VERY frustrated DJ/Producer.

[Koala111]

I've been producing and mixing for about 7 years. I've only had 1 gig, and despite some friendly comments, none of my tracks or mixes have really garnered much attention. I relocated and took 6 months off from music due to being frustrated. I'm once again inspired to make music and mix. The problem is, I'm 27 years old, competing for gigs with much younger talent, and a lot of the producers you see getting signed these days are also much younger. The gigs that I try to secure are usually given to much younger talent. It really takes down my confidence and makes me think my time has passed. It's kind of a scary thought. I've spent literally every penny I have on equipment, ruined relationships for this music, and have put so much time into it. I love producing but I'm starting to think I'm too old to compete with the younger generation. I'm also realizing that creatively, I'm "losing it". I'm not pushing the barrier as I did when I was younger. My tracks are becoming very generic and it's just frustrating. I feel like I've wasted a lot of my life making music. While my friends are getting married and having kids, I'm still sitting around the midi controllers, trying to make tracks. I've got nothing to show for all the years of producing.

I always believed that if you really want something, try and try again. Fail, fail, fail, and try again. I've wanted this more than anything in my life. LITERALLY. But I just couldn't breakthrough. I'm out in the middle of a snowstorm every weekend handing out my promos. I think I've given out about 5000 cds (They all include info for booking) without a SINGLE email or phone call. My music IS of good quality, and my mixes are very nice. I don't know if this matters but I'm a good looking guy as well but obviously that has no advantage. I just don't get it.

[ctx]

Except for commercial music that is sold mostly on image, your age doesn't particularly matter, it's half skill, half marketing, and half luck.

[beatflux]

My music IS of good quality, and my mixes are very nice.

Says who? You? Hahaha.

[Forge.]

god, 27?????

ask the median age of this forum.... you might get a surprise....

Actually a lot of the big names have been going for years.... there's loads of people in their 40s in dance music

just keep going

I would say focus on your tunes - although you won't really get any money from them at the start, they will eventually get you the better gigs....

[Sibanger]

At the ripe age on 27, you have no hope.

Kill yourself.

I'm 46 and I'm fucking far from good looking FTW!!

[warthog303]

If you enjoy doing it, why should age matter??? I personally know producers that are in their mid 30s and 40s that are still banging out house and techno tracks.

[LeifonMars]

I'm 46 and I'm fucking far from good looking!!

Freak!

[Bizon]

I have always taken the approach that producing was more of a hobby than a career. Don't ever think that you WILL get famous and make it big but if it happens, great!

Your age has nothing to do with it, there are tons of producers and DJ's that are in their 40's and even 50's!

Focus on your life, let music be secondary but always there. This way, once you are happy, good music should follow.

Sounds kinda cheesy but its true.

[cubehog]

My music IS of good quality, and my mixes are very nice.

Says who? You? Hahaha.

Hm well, this doesn´t help. I know 5 people in my city who have exceptional skills but they quit to play in front of 2-20 people for nothing. A jazz guitarist capable of playing Joe Pass, Reinhard and modern style like Scofield. He got exploited more than several times and decided to not show his talent anymore. He is very, very good and despite his skills he hasn´t achieved anything regarding " a reaction from the public". People really don´t get this stuff.

Then I know some guys who are not so skilled on their instruments and they use generic rock music patterns and they get a lot of attention. They are considered stars in our city, tour regularly and have airplay. They often times use me as a knowlegde base. The only skillset they exceed is how to make it as simple as possible. Many of my music friends don´t like their songs and think it is exactly this mediocre and average type of music landing this type of success.

There are plenty of other examples right in my neighborhood. There is no correlation between success and skill if your music isn´t "in" at the moment. I also pulled back every activity in public, because I don´t like to get on people´s nerves just because I do music. My record label tries to convince me to do a 2nd record. The record itself isn´t the point it´s the promotion part I really don´t like.

I don´t see the merit in bigger promo than for the 1st one. We got break-even, now they want to develop and let it grow. But I have the feel there is so much music out there and you have to scream as an artist to get heard. If people have already enough of one commodity, why should they ask for more? It is too difficult to foresee what is going to happen and in a way disappointment is embedded in expectations you can´t influence.

