The Artist's Guide to Un-F**king Your Music

[@VenusTheory]

Wake up babe, music Eeyore is back. Slightly more personal/random video this time around, but hopefully you (and the algo gods) enjoy it! Extremely excited to share the music in a future update for Ground Branch coming soon-ish! In the meantime, pls check out my new CUBE expansion 😅 My New CUBE Expansion ► bit.ly/3OQyhBz Become a Patron ► venustheory.com/patrons Ground Branch ► store.steampowered.com/app/16900/GROUND_BRANCH/

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

I like your style not afraid to try new things.

[@somerandomguy001]

absolutely loved this video, so raw and authentic and the ending... just perfect

[@jeanrenaudviers]

Hey, take care of yourself. See you soon.

[@TheCubeMusic]

Have a good 😌 one Cameron and lol 😂 I don’t even use the cube lol 😂

[@justinreynoldscomposer]

Eeyore was a pet name given to me by a girl I used to date a long while ago. Who cares! Anyway, I just wanted to take the time after working all day on one of my audio productions, to just say thank you Cameron! I know this feeling of exhaustion and self reflection....what the hell am I doing??? But, luckily it usually passes, and you remind yourself of how good of a writer/musician you are and that you put in the time/heart and body for your music, you bleed for this...take care my friend. I'm still listening...you keep writing. By the by, your Volitions library is exquisite!!! Just purchased MotorLab a few hours ago, time to play....

[@MaybeAnnatar]

Something I genuinely appreciate about this channel is that you don't hide the frustrating part of creating from us. It's very honest.

[@arcsibo]

Same here, thanks Cameron!

[@alexmoscatelli149]

It was i particularly noticed in this video as well! I relate to it a lot, and it's great to see I'm not the only one!

[@justinreynoldscomposer]

That is what I always really liked about his channel, how genuine he is. Cameron works very hard for what is shown to us, I just wish the powers to be (YT), would realize this. But...ya know, it doesn't work that way for creative minds. It's a revenue engine. It's very painful to see your work, your creations, your love for what you do be taken away...it's indescribably horrific, and it leaves you feeling empty and lost

[@AnthonyRochester]

Yeah it's the main idea of this channel I guess

[@Keroser1983]

Well said! Agree

[@VinnieDangerous]

Its crazy how we can watch 1000s of tutorials online, take classes and read tons of material but can get the most from just watching someone actually going through the creative process. I feel like I gained so much as a musician and an artist from watching this. Thanks for sharing this very vulnerable part of being a creative.

[@PGvideoinc]

You are so right!

[@LookAtDat4ss]

Right there with ya

[@relaxationdaily]

"The imperfections in our work that keep us up at night are often the ones that are most invisible to those experiencing it." Couldn't be more true. Deep and powerful words man. I love how genuinely authentic you are on this channel. A friend introduced me to you and now I watch a video every time you release. I know you're frustrated with KZbin but please don't stop posting. Really great stuff.

[@neilduty8448]

It's our imperfections that make us human and define us as human beings

[@PaulSpades]

That's true, if you're good at what you do. Although, people that do mediocre or subpar work tend to sleep very well at night.

[@jml4258]

The part around 10:39 really touched me. I produced, mixed and mastered a song for an album not so long ago and the release date was last Friday, after listening to it once more, I had a lot of criticism for myself. I sent the link to friends, family and just shared it with whoever and they all liked it. As creators, since we know how things are made and what they could be, I think that’s why we tend to be so hard on ourselves. We also realize in a way what we could be, but aren’t. The strange thing is, in the past, we could’ve only dreamt to be where we are today and that’s what makes it beautiful.

[@adri.progression]

love that for you, and yes, we are our harshest critic. "Iterate, don't Ruminate" helps me when I'm stuck in a fixation loop

[@WarriorTier]

I relate to this video so much. It's wild that after so many years, I can have days where I sit down and start making music and it flows perfectly and everything comes together, and then I have days where I spend an entire day and realize that I wasted my time and I have to start all over. I made 7 tracks for our last video and some of these came together in a couple hours, and some of them took almost a week of tweaking, experimenting and starting over from scratch. It's comforting to see that someone as talented and prolific as you deals with impostor syndrome and goes through the same struggles as the rest of us. I think the key takeaway from this video is that you have to be putting stuff out for people to hear, and for me at least, the main reason for this is that it will teach you that these tiny imperfections and issues that you obsess over will be completely glossed over by nearly everyone. You can obsess over a track and tweak it endlessly, but this is a dangerous trap to fall into, and you are far better off putting something out that you're not 100% satisfied with than spending weeks/months on a track that you'll never finish. Bravo and thank you for what you do! Love your channel, love your content, love your music - keep being amazing!

