Making Music - the book

[TomViolenz]

I read through a little bit, lots of good stuff I kind of already know and some things I actually don't agree with...

" Learn to be OK with being miserable, because this will be a regular part of your existence as a creative musician."

No!

I have specifically worked to overcome this. I am learning to enjoy the entire process and if I don't; I find a way to make it enjoyable by changing my process.

yeah, but not everyone wants to be constantly high

[Buleriachk]

But this time this old prick needs to go gentle into that good night.

It is good to be back and contributing once more to the education and emotional well being of this fine gentleman. Just think, he may eventually improve himself to level of the grace and wit of a potato bug some day, if he keeps working on his social skills ..

Actually, it is not the $100 for the Mini, it is the fact that my sets are organized in banks as backing tracks for Flamenco, and this device will fit easily in the pocket of my guitar backpack on my motorcycle (a 2003 Kawasaki Z-1000 naked superbike, eat your hearts out) (along with my backpack). It would be Perfect if it has Session Overview.....

I would pay double if it had bank switching, which is why I bought it (before Ableton changed their documentation).

... and just when I thought I was finished here, too. Alas, fine performance art is never finished.... and good literature, like the book, has to be rewarded...

[yur2die4]

Out of stock. :/

On a similar note, I'm quickly realizing that Ableton as a brand is in a pretty good position. They have a nice minimal logo, and nearly every single 'cooooool' looking music performance video you see on YouTube involces ableton.

The masses of youth who are just sprouting musical endeavors without a clue about anything music related except that they 'feel it' when that song comes on even for the 80th time are all in search for the magic which Ableton Live performs. They will likely seek out the program in hopes of sounding like this or that, without a smidgeon of a clue what the process will involve. They've made a good choice however, so that is good. But yeah, this is some Eddie VanHalen shit

As for the book? The brand of Ableton, and their ideology, is definitely helping this premier take off haha.
I refuse to acquire anything other than the physical copy of this. It looks dang purdy!

[mmorgan]

Dennis DeSantis is the reason I purchased Live...literally. I saw his name in the 'Thank You' section of a DVD production (Orchestrion Project) by jazz lumiere Pat Metheny.

This was about the time of the announcement that Live 9 was coming along with a nifty new tool called Push. I came to the Ableton site and saw a video with the head of the company and Dennis (I think this was at a stockholders meeting or NYC users group). I was blown away by what Dennis was able to do in a very short time...and purchased Live 8 Suite right then and there.

It is a purchase I haven't regretted. So I'll be purchasing the book, hard covers and all, along with a Kindle version when it comes out.

[Airyck]

" Learn to be OK with being miserable, because this will be a regular part of your existence as a creative musician."

No!

I have specifically worked to overcome this. I am learning to enjoy the entire process and if I don't; I find a way to make it enjoyable by changing my process.

I agree with the book on this one, because as a guy who likes to create stuff, I've learnt through the years that misery is indeed a huge part of the process, and that you have to recognise when and why you're miserable to get through it each time.

I've nearly given up music because I tried to overcome it. Now that I've accepted it as part of the parcel, I've never been more comfortable with misery, and never been more productive.

Don't get me wrong - I love music and have to make music otherwise I feel completely empty, but I understand that much of the works produced which sound great at first will sometimes sound awful a day or three later, with utter disappointment setting in, deflating you and crushing motivation . This is the specific type of misery I'm talking about, but actual process of making music/jamming is something I almost always enjoy, regardless of how it sounds a week later.

I loathe all my music equally now, and I've never been happier.



...that last sentence was a little joke

Seriously though - it helps to accept it so that you can get through it. If you don't accept it - because most will experience it often - you might easily give up. I've now reached a stage where I know how to make what I hear in my head, with little effort, and more and more stuff sounds non-shit to me a week later. At this rate, my stuff will probably sound good to me a month later. !

I guess I had to go through my fair share of pain and suffering before I learned how to not let that happen. A lot of it has to do with not putting what I'm working on giant pedestal where it has so far to fall. It's music and each song is as important or unimportant as the last. Some come out better than others but I don't let it bother me either way. I'm just trying my best to make music now and enjoy the process, which I'm succeeding at.

I guess things like this in the book are more for people who haven't figured those things out yet. I guess when you accept it then it's not like suffering anymore. So I can see it both ways, I just choose to be happy.

[Airyck]

I read through a little bit, lots of good stuff I kind of already know and some things I actually don't agree with...

" Learn to be OK with being miserable, because this will be a regular part of your existence as a creative musician."

No!

I have specifically worked to overcome this. I am learning to enjoy the entire process and if I don't; I find a way to make it enjoyable by changing my process.

yeah, but not everyone wants to be constantly high

LOL!!!

[Stace30]

I've been using Live since version 5 and I've had a couple of different books on how to use the software but never a book to give me ideas and motivate me. I read the chapters offered and, like others, some of it I knew already and some of it was really helpful. What's not to like? I'll be getting it at some point.

[tedlogan]

I've never tried this before:

https://makingmusic.ableton.com/arrangi ... ve-process

basically filling up your arrangement view with all your clips with zero thought - no creative decisions. Then approaching it like you would sculpting by taking parts away. In this case - subtracting clips.

I've been notified the book has shipped on Friday, but alas, it's still in Germany. I expect it sometime this week.

[SuburbanThug]

That's the oldest trick in the book bro! Actually there are a more than a couple old tricks in that book I haven't thought of since, like, the 90's. Still some useful stuff despite some of the very amateurish suggestions.

[BoddAH]

My precious finally arrived…

[tedlogan]

That's the oldest trick in the book bro! Actually there are a more than a couple old tricks in that book I haven't thought of since, like, the 90's.

Heh, the thought never entered my mind. I've almost always gone the standard route of jamming in session view while recording it to arrangement.

Still some useful stuff despite some of the very amateurish suggestions.

Yeah, there'll be a lot of stuff that a lot of people've known forever, and also stuff most don't think of doing. Bear in mind that many people are only starting out in music production - it's not a static line-up of people making music in the world - and for them this could be quite a powerful booster.

My precious finally arrived…

Is the book A4 size, BoddAH ?

[BoddAH]

Is the book A4 size, BoddAH ?

Nope. It’s a little bigger than A5.

[tedlogan]

Ah good, cheers

[Theo Void]

I would LOVE to buy this book! I've read all the sample chapters and I'm really diggin' it but it "Out of Stock."
So, they release a brand new product in the form of a book and they promote it, but it cannot be bought? WTF???
Guess I'll try again later.

[musikmachine]

Yeah an ETA on the digital versions would be good as well so i don't have to keep checking like, every day!

@tedlogan yeah subtractive arrangement is an old technique but i only came across it a year or so ago, video about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_z9HsQVFqQ