What do you do with your tracks?

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jordanneke
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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by jordanneke »

Root wrote:Yay, i'm in the same position. Producing continiously tracks to leave them on my harddisk. The only nice thing is that i DJ and that i'm able to play my tracks in my sets in some local clubs, what is fun.

What % of your tracks do you play? Do they get a reaction?

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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by dubdub »

zukenbauer wrote:
dubdub wrote: In any case, i'm not releasing anything digital only. I'd rather have my tracks sit on my hard drive for all eternity.
If i may ask, why wouldnt you release digitals?
Not against releasing digital per se but without a vinyl release it just doesn't feel real to me. Need to hold it in my hands :)

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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by zukenbauer »

dubdub wrote:
zukenbauer wrote:
dubdub wrote: In any case, i'm not releasing anything digital only. I'd rather have my tracks sit on my hard drive for all eternity.
If i may ask, why wouldnt you release digitals?
Not against releasing digital per se but without a vinyl release it just doesn't feel real to me. Need to hold it in my hands :)
Thats true, it must be one hell of a feeling.. Did you have any releases? Not vinyl only, any of them?

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Lost to the Void
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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Lost to the Void »

dubdub wrote:
zukenbauer wrote:
dubdub wrote: In any case, i'm not releasing anything digital only. I'd rather have my tracks sit on my hard drive for all eternity.
If i may ask, why wouldnt you release digitals?
Not against releasing digital per se but without a vinyl release it just doesn't feel real to me. Need to hold it in my hands :)
I sorta understand that, but that thinking has sorta held music back in a way.
It is nice, but it is material "new pair of shoes" nice.
Then you want another.
It never really validates anything for long because it is transient (especially in dance music) so don't get too caught up on the expectation of it.
You'll stick it on your wall, show some mates. Then that hole is empty again.
Then you chase another. It's not a good way of thinking to get caught in. Took me a long time to realise that.
In this day of hyper distraction a release is out and done with in a couple of weeks. So it's even less of a fulfilling experience.
We could go in to a whole philosophical discussion about this, and it sorta goes to my mountain with no top thing, only in this case it's a serious of mirages, you think you have got there but it fizzles away and reveals the actual mountain top is way off.
I mean it's cool, but it's not as cool as you probably think it is.
It's kinds the same as doing a good performance. At some point, no matter how good that performance is, it's over and life is normal until the next one, and there is a sort of isolation and disappointment that comes with that (and it's why so many musicians get addictions).
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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Will Frances »

I'm enjoy getting better and feeling like I have made progress, I have lots of finished tracks and was making 5 a week in my 2nd year of production, loads of crap to be honest. I've been sending stuff out for a while but heard 0 which probably means I'm not ready or targeting the wrong labels. After not hearing anything for a while I will sound cloud it for a while...

As I've delved deeper into music the quality bar seems to get closer as I learn more and more then as I listen to more accomplished/ challenging to analyse works the bar suddenly moves further away again!

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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Kromasome »

Will Frances wrote:I'm enjoy getting better and feeling like I have made progress, I have lots of finished tracks and was making 5 a week in my 2nd year of production, loads of crap to be honest. I've been sending stuff out for a while but heard 0 which probably means I'm not ready or targeting the wrong labels. After not hearing anything for a while I will sound cloud it for a while...

As I've delved deeper into music the quality bar seems to get closer as I learn more and more then as I listen to more accomplished/ challenging to analyse works the bar suddenly moves further away again!
I am similar to this, except I haven't sent any demo's out yet - the closest I've got was sending a few tracks in for Planar's mix. And while I really can't be arsed with all the promotion side of things (I almost have zero social media profile and hate the idea of chasing followers etc) it would be nice to see something out there that other people enjoy. But because of what I just mentioned (no big social media following, plus no previously signed tracks) I figure no label would be interested regardless of whether or not they thought one of my tracks was any good.

But yeah, although I feel like I am improving - maybe sending a few things out might help push me a little harder (I know it did with getting the tracks prepared to send in to Planar)

Long story short - lots of tracks collecting dust on the hard drive and the occasional post on SC.

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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Planar »

Anything I finish I usually despise, some I put on soundcloud, but a lot have just festered on my hard drive.

It's a bit of an aim for me this year to try and get a couple of tracks done that might be good enough to include in one of my own mixes. I think that would be a nice place to be at.