[@BAMac964]

Wow, I am truly at a loss for how deeply this touched me. Thank you for showing the true nature of what it's like as a music creative and not always polishing it for the sake of "views" and "likes." Whether you feel like it or not, your impact on those of us who watch you is far reaching and effective. Thanks for all you do @VenusTheory.

[@MrLost-ut6yo]

It may be weird to say that but seeing you go through frustrating moments is inspiring. There's too much content out there making it seem like everything works so effortlessly for everyone who tries to create something. Seeing a master facing difficulties and pushing through them gives me hope. It makes me feel less alone.

[@LinXnerd]

Some people think that the work is never good enough when in fact, the work is a gift to others. You're a gifted dude. That's the problem. Just roll with it and be blessed like you are.

[@howardyermish]

"Statistically, one of them has to be good." There is so much magic in that statement. One of my first composition teachers gave me a year long exercise to write a tune each day, whether it was a 12-bar blues lead sheet, or whatever, just a fully formed idea. The act of creating something everyday taught me to create first, then judge the idea after that. My results after that year were about 200+ short tunes, and about 20 of those were worth keeping and turning into pieces to perform with my jazz group friends. Sure, its a 10% yield, but realistically, the best tracks are your top 10% anyway. Thanks for taking us along with the creative struggle. 💪

[@DanielHolter]

Not only are those "imperfections" often invisible... sometimes the things we loathe about our own work become touchstones and favorite moments for those who are listening or for those who hired us. Hard to pin down before there's a real human response. Dig your work, thanks for sharing this!

[@Iocus_Severus]

“Do what you think is best” means “We don’t know what we want” and gives them too many opportunities to criticise what you’ve done for them. As you said, less than ideal, but you’re a star Cameron. You’ll win.

[@SUBCHVRGE]

Got me hooked in the first 6 words

[@RachelHardy]

Crazy you just released this -- I've been working on a score for a game as well that is really important to me and the last few weeks have been the most difficult mental battle I have ever experienced. Same thing, I hate everything I come up with, nothing sounds "good enough", things taking 10x longer than they should, and the deadline just gets closer! Lots of pressure. I found it helped to remind myself that inside our 'composer bubbles' sometimes these things feel so much bigger than they are. We're looking at the music through a microscope. Getting an outside view can help us take that step back and hear it from another angle.

[@interstellarcastaway]

Totally on point. It’s the same lesson confronting me all the time these days. Learning/refining/honing so often takes the front seat instead of being a response in the creative process. Make stuff, learn from it. Make more stuff, learn from that. I feel like the real trap of KZbin is that we get stuck in an endless cycle of learning but never applying. And then because the standard is set so impossibly high, when we DO get around to creating something, we agonize. Bleh.

[@osmark86]

Personally I think that the imperfections is what makes the art. When I listen to what I consider really good art, I go out of my way sometimes to try to pick up on these imperfections and be in awe of them. I think it's what makes something unique and worth admiring. Another fantastic video VT, much love

[@TwdlD]

I love the idea of 16 - 32 bar what I call 'song seeds' . As someone who tends to spend all my time intellectualizing instead of actually doing, I feel like these kinds of tips are a great way to get started. And for newbies, quantity vs. quality, is the best way of learning what 'your sound' is.

[@shawnclark764]

Freelance editor and sound design/editor. the hardest thing is just letting go and letting your instinct kick in. In my world, I justified it thusly. They hired you hired for your instinct, so use it. Tell the story. and sometimes, a single piano note....... tells everything you need to know about the story. Glad it worked out.

