Musical Minimalism: How To Finally Finish Your Songs

[@VenusTheory]

Wooooo - last video before I leave for Paris for a few weeks. In the meantime, do me a favor and go get some sh*t done. Become a Patron ► venustheory.com/patrons

[@JCrashB]

Happy trails. Coming to Berlin on a sidestep as well? Maybe meet for a Currywurst or a Döner?

[@SsgtHolland]

Love this video! Good luck in Paris, don't let the bedbugs bite. Literally.

[@moolder]

Have a nice trip!

[@Yuusou.]

Just heard, that Paris has countless bedbugs. So be careful and don't carry them back home with you. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmGrh4Vpq52Mps0

[@yb8080]

What are you doing in Paris? I am from Paris.

[@ClaesLanng]

Someone gave me this advice today: "If you don't release your music, how am I supposed to listen to it? If you don't wanna release it for YOU, then release it for ME"

[@pershendetjesijeni]

Lmao ate

[@tizoc977]

"9 times out of 10 when facing writer's block, it's because you are afraid of what it won't be" this perfectly describes my anxiety around a lot of tracks I can't finish. It's helped me to just give myself a deadline on a track and release it, regardless if it sucks to me or not. At the least, it builds skills for future tracks and it forces me to keep moving forward. Thanks for the vid!

[@nightzzmixx]

It perfectly described my habits as well. I always want to make music and have it be like a certain song or as good as a certain artist would make it, and when it isn’t I give up on it. I have about 300 or so abandoned projects, albeit some with less work put into them than others, and sometimes I’ll go back to listen and think “This was pretty good, why didn’t I finish it?”

[@tizoc977]

@@nightzzmixx so true! As part of my weekly releases, I’ve been going through the back catalogue and finishing these gems. As you release more you get better at identifying what you could do to finish em too 🤙

[@InnocentShibaInu-zi2zm]

Give alink to your any of your songs or s ill ch3ck it out

[@FGCLovesYou]

That line hit me really hard as well. Because if I give up this one fear, and accept that I can just spend time on something and do my best and then we’ll see how it turns out, that just leaves spending time on the process. I *know* I can do the process. And then I get to be surprised along with everyone else in how it turns out.

[@TomTaylorMade]

exactly this, when the quality of what you have going on in your head doesn’t match with what actually comes out on the page. Really makes one feel like a loser at times.

[@iqnill]

As an architect and (a self-proclaimed) musician I always try to remember that: The design is finished not when there's nothing else to add, but when there's nothing else to remove from it.

[@petermcateer1354]

Well said! As a structural engineer, I concur!

[@internet_user1131]

Well put

[@fx_berg]

or as dieter rams (braun..) put it: Good design is as little design as possible (#10 of his 10 rules of design) ;)

[@AiBoru]

Perfection is simplicity. Simlest thing that still functions well is perfect. But when you design something, first you need to know what is unnecessary. That usually comes after a lot of practice.

[@sagarock1012]

​@@AiBoruexactly

[@Davotunes]

"Music is a top down thing. You can't master your way out of a bad mix, you can't mix your way out of a bad arrangement, you cant arrange your way out of a boring song and you cant sound desing out of a fundamentaly crappy idea." man that was just BRUTAL TRUTH!! ❤

[@trakkaton]

Well, that is exactly the opposite of what he proved, as most of the minimalist ideas in that video hat zero meat to them and were all effect and surface.

[@witherschat]

@@trakkaton You are mixing up "simple" and "bad".

[@doratheshade]

And that's exactly why I won't ever finish my projects. The ideas are already bad, so there's no point in finishing them if the best result is just a "meh"

[@kylemattox2080]

@@doratheshadeart is subjective. Think about all the songs you don’t like or don’t think sounds good.

[@TheToobNube]

"Pixar films don't get finished, they just get released." Handwritten letter to fan, from director of Monsters, Inc.

[@mice4890]

Wow

[@teddy3761]

You're a monster.

[@InceyWincey]

The original quote is by Paul Valéry, the French poet, in an essay in 1933. In the original French he says: Aux yeux de ces amateurs d’inquiétude et de perfection, un ouvrage n’est jamais achevé, - mot qui pour eux n’a aucun sens, - mais abandonné ; et cet abandon, qui le livre aux flammes ou au public (et qu’il soit l’effet de la lassitude ou de l’obligation de livrer) est une sorte d’accident, comparable à la rupture d’une réflexion, que la fatigue, le fâcheux ou quelque sensation viennent rendre nulle. Or in English: In the eyes of those who anxiously seek perfection, a work is never truly completed-a word that for them has no sense-but abandoned; and this abandonment, of the book to the fire or to the public, whether due to weariness or to a need to deliver it for publication, is a sort of accident, comparable to the letting-go of an idea that has become so tiring or annoying that one has lost all interest in it.

[@TheToobNube]

That's beautiful! Thank you for sharing @@InceyWincey

[@jacobjaramillo3192]

@@InceyWinceythis exactly explains my entire life of making music.

