We Need More Musicians (Making Music) On YouTube

[@schnoodlevideo]

honoured to have been editing Jon Makes Beats for 2+ years now! even more honoured to be able to entertain + interact with such an awesome + evolving audience... from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for watching :)

[@groovining]

I love your editing dude. It's super high level, engaging & original. It's hard work to chop up a long livestream like that into a 10 min video that captures the audience & you nail it everytime. Jon is a legend makes sick beats no doubt but we can also all see the part you play in the success of this channel 😊❤

[@AgentCharles522002]

you are a top g

[@jonmakesbeats]

Thanks for being on the journey with me, bud

[@SilkKuts]

@@schnoodlevideo Great work man!! Quality editing makes all the difference

[@vinylarchaeologist]

@schnoodlevideo "Honoured" - you're British? or perhaps Canadian? Anyway, love your work.

[@soulslomusic]

sitting here scared thinking Jons speaking to me specifically 💀

[@jonmakesbeats]

I AM

[@GoodAtHeart]

Dude he is

[@sueno2330]

IM TRYING JON I AM

[@kunaikai]

No he’s speaking to me!

[@sueno2330]

@@kunaikai nuh uh!

[@BananaSplitBrain]

I like you as a human. It felt like you directly spoke to a problem on my mind, no one else knows it exists. For some reason the algorithm knew that.

[@jonmakesbeats]

The algorithm knows all

[@Zip_Zap2474]

@@jonmakesbeats the problem with the youtube algorithm is that it will only push out what most people click and watch, like film or show reviews, video game vids, even some silly video about like jerma could get a lot of attention since hes popular, but music stuff dosnt get any attention since its not a popular subject (unless you are an already successful musician), ive made my own project where i have albums connected with a story that as im writing im still expanding, im new to music and art and the project is for fun and i like seeing how ive improved greatly, but yeah its gotten nowhere on yt since personal music connected albums isnt exactly a popular thing for the algorithm, so it goes nowhere however i have a weird glitch in my personall recommendations where i have a bunch of very low viewed vids, and some have been their own personal music stuff, the ones ive seen have gotten more views and interaction with comments than me, but i really wish youtube pushed out nobidies doing stuff for fun, it would be nie to see this flawed site have charm with what it promotes

[@EZBOT_]

Jon Makes A Good Point. We need more music on KZbin, we need more musicians sharing technique, it's not a competition it's a community.

[@jonmakesbeats]

@@EZBOT_ ey this guy knows what I’m talking about

[@blaix_syx]

I’ve been neglecting my KZbin for to long. It needs love. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@grindedfranz]

We are raised with capitalisic values. Sadly those values are exactly the issues we experience in our society. It will stay like that as long as money devides us. This society works against each other instead together.

[@Bittamin]

I be trying my best I swear 😂 I even make videos to go with them to make it fun to watch!!

[@sonicairmusic]

Money is not the focus of our creativity, it’s the spark and excitement of being the creator of something that’s totally unique to ‘us’ as musicians that drives us to continue doing what we are most passionate about. Let’s face it, do you want to have a normal stressful 60hours a week Coorporate job with no satisfaction apart from the posh car that you drive to the toxic office, to pay for your car and your huge empty house that you don’t have time to enjoy, because your always at work. Then when you are in your huge posh house, you’re not free of the demands of your 24/7 corporate colleagues and constant pressure to perform and get the ever increasing sales targets. You have ONE life, don’t waste it not living it! Don’t exist, be happy and humble in a happy creative fun life!!!!

[@Kveg-y6k]

I read a book a while ago on Buddhism (cant remember exactly what its called) but my main take away was the saying "Follow up 1 hour of study with 7 hours of practice." That hit hard because I am one who just takes in all of the talking and all of the theory and technique without trying to explore or put anything into practice myself which I would like to improve on. Thanks for putting so much out there.

[@jonmakesbeats]

Putting into practice is everything

[@skeire1]

this is very true

[@lilyluhtwizzy]

This is true but when I make beats I'll go at it for 5-8 hours and I start to forget what day it is, and then I realize, oh, it's the next day already. I mix the whole thing and export it, and it turns out to be mediocre, at best, in the morning. How often should I take breaks while producing? 'Cause my ears go absolutely numb man 😭😅 I just don't wanna stop.