[@MilesKvndra]

This is one of the most honest videos I’ve seen in a while. Can totally relate to that as I have a couple of deadline projects (songs/live sets for gigs) as well and it describes the frustration of “creating against the clock” super well. Thanks for sharing, I appreciate you. 💚

[@The_Musical_Cartograph]

I love the raw-ness of these rants man! Musicians, writers, painters etc... have a mythical aura to them, they are held as icons of creation, weaving their art into being like fantasy magicians we need to break that myth, we need to talk about the toil and the sweat and the work that goes into all of this Thank you !

[@AndrewSmithSoundDesign]

I struggled for years with decision-paralysis and impostor syndrome when making tracks, marred every step of the way by overthinking, over critiquing, and self-doubting. And eventually, I found it was because I cared too much...the best stuff I ever made was when I just sat down and made something without giving a damn about the outcome. I lost contracts with major labels cos I was too focused on the quality I imagined they expected, and conversely got new ones with tracks I thought were just a joke, made in a single afternoon. Easier said than done, I know, but just pretend like the thing doesn't matter, like its almost a joke, like no one is counting on it being good or that you can't pay the rent at the end of the month if it sucks...that's when Mr creativity comes out and makes shit you never expected. You are, and always will be, your own worst enemy.

[@innerstatejt]

These are the important videos that people really need in their creative lives. We all feel this with you!

[@MartenHauville]

I laughed, I cried and I agree. 😂 Seeking perfection is artistically destructive when one cannot embrace one's own joy of expression. Once our creative work is deemed "important", i.e. enough to attract money, we fold & collapse into ourselves like a dark star, fretting over the pressure & risk. I love this concept you highlight... just push on and do the hard yards, leverage your sense of joy in creating to overcome the pressure.

[@claytongouin5605]

You're absolutely right about imperfections. I was working on a video advertisement and training a new hire today, and while the imperfections of the image were apparent to me, he saw none of them. Instead, he saw how quickly I could work to produce a creative and informative piece of visual information. He was the perfect target audience and I remember saying to him that it doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs to do the job. Maybe I was saying that more to myself so I could finish the project and stop dicking around with it.

[@synthphilosophy]

Thank you for sharing this vulnerable moment with us Cameron. Strong message, and this goes with everything, not only music. Often people don't see the hard work and baskets of trash, but just the end product. And that is perfectly fine, it's the process and craft. Quantity leads to quality, trust the process. ❤ Thank you.

[@rizilm2229]

You are such a breath of fresh air after a frustrating bout of sitting for 12 hrs to make 5 seconds of audio. Thank you very much for doing what you do. I am just starting out, this was supposed to be an outlet but it's counterintuitive coz it gets frustrating in itself haha. But your videos are a good reminder that everyone goes through this phase.

[@MonicaLaFonte]

You've truly captured the creative process. It's not just about raw talent or natural ability, but a pursuit that demands complete focus: a fusion of technical expertise, imaginative vision, and unwavering dedication-and a rebellion to the waltz. Thanks for also revealing the behind-the-scenes struggles.

[@michaelkonomos]

Also at 6:30 when you talk about not feeling like sharing the creative process - I think that is very real, and I would argue that it’s literally impossible to be truly creative with people watching. Like you can go through the motions of something rehearsed, but to actually be creative the judgment part of the brain, the inner critic, has to be off. Camera on, critic on, unless you forget the camera is on.

[@heartbeatbillionaire]

Thank you for showing the real and sometimes frustrating side of music production. Such a breath of fresh air and so incredibly important that this content is on KZbin

[@nadinedemacedo]

I like this channel for being so brutally honest about creativity. I'm still quality first, but for a different reason: I learned how to turn a mediocre idea into a better one by applying *many* years of experience (which also came from a lot of failures). But sometimes, it's better to delete and do something else. Or send it and let fate decide if it's good enough for the audience. They may have a completely different taste or expectation. I agree with your final statement. Thanks for sharing!