[@Mista808]

My jaw is on the floor right now. I'm almost in actual tears. Goosebumps! I've been producing for well over 20 years. I'm currently 40 years of age. In the last few years I started to really get burned out when it came to producing new music. I just didn't feel like sitting down and spending countless hours on making new music anymore. Especially due to the fact that I never really "made it" as a musician. I've made some awesome music over the years, but never was able to make a career out of it. The way I'd envisioned all those years ago when I pressed my first key. Because of that, it's lead to me getting burned out. And because of that, as well as NEVER making it within the industry, it lead to catastrophic depression! The feeling that I'd just wasted 20+ years of my life for almost NOTHING! Especially when you factor in all the naysayers throughout the years. The people telling me to "grow up.." or "get a real job.." or... "you better have other options than just music!" With that said.. I stumbled upon this video and it completely blew my mind. Similarly to the way you said you felt when you were 15 regarding the white canvas. For years I would make a beautiful song.. but always left the project in an unfinished state.. simply assuming it needed more! And not just more as far as vocals, but MORE sounds, more instruments.. MORE MORE MORE! I think we come to that point because these days instead of having a guitar, a piano, a bass, and maybe some drums.. we quite literally have thousands.. if not hundreds of thousands of different sounds/instruments/vst's to choose from. This has always made me feel like my instrumentals were always lacking, or that they NEEDED MORE! When in reality, some of the best songs I've ever heard in my life maybe have 3-6 different sounds in them. Including most rock bands etc. that are out there! I appreciate you for this! This may help me relight the candle that has been fading away for the last several years.

[@Skiddoo42]

I share a lack of commercial success over the course of five decades now and I want to thank you for relating your story. What I found about music I also found true about every endeavor in my life: I'm doing this for my own enjoyment. Sometimes, especially in the beginning, we are under so much pressure from ourselves and others to perform to rather arbitrary expectations that we actually traumatize ourselves and kill our joy of working altogether. Some of us need more scrutiny or support than we can easily find. I keep relearning this essential practice of turning something monotonous into a game, then finding joy in it. At least, that's what I tell myself. Sometimes it works, and other times I just give myself a greater sense of liberation by giving up and doing something else. That's when I'm most grateful that I'm not considered a success, because when I do go back to playing, it's totally authentic and free of any pressures or expectations.

[@fecklessmovies]

@@Skiddoo42yes it would be preferable to be a commercial success. But if you’re not you should definitely enjoy and make the most of not having the pressure that comes from success, ie having to create a follow-up that is equally successful (and in the fickle world of showbiz who’s to say what will and won’t be commercially successful, however good it is). If you have no record company or contract or expectations from anyone you are free to make exactly the music YOU want in the way you want. And with nothing much to fear from it being unpopular.

[@TheTruthTooth]

@@Skiddoo42 Im 27 and been writing raps since 7. What I'd say for older folks with so much knowledge on music is that there is a lack of musical engineers/producers that singers need. I believe in working with a talent for free and set up the ownership percentage. Blow one song, then start a career from there. This is what Drake's producer "40" did. Work as a team like a band would

[@thomasfrench149]

In your boat and this was the comment I needed to hear to get back on the horse. Of course thanks to the video creator as well. Happy Thanksgiving to you! Thankful for this sentiment!

[@a.nobodys.nobody]

Yuuuuup

[@WavePunkRL]

Common misconception about 4’33, it’s not 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence, but rather 4 minutes and 33 seconds of ambience. It’s an encouragement to listen to how musical the world around us already is, and courts the idea that the only thing that separates noise and music is perception. If you watch John cage perform the piece, he usually does it outdoors with life and nature making sounds around him, not in a sterile soundproof concert hall.

[@5PawZ]

I will always remember his quote from a VHS documentary I watched during high school "what is more musical? A truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school?" It kinda opened up my mind to this whole avant garde and modern take on "music" which up until then I shunned it (classically trained pianist since a child). Then a couple decades later I discover Nils Frahm who says he hates sheet music (as quoted in his sheet music books) and just improvised, and it opened my mind a second time.

[@ClowdyHowdy]

I suppose it could be a common misconception, but framing it as such feels quite closed off to me. 4'33 isn't anything other than 4,33. Also, "silence" is never without ambience. You have to build an expensive anechoic chamber to approximate true silence, so trying to draw a distinction between silence and ambience is like separating water from wet. Further more, your experience of 4'33 might be truly listening to your surroundings in a perceptive manner one day, and on another be a pressure cooker of racing thoughts too loud to give any thought to your surrounding. If I'm emotionally wrapped up that I don't notice the sound of someone uncrossing and crossing their legs or letting out a sigh, am I not experiencing 4'33? Even for John Cage, he absolutely did hold performances of the piece in stuffy concert halls. What it is for him from one day to another is also not set in stone. These things don't require strict definition or pressure to avoid misconceptions about intent. It also doesn't require you adopt the frame of someone who pompously "explains for you the meaning" of a truly abstract piece of art. Let your 4'33 be your own.

[@peach_total]

@@ClowdyHowdyeven in stuffy concert halls you’re listening to chairs creaking and fabric ruffling as people move, make small noises etc. 4’33 was deeply informed by his trip to Harvards anechoic chamber (one of the most sound-proofed and quietest places on earth). when he left he said that he heard two sounds: a high and low sound and was informed the high sound was his nervous system and the low sound was his blood moving through his body. 4’33 is directly and explicitly linked to the /rejection/ of the concept of silence, and the invitation to spend four and a half minutes actively listening to the world around you

[@manolitosanchez]

I thought you were going to mention the other misconception about 4'33'': according to the score it doesn't even need to last 4'33''.