Sometimes it seems to me that every more challenging piece of music is just too much and becomes an insult to people if they don´t have the time to listen to it. I´m in the lucky position of not being forced to do the promo by myself but I also have a huge lack of self confidence because of the vast uncertainty of "what is going to happen?". This mindset kills your creativity. Don´t focus on goals you can´t affect. It is your duty to become a better musician, sound designer (your artistic profession). More important. If you are not likeable, don´t appear to be successful and see yourself as a failure you transmit this very image to your potential partners. They won´t be interested in your music even if you would be a genius. Period. If you don´t like what you do, if you want to force it, then noone will be interested in your stuff. People have choices than would refuse your offer even though it might be a great product. You´ll need to step outside of this vicious circle.

My advice is to pull back the promotion and getting into some kind of revision. Having fun in making music is such a great gift. Don´t throw this away just because you don´t get enough attention. There is no fun in comparing with others, even if you might have success just considering only this. Music quality is not measurable, therefore noone can qualify for being the judge. If you think, your music is of a generic type then you have to make an effort to step outside of the box and try something new. It took me 3 years to cope with this but it did pay off. I make music and feel only the pressure I put on myself. This doesn´t hurt but instead helps to stay focussed. Finding the right balance of challenge and reward is very crucial in your situation.

Experimenting,
discovering new ways of creating sound,
trying new rhythmic patterns,
listening to challenging music,
making very different covers of your favorite songs,
learning a new instrument

does help you to get back on the road. Ask yourself what it was that lets you start making music. If you need to say to yourself "I want to be famous", then you have failed. If you started it, because you like sounds, and time flies when you do music than stay on the musician´s road and try to recover from the neglect of "the public".

Here is the last one. I know a dentist who should be a professional piano player. He can play Bach, Rachmaninov and he is happy even though almost nobody knows about his talent.

Maybe it helps a little.

der Ivo

[eddiex]

no

[fishmonkey]

cool post, i like your attitude...

[Saxer]

there are lot of ways to define success.
there is so much music on the market that people are not really interested in new music. and very nice mixes in good quality is nothing you could wake somebody up with.
so you have to combine the music with other interests. cds are faceless. if you want to sell music you have to be a frontman or a salesman, better both.
and think about your knowledge and your equipment and how to use it to earn money. making music for events, films, commercials, playbacks for singers, collaborations with other producers, remixes of tracks, teaching, making tutorials...etc
and it´s all about networking. do a lot for others and they will do something for you. be a guy people like to meet, play your music to people when you are there too. and mostly in business people are more interested in what you could do than what you did. what you did is just the reference for what you can do.

[Rave]

No. I started in my 30s.

[MPGK]

It's actually quite simple.

If you want your music to be successful, you have to ask yourself what people want to experience, and then either hope it's compatible with your music or change it.
Luckily, there are enough niches for almost everyone to fit into, subcultures be praised. But still, people will have to like your music and your performance. And people won't like it if you're a self-conscious bitch about everything you do.
Let's face it: we can't give ourselves honest feedback, be it praising your own music or doubting every single note, it doesn't work and we only get frustrated in the process.
And you only get better at criticizing yourself when you listen very carefully to what other people hear in your music.

That's why my advice is to look for people to make music with. It's the one and most important motivator missing in cubehog's list.

[Rave]

I've been producing and mixing for about 7 years. I've only had 1 gig, and despite some friendly comments, none of my tracks or mixes have really garnered much attention. I relocated and took 6 months off from music due to being frustrated. I'm once again inspired to make music and mix. The problem is, I'm 27 years old, competing for gigs with much younger talent, and a lot of the producers you see getting signed these days are also much younger. The gigs that I try to secure are usually given to much younger talent. It really takes down my confidence and makes me think my time has passed. It's kind of a scary thought. I've spent literally every penny I have on equipment, ruined relationships for this music, and have put so much time into it. I love producing but I'm starting to think I'm too old to compete with the younger generation. I'm also realizing that creatively, I'm "losing it". I'm not pushing the barrier as I did when I was younger. My tracks are becoming very generic and it's just frustrating. I feel like I've wasted a lot of my life making music. While my friends are getting married and having kids, I'm still sitting around the midi controllers, trying to make tracks. I've got nothing to show for all the years of producing.

I always believed that if you really want something, try and try again. Fail, fail, fail, and try again. I've wanted this more than anything in my life. LITERALLY. But I just couldn't breakthrough. I'm out in the middle of a snowstorm every weekend handing out my promos. I think I've given out about 5000 cds (They all include info for booking) without a SINGLE email or phone call. My music IS of good quality, and my mixes are very nice. I don't know if this matters but I'm a good looking guy as well but obviously that has no advantage. I just don't get it.

Let's hear this good music.