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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Merah »

Finished tracks normally get uploaded to soundcloud, i usually then post on Subsekt and then wait to hopefilly get some feedback. This gives me a sense of the quality of the track, if a lot of people like ot chances are it might get some interest from smallish labels and if im feeling them why not release? Life is short and we wait around for something. By the time ot come its already over.. i try to cease striving for perfection.
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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Mono-xID »

Lost to the Void wrote:
I sorta understand that, but that thinking has sorta held music back in a way.
It is nice, but it is material "new pair of shoes" nice.
Then you want another.
It never really validates anything for long because it is transient (especially in dance music) so don't get too caught up on the expectation of it.
You'll stick it on your wall, show some mates. Then that hole is empty again.
Then you chase another. It's not a good way of thinking to get caught in. Took me a long time to realise that.
In this day of hyper distraction a release is out and done with in a couple of weeks. So it's even less of a fulfilling experience.
We could go in to a whole philosophical discussion about this, and it sorta goes to my mountain with no top thing, only in this case it's a serious of mirages, you think you have got there but it fizzles away and reveals the actual mountain top is way off.
I mean it's cool, but it's not as cool as you probably think it is.
It's kinds the same as doing a good performance. At some point, no matter how good that performance is, it's over and life is normal until the next one, and there is a sort of isolation and disappointment that comes with that (and it's why so many musicians get addictions).

Agreed. When I held my first vinyl release in my hands I was overwhelmed because I'm a record collector and to have record with my name on it among my collection is a great feeling. That was one of my lifetime goals and now that this mission is accomplished I couldn't give 2 fucks about such things anymore. I felt relief and made it easier to stop sending out demos.

I'm back to make music just for myself which feels great.
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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Lost to the Void »

Mono-xID wrote:
Lost to the Void wrote:
I sorta understand that, but that thinking has sorta held music back in a way.
It is nice, but it is material "new pair of shoes" nice.
Then you want another.
It never really validates anything for long because it is transient (especially in dance music) so don't get too caught up on the expectation of it.
You'll stick it on your wall, show some mates. Then that hole is empty again.
Then you chase another. It's not a good way of thinking to get caught in. Took me a long time to realise that.
In this day of hyper distraction a release is out and done with in a couple of weeks. So it's even less of a fulfilling experience.
We could go in to a whole philosophical discussion about this, and it sorta goes to my mountain with no top thing, only in this case it's a serious of mirages, you think you have got there but it fizzles away and reveals the actual mountain top is way off.
I mean it's cool, but it's not as cool as you probably think it is.
It's kinds the same as doing a good performance. At some point, no matter how good that performance is, it's over and life is normal until the next one, and there is a sort of isolation and disappointment that comes with that (and it's why so many musicians get addictions).

Agreed. When I held my first vinyl release in my hands I was overwhelmed because I'm a record collector and to have record with my name on it among my collection is a great feeling. That was one of my lifetime goals and now that this mission is accomplished I couldn't give 2 fucks about such things anymore. I felt relief and made it easier to stop sending out demos.

I'm back to make music just for myself which feels great.

Well you`re lucky, I kept doing it and doing it until I got a double vinyl album, had a massive fucking battle with depression when I didn`t know what the fuck to do next, and that wasn`t the answer either ...... and then the reality smashed me right in the face.
It`s not really that I ever didn't do it for myself, it`s just that I no longer give a fuck as long as I am happy with the music I am making.
I`m happy to release anywhere now as long I am treated with respect and have some say in the presentation. None of it matters as long as I believe in the music.

Took me a long fucking time and a lot of heartache to get to that point, and all it is, is a simple shift of perspective. It`s incredibly liberating. Same with gigs. I spent a whole year last year just saying no to gigs, bar some stuff with mates, and I`m not going to do any gigs this year, until (or if) I have something really special to play and somewhere meaningful to play it. I really feel free with music again for the first time in a long time.

Fucking life, you never stop learning, unless you are dead or dumb.
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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Mslwte »

What is the point of making music that just sits on a hard drive? That's such a waste.

You have to have your own sound / identity when making music, that is important! But it has to be release. Or at the very least you have to attempt to get it out there. You may not think it is as good as the big names releasing music but other people might do!

A big thing for me was accepting the way I make music. My own skill level, then uploading music and sending it to labels. People actually like what I do. It still amazes me.
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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by The_G »

For 18 years I didn't release anything, or even finish songs really. Granted, half that time I wasn't doing much, but I struggled to finish songs, didn't really put in the time to make my stuff good, and never got the courage up to send anything out.

Then I said fuck it. I upped my game, made something passably good, sent it out to 4 labels and ultimately released it myself.

The fact is, I was never really happy with the songs I put out. The arrangements weren't quite right for the style of music, and I didn't love some of the creative decisions I made. But you know what? Doesn't matter. Because I got confident enough to put out a second release, which I'm much happier with. Now I have two albums completed and am working on 3 EPs, all of which I plan to release. Some on labels, some by myself.

So just fucking do it, Jordan. Your stuff is good enough to be out there. Don't wait for the magical unicorn moment when everything is perfect, because it's not coming. Put it out and you'll learn from the experience.

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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Mono-xID »

Mslwte wrote:What is the point of making music that just sits on a hard drive? That's such a waste.
Does it must have a point though? I don't have to prove something and I just enjoy the process of creating music, that's all.