[@alexmoscatelli149]

I've been in a horrible writers block for months now. I've been making excuses upon excuses for not making music; if it wasn't school keeping me busy then it was someting else, and just like that time flew by. It's been so hard getting back into making music, which is paradoxically what most fills me up with joy and gratification, and thinking about it made me even more mad, knowing that i was giving up my happiness and future career, so... you can imagine what a viscious cicle it has been. I wanna express my gratitude towards you for making these kinds of videos, i just sat down at my desk with my pc and Okygen Pro Mini, and this video was incredibly helpful. The idea to just make whatever i feel like, or to try to make X bars loops is neat!! Im gonna do just that and i'll try my best to be consistent and do something everyday to get back at it. Yup, this was a long, perhaps uninteresting rant, but writing down what i was feeling has helped me a ton! So thank you Cameron for everything you do! p.s. You looked exhausted in this video, i hope the worst is over now! Wish you the best and take some time to enjoy yourself and what you do! :)

[@matboi]

You always seem to drop an inspirational video when it's needed in my life xD There is a bit you mentioned in the video I wanted to explore a bit more - The part when you send something in there is no way to update the mix etc. Now whilst in this case it may be true, a good example of an artist who changed up the mix of tracks that were released is Skrillex. I don't have all the information about this but I know that during the release of one of his newest albums, Quest for Fire, the mixes that were up on Streaming platforms kept changing for a while after the release. Changes such as the length of tracks which sometimes included whole sections being removed or change of drum samples to make it sit better. When that was happening I found that super interesting. From the outside looking in it almost looked like Skrillex was sending in the updated versions to the label he is with to be uploaded whenever he made them. An interesting this about this is that there was never any mention of changes either from him or the label. No stories on instagram going "changed this track's mix check it out" or anything like that. Just a straight track swap. This highlighted to me that it is okay to not get things right the first time and to change them after they are released to the world even when you are as popular as Skrillex is. Someone that people view as a literal god of modern EDM production made changes to multiple tracks after they were released. Doesn't that give us all a lot of hope? Certainly did for me :)

[@FigmentariumAnimation]

I feel like you can read my mind, every time I hit a slump you make a video so specific to my problem. Thank you, Cameron, your videos have been there helping me for years and I’ll never be able to truly express my gratitude.

[@err_rawr]

Think about writing a book. You write what is often a piece of crap - a first draft. This is important so you can get something out of you, you can get the idea down. Then you iterate on it - edit it, then you iterate on it some more, then you iterate on it with your editor - you get feedback from you client in the case of other creative pursuits. You iterate again. Then eventually it’s polished enough to be final. Quality first is never a good mindset. Great video! Edit: also ground branch is a fun game I had no idea you were involved in the soundtrack!!

[@JordanSeal]

This is the content we need to see on KZbin. Thanks for suffering to make it.

[@Sweyn_Nero]

Truest youtuber on the platform, I really love that unfiltered point of view about making music. It makes me more comfortable in my struggles about the craft

[@imagesofstyle]

"You don't need to make the right thing on the first try - you just need to make it *once*." That's a gem of wisdom right there. Thankyou for the further encouragement to just try a bunch of stuff and keep an ear out for the bit that works. Also, your willingness to publicly display this kind of vulnerability is incredibly reassuring.

[@henrysaizofficial]

You bring something really positive for all music producers and creators out there, thank you Cam..

[@gangviolins]

Not overthinking it and just getting into and staying in a creative flow, is a real mystery. I can't just let go because, if I do, I'll gravitate towards the minutiae and before I know it, I'm sound designing the "perfect bass sound" when I don't even have a 'song' yet. So I have to be conscious of my tendencies to get caught up in the detail, and try to just let my creative instincts guide me, stay agile and keep moving quickly in the DAW. When it works, it's the easiest thing in the world to do because it just happens. Otherwise, it feels impossible and it literally is because you just can't force it - and when I force it I am never, ever happy with the result and always scrap the session. I know that feeling of having spent a whole day on something and wondering if you've actually made it sound worse - I keep reminding myself of all the big name producers who say they mixed a track from scratch again and again to get the sound they were chasing - and I wear that like a badge of honour, or at least feel comfort knowing that it's not just me who obsesses over this "sound in my head" stuff. Anyway, excellent video and looking forward to hearing this soundtrack.

