perfection driving you crazy?

hi

ive been producing a couple of years now

when i started up anything went and my music flowed pretty much however i wanted it to

ive got to the point where everything has to be perfect and each part has to be there for a reason

i know it kills creativity a little but my mind cant rest when theres stuff going on my brain hasnt liscensed

its got to the point where i chop note lengths to start and stop exactly where i want and change up the note volume to max killing all traces of human touch

sad i know but im not gonna stop

it reflects me as a person to an extent

I like the way you worded it - stuff that my brain hasn't licensed! thats a definate. Even with the happy accidents, I need to analyse them to make sure I know what it going on.

just do your thing dont analyse, leave room for accidants be daring
afterwards you'll edit an polish
no need to be ashamed of who you are and what comes out of you unless it's terrible

keep it raw

I am the EXACT same way, I will not let a beat, vocal, out the lab unless I am perfectly happy with it. My boys always want rough drafts and I'm like "NOPE", One song I remember specifically took me a year to finish cause I just wasn't happy with it until I found the perfect sample. I'm finihsed now, haha.

arctec wrote:I like the way you worded it - stuff that my brain hasn't licensed! thats a definate. Even with the happy accidents, I need to analyse them to make sure I know what it going on.

so true

This problem stifled my production for too long. One day I just said eff this, and I made a perfect beat outta imperfection. Now I just go with the flow.

yeah but having a set way to work and get down is a good thing. I find that i get into ruts once and a while so i try to do some different shit to switch it up, but i have a certain way of approaching music that i developed after a few years. It becomes your technique. If you work on that and perfect that, then you will do different things out of instinct later on. I think just master your own sound how you work, and how you are productive. Cause it gives you your own identity and sound. Like all the producers who are doing good have there own unique sound and approach to tracks. From like timbaland to ALC to premo to manny fresh to even james brown, they all have there own style and took years to master it. So dont force yourself to change just go naturally. If this means editing extensily and programming every midi param so be it.

Here's a few words of advice I got from a creative writing teacher:
sh*tty first draft.
Perfectionism is a defense mechanism to stay blocked or limited. It gives you an excuse to say "oh Im better than him" without having the catalogue to back it up. You dont create with your mind alone, its your whole body that does the work. Just like when you hear a great song for the first time, you feel it in your loins. A good way to kill perfectionism, which I've struggled with in the past, is before you actually start on your work, write out long hand about four pages of whatever it is your thinking. Don't erase, cross out, or censor. Free write. Dump all your psychological problems and empty yourself so you may be a temporary vessel for the healing and creative love of the cosmos.

simcity wrote:Here's a few words of advice I got from a creative writing teacher:
sh*tty first draft.
Perfectionism is a defense mechanism to stay blocked or limited. It gives you an excuse to say "oh Im better than him" without having the catalogue to back it up. You dont create with your mind alone, its your whole body that does the work. Just like when you hear a great song for the first time, you feel it in your loins. A good way to kill perfectionism, which I've struggled with in the past, is before you actually start on your work, write out long hand about four pages of whatever it is your thinking. Don't erase, cross out, or censor. Free write. Dump all your psychological problems and empty yourself so you may be a temporary vessel for the healing and creative love of the cosmos.

nice ! ! !

that was a good read. and definitely worth a try.
never thought about it that way.

thank you !

Speaking of perfection I wish people stop posting incomplete beats n beats they know need more work that goes for not mixing no hi-hat bass or whateva man I don't wanna here no half-ass beats no more that's why I don't post no beats cuz I run through beats I'm working on a beat while working on another one so a lot of my beats is incomplete n I wouldn't dare let people here its like somebody finds a sample put some drums n post it and be like what yall think well I think people should start hurting feelings to make these dudes keep their computer off n mpc on! Yeah I felt like I had to say that now I can go stop world hunger

i don't mind being overly perfectionist on my beats cause i've noticed that
at the end of the day ppl will notice & hear it and give credit for it. heads
always give credit for ppl who do hard work for their art.

whateva works!

I think until you can release a beat w/ no excuses it is not done.

I also hate when people post beats, then you critique them and say..hey, it's not there...etc....they reply w/..."well it's not really finished up, the drums aren't done ..blah blah"

why did you post it then? people have to get over the ego gratification of internet feedbck and keep their shit to themselves until it is done. This is a step towards becoming professional.

- I also hate when people post beats, then you critique them and say..hey, it's not there...etc....they reply w/..."well it's not really finished up, the drums aren't done ..blah blah"

I know the feeling, but then again, nothing is wrong with asking
for opinions. But I def feel what your saying.