[@classicallpvault]

Nonsense. It literally is 4.33 minutes of silence. Silence by the performer. Your analysis doesn't stand up to scrutiny and this is easily proven by applying the exact same standard to any other work which doesn't rely on conceptualism. According to this logic, a Chopin piano sonata includes the coughs of the audience in between movements. It most certainly doesn't. Logic is only logic if universally applicable. Followers of John Cage's insane aesthetic theories can only come up with demented postmodernist gobbledygook in order to justify their cluelessness. The man does not deserve any following and neither do other adherents of postmodernist conceptualism. 3rd rate composers of a bygone era, whose works were already dated when new, like for example Daniel Steibelt or Maria Szymanowska, were all Beethoven-level geniuses compared to these silly postmodernists.

[@dylanagoblin9298]

I like to mix while I’m composing, it helps me think about the space. If you’re wondering how to do more with less instruments think about the space they’re existing in. Don’t have every instrument front and central, pan things, or have them in the background if they’re not the main focus. Even putting reverb or delay on an instrument can help it fill up space and you can really do a lot more with less! When I’m picking an instrument I’m thinking about what it’s purpose is and where it exists. I feel like this definitely helps with minimalism and doing more with less!

[@mdmorris6193]

I’m 61. I’ve been recording songs for 45 years. And I’ve learned as I’ve (arguably!?) gotten better at it that the stronger the song (as in the copyrightable bits: melody and lyric), the less you need to support that melody and lyric. Great video, Cameron. Well done!

[@RutgerSteenbergen]

Agree, it's all about the story you tell. If the story is poor, you have to add a lot to make it look like something. And vice versa, too. With minimal means, you can tell a great story.

[@dumb_as_rocks]

then best songs sound good even stumbled through by an amateur on a partially tuned acoustic

[@stevenpagano]

well said

[@kylergunnell]

Filmmaker here, I couldn't help but feel how many parallels I could draw between music production and filmmaking. I think all of the ideas presented in your video can easily be applied not only to filmmaking, but many other art disciplines.

[@fecklessmovies]

And cooking too 👨‍🍳

[@jay50lane]

i agree

[@BrendanMiranda]

They fit together like a dovetail. Both are structured storytelling methods that can be built in a non linear fashion in order to convey emotion.

[@jl_117]

I find truth in this in the process of getting better across disciplines. e.g. Michael Jordan had a “try to score with just 1 dribble” practice in basketball The idea of stripping away things to only with whats needed and mastering that before worrying about the extra stuff

[@alleyway3215]

As a filmmaker and composer, I wholeheartedly agree with you.

[@marcantoinefelix]

Really like your style. You're not only a good musician and producer, you are like a creativity philosopher, always pushing people forward to create, without fear. Best respect. Have you written a book? You should.

[@EquatorAU]

this really helped me get out of my writers block. having a clear vision of what the core 1-3 things are for each part of my track and making sure they're executed really well is so powerful. thank you for this

[@jarkokoo]

For me the thing when I started to finish my tracks was when I stopped pleasing anyone else but myself with my music. This eventually led me to really like my own music. And I'm a firm believer that you need to be your own biggest fan. If you don't like what you create, how do you expect anyone else to like it? But, if you like your own creations, there's a fairly big chance that someone else will as well. And this has nothing to do how complex music I make, I just make what I enjoy to make and make decisions just to please myself. I haven't felt a writer's block since (I've been there back in the days and that was exactly because I tried to please other people, not myself - trying to chase the trends so to speak).

[@CatFish107]

Way to go (genuine encouragement)!

[@fortissimoX]

Yep, totally agree with this!

[@mrratskins]

Absolutely. That is something to keep in the forefront of the mind.

[@brutallyremastered4255]

One of the greatest things I heard was Billy Gibbons saying "Play what you want to hear".

[@vukjovanovicofficial]

Actually helped me a lot hearing this! I always let other peoples opinions make me insecure about my own music, recently I played a new song to a friend of mine and he said that i needed more of this, and more of that, but i liked it the way it was, i was really discouraged and this comment helped me a lot! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, sincerely!

[@stankoproduction]

Everything, from camera work, recording quality, editing, narration style and concepts delivered makes this an amazing video. This is premium quality content and it could easily be a whole paid masterclass by itself. Well done Cameron.

[@dr.gregoryf.maassen2637]

"Only having what you need" as a definition of minimalism makes perfect sense and can be applied to many things in life, including music production. This not only cures those from hoarding VSTs and unnecessary synthesizers, libraries, and MIDI controllers, but it also amplifies the likelihood of completing a musical piece or any given project. Thanks for the homework. Enjoy the wine.