[@neilduty8448]

I too suffer greatly from imposter syndrome which is why I hardly ever put anything out there to be judged or ridiculed I have so much respect for you for having the guts to do what you do so many of us wouldn't be able to cope I am so envious Your content is always honest and inspiring and much appreciated

[@longlostrobots8146]

These days it’s really ok to just share and let your art be heard seen or whatever. Take care

[@MikeRenouf]

Limitations actually help me. Here are a few things I've tried in the past which REALLY helped me: - Limit the number of channels in your session - Limit yourself to set pieces of gear or particular soft synths - Work only with a pre-determined selection of samples - Set yourself a time limit for stages of the process - When you finish a stage, save tracks as audio, and load the stems into another session - Set a length for the piece of music - and break the track sequence down into time chunks - Record to a stereo mix-down rather than multi-tracking I hope these help. I made a whole video (on my channel) about strategies I've learned which help me to finish music.

[@elone3997]

Yup definately. Restrictions are sooo helpful, whether it's time or just choices...choice paralysis is not helpful at all 👍

[@adri.progression]

I AGREE!! The infatuation with Potential and "what it could be" often ends up with nothing to show. The saying "One in Hand is worth Two in the Bush" comes to mind@@elone3997

[@sparks3019]

This is why I only mix live. The felling, the moment is now and then it’s gone. Left in a memory. Like a wrong note that is soon forgotten. I remember the best moments of a show and so does the audience. if I had to sit there and prepare a hard deliverable I would drive myself crazy for sure. Love the insights, Cameron. One of my favorite retreats.

[@thebackpackengineer]

You know, I've been struggling with finishing a sound redesign for a personal project and I've come up against that wall of not being sure that I'm actually doing something worthwhile. It's both comforting and frustrating to know that the feeling never really goes away. Thank you for sharing this. Now I need to go and finish my project.

[@myceliumbug]

gl with that!

[@brachlandmusic]

Thanks so much for the insight. You're one of the channels which kept me going and also thinking more deeply of my own art of making music. I am so happy for you making the score for Ground Branch!

[@heddshot87]

Great episode. You will always run the risk of having your work rejected no matter what, and one thing I've been questioning lately is my mindset in the creative phase. I need to start ignoring old patterns and just stay true to whatever path I stumble upon, even if it's not what I intended, or if it's odd. After all, great ideas (especially unique ones) sometimes stem from those true creative explorative sessions.

[@marceloandrade5568]

Man, your stuff is so genuine and sincere that I feel like a friend seatting across a table from you, listening and hoping for the best. Keep it up. It is great!

[@Lesser_Than]

It actually sounds damn good. I hate my music when I’m making it as well, so I know the feeling. 😁

[@the_orcabird]

I'm working on the soundtrack to my first real game project right now and I am constantly struggling with this exact problem. Good to know that no matter how much experience you have behind you, the fun never ends 😅

[@chrismueller4431]

You say exactly what I feel and deal with internally every project I get. And now I have gone from a consistent 9-5 for the last 15 years to doing music and mixing a full tube gig. Keep making great videos like this. Not to many open and honest music producers on KZbin. They all seem to just share the good moments and never the real interval struggles we have as creatives. Imposter syndrome is a MF

[@Childhoof]

"Quantity is what creates Quality" = exactly. This is Mike Monday's philosophy (& I'm sure many others) that I follow & that's why I write every day with zero concerns for quality (quality judgments come later, at least 3 days). The Creator & Editor should never be in the same room...even if it's the same person. Just run that creative hose consistently enough & those nuggets of gold to build from will start to pop out.

[@aethrya]

No bullshit. One reason I respect you so much Cameron. It's the people behind the music that really count. Cheers from Denver.

[@frajeeli]

I seriously love these types of videos you make. Showing the humanity side of artistry really is one of the things that has been keeping me going with my own art. It's been rough recently and the realism that you present has made my own struggles felt a little more worth while. I've come really close to quitting music and your videos have made an impact on me and my will to move forward.

[@joostvanbunnik7646]

it's all about taking action, going forward and see/learn what you get out of it...simply said of course

[@OfficialStevenCravis]

Thank you for this video. I love using the new Cube DUST expansion!