I know for myself that my techno tracks are quite generic and I accepted that my skills are limited to push my sound into another direction. So I don't send out generic demos because there is too many generic music out there already.

I don't even know labels which would fit.

Making music is like a reward to me. I had some epic sessions with Dean at his studio. Just tweaking machines without speaking to each other and I don't fool you when I say that these live sets would have crushed dance floors to dust. But we just don't record it. Why should we? It's just 2 close friends enjoying the spare time they have with doing things they like the most.

Same with my punk band mates. We meet, having a few beers in the garage and when the mood is right we fire up the amps and cover Minor Threat songs 'til we're exhausted. No recordings either.

We had a few gigs at bars and stuff and just enjoyed the moment. Not every moment of art has to be captured.
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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by tenoke »

For those that send out tracks to labels - do you send single tracks out? Or only when you have at least an X number of them? Anything else to consider while sending tracks out?

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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Lost to the Void »

Mslwte wrote:What is the point of making music that just sits on a hard drive? That's such a waste.
I think it is a shame to think of it that way.

I write and I paint (I am a university graduate in art and animation), and take photographs.
Some friends have my paintings, some family, some are on the walls of my house.
What is the point of the stuff on my walls?
Very few have read my writing. I wrote a play years ago that got performed, some of my lyrics are in some of my tracks.
Most of it is unpublished.
What is the point of it?
Why do we take photographs of moments from our lives?
I listen to the music I have made and it is like a photograph, it takes me to the time and the place it was made.
It`s an abstraction of memory.

Any art is expression, you are taking something from inside of yourself, and putting it outside of yourself. Anything beyond that is ego gratification, or at it`s best, sharing your expression.
The expression is the most important part. Without that it`s just a monkey aimlessly hitting a tree with a big stick.

How is it a waste to not give your art to someone?
It is entirely subjective.
If you think it is a waste, then maybe it is for you.

For me, I used to think releasing music was the most important thing, but I've moved past it. I found I was happiest just creating (what is the point of solving a puzzle?, once it is solved there is nothing left to do but solve another), the rest is all various types of transient, ephemeral feeling. Not that it can`t be pleasant, but it`s no longer my drive.
I like sharing my stuff with friends and people more important to me, but that is a different experience, it`s more conversational.
My music is tied very much to my moods and my emotions, sometimes it`s just too wrenching to throw that out to the wolves.
I guess I have gotten very Zen about it all now, but I am am really into Zen and Taoism, so it all makes sense from that perspective.

I mean, it is what it is to you.
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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by jordanneke »

tenoke wrote:For those that send out tracks to labels - do you send single tracks out? Or only when you have at least an X number of them? Anything else to consider while sending tracks out?
Having listened to your stuff on s/c, I'd give you some advice.

You should only send out your VERY best stuff. Don't rush and get a release for the sake of it. If you send out shitty demos, even if they are your best work, then you risk being labelled as a shitty producer before you've had time to practice your skills.

You'll need much more practice before you send anything out if I'm honest. Like years. Also i'd sit on the tracks that you make for a while. If you still think they are the bomb 6 months down the line, then maybe....

Don't forget that the wide availability of ableton and stuff means that people are 'generally' making clearer, more technically advanced tunes than 25 years ago, and so the number of people releasing demos has risen almost exponentially.

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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by jordanneke »

Lost to the Void wrote:
Mslwte wrote:What is the point of making music that just sits on a hard drive? That's such a waste.
I think it is a shame to think of it that way.

I write and I paint (I am a university graduate in art and animation), and take photographs.
Some friends have my paintings, some family, some are on the walls of my house.
What is the point of the stuff on my walls?
Very few have read my writing. I wrote a play years ago that got performed, some of my lyrics are in some of my tracks.
Most of it is unpublished.
What is the point of it?
Why do we take photographs of moments from our lives?
I listen to the music I have made and it is like a photograph, it takes me to the time and the place it was made.
It`s an abstraction of memory.

Any art is expression, you are taking something from inside of yourself, and putting it outside of yourself. Anything beyond that is ego gratification, or at it`s best, sharing your expression.
The expression is the most important part. Without that it`s just a monkey aimlessly hitting a tree with a big stick.

How is it a waste to not give your art to someone?
It is entirely subjective.
If you think it is a waste, then maybe it is for you.

For me, I used to think releasing music was the most important thing, but I've moved past it. I found I was happiest just creating (what is the point of solving a puzzle?, once it is solved there is nothing left to do but solve another), the rest is all various types of transient, ephemeral feeling. Not that it can`t be pleasant, but it`s no longer my drive.
I like sharing my stuff with friends and people more important to me, but that is a different experience, it`s more conversational.
My music is tied very much to my moods and my emotions, sometimes it`s just too wrenching to throw that out to the wolves.
I guess I have gotten very Zen about it all now, but I am am really into Zen and Taoism, so it all makes sense from that perspective.