[@SoundColliderMusic]

Talk about timing! I'm in the midst of recording an instrumental album by myself and I can't tell you how much this resonated with me. In the past I've gotten stuck so many times due to option paralysis, over thinking things and trying to add so much to a piece in order to make it "enough" that they started falling apart and eventually gave up on them all together. There is something to simplicity and intent. A solid melody doesn't need much to spice it up ❤

[@jamespingel8730]

This was something I noticed years ago when I got my first mastering gig. It was for an IDM compilation, and most of the artists on that album had been producing for 20+ years compared to my 5 years at the time. So I had the opportunity to listen to these tracks from much more experienced artists and force myself to think about how they were structuring their songs so I could bring the best master to each song, and inevitably I compared what they were doing to what I was doing. Without fail, I could tell that they had less stuff going on in their songs than I did, but there was much more intention (or at least the appearance of intention) behind every thing in there. It's taken years, but I feel like I've gotten much better at that now. When I sit down with an idea, I try to put only that down in the DAW with no other embellishment. I get that base polished up and then see if I hear anything else. My average track count hovers around 10-20 tracks (with half of those just being dedicated channels for each drum hit, and another quarter being FX sends). Average number of inserts on each track is 2-3 (EQ - often just a simple 3 band bus EQ with compression and/or saturation as needed). My most recent 3 tracks were finished in 4-6 hours each, and I'm still enjoying listening to them too.

[@ToxicTurtleIsMad]

Such a stupid generalization. Richard Wagner, the greatest genius who ever lived is nothing but minimal

[@llynxfyre]

​@ToxicTurtleIsMad not a generalisation buddy.

[@RayTheProducer]

I finish my songs. It’s the ‘final’ finish that takes forever. Ears play tricks on you after you’ve lived with a song for too long. Good stuff.

[@Abundanc3beats]

So true. That polishing phase is my least favorite part.

[@yunki_]

My teacher says there’s no such thing as the final mix, just the mix that gets mastered. 🤣

[@lippi2171]

​@@Abundanc3beatsI can second that, I don't know how many of my songs are waiting for me to do like one 30 seconds overdub or sume final touch... but they've been waiting hopelessly for years basically. This is just sad

[@ben_m_collins]

I've watched and rewatched this multiple times now and I actually plan to watch it over and over again. I needed to hear this, thank you

[@Conradaxx]

It’s strange when you hear exactly what you need to hear at the exact time you needed to hear it. Some form of synchronicity perhaps… I’ve had such a creative block that I haven’t touched an instrument nor booted up a DAW in almost a year. The ideas in this video somehow changed that and I’m actually excited; something I haven’t been in relation to composition in quite some time

[@TeddyBaas]

I was just thinking that

[@PhilDoleman]

This is a great video! I'm in my 50s, so when I started out, the best thing I could get my hands on was a cassette tape 4 track machine. It was amazing being able to overdub and I had so much fun making music. Now, I have pretty much unlimited tracks, the ability to edit, cheap or even free software versions of effects or synths that would have been well out of my price range as a teen. This is fun too, but can be massively overwhelming. Recently I've been going back to recording live as a single stereo track, or picking 3 instruments and allowing one track for each plus a vocal, playing from beginning to end rather than comping.

[@amateurmusica]

I've been producing for around ten years, with some of those as a composition major. I've "finished" like 3 tracks, with literally 3 2TB harddrives (2 of them corrupted) of music started and not finished. It's gotten to the point I think something is wrong with me. I quit music after performance anxiety/medication and depression led to a bad car accident and traumatic brain injury and now work in the Emergency department. I still produce, more so these days now that it's more fun again. But it really still weighs on me greatly not having something finished that I feel proud of

[@damionandy]

I loved this man. Bravo. This was a great reminder to stop overthinking and overdoing and just do.

[@vukjovanovicofficial]

Man, discovering this channel made me see the light at the end of the tunnel. I was very scared that my music was not up to some modern standards of music, not having the same sound quality of many other producers, always felt like it was never good enough or that it was maybe too simple. I'll say this with utmost sincerity thank you man, I needed something like this. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! You have an amazing community here, seeing how much positivity and support people in your comments give to each other has encouraged me to keep on making music! Thank you fellas!

[@wilhelmtheconquerer6214]

This is one of the big pro's of recording real amps and drumsets, especially to analog tape; at some point you'll just have to say "this is good enough, we're all done", rather than constantly blending amps, trying out different IRs, time align, autotune and harmonise everything into oblivion until every audible frequency is stuffed

[@CatFish107]

Similarly, I just run a stereo out from my modular to a field recorder. When I'm messing around and stumble my way into "hey this is cool" territory, I hit record. Problem is remembering to cut the recording so I don't end up with half hour jam songs.

[@sgtmusic]

Yes.. recording in an expensive studio helps too! Get in, get it finished

[@wilhelmtheconquerer6214]

@@sgtmusic sounds like throwing away money to me. Big studios are as dead as record companies

[@sgtmusic]

@@wilhelmtheconquerer6214 I record at home now.. but can’t finish any songs! When I used to record in studios.. I’d be done in a few days then off to Mastering

[@PKFlashBeta]

Alternatively, your name could be Kevin Shields

[@JustaArmada99]

Learning to become a great writer has been more of a spiritual journey for me. A lot of the obstacles I faced, i believed that making a great song was having a specific eq or a plug-in. I thought there was a short cut for everything!! My focus was not even on the music itself. I wasnt having fun at all. I was overwhelmed. Im glad to say that im doing better now and this video really nails it hard, especially when you're starting out. But this is a great reminder for me to focus on the right things and not lose the vision along the way.

