Quick Tips On How To Finally Finish A Track

[@stevenwang5721]

This is the most underrated channel on the platform for me

[@EarOpener]

For this masterclass we want our subscribers to post a link to a recently finished track that you have created/will create after watching this!

[@karlosmanchild6228]

Challenge accepted :) . I'll try to come up with something fairly decent to match my gratitude to the brilliant labour you're doing ; the value of these videos is huge for musicians/songwriters .

[@olifrost]

Really? Ok, if you're sure… kzbin.info/www/bejne/monaapKjbcuBY9U kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2qQp2iYfZx4hqc

[@djrbfmbfm-woa]

thx, Mr Ear Opener. lol. btw, i live in lismore, Australia, near the QLD border. I'm almost 74 years. been in this game since age 15. I've seen all the changes, but, what u r covering here could easily apply 50 years back if you had regular access to a studio. another point to address is hearing fatigue. tinnitus, etc. at my age, you'd think i'd have it in spades. but I don't. why? i hardly ever work above 70dB SPL. the exception would be at mix down where final touches are added at ~80dB. one more point, I have found that no matter how well your studio is insulated against exterior noises, they can still get in. i feel it as a sort of pressure on me. luckily, I work from 12 midnight to 8am. this bypasses that to a great extent. the difference in clarity? you must experience it for yourself in your own space. i can hear things a 4AM, that were inaudible at 4PM because of city noise/pressure. no small thing. j.

[@EarOpener]

Aha - you are one of our more experienced viewers - I'm sure you don't need my advice ! Very good points about listening levels - a sound expert once explained to me why there are very good scientific reasons you should mix at low volumes, not just for ear-safety but because you make better decisions, and hear more detail. I did a session a couple of years ago at Platinum Studios in New York where they do a lot of hip hop and pop . . the engineer said some of those guys work so loud that he wears earplugs! Chris Brown apparently holds the record for SPL . . . .EO

[@Sundji]

I really struggle with screwdriving because I lack the intuition to identify larger scale problems. Usually I overload my tracks with content in hopes of having enough to work with when arranging the track. How do you listen to a track and know "it needs x"? I don't finish so many tracks because I get maybe 70% of the way there but I can't really tell what the last 30% is.

[@EarOpener]

You are not alone - it is such a common problem. Even great artists leave a lot of unfinished things. It is not just about intuition (although it helps!). It is also PRACTICE. The more things you finish, the more you understand yourself and the more solutions you find to problems. I don't know your personal circumstances - but my top tip is just to practice finishing things, even if you feel the tracks are not perfect. It is normal to feel that your work is not perfect. Some suggestions - 1. write some film/web music for someone - ; you will HAVE to finish that. 2. Pick a pseudonym and release 4 tracks on Spotify anonymously. Just put them out there. See how you feel about these tracks in a year's time. My second tip - you already know you overcomplicate things, why not - as an exercise - write 4 really really simple tracks. Finish them . See how you like them in a few months. Good luck ! EO

[@victorgondry8797]

Another great video ! Especially the part about trusting your work, if it sounds good to you, even after taking a break or when listened to elsewhere, it's probably good ! Also I dont know if you care for it, but i had an idea for a video, it would be to talk about song building, how you would voice and choose sounds to build a complete piece, may it be a dubstep drop or a dub verse. Maybe talking about the importance of prioritizing instruments over others, knowing which elements make up the genre that you are producing, building on top of other instruments.. as a part 4 to your arrangements videos :p thank you for your work !

[@EarOpener]

yes good idea - we are thinking of doing something next year using live musicians, and then comparing the decision-making-process of that and of electronic music. We're just trying to raise the money for it . . . .Thanks for the feedback . . EO

[@vincecomposer]

Loved the shoutout to Degas and the 'combing of the hair'. One of my all time faves too!

[@EarOpener]

yeah . . .not enough impressionist art criticism in the music education sector !

[@stevenwang5721]

Needs 1M subs at least

[@EarOpener]

Thanks Steven - tell your friends! (especially if you have 1M friends) EO

[@rafaelguetta1139]

Brilliant content on this channel!

[@EarOpener]

Thank you! EO

[@legacysupplies3132]

Just discovered this channel and it's already one of my favourites of all KZbin time. I hope you bring out more in future.

[@EarOpener]

Glad you found us. We are very slow at creating new content! But we will get there eventually. If there's anything you'd like us to focus on, just leave a message. We read them. Good luck with your music EO

[@legacysupplies3132]

Thanks for the reply and thanks for the content, it's brilliant. It might be a little off topic as it's a non creative aspect but I think advice on how to get work heard by potential publishers or music placement companies (if that's the correct term). I have no idea where to start or how realistic it is to get my music considered for TV, films, adverts etc.

