How long should it take to complete a track?
- Thread starter dj mirry
- Start date
my best advice would be dont have that mindset of "i want to finish one so i can play it in my sets". if you try and rush your learning of production, itl sound awful, and frankly people probably wont want to hear it. The limiting factor will be your knowledge of the softwares and not youre creativity/ideas, so you dont want people to hear you before your close to your potential. In saying this, you might be really modest and be producing good tracks already.
in short, take your time
in short, take your time
Most of my last tracks that have been getting good feedback and support have only taken 4-5 hours. Sometimes it just flows. Other times it can take a good few days though, but usually overall the ones I finish in a day usually get the better feedback.
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2009
- Location
- Denver, CO
anywhere from 2 hours to 2 years.
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2008
- Location
- London
yeah i've found that my best tracks will be almost complete in one evening/night of producing. the next few days, maybe longer than a week, is just adding certain things and making it sound better, but the structure and melodies/sounds will be the same as what i had in the first place generally.
best advice i can give to the thread starter is take your time if you've just got into producing. its hard to tell whats good and whats not when you begin. the satisfaction of coming up with a melody and a beat is good, so you might have a loop that is shit but you'll be enjoying it. you'll go back later and be surprised to see how misleading your own ears can be ha.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2011
^^^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^^^^
Ive worked onn stuf for days and weeks then fucked it off ...... my first release coming out on manic beats (sister to anarchy) took me 6 hours.....and "Biopsy" coming out jan 22nd on my label took me 4hours, done it on a laptop, with headphones at the dinner table while my missis watched a film, time the film finished id had the track finished, then two more hours to get the levels right on my PC linked to my set up.
How long is a bit of string?
- Joined
- May 24, 2007
- Location
- Feltham
It depends.
I think its good to have sessions that aren't about writing a track. Its about building certain elements that can be used in tracks. Sometimes I'll spend a day or two just making drum sounds. Then another day I'll make loads of synth patches and effects chains. I like trying different effects chains with different patches. Especially with basses. I might create a long effect chain with multiple EQ's, mod effects and distortions ect. Then I'll use the same effects chain and start with a sine wave and go from there.
I think its good to have sessions that aren't about writing a track. Its about building certain elements that can be used in tracks. Sometimes I'll spend a day or two just making drum sounds. Then another day I'll make loads of synth patches and effects chains. I like trying different effects chains with different patches. Especially with basses. I might create a long effect chain with multiple EQ's, mod effects and distortions ect. Then I'll use the same effects chain and start with a sine wave and go from there.
I consider myself on the slow end of the spectrum, but a drum and bass track takes me about 40 hours spread out over two or three weeks. And it's the times between where I usually have ideas.
However, when I was learning I was making a track a day or every other day. Early on I think it's important to not get slowed down with details and the best learning comes from doing as many different mix downs as possible (don't make the same track every day). If you have an idea you liked, you can always rebuild the track later when you've improved. I'm still doing that from time to time.
However, when I was learning I was making a track a day or every other day. Early on I think it's important to not get slowed down with details and the best learning comes from doing as many different mix downs as possible (don't make the same track every day). If you have an idea you liked, you can always rebuild the track later when you've improved. I'm still doing that from time to time.
Dude. It will take you probably a few years before you make anything you can honestly say to yourself stacks up to tunes that are out there already. Don't mean to sound discouraging but if you're getting annoyed with yourself by not boshing out a track in 2 hours when you've just started producing, you're barking up the wrong tree.
That's how long my triangle solos take