[@KarimLeMec]

I'm an Italian native language... But your video is pure poetry. You are a musician, have a beautiful deep voice and an incredible story teller. Keep it up.. I think you make videos better than the previous.. And I go suddenly finish my sketchy tracks !!! Cheers!

[@Byron101_]

I prefer italian language but I don´t understand this so sad

[@notsure1135]

Io non posto palare Italiano.

[@kruuuber]

I’m not a musician, but a photographer here to thank you for sharing this knowledge. You are a great communicator and a wise man. There is so much in your videos applicable accross the creative fields. Best regards from Norway.

[@LSchulz1414]

I really love these kind of videos. It‘s inspiring for me, when You talk about the process of making music in general. Very refreshing between all the tutorials on small detail here on KZbin. Thanks for sharing Your experience and information!

[@entheogenetic]

I like your style. I'm behind for all kinds of reasons - but, you are inspiring me - the work, commitment, attitude, professionalism, delivery... I'm just impressed

[@Kin_G_JLab]

Very important to remember. Artists. Don't "follow" rules. Might know them, might learn ourselves techniques. But each is their own freak, let it out, let it leak. Never fear, keep on, otherwise you will go wrong.

[@JanneAirDotCom]

I really wish to sit down with you one day and talk about music production. You've verbalised so many things that I already knew, but I thought I was alone with my thoughts. I have used your wisdom for 20€ worth now, I think and I hope I feel to pledge more soon. Luv you buddy!

[@BILLY-px3hw]

Another One Bites the Dust & We Will Rock You, are two songs that I often think about when I begin complicating things, at that time in Queen's career they could have done anything they wanted, they had access to the best producers, engineers, and musicians, while these tracks are well executed & recorded their bare bones simplicity is the only thing that sticks. Let's go! Steve walks warily down the street With the brim pulled way down low

[@scizmeli]

This is the single best advice I could ever get. I'll keep coming back to this video to humble myself over and over again. Thanks Venus

[@ThoughtsAndPretzels]

Almost like i waited for this 1 from you - i do minimalist songwriting, embrace looping, 4-6 tracks max etc & that's how I released 1 EP a month since 2 years, making it 100 songs by the end of this year.

[@petermaina9579]

I really appreciate you "yelling" at us, at me. I've had some simple ideas with making and recording music, and complicated the hell out of it that it paralyzed me enough that I haven't done anything for 5 years or so, and like you said, I was "afraid of what the thing (I'm) doing won't be." (8:53). Thanks for reminding me to keep the creative ideas simple.

[@CandiLain]

Your videos are timely as ever. Thank you 🙏 I’m opening my DAW to work on something I started yesterday. I’m going to keep this one simple and see what happens

[@kklsid]

I expected this to be one of those many videos I watched about "finishing songs" that don't help me at all. Instead this might just be the best and most important music production video I have ever watched. Thank you.

[@drmisterius]

Totally agree. Got caught up in buying gear that looked cool as opposed to providing me with maximum value. Now I’m sitting with a beat machine and a Hydrasynth and have been having way more fun and producing more than when I had all my extra equipment

[@mrfork]

Creative block comes from the fear of what the thing you’re doing won’t be…..that hit like a truck. Thanks man. Needed to hear it.

[@MikeRenouf]

Recording everything live as one stereo track is my favourite way of really getting s**t done. 👌

[@alexpuicea994]

Yep, me too ❤🎉

[@yb8080]

That is the way I have always done it.

[@Dave-hp4vh]

Ah, the Velvet Underground production technique. Hey, if the song is solid, it works.

[@chonbaquer]

correct

[@Heathcliff_hensel]

There is nothing wrong with doing that except that you have to pre-mix your track.

[@Famed-Mimic-Gogo]

Not for nothing, but of the small amount of recorded music I've been a part of, I still think fondly of my time as a punk drummer. We demoed in our basement practice space with a cheap mic set. It was trashy and full of ambient noise; but it felt so *real*. Sure, I wish we got the opportunity to put together a proper EP, but I would absolutely keep the spirit of that demo in it. I listen to lots of music with all levels of production polish, but sometimes the bare bones approach just feels right.

[@NickNitro]

any time I need to compose, I have a personal challenge! compose it with magical 8 bit plugin! give myself 3 channels. square, triangle & noise drums. does it sound good? export as midi, import it back in. EXPAND IT, MAKE IT BIG, MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL. :D

[@biggSHNDO]

That dues sounds fun

[@marcelrodeka]

Thank you for this. Over the many years as a professional, working musician we have learnt about ‘less is more’. But your video reminds us of this in a fresh way. It’s so easy to layer. I’m currently writing new music and will again consider your words carefully. Thank you

[@WavePotter]

Man, this is some life-changing philosophy right here. Thank you. I've been trying to finish the 2 songs i'm working on right now for around 12 years because i wanted them to be too complex and epic. Now i'm inspired to just let them be and finish them. Great video bro!

[@pinealdiamond6692]

Hell yeah man! I have had some tracks I spent so much time on only to remain unfinished or me being unhappy with how they turned out and I've noticed time and time again that my favorite tracks that even other people liked were finished in hours and not even days.