I mean, it is what it is to you.
I think there is a big difference though. You have been validated many times over with your self-expression. People pay money to hear your thoughts being expressed.

You are able to translate your experiences and feelings successfully with enough talent and skill that people actually invest capital just to listen.

So I think you are able to reflect and say 'meh, I'm now at a stage where I'm confident enough that I don't need the external validation', and you can create well enough to capture whatever you want.

Most of us aren't in that bracket, and so if we make something and think 'yeah that's the best I've done', and people aren't willing to invest in that, then how good is it really?

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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Mono-xID »

But does validation of your work really matter?

I mean, sure it's nice when I get some nice feedback and stuff but it's not important to me. That's not the reason why I'm firing up Ableton tonight.
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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by Mslwte »

Lost to the Void wrote:
Mslwte wrote:What is the point of making music that just sits on a hard drive? That's such a waste.
I think it is a shame to think of it that way.

I write and I paint (I am a university graduate in art and animation), and take photographs.
Some friends have my paintings, some family, some are on the walls of my house.
What is the point of the stuff on my walls?
Very few have read my writing. I wrote a play years ago that got performed, some of my lyrics are in some of my tracks.
Most of it is unpublished.
What is the point of it?
Why do we take photographs of moments from our lives?
I listen to the music I have made and it is like a photograph, it takes me to the time and the place it was made.
It`s an abstraction of memory.

Any art is expression, you are taking something from inside of yourself, and putting it outside of yourself. Anything beyond that is ego gratification, or at it`s best, sharing your expression.
The expression is the most important part. Without that it`s just a monkey aimlessly hitting a tree with a big stick.

How is it a waste to not give your art to someone?
It is entirely subjective.
If you think it is a waste, then maybe it is for you.

For me, I used to think releasing music was the most important thing, but I've moved past it. I found I was happiest just creating (what is the point of solving a puzzle?, once it is solved there is nothing left to do but solve another), the rest is all various types of transient, ephemeral feeling. Not that it can`t be pleasant, but it`s no longer my drive.
I like sharing my stuff with friends and people more important to me, but that is a different experience, it`s more conversational.
My music is tied very much to my moods and my emotions, sometimes it`s just too wrenching to throw that out to the wolves.
I guess I have gotten very Zen about it all now, but I am am really into Zen and Taoism, so it all makes sense from that perspective.

I mean, it is what it is to you.
I think you missed my point slightly. What you have just said is the opposite to what Jordan has described. Your work is on display. Albeit to a select few, it's not being hidden away for nobody to see at all. You have paintings on wall of your home. Friends and family, even the repair guy that briefly visits your house will see it when they walk past it. It's visible. It's not in a cupboard or the loft never to been seen because you don't feel it's good enough.

If we lived in a world where creative people didn't share any of their work, what ever it is, then we would have nothing. No expression, art, film, music, literature.
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Re: What do you do with your tracks?

Post by daunzila »

Most of my stuff get lost in the hd, but now and then i got some time to listen the recordings from the previous weeks or even months and if i find something that i like i just upload that to soundcloud and thats it, i tried to start sending demos some years ago, definitely i wasnt ready, had no answers at all, sended to some labels i liked but where my tracks would never fit, shit production and things like that, i was trying too hard, then i step back and decided not to worry about that and just create more and have fun with it, sometimes i share with some friends too, feedback is important to keep going and evolving, otherwise one could get stuck easily and doing the same mistakes over and over until you realize something isnt working, others impressions about your work helps alot with that

I agree with Jordan, theres a big difference about an artist that is acknowledge as an artist and a hobbyist who is unsure about the quality of his music and as have being said, its art and a form of personal expression and it hurts when you try to share feelings and nobody gives a damn, so i thinks thats why some of us just get lots of stuff in getting dust in our hds, i became much more confident and free to experiment stuff after i saw that those shit stuff i do im my studio in my spare time hit some people, it means im getting to a point where the ideas are going somewhere, we had this fear that we are trying to say something and nobody will understand because we lack skill to make it clear enough, looking for approval isnt good but i think is inevitable at some point...

Last year i got my first EP out, digitaly in our friends TvSky label (here if you want to check it out https://subsymbolic.bandcamp.com/album/ ... -out-there :D) it helped me alot to trust more in what i do, like most of us i guess, i dont do this for approval, we do because we need to, right?

Theres this myth about all those fucking genius and talented artists that make effortless all this great work, this make we think, damn, why im doing this? im not that good and ill never will! I believe we need to destroy those genius artist images in our heads because it make us doubt that we can do what we want, time and dedication is what is required, they do work hard and suffer those fears too

Sorry about the long reply, got a free morning in the office hahahaha
I only hope it make some sense :P
WTF?!


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