[@mrbacs1]

Love that you shared the creative process. I've recalled you said you never would talking to Ben Jordan. This honest process is so personal ❤

[@krystiankrewniak]

I remember my first "big job". Writing music for a show. Modern drama. I was overthinking stuff...but than I just sat down at my laptop and recorded what I thought would suit best the subject. And the director said:"That's it! That's the sound!". Overthinking stuff is killing the process I think. Thanks for the video❤

[@LookAtDat4ss]

Your pain is inspiring. Obviously not in a nasty way, But as someone in the comments said: "you dont hide your frustration away from us" So YOU just keep on trucking and show us the pain you go through. We cant just see it but feel it as any of us that take creating music seriously know that pain and its inspiring to aim for the pain. Sometimes to find a diamond you gotta swim blindly through sand and glass. There is quality to be found inside of the quantity - KEEP GOING

[@static-san]

This channel has changed so much - but in a good way. A really good, honest, warts-and-all way. Yah - quantity is what creates quality. We forget that a bit too easily. And I hear you about being too close to our own works. I used an older track of mine for some background meditation music this evening. When I auditioned it this afternoon I starting wanting to go back to the DAW and "fix" stuff. But I didn't have time. But when I played it in the meditation, I heard none of the things I was wanting to change.

[@MistyMusicStudio]

Trust your instincts, Fox! Excited to hear the finished OST, I know it’ll be great 😁 Creating a ton of songs and sorting through them later is my process as well lol. It works!

[@PeteKowalsky]

I like this one Cam! Keepin it real, man - I'm sure the music is great and yes, you're probably 100% correct in that nobody but you will notice whatever was making you second-guess your work. The trick for me is working through this process faster than last time, getting to the important stage of the work quicker. Not always a stellar result in my own estimation, but it seems to work out for my clients and they're usually happy. It turns out I know how to make them happy - it just turns into "what makes me happy" in the process as well...and recognizing that sooner is how you get more stuff done. Or, at least how I get stuff done. SHIP IT! :)

[@zephhalo]

Great music Therapy for musicians! We appreciate you Mr. VENUS!! Thanks for sharing your life and heart!! :0)

[@AngelEowyn]

Cameron, I love these kinds of videos that you do. I am writing this now through tears. You are so effing talented yet I see that uncertainty - Imposter Syndrome, as you said. And that gives me hope for myself. Thank you for bearing your soul and making me see what I should see in order to carry on being creative.

[@skymakai]

Do you have a background in photography/cinematography? Every video of yours I watch is like a class in not only storytelling, but in lighting, composition, depth of field and color. And pretty much every one relates not just to music, but the creative process in general. It applies to photography and video as well as music and writing. Thanks for sharing.

[@VenusTheory]

Haha somewhat - always been very into photo/video stuff and dabbled a bit in photography in another life. Super passionate about it though and I spend wayyyyyyyyyy too much time shooting/coloring/lighting these videos. Glad it comes through on screen though!

[@Matt-Hazel]

Going through a similar situation. Your words will echo in my mind for years to come. Thankyou. You've helped a fellow human. ❤

[@Samzpaul121]

always learn from your words a lot thanks mate me stuck few month ago and then your video make me start again what i do again good or bad attest i try :) and thats make me happy to do as an artist :) my music never get perfect as me learning new and i dont know much stuff honestly but in moral i can say this too that your help me to move forward :) thanks and keep going wish you all the best mate :) have a lovely time :)

[@twyjoshy7796]

“Quantity is what creates quality.” Super eye opening! Not only is it practical advice but also a real change in perspective in respect to the creative process itself. Thanks for sharing dude 👍🏻

[@syroyid]

Impressive video quality

[@VenusTheory]

Thanks! I spend way too much time obsessing over it haha. Glad it at least comes through on screen!

[@syroyid]

@@VenusTheory it is an artwork itself, I admire you

[@darkjoedickie]

I needed to hear this today. My current project hit a wall after my collaborator disliked the part I recently added. I felt like I hit every mark we discussed but that's just not how it works somedays. Seeing you delete that file and just moving on with the process speaks to me. I just need to do the damn thing already. Cut out that part and give it another shot coming from a different angle.

[@WarrenPostma]

I appreciate this kind of vlog, it feels quite relatable. Creative workflow reflections and rants.