[@HENRIVICTORIOUS1]

12 YEARS... WHAT!

[@just2comment2]

@@HENRIVICTORIOUS1 he is from the Sade and Kate Bush school of music making lol

[@peternelson4419]

This was really great, as are most of your videos. I've been recording my own music for over 50 years , and now that's it's possible to do so much, I always think about what's necessary for the song. I think about serving the song, more than just adding things because I can. (Like strings - because I like strings). A solid song is the key, and if it's a great song, it should work with just piano or guitar, and vocals. I always think about this. I see people here asking how you know if you've written a great song, and after all these years I have an answer to this question. I cry. When the tears come to my eyes... I know.

[@TarzanHedgepeth]

Hey… that’s right.

[@AardvarkDream]

I started watching your videos back in the days of "what's the cool new free plugin this week?" You don't make those any more. Thank you. The changed focus is a better focus. These videos are worth watching. They're worth watching now, and unlike the cool new plugin videos, they'll still be worth watching ten or twenty years from now. Music changes, but why we make it doesn't.

[@neilsmith5464]

"...but they did it..." It's always been so easy to sit on the side an point the finger and challenge the absurdity of some tunes, paintings, book... but they actually did it. Not plugin (as I wont link the track) but I published my first solo track last year on the main streaming services. Finally just got on with it and did it. Could it be better, probably, am i inspired to do more, yes. did i learn from it - absolutely. I've spent more time writing songs this year than last - because I want better ideas, and am getting them. Love the challenge here, as always. The big takeaway for me this year is finding creativity in limits. Force myself to write with a certain progression, incorporate a random lyric, set a time signature, choose the song form.. operating with intent and taking one step after another. Thanks for this, and your channel. Greetings from just outside London[England]

[@stevesoucy5932]

"So that's it. That's your homework. Get out." 😂 Awesome as always, Cam. Over complicating projects is definitely something that I struggle with quite frequently.

[@caspaclark]

Not to many people grab my attention. You've got a voice my friend

[@LimTind]

You hit the sweet spot between life-optimization, philosophy, sound design and comedy for me... thanks for being here and doing what you do! 🙌 You are awesome, Cameron! Enjoy your time in Paris :)

[@rick49]

This post has really opened my mind! I often sit larping over my complex ideas that never get done. Minimalism shall set me free! "Never fear simple ideas."

[@ResAffolterSoundproductions]

a wonderful post! Thank you for that. I've been trying to reduce my songs to 8 tracks or less lately. This also applies to 8 or less instruments. It's very liberating and fun as hell 🙏🏻✨🌈🍀🕊

[@EdibleGlue369]

When I was in college for animation, our professors were huge proponents of challenging us to say as much as we could with only what was necessary. The classic "less is more" adage in storytelling taught us out to stress the right things, which made our best ideas thrive.

[@pianoomann88]

"Never fear simple ideas" - 🙏🏻

[@DoctorNemmo]

That's how fascism arises

[@petersangre]

@@DoctorNemmo This actually makes sense lol

[@Psyshimmer]

the irony of such a simple premise provoking an overly simplistic conclusion@@DoctorNemmo

[@Gigusx]

@@DoctorNemmo That's how freedom and democracy arise too 😉

[@DoctorNemmo]

@@Gigusx Democracy is a complex thing ! How do you organize millions of people to vote at once? It's impossible, I tell ya

[@OmShira]

That´s it! After stacking all plugins we could get our hands on, we go back to what really counts: creativity and breathing! Thanx and go on with the amazing work!

[@kianamarrie]

This felt like a massage for my brain. I’m tired of making complicated music. Thanks for the tips! 🙏🏾

It's amazing how KZbin recommend me your video right after I uploaded my latest video talking about finishing our projects and getting detached from perfection. I'm glad to have found your channel, which will surely inspire me 😊

[@HewittH]

Great video! The philosophical ones don't always land with me because I'm an amateur philosopher and I've got 20 years on you. But this one, I needed.

[@PrinceWesterburg]

Brilliant! They say in classical music there might be 7 harmonies going on but even a trained ear can only concentrate on three or four so every time you hear that piece it sounds different. Your art teacher said "But they didn't" its a common phrase, I don't know who its attributed to but it was some art critic and was published widely. If people don't do something then generally there's a reason however I remember as a child in the 70's seeing a guy make this horrendous noise with a massive Moog and he said "But none would make such sounds!" and I wanted to, if you heard it now, it would be EDM. Everything has a time and a place - Just follow your heart not your head of your groin, thats in everything!

[@Ben__David]

While I have to appreciate your point of view and something like the "rule of three" when striving for productivity, I think something is lost thereby. I love when one can listen to music and discover a new detail everytime. And how these "discoveries" change upon whom you ask. For instance, I myself am a guitarist and find myself suprised to find another new melody or detail everytime I listen to the Dark Side of the Moon Album. A friend of mine is a drummer and he has a totally different musical focus so that his three perceived sounds might be totally different from mine. To find that indivualism in a song is hardly possible with the minimalism approach in my opinion.

