The 7 Habits That Made Me A Full Time Music Producer

[@Radishboy]

Im coming off of like 5 years of being a musician and i feel extremelt motivated to make music.

[@aemythjensen]

I just had a scary experience for not following #5. I went to see SDRE in concert and not long after the opening band started, I started hearing the speakers with a junky sound as if they had ripped. Then it was SDREs turn and I kept hearing the nasty sound and I was like "wow, how can they use such bad equipment for this concert?" The concert was awesome though but I was just annoyed with that bad sound. When the concert ended I went outside and, surprise, the bad sound wasn't the speakers, it was my ears! On top of the ripped speaker sound I kept hearing like a permanent flanger that isn't oscillating, it was horrible and scary. And worse of all, it was still there the next morning, and the afternoon, and the night, so it didn't get better for the first 24+ hours. Finally 2 days after I started to hear things better and better and 3 days later my hearing was back to normal or at least it seems that way. Needless to say, I now bought a set of ear plugs for concerts, I don't want to risk my hearing anymore.

[@CompleteProducer]

woah that sounds really scary! glad it went back to normal

[@ericdias4199]

Wow, what amazing video and person you are! Thank you so much. Tip #5 is the one people don't stress enough I've been DJing for some time and guess what never used ear protection and got Tinnitus. Imagine being a producer/DJ and discover that you can't get your hearing back, it's crazy. But like Beethoven, life must go on and now I always protect my ears at any cost, gotta keep doing what I love most ❤🎹🎶

[@willespalazzo]

As someone who already applied some of these tips, this is indispensable advice, and will absolutely make a different for anyone not applying them. Great vid!

[@CompleteProducer]

thank you!

[@zachnaranjo7230]

Wow, just discovered your videos and discovered your stuff. Loved your collabs with Mark Barlow and Isla Vista. I am kind of going through a “quarter-life crisis” but this video and the last few I watched is helping. I had the privilege to learn and practice live sound full-time in Kansas City the last 3 years and I am super curious to start my own journey with sound production, especially after watching your videos. I have more hope for my future. It feels a little daunting but I love music and I look forward to checking out more of your stuff. It gives me new hope.

[@Rojjabeats]

needed this video at the right time in my life

[@CompleteProducer]

[@twissted00]

Your vids help me sooo much ❤ I’m new to making my own music & learning intensively everything I can. thanks to you I’ve started creating sounds that make sense, and it gave me a feeling I actually don’t suck just need improving skills, practicing, practicing & practicing. But the feeling when you hear reasonable results is amazing and motivates me to go further. I’m already addicted to sounds. Thanks and cheers 🥂

[@mamba4158]

Always valuable info in every video I see your hard work man, thank you

[@eldiablopassa3721]

the first two tips are GOLD too underrated tbh

[@omstheband]

The realest my guy. Absolutely love your channel and videos. Your advice has honestly been super helpful not only in the technical side of producing but, more importantly, the health and wellbeing side of it. I really struggle with walking away from something I'm working on, which ends up causing issues as I overproduce/mix and get burnt out. Your talking point on taking breaks and sticking to a schedule with building blocks towards a bigger goal, is huge. It's so easy to get caught up in "perfectionism" and get in our own way. Inspiring to see someone break this down so simply! Keep them coming man.

[@CompleteProducer]

that's so cool, i used to be the same way too! you got this, take breaks and stick to the schedule!

[@dehavior]

Usually when I’m working on my vocal comping I throw a low pass filter in there (don’t worry it’s a temporary vocal chain) just so that my ears don’t get too destroyed by the task, as my genre of music implies a rather bright vocal processing, the ear fatigue manifests itself really soon even though I listen to it at a reasonably quiet volume

[@AndrewPaul1]

YES. so good

[@lazonya604]

Awesome video, I needed this for my organization for sure! I know you’ve got your tutorial program on production but I especially love the mental side of becoming a producer because a lot of it is mental whether it’s our own beliefs of our abilities or workflow and organizing etc. I’m sure a lot of people out there would love to hear more about your mentality while climbing your way up and also while producing. Keep up the great work my man

[@CompleteProducer]

thanks for the suggestion i will keep it in mind!

[@unlobomalo3971]

Hey I hope you´re having a good day, I can tell you have an awsome way to orginize the whole creation proces, is there any chance you could consider to share your notion template? Thank you for everything your content is trully inspiring!!!

[@CompleteProducer]

i just looked through the free Notion templates that come with it and found a checklist i liked!

[@uzaysametaydin]

Thank you very much.

[@doctor_slap]

Thank you very much Ethan, I find your work very useful and helpful. I'm a bass player, but I want to switch to production. Thank you for helping me

[@Radishboy]

Another banger of a vid

[@electrofans]

Nice tips, Ethan - thank you for sharing!

[@yinsound]

Very practical advice from a professional! Thank you.

[@Dylan-zg2jl]

Great video mate - like always!

[@ahzira]

Number 6 hits the hardest. That shit slaps. Thank you!!!

[@DJBre]

Good tips Ethan

[@hvnsnt_9905]

Could you make video dedicated for file organization and maybe using tags? Bc I find it hard to organize everything logically (only beats I make on my own/recording sessions with clients/mixing sessions for clients etc.)