[@elone3997]

I feel you..We're in different fields professionally (I do graphics) but the biggest struggles I've faced is with myself. Perfectionism is a straight up killer and it's certainly had quite a negative effect on my work at times. The times where I've switched off my head and just zoned out have led to some amazing things. Kinda like when Luke switches off the targeting computer and goes in full manual in the Starwars trench run. Getting into that state is tricky but at least I know now when I can feel myself pixel fu**ing and just moving things around. Not improving, just moving, or at worst, actually making it worse as you mentioned. The major thing I learnt (sadly very late) was to take LOTS of breaks. It seems counter intuitive to not be working but I find that when I'm away from the monitor, new ideas come thick and fast which would never have happened at the computer as I'd still be just moving s**t around and pretending it was better than 2 hours ago. It also means when I return, I can often see all the problems straight away almost like there is a neon sign pointing towards it. The worst time I had was working on a design for weeks and had been so under pressure and so tunnel vision on it that I hadn't come up for air. I finally finished it thinking I may have just made the single greatest collection of pixels ever. When I returned to it days later, the realisation kicked in. It was terrible. I mean, like literally the worst thing I'd ever designed. That hit hard. I don't work like that anymore thankfully ☺️ Like you also mentioned, the things that I thought were hyper important often turn out to be nothing and it's another symptom of the tunnel vision/blinkers.. Glad you got good feedback and that they were all cool 👍☺️ ps The worst brief I ever got was 'I'll know it when I see it'.. 😬

[@ephjaymusic]

You're seriously one of the most down-to-earth, realistic and genuine musicians on here. An incredible example for the producer community and I appreciate you being so brutally honest about it all. 🙏🏻

[@jakesenkow7684]

This video couldn’t be more timely. After watching a series of videos that started with the documentary “Recording In Progress” I was hours/days from giving up on the dream and begin selling off my gear. I was seriously considering the possibility that I have been lying to myself all these years, that I didn’t have what truly creative people have and that it was time to embrace the horror. Thank you for sharing this story. It really has talked me down off the ledge.

[@sinisterai]

Thanks moustachio man. Your vlogs and advice on how to face up to natural creative shadows keeps me trying when I'm down, this one too. Cheers!

[@michelgregoire7051]

Thanks for sharing this Cameron, I just had a episode of imposter syndrome and self-loathing. This gave me some hope. You rule!

[@sethschaeffer]

Dude. I absolutely love this. Thank you for always being as open as you’re able to. It’s inspiring and refreshing and helpful and other words that mean these same things.

[@jennyheidewald5006]

I just did a remix contest,my first finished music thing. I kept waffling between "it's nice, i like it" and "it's terrible, I hate it everone will hate it." for sure the hardest part is getting started, even with 99.9% of the work done by the original musician. Keep on keeping on!❤

[@SeanSullivan6119]

Awesome. I watched you bare your soul as I sit here re-stringing my Tele in hopes of actually accomplishing something today, and ater watching - I think I just may. Accomplish something, that is. It was just very cool to watch someone, who is a working songwriter/musician, struggle in the same ways as I do every single day. Thanks, brotherman.

[@brentmcdeez]

Hey mate. Brilliant video for creatives of all mediums. I'm a user experience designer and musician. I have a couple of observations that I think would be of benefit to you and your avid comment readers: 1. I feel your pain. I've been there. 2. When I consult with fellow colleagues about projects, a big part of what we do is gathering requirements and gaining as much understanding as possible before beginning our work. Often our clients/stakeholders don't really know how to express what they want and that's why it's an important role for my profession to facilitate a conversation to gather as much information from them as possible before we begin our work. Creative limitations are a blessing for both parties. They get what they want and you're able to start creating with the confidence that you'll deliver within the ballpark of what they had desired. 3. Having conversations before beginning work makes everything so much easier for everyone. It saves us creatives so much stress because if we ask the right questions and agree on the right references, we can begin creating with confidence. 4. Speaking of references, In design we create mood boards. Basically it's a collage of images, colours, textures, logos ect that gives us a particular vibe. We usually create 3 unique mood boards within the ballpark that we think the stakeholder will like. We then let them choose their favourite. With music production this may be sharing a few different video game soundtracks and figuring out what they like the most. You'll usually end up with a blend of the 3 which is perfect. Much better than 'Do whatever you think is best'. :) Love your videos mate.