[@je6164]

"You're afraid of what the thing you're doing Won't Be"... nailed it

[@worksofein6449]

I've been using a rule of 3 for a while interms of limiting influences. I like it as an arrangement tool though, so I'm gonna try that. I've been reducing my production tools like plugins, guitar tones and synth patches too. It's really streamlined my song writing and made it a lot more fun.

[@paulbaker3522]

I had an arranging mentor once tell me that there are only two things going on at a given time - foreground material and background material. Everything is one or the other. Either it's the main thing or it's accompaniment.

[@gabereviewseverything]

Signed in just to tell you how much this video just changed my life. You put so much into perspective for me here, as someone who is *still* trying to find themselves musically, this helps tremendously. Thank you, friend.

[@ShallieDragon]

Historically, I've had a "make the most of what you've got" approach to music-making. I tried to make each individual element stand on its own and sound as good as possible, and contribute to as much of the sound as needed. Thus, I needed fewer elements, because each element was "bigger." But lately, I've gotten away from that. I've been looking more at layering, at making tiny little things that add in the background. And it... makes things more complicated. Maybe I can return to my roots and try to simplify my pieces.

[@DavidSmith-ne1zp]

Venus Theory - my favourite KZbin channel for inspiration and good conversations about the thing I love most - making music.

[@FracturedParadigms]

We all look like fools when we dance, but we are all fools, so we may as well dance

[@jatadoxjatadox1371]

Not everyone, trust me

[@FracturedParadigms]

@@jatadoxjatadox1371 🥴

[@ergkj]

That’s beautiful. Is that a famous quote?

[@righthandrecovery]

The introspective questions featured in this perfect video (8:06) now adorn a calligraphy poster intentionally placed above my workstation. As a beginner, I struggle with the gap between the perfected vision of songs in my head and my inability to achieve it intuitively. This often leads to overworking and then reverting to the initial tracks, refined with more attention. Despite being aware of this pattern, my ADHD and perfectionist tendencies take over before I realize it, resulting in time lost that could have been spent creating. This video is exactly what I needed. Thank you. Moreover, you do an excellent job of not being horribly obnoxious.

[@jenstornell]

Every time I come here I expect to learn about music. Instead I always get a philosophical answer to life in general. 😅

[@aaronlewis7182]

Art is life after all, isn’t it?

[@jenstornell]

@@aaronlewis7182 It's a bit of a stretch by yes, kind of. Both answers apply to both music, art, life etc.

[@zardon409]

I’ve been doing what I consider to be a type of minimalist electronic since 2019. In the beginning it was due to the fact that Live Intro only allowed 8 tracks to be recorded easily. But even tho I graduated to Studio, I felt compelled to make music with fewer elements than most people. I have a 14 track mixer (Tascam Model 16) and, except for EDM, I never use all the tracks. And somebody must be listening, I have over 750,000 plays.

[@StankSlanger]

This is one of the most important videos for literally any musician to watch. Professional musician or not, we all need to hear this.

[@LucaRicciComposer]

Nice video! I personally think it's not a matter of how much you write, or how many elements you use in a piece of music. I think it's a matter of how much control you have over what you write: Do you have a clear form and structure in mind? Do you elaborate and derive the elements of your song, either melodic, harmonic or structural, from essentials building blocks that you decided for your song (es. An interval, a melodic phrase, etc)? I believe that, aside from an aesthetic like minimalism or any other aesthetic really, it's a question of how much you are aware of your process and how much you're conscious about what you're doing and what you're working with. ✨

[@frankliebe]

I'd like to choose between base of tracks the weakest one to be much creative to push that track to an nice track with ideas and creativity. more playground-meters to get played on the target track. that is fun for me.

[@markbelcher1777]

I pissed myself laughing at the school teacher retort… ‘but they did it!’ I’ve been messing around with a track, adding stuff… suck it, getting bounced, it’s finished, move on and ponder the all the other stuff I’m struggling to complete - thank you!!

[@bangthebore]

Reminds me of an account of a conversation between John Cage and Morton Feldman. I forget which one said it, but their response to the comment "Anything could do that!" was "So why didn't they?"

[@badmaninator]

I really appreciate the deep thoughts here. Great connection between minimalism and essential, original value. I think the lede is buried, so i'm writing it out partly to make sure I don't lose it: You started writing a song with an idea, but got lost in 21st century possibilities. Minimalism is a reminder that you started writing a song based on, at most, 3 ideas/components (oversimplified). Focus on that minimum criteria to cross the finish line, and resist the fear of other better possibilities.

[@SocialRepose]

This helped. Thank you

[@j.d.5709]

The entire concept of Minimalism is mis-understood. People often mistake it for being frugal or decluttering but really it's about removing the excess and superfluous wether physical, mental, emotional or digital. Not for the sake of removal but for the sake of creating more space for MORE of what you do want. For example if you want to be a film maker or videographer instead of spending money on a ton of fancy furniture, over decorating your home driving a fancy car and clothes you opt to keep those areas of your life simple and cheap and using that money to instead invest into equipment for film making or even online courses or anything related to that passion. So it's really more about being intentional and focused than being frugal and monochromatic. And your example for this approach to music is spot on.

[@BKLYN_TZU]

The differences between those times when those older compositions were made and now less distractions that's the difference between 30 & 40 years ago no social media not smart phones you could actually think and enjoy life honestly I feel bad for younger people nowadays their lives are centered around these things and that's not a good thing.

