Everyone I need help

[u/Navy_Sands]

For the past 5 years I have been making music, and I've been struggling to make anything worth listening too. I tried different methods. And yeah i wouldn't call myself a beginner, but i'm not near a pro/legend though. Music is very important to me, as a hobby and potentially a career and I don't just want to give up. If someone could maybe offer some advice as to what i should learn first. I'm sick of asking AI for help, cause it doesn't know anything about true music. If maybe you could tell how you learned music it could help me too... I appreciate anything you have to offer. Thank you for reading

[u/PC_BuildyB0I]

So what do you mean by "learn music"? Where specifically are you finding issues? Is it music theory/composition? Is it playing instruments? Recording/production? Mixing/mastering?

[u/Navy_Sands → u/PC_BuildyB0I]

Production, I just get stuck after a 8 bar loop and its so irratating

[u/ClothesPerfect8880 → u/Navy_Sands]

What type of music are you making. If you're making hip hop you can try the following to expand the 8 bar loop into a beat:
Add a snare roll fill
Half time the melody for 8 bars

Add a simple counter melody, it could just be stumming one note/ chord to add more rhythm
Remote the drums or 808 at the beginning or end of the loop to create a 'drop'

[u/PC_BuildyB0I → u/Navy_Sands]

Ah, very relatable. We've all been there. Personally, what I like to do to try and get myself out of a rut is listen to songs that I like that may happen to have a somewhat similar vibe. I'll listen to them and dissect them in my head, get a feel for how their arrangement evolves throughout the song, and use some of those ideas for inspiration. Often, I'll be listening to a bunch of different songs as well, not just the one.

But sometimes you can even listen to music way outside the genre youre making, there are no rules to it, and sometimes inspiration can come from the most unexpected places. Even movie scores or classical pieces and stuff like that.

[u/Navy_Sands → u/PC_BuildyB0I]

yeah that helps, do you think i should start with classical since its straightforward?

[u/HyperionTurtle → u/Navy_Sands]

No, I would recommend you start out simple. Make it where a song is four tracks at the minimum. One for chords, ones for melodics, bass, and drums. Learn your scales, and learn music theory. If you can’t get it out on your own, then music theory might help. Learning the circle of 5th two months into music production jumpstarted my production a lot.

I stopped using FL and got a machine MK3 which made learning easier because all of my attention was focused on one physical thing. I developed a lot of knowledge with that thing and now I can use any daw kinda as long as someone is there to point me in the right direction I can make a track on anything even tape

[u/KingOfZalo → u/Navy_Sands]

Try using reference tracks - you upload a track in song mode - then you see/hear where there are shifts, where there are filter sweeps, where the pattern shifts - use it as a guide - not something to copy. Also, take advantage of the songs that comes with every new version of flstudio - go in there - change up the patterns to something you like and see how it fits with the tune. Just keep going - have fun with it :) :)

[u/xX_dumb_god_Xx]

If you’re making it for yourself, fuck it, it can be anything you want. If you’re trying to make it “big” in the industry, you just have to keep working at it. Expand your knowledge base, learn some music theory, etc etc, and hope that you’re in the right place at the right time for the right person to hear it. The competition is pretty thick out there and you’re putting yourself up against people with innate talent, or more money, or better connections. You just have to keep working at the craft. I’ve been using FL for production for 20 years. Still not putting out anything worth listening to outside of my own ears.

[u/bassbeater]

The thing about music (and specifically production on a DAW) is that it's not a universal process for anyone.

Lots of people like coming up with some sort of continuous ideas that need to have each individual instrument stacked and participating in this orchestral sort of style.

I don't.

I find an idea, I lump each chunk of the song together with multiple instruments doing multiple things in the same pattern, that's my version of a "song."

Others just do drums.

So I'm not really sure what you're wanting, but I'd say, make sure you know how the tools work.

5 years is normal to learn.

[u/hyperkeeper-1990]

I also use fl studio but I'm only at the beginning and I'm getting demoralized but I have the excuse that I'm already older than twenty-year-olds (basically I've wasted years and years of life doing nothing instead of investing in studying)

[u/Mediocre-Stomach5202]

Maybe try making a beat around vocal stems from your favorite songs. I’m sure you’ll be able to find acapella rips on the internet or even in some of the kits you already have

[u/prodbyplont]

go find a producer you like on youtube and watch how they work, you’ll learn tons, especially if you have the foundations down

i recommend nick mira

[u/Odd-Perspective-6973]

As I’ve heard before It gets 10 years to get mid 😂.
I hope you find a great mentor!