[@AndersWeijnitz]

Love soundtrack you made to this video! Nuanced and underlining the key points and bringing out the emotional content.

[@mrslindaofficial4720]

Wow❤ I am really really touched by this honesty and showing your frustration and being just authentic in this video. For me as a beginner at producing I am so scared and think I have to know everything first or be perfect. This video really is a big hug for me. Thank you very much🎉❤ keep going with your awesome work!

[@tonyduncan4875]

what i love about your channel is that everything is real,

[@grozlz]

jeez, way to give everyone a panic attack at the end with "and again, and again" :D you really hit the nail on the head

[@liamv9556]

Watching you go through it really helps me when i'm going through it. You're an absolute gem dude., don't ever change.

[@MrSonicAlchemy]

Happens to the best of us. Sometimes you have to go down the wrong path for quite a while before you realize it's just the wrong path. Good old-fashioned analysis paralysis.

[@ZachScott95]

This found me at a time I really needed it. Thank you so much for the upload

[@bobbychaos]

I loved every minute of this video. I got so much out of watching it. Struggle is ALSO the creative process. Thank you for sharing this with us 🙏🏽🖤

[@skeletonmodel]

Also really love the spot in music making spectrum you nestled yourself into. It is so refreshing, so needed and the quality is outstanding

[@DaveDickens]

Sometimes I just start in the middle, just throw down ideas as you say and see where they go. Great video as always, thank you. Cheers Dave

[@rainer3755]

what i’ve found helps for the last few months is I lay down some pretty basic version of what i am trying to make - just a chord progression, simple drums and maybe some bass just to set the mood and tempo and then i actually start producing. sometimes i don’t even use 90% of that starting phase but it’s really easier to start with a very rough sketch than with a blank canvas.

[@boikomet]

the "from quantity comes quality" is so true when I think of it! good video as always. congrats on the project! It does sound very interesting!

[@ranradd]

Thanks for sharing. For me, the book "Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking" really helped a lot with just letting go and let the art happen. Still, the doubts come in, but it's ok.

[@pumodi]

Fuck yeah dude! Ground Branch is a great game! Excited to hear your take on the music for it :)

[@munkeycop]

Nothing like a deadline to help pull focus and prevent the overthinking feedback loop. Another great video 👍

[@richardsaffle]

Once again, the message I needed to hear, in music & in life, when I needed to hear it. Thank you for sharing this.

[@turbotambourine]

Thanks for sharing the process! From designing books, I can tell you that I have started a couple with the cover and dang you never get anywhere. Even if you do by the time the inside is done it no longer is cohesive with the cover and you scrap it. Or sometimes the cover hampers everything else as you’re wanting to maintain that cohesion. I explain it like this now, just needing to know what the thing is before you put one thing on the front to represent it all. So glad you were able to get over that initial hurdle and decide to just be messy about it and explore. I feel like you find the most interesting stuff when you’re free from the worry of any one thing needing to be the everything and eventually you can make decisions that pull things together. Fascinating to see this in the musical score context. Super appreciate it!

[@woollas]

Best YT channel on the art of making music on YT.

[@mattrixx_audio]

Yup, 30 years in, self doubt always still gives ya a tap on the shoulder to check your confidence or ego. It can be very reassuring when understood... as that tap from the monkey on ya shoulder is 95% our own self doubt. But recognising it in the time of need, kinda never lines up. Great story Cam. Love your attention to detail.

[@mog068]

Dig it. I'm still stuck in "everyone has ideas, but very few actually do things" alley, mainly because of having a full time engineering job. But when I have committed to make sound art I have definitely faced the blank canvas with dread. This helps with that next level.

[@cajuncrackerranch7990]

Think long think wrong, just do! Thanks for posting… it is part of the process like a chef with ingredients the entree the tools, the time, the patience. The spice of life some would argue is options…having so many options. However, with time, patience, and silence… it’s the simple dish that winds up tasting sweeter and more fulfilling. Good stuff man. Peace ✌️

[@georgeferguson4196]

I love how insightful you are. I started creating just after you did that video about FL studio (That was the DAW I went with) and I loved the steps with the creatures. I created something small, and I was waiting for it to be perfect, but it ain't no fine wine so I put it on the old Bandcamp, (fingers crossed)