[@ronaldjosephweech2444]

you have one of the best natural speaking voices i've heard. ever think about producing an audio book (while having fun with the soundtrack)? i'd buy that.

[@Sundji]

Everything comes down to having good ideas but how do you know an idea is good? I think that's what happens to me most often. I start an idea that sounds good in my head and as I try to execute it, I'm met with the gap between my ideas and my skills. Then I'm left with the feeling of, "Was the idea bad or am I just bad and can't execute the idea properly?"

[@blok31092]

I struggle with the same. I think a valuable comment another made is to focus on you enjoying the idea and making songs for yourself. If you like the track, there's a chance someone else will too. But I think making music for others is the wrong approach, because we can never please anyone and there's no way to generalize what people like. I'm trying to move forward with this mindset. If I like it, it means it's good and it's deserving of others to hear it.

[@joshsagermusic]

I love the line of being afraid of what it wont be... that really resonates with me. Great video. Thanks for making it!!!

[@TheFeralFarmgirl]

My problem is that I get too repetitive in a piece. I start strong, and then it just gets boring quickly because I don't know where to go from there. It's like the road just suddenly runs out in front of me and then I'm just sent careening into the woods...

[@stevesoucy5932]

I know the feeling. 😅 Or I have one epic sounding 8 bar loop that I can't figure out how to progress from.

[@1800KLIENFELD]

As a repetitive music maker I tend to get my idea and loops together for 8 bars and I record everything straight away into my arrangement. Once that’s done I double the loops to 16. Double that to 32 x 4. That’s my track usually. Then I’ll go fishing. Come home. And listen to the arrangement and begin removing items in the beginning and end like a pyramid left to right. Once that’s done I’ll go do something else or start a new track. I’ll come back to it the following day and check it for elements I can heighten with filter automation reverb fills or delay. Once I gather those ideas I’ll record it all as a track and drag that out of the Daw upload it to SoundCloud privately and listen in the car. Then I’ll continue adding or removing elements or adding silence (which makes everything exciting). I’ve realized that trying to make a nice techno track cannot happen in a day. I mean it can but it will feel rushed and you’ll regret it. Good luck!

[@Buunshin_]

Really appreciate this video. Thank u.

[@BeauStephenson]

The Beatles are a fantastic example of a large catalogue of music created with minimalism in mind. With guitar, bass, drums, and vocals, and sometimes keys, they made an impressively diverse range of songs.

[@klapsigaarenbasgitaar1931]

Did you ever listen to Sgt. Pepper?

[@SolarHeavy]

Very accurate take - my song It's Not Too Late just broke 900,000 streams and has a minimalistic dnb arrangement, and starts with 3 different elements as you mentioned. Great video and overall dive into minimalistic workflow and production.

[@selimsiyami]

A few years ago, I discovered how to multiplex minimalistic projects with more complex projects in my own production process. Minimalistic projects are like little loops and they keep my mind fresh and in shape. They are easy to complete and prevent me from getting stucked. It makes me feel constantly productive. In this way, I do not get impatient to finish or get lost in the project while executing complex projects.

[@grobinson9352]

I have started to start doing minimal tracks for a few weeks...thank you for this.

[@Hollandvancewright]

Stripping things back is a great way of working, sometimes I'll start with a loop, duplicate the whole thing and start removing. Then I'll duplicate that and remove more, and it becomes much clearer what the song needs and what direction it's headed

[@itaydagani1704]

I just came across this channel, you are articulating your idea in one of the best ways I have heard on youtube the second reason I write this comment is because what you said in here is exactly what leads me in my music creation, starting with a simple motif / idea and staying pretty simple (if I go wild it will probably be only in 1 track of the piece) great video !!!

[@calebmcandrew9056]

“I would argue that nine times out of ten, whenever you’re facing some sort of creator’s block or writer’s block, it’s just because you’re just afraid of what the thing you’re doing won’t be.” That’s a good line right there.

[@Warrow74]

'Convey the core feeling', that's it. Nicely said.

[@PodcastDebate]

@venusTheory . Hi . All these years I was underestimating the value of 8 default tracks in Ableton. I am happy now to proceed my exploration with them. Thank you so much

[@DJGemStar]

This is the best explanation on minimalism in regards to music I've ever heard.

[@leandromiquet4820]

Limitation can be an amazing ally of creative focus. Thanks for the lesson!

[@Loagz_Beatz]

my most recent release "calm" is like this. I felt like doing this idea recently after getting tired of everything. Then I find this - thanks for the video.

[@tonysader_]

This video not only helped me with my writers block but also gave me some insanely timely life advice. Thank you for this video man.

[@twise9881]

I've followed you for a while now, this video is the reason why. Clear message, thought out and concise. Something I needed to hear. Thank you.

[@adiknoth]

Solid advise, young Ron Swanson! Thank you! Also one of the production tips from a magazine some 20yrs ago: allocate time for your mix in your calendar, and pay $5 to charity for each day that you're over.

[@joeydomhof6480]

I love this message @Venustheory. It’s so important in a musical landscape that is constantly flooded by uninspired and templatized “cannon fodder”. Music should be felt, nobody cares how many eqs you slap on