[@jasonlascurain6594]

Hi Ethan, just stumbled across your channel a couple weeks ago and am diggin' your vids. I'm at probably the intermediate level and am thinking of picking up your masterclass. I'd like to know though, realistically, how practical would your class be for an ambient artist like myself? I see a big chunk of what you teach is on vocals of which I don't use in my music, but also the "formula" for ambient is a little more "flexible" (for lack of better term). I wouldn't mind dabbling in a vocal project, but my passion is ambient. I still see how I can benefit from your class but would like to hear your honest opinion.

[@FestivalBarbie]

Could you do a video on how to collaborate with others? Like business side especially for like super beginners lol !!

[@ScottyGibsonn]

10:58 what the heck! i used to listen to FMLYBND like 8 years ago in youth group all the time haha that's wild i had noticed your cross tat but never would've guessed. also LOVE Soul Hymns. i've been loving your videos since i discovered you like 8 months ago but now i'm really hitting that bell haha keep it up!

[@CompleteProducer]

haha wow no way!!

[@kobebourne]

Which calendar do you use? I really like the color organization. Great video by the way 🔥

[@CompleteProducer]

it's just the standard apple calendar! i love the colors too, it helps me stay organized

[@kobebourne]

@@CompleteProducer oh wow did not know it had an option for that thanks

[@themanfromvolantis]

What is vocal comping? Ethan, scheduling won't work for me because I have autism and I have what I call "uncreative days* where I literally cannot write. Everything I do sounds rubbish. Rather than sit and get frustrated, I write those days off and do things like create sounds, organise files, download sounds etc. Fortunately I also have days where the opposite is true and I laugh out loud at how good some of the bass lines and melodies I write are. Honestly sometimes I am doing something else and I start humming a melody and I think "What's that"? Then I realise its my own song. The trouble with the creative days is that I can write too many good patterns and then I try to use them all in the track and it becomes a lengthy mess. So I try to split the track into 2 parts and make 2 songs. Then I forget which is which and end up with lots of similarly titled projects and me hunting through them. I have to keep telling myself, keep it simple. The result is too many unfinished tracks with similar names. I always try to ask myself "Would I buy this and play this"? (I used to DJ) Normally, the answer is no. So I abandon the project. When the answer is "yes", I tend to spend too long making the track perfect, then I get bored of it and start something else. So I definitely need a way of finishing off tracks faster. I asked what vocal comping is because none of my projects have an actual singer. I just sample a vocal then change the key to the key of the song. Or I sing it myself (I'm NOT a good singer) then vocode it until it no longer sounds terrible. Then the vocoder does the work finding the right notes but it's a chore of a process.

[@CompleteProducer]

Sounds like you probably don't need to comp any vocals. Vocal comping means creating a composite track. You record a bunch of takes then piece together the best versions of each line into the best possible vocal you can create. Also, I have a song called "What Pro Producers Do That You Don't" that should help you finish up your tracks a bit easier!

[@katienuese4015]

Ethan!! Can you make a video on writing music?? Thanks man :)

[@CompleteProducer]

i have one!! just look through my channel, it's back there a little ways (:

[@jaonavaja]

sir can you make a tutorial about how to record vocals on ableton?

[@CompleteProducer]

i just released a whole video on processing vocals!

[@jaonavaja]

@@CompleteProducer aight! imma check it out. ty!

[@tommaison-]

i swore to god how do i save in fl studio without unlocking it

[@bhaveshtochabbra6853]

How do I collab? I don’t have any friends or the scene here

[@CompleteProducer]

i would search on facebook groups and reddit!

[@Makarusmusic]

4 : remake a song. Meanwhile im remaking darude sandstorm, but i try to make it futurerave lmao.

[@CompleteProducer]

hahahah love this

[@gr29215]

WOW YOU ARE SO SUCCESSFULLLLL

[@hostnik777]

Bro you need to check your privilege for real - before you ever say anything again about “soul sucking” client work, you should try paying your bills with the kind of real job that the rest of us have to do to eat. I suggest working retail from Thanksgiving through New Years or working an ATT customer service call center for a few years. Gratitude isn’t just something you do sometimes, either you have it or you don’t.

[@CompleteProducer]

Gratitude is something that grows the more you use it, like a muscle. I worked many jobs for 8 years before I was able to make music for a living. Coldstone Creamery, student bookstore, graveyard shift carpentry and construction. I'm sorry if you're having a hard time in your life, but it doesn't have to be that way forever. You need a compelling vision to go after that makes all the hard days worth it. You should also try and find a way for other people's stories/success to inspire you instead of make you feel stuck where you're at. "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right." -Henry Ford

[@hostnik777]

@@CompleteProducer - ok so then how is it you could ever possibly consider doing music as "soul sucking"? How did you not learn how lucky you are by doing those other jobs first? Also, lookup "success bias". You made it, good for you. But until you have coached 10 other people to your own previous level of success, especially people who came from less than what you had, you're not really qualified to say what it will take for someone else. Your story reads of one of privilege and luck - nothing wrong with those - but that's not the background or experience everyone else will have.

[@stephaam_music]

So nice! Thanks man. You rock

[@BobSmith-mx4zo]

habit #5 is pulling on your ears???

[@CompleteProducer]

;)