Ableton Forum

I have/had the same issues. Full time job, girlfriend and all the things you have to do besides making music.
The main advice from my side would be: stay relaxed. As you want to learn it, you will, even if it takes some time. In the meanwhile you can enjoy your little steps and successes like a cool sound or nice bassline etc. This is what it is all about.

For me I decided to focus on several aspects first, like synthesis, drum programming and building nice "grooves". As I am sitting in the metro for 2hours a day I bought some books covering music theory (Scales and Chords are most important here). And step after step things started evolving.

For me youtube was/is a big help. There is so amazingly much content covering music theory, ableton stuff, beats, synthesis... you name it. Just take your time and browse thru it. In the meantime most tutorials I see do not offer any new stuff, but there are cool insights into the working habits of other people.

Just keep it on, that's most important

I feel you could spend an endless amount of time learning. If you get a melody in your head practice playing that melody until you get it right. then record. then move on to the next.

It is a slow painful or joyful - perspective - process. Find what you like and run with it. For most musicians/artists it takes a decade to learn the craft and another decade to unlearn enough to become the musician/artist you want to be or simply end up being. Finding what works for you is a matter of trial and error, and the steps in-between often lead to new musical/artistic ideas. Build it up and tear it down: This is the cycle of all things, embrace it and try to capture the moment’s in-between. Good luck!

Some inspiration for your journey:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1JwlUNF9o0

Thanks again guys!
Atm im changing my approach on learning new things. More relaxed, less pressure, more enjoying and be happy for every new thing i learned instead of being afraid about my goals i´m not reaching atm.

At the weekend i tried to focus on effective learning. I learned more in 2 hours than normally in a few days because of things like facebook etc. It is a huge different with REALLY concentrating on the stuff im actual learning. I can build chords, reading notes etc. since many month but only slow. Now i learned it again and wow, after weekend i can read the treble clef without starting from restricted points. I can play C Dm Em F G Am Bdim Cm Fm Gm without thinking too. A few days before i didn´t understand why i need so long to learn it REALLY. Consciously learning is definitely a key point. I thought i learn consciously but i didn´t.

I have a few hundred projects with Beats, Melodys, Pads etc. but only snippets between 0:25 and 1:30 min ^^. (i like ~25 of them really well) I think i will learn alot about song structure while i learn Piano. I handled Arrangement as a special task too but i will stop this now. Now i have new goals and with your inspiration i will reach them

Thank you guys!

Q - What do you call a music producer without a girlfriend?
















A - Homeless.

Evengy: I worry you're headed for another burnout just like on the guitar. My advice (and it's worked well for me & I'm a burnout candidate as well) is to find 3 or 4 things and split you time amongst them. Eventually I end up frustrated with my lack of development (between guitar, synthesis/msp, abes stuff, and theory) that I too will burnout - thats when I pick up from where I left off with something else.
Usually its a week to week thing for me, sometimes if I really break into a groove I can get a solid month devoted to deep practice - but I'll burnout harder the more I get into it.

Try and fit some fun time in there too, don't always be obssessed with progress. Good luck with everything.

I may be the least qualified to offer advice, but as I read the thread, the thing that strikes me is that you only WANT to be good at everthing. It doesn't sound like you NEED to be.

My experience is that one can spend all the time learning about music and very little time actually making music. So, along with the good advice above, I'll add:

Start making music and recording it as soon as you can.
Don't play all the parts yourself, if you don't know how already (piano, for example). Many on the internet will collaborate with you--for free.
Allow yourself to make a lot of "bad" music. You'll learn tons! Kill the perfectionist within.

Solving the problems that come up will help you learn faster and remember better.

[quote="TroyP"]Allow yourself to make a lot of "bad" music. You'll learn tons! Kill the perfectionist within.
quote]
+1 - Forgot who said it, but the saying goes 'crap makes the best fertilizer' Dont forget it