[@InnerMotionMusic]

That's really good advice, thanks for sharing that.

[@elcrow5349]

I gave up on creating music and showing it publicly. I went back to hiding in my room and making stuff I didn't know what to do with. I don't really like uploading anymore and now I'm struggling to even create anything at all. However, I suppose giving it another shot wouldn't hurt. I have nothing left to lose especially now. Thank you for the encouragement, your music still helps me a lot.

[@moolder]

I guess creative impetus comes and goes. These past weeks I hardly touched my instruments. Not mad about it. Knowing I can publish it helps me motivate myself sometimes but if I don’t have the power right now well that’s fine too…

[@jonmakesbeats]

Do what inspires uou

[@kirkyoung4147]

I feel this. I quit uploading regularly back in 2018. Social media is overwhelming and the lines between content and art are getting increasingly blurred. It feels hopeless when you don't want to interact with social media in the way other people do.

[@Baysidebangerz]

I felt this ..I usually post on ig ..I can pour my heart and soul out and get less views than a picture of a cat

[@Nyitemare]

Close enough, welcome back elcrow5349

[@alexo5861]

Rhett Shull brought me here, glad I watched!

[@mikekloepfer7424]

Ditto.

[@InnerMotionMusic]

same!

[@nikolaki]

Me too, though I realised I watched this video when it came out😅

[@jesselapierre]

Same here!

[@mistaRichard]

Same lol.

[@artemcultura6191]

This made me realize some things. 1. You’re right 2. We need more people in our lives with your energy.

[@NoahBility]

This is a just a wholesome ass video A call to action that feels more like a kind nudge rather than a violent shove

[@jonmakesbeats]

I’m doing my best to encourage

[@NoahBility]

@@jonmakesbeats and it's felt. thank you, man 🙏🏾

[@Sundji]

It's crazy how right you are about "telling" getting more traction than showing. I started out watching Busyworksbeats because I loved his 1 hour + videos that actually showed his failed ideas and the problem solving that goes into making videos. Now, all my suggestions are 15 minute videos that only show the "right" thing to do. The thing is, I often try to follow the "right" path and hit a roadblock when that oath conflicts with my abilities or style. It's so much more valuable to me to see the mistakes and actually understand what inspired various choices and that's exactly what I want my youtube channel to be. I've been making beats seriously since 2017 and I've gone through so much imposter syndrome and doubt because my beats don't sound mainstream. Now, when I listen to those old beats I used to cringe at, I'm amazed at how abstract and inspired some of them are and I'm clamboring to figure out how to recapture that essence. Life has been rough these past couple of years and I keep on putting music on the back burner but, I'm continuously getting signs that my contributions could provide some value to folks. I don't have to make beats that I think are perfect. I just have to be open and honest about the process of learning. I just have to share my unique perspective and approach to inspire others who are like me. I used to think I had to get my beats to a certain level before sharing but I'm realizing now that there's value in imperfection and there's power in vulnerability. In that spirit, here's my SoundCloud with some of the beats I made in college. I'll upload some more beats I've been too self-conscious to share and I hope I find my tribe of people who have similar taste: soundcloud.com/sundjata-suma Let me know if there are any beats you'd like to see a breakdown for and that'll give me some direction for my first few videos. Thanks for reading and I'd really appreciate your support when I get this channel up an running. Thanks for the inspiration Jon. In this video alone, you've done more for my producer journey than 100's of hours of tutorials. I hope to follow your footsteps toward my own version of success.

[@jimmythebold589]

KZbin algorithm sucks. yes. and as a soundcloud user, i will not hesitate to say that it also sucks. best of luck to you with your well written, honest, sincere, and grammatically precise TLDR.

[@skeire1]

hello, I listened to a few seconds of your tunes on soundcloud quickly and from that brief listen I really liked them. they just made me happy :D. I think there are soooo many awesome producers that are out there with pretty much no following which is kind of sad, but just keep going even if it's for your own enjoyment. that's what I have started doing with my KZbin channel; uploading stuff because I want to, not expecting any views.

[@elietheprof5678]

Telling gets more traction than showing, because words are a shittier way to explain something than demonstrating. Words are more vague, more prone to misinterpretation, which leads to more arguing/debating which gets more engagement.