[@EarOpener]

Noted. Its a tricky subject - so much luck involved (where you live, who you know). Perhaps that's why we haven't really covered the subject. But also persistence is worth a lot. And working for free/little for a while to build contacts and a portfolio. There are also articles on SOS and elsewhere worth reading. I got my first money-making-break when an ad director was at one of my gigs and asked me to do something for his next project - total fluke and suddenly I was earning a nice living. I'll see if I have anything useful to say on the subject for future episodes . . .EO

[@juliajjj3652]

Thank you so much for all the amazing content you make!

[@EarOpener]

Absolutely our pleasure, Julia. Good luck with your music making EO

[@erko8620]

Love every single one of your videos!. Its almost feels like you are talking directly to me. Helping with the exact issues im going through at the time. Very nice.

[@EarOpener]

Thank you We're very glad to be psychically linked!!! Good luck with your musical adventures EO.

[@captainfrisbee8075]

You guys are absolute gems! Love y'all ✌️

[@EarOpener]

Thanks Captain! EO

[@michaelhampner7672]

Great and helpful advice, great editing and professional camera. I still can't understand that the almighty youtube algorithm doesn't push your videos to waaay more people.

[@EarOpener]

Thanks Michael. Yes, the Robots don't seem to like us so much . . . EO

[@empyreansmusic8766]

Thank you, God Bless Team.

[@EarOpener]

Our pleasure, thanks EO

[@levinsonl]

Ive become successful at finishing finally, because i switched from arranging tracks in the DAW to actually performing them. The arrangement happens so much more intuitively when I perform it. I may still program some final touches on a second pass or with a mouse but more of the work is already done

[@EarOpener]

That is a fantastic point - I wish we'd talked about it in this video. I think performing your ideas (even to yourself!) helps at every stage of the process - for example : singing a melody for 3 minutes (not 5 seconds in a DAW) really helps you hear if there are any weaknesses in it, or whether it needs developing. Part of being good at writing music is somehow learning to somehow be an honest audience of your own work - how can you do that if you are always stopping and starting? Audiences listen in one go to (hopefully!) the whole thing. EO

[@levinsonl]

@@EarOpener yes, the stopping and starting thing! Music was originally performed, not programmed, so even using synthetic instruments and drum machine patterns performing can give it a naturalness, and allow it to come out. This is the best channel, thank you so much!

[@djrbfmbfm-woa]

hello. thx for this. yes it is easy to go stale on a project before it is finished. all the points you've made, I've experienced. atm, I'm working on over 20 tunes. i rotate them so as to not get bored. j.

[@EarOpener]

Thanks David. Yes rotation can be a great tactic. We should have mentioned it! Good luck with your tracks! My tip - pick one track and finish it. Give yourself a deadline and meet it. See how that feels. EO

[@lovesong252]

Many thanks for your excellent videos - this one included. I'm developing a track at the moment that I've got bogged down in somewhat. So, your video is particularly relevant. I'll post a link to it once finished. Perhaps I should give myself a deadline! Yes, 10 days, 15th March

[@EarOpener]

15th of March, midnight. No excuses. Thanks for your kind words. EO

[@Karougaran]

thank you , it helped me 🙏

[@EarOpener]

Our pleasure. Good luck with your music and enjoy the channel EO

[@playahayta421]

My guy Eno stay s toned

[@stevesm2010]

Always a good watch and valuable insight. Many thanks.

[@EarOpener]

Appreciate it Steve EO

[@stevesm2010]

@@EarOpener7 months is too long. Missing your wonderful vids!

[@EarOpener]

@@stevesm2010 Sorry Steve - we are not very fast! We have to raise money to do a series, and they take a while . . . . we hope to make some more before too long. EO

[@stevesm2010]

@@EarOpener Thanks for the reply. I very much look forward to new content. Best Wishes!

[@brianwallington9744]

Thank you for this AAAAAAAHHHHHH. "if only I could". .....isn't that a song title ?.....you all out there stay safe and take care now.....

[@EarOpener]

Ha ha. Thanks . . .EO

[@ArtursDerkintis]

Watching these videos feels like I somehow hacked behind $20k-$30k paywall. It’s goldmine for an imposter wannabe music artist like me.

[@EarOpener]

That is great to hear. We fundraise in order to keep it free - enjoy! But, if you are feeling flush, we always need funding and you are very very welcome to contribute (!)- here is the link : earopener.co.uk/support-us/