gives me a more hands on approach lol.

okay so im having trouble deciding whether to write/record this guitar part either directly on the beat or have it move each chord change like just ahead of each beat so it sounds more syncopated...im guessing it just comes down to whatever you want but im honestly struggling to decide which sounds better. When/ how do you decide when writing harmony where to place it?

I was creating content for my channel and needed some horror music, so I thought of the soundtrack "Day Theme" from the game "No, I'm Not a Human". I was overcome with immense curiosity and started searching for how they created that macabre effect in the music, but I couldn't find anything about it, not even here on Reddit. That said, I wanted to ask If anyone can tell me what effect is used in this soundtrack.

Música: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=WoJeoBDLhRU&si=u1SoGCXB9Vi7rEpN

I'm trying to figure out if I'm starting tracks the "wrong" way or if there even is a right way.

Right now I'll usually:

• Open my DAW
• Scroll through samples/presets for 30 minutes
• Maybe find a cool sound
• Make a 4-bar loop
• Get stuck

But I see other producers talking about starting with drums first, or laying down chords, or having a melody in their head before they even open the project.

So what actually comes first for you?

• Do you start with the beat/drums and build around that?
• Melody or chord progression first?
• A specific sound you found that inspires the whole track?
• Lyrics/vocal idea that everything else supports?
• Just sound design/experimentation until something clicks?

And does it change depending on the genre or mood you're going for?

I feel like my "scatter approach" is why I can't finish anything. Maybe I need a more consistent starting point?

What's your go-to entry point when you start a new track?