[@InnerMotionMusic]

That's a really great insight. Learning from our mistakes and developing problem solving skills are what developing any craft is really all about.

[@djbash914]

"It may not feel like it at the moment, but we all stand to benefit from you breaking your personal ground" I'm happy I watched until the end because I needed to hear that

[@jonmakesbeats]

Glad it reached you

[@trent.pulliam]

Just saw Rhett Shull’s take and now yours. You guys have inspired my to start posting EVERYTHING. From random riffs in my phone to fully completed songs. Thank you.

[@Skipper07B]

I’m sitting here feeling as inspired as everyone is but, how do I even start? I realize it sounds like I am missing the point; I just haven’t the slightest idea where to begin and how I might actually help people. I love the idea of one big artistic community and we are stronger together. I guess I just don’t want to be a drag.

[@JuanChale563]

I've always been drawn to Andrew Huang because he's an amalgamation of every kind of music youtube channel ive seen. He talks gear, he talks VSTs, he shows creation processes for certain tracks, he gives advice on how to approach this online music industry, he has weird tracks made with weird items, and he collaborates with many other music channels big or small. It's probably why he's one of the bigger music content creators I've seen on this platform. I'm still waiting on a Jon x Andrew video...

[@jonmakesbeats]

Love Andrew

[@joelharvey]

Huang is an absolute beast. Outrageous work ethic.

[@lowlink534]

Also has no real art behind him, basically a KZbin bot making content 😂🎉

[@Ryan_Wiseman]

I'm in that camp, making music that is less rewarded by the algorithm. It has been an incredibly frustrating process, being one of those channels that has a very low subscriber/viewcount that you mentioned. People commonly seek out engaging content in which there are viewpoints discussed, which is great, but I wish KZbin was better about separating the two in terms of musical content, since trying to compete against that is often a far bigger failure than success. You really nail it when you talk about how you get so discouraged about the creative process, because when you don't see any type of improvement despite the hard work, it's like "why continue?". Still am gonna work hard at posting my music and try to continue to fight past the thoughts of my music "not being enough", because anything new worth doing is gonna require tons of work.

[@JohnVillalta]

Yeah dude, it's really one step at a time. Seeing you've been on the site for just as long while posting content is relatable. Luck bets on the ones in motion

[@Spladoinkal]

I'm convinced that it's not so much the algorithm as the fact that artists aren't fairly compensated anymore. I'm sure if we went back to a time where your music earned 99 cents a song (more like $2 after inflation) you'd be in a much better headspace EVEN IF not that many people heard you. The fact that you can get your music out there spending years learning your craft and TONS of albums and there's a chance you'll never even make a single penny for it is what makes the algorithm frustrating.

[@JohnVillalta]

@@Spladoinkal Yeah, it seems like we always have to be working with this never ending machine a lot of times. I like to think that the machine really is trying to understand us because it wants more content to feed to consumers. It's just about learning how to speak with it in the most artistic way possible. It's tough to think about it strictly from a business side cuz that's numbers like income end up taking a toll on your confidence and self worth as an artist. There's much more to that though!

[@calicookstunes6530]

I used to love watching beat making videos but it felt like the soul was lost. I found you and now you are the only one I watch. This video has sparked something inside of me man. I stopped making beats and just play the keys a lot these days but I feel inspired to record the process soon- whatever it might be. Thanks for sharing this man.

[@jonmakesbeats]

Do what feels right to you

[@calicookstunes6530]

@@jonmakesbeats Appreciate it!

[@mckell36]

Hey man! I was trying to find some of your music, I saw that you'd already created a channel but your Instagram and Facebook links are broken... Anyways, I was noticing that there were a lot of musicians (including me) who wanted to make music but were lacking motivation or support, or feeling like their music wasn't being heard. Because of this, I'm working on making a community on Discord that can provide some of that encouragement to keep going forward. I'd like to invite you - if you're up for it - to join and share your music! I also saw that you were potentially interested in collabs, which is totally something that we'd like to facilitate! If you don't want to or you're uncomfortable that's perfectly fine. Let me know what you think!

[@QuincyKane]

Thanks for making this! One thing I've been trying is to do a live stream breaking down a song when I've just released it. I'm actually doing a live stream on November 14th at 6:30 PM EST sharing the songwriting arrangement that went into my latest release "Plastic Cup". I'm hoping people enjoy seeing what goes into a song idea becoming a finished product!

[@Thought-Forms]

Some great ideas in here, Jon. Gave me some interesting tidbits to think about

[@PostcardFromADream]

Oh hey, on of my other favorite KZbin musicians! Interested to see how this might change your format, not that it’s needed in my opinion.

[@deathsyrup]

Gang 🔥

[@wildflute]

I’m documenting the process of having new classical music written for me, applying for grants, preparing for recording (learning and then practicing), recording and all the tech set up with my engineer, and all the ins/outs of the process in hopes it might help my colleagues who want to do a big project and maybe some folks might appreciate the peak behind the curtain. Classical musicians are NOT used to or comfortable with not being 100% polished in public. I just launched my first youtube vlog in the series introducing myself and have a plan to capture all of this. Starting with talking head casual style but will try to make the rest of it real and interesting. I don’t know what is interesting to people who don’t do this though! Thank you for putting this video up because I feel the same way about musicians under-valuing their process and the opportunities here on KZbin to show it. 100% open to ideating with everyone in all genres to make this a thing, cause i’m not sure either!

[@wildflute]

Next one is selecting composers, and recording demos for the grants. There will be some playing bits of me getting the parts ready to record the demos and some commentary on the Rubik’s cube puzzle of inching a huge project towards the finish line. I may also talk about all the things I’ve done and learned and courses I’ve taken and experience I’m drawing on to do this kind of thing.

[@malcolmmalik]

@@wildflute Yo thanks for sharing, I'm not classically trained in anything really but I'm aware of how that world is, so you doing that is a cool undertaking, would love to see it. Also down to ideate w you 👊🏽

[@wildflute]

@@malcolmmalik Thank you! What’s tricky is when one is embedded deeply into a niche it’s hard to know what’s interesting to those outside. If people just watch and/or make comment on what part of the process they want to know more about that would be helpful, just like any channel. For example, There’s real life happening for me through this crazy project, do people care about that or do I just keep to the process and tips on getting this stuff done?

[@malcolmmalik]

@@wildflute @wildflute You're welcome! I know ppl usually recommend "stick to making one kind of video" but you can always experiment and see how ppl react to different things

[@markus3803]

@@wildflute If you need a composer, I'm here!

[@jamesdesousa5528]

Spot on Jon. I click on your videos because I know they are quality, not because I get click-baited in. Keep up the good/honest work man.

[@jonmakesbeats]

Still trying to figure it out and thank you for watching

[@MichaelHensen]

I love this. Wow, its the music community "Online" that I have been longing for "OFFLINE". When you have spent 30+ years trying to keep creating and everything seems like its gone stale, then something cool comes along. Thanks Jon for making this video. The biggest issue that I have been having probably is, that I have made Facebook my platform for teaching, playing and even talking about all things music. What I have noticed, (and you bring a lot up with all you've said here) is that its easy to turn away tons of people when you are having a bad day, or struggling and then you tend to use your social media as a place to let people know about hardship / feelings and/or forget discussing some injustice in the industry. Everyone interprets that as, you are a "Whiner" or can't play along the way your "Audience" wants you too. But then I've gone back a few days later after getting over such things, and got back to teaching or even presenting a live performance and its back to some engagement, but then.. I feel I've probably lost a few more people, and then maybe lost some traction that I was building. I have a KZbin channel with lots of original music, I have some just ok, teaching videos that I need better editing, camera work and a variety of things. Then I also have a few educational / process videos and reviews that I have seemed to do much better. I think what is lacking lately, is still being excited and being able to present by myself. Right now, I'd love to have 1-2 people I could work with in creating some of the content. I'm new to your channel, but I would be open to a song / beat making collaboration.. or even something similar. Not sure if you know, but I also make and have a lofi beats brand called Mister Lo Figh. I have been doing so for over 5 years now, but really was able to create several albums, artwork, digital distribution, mixing and also masters and I know have 6 albums out on most platforms.

[@NotJustBikes]

This is a great video! I would love to see more channels making music, so I'm going to browse the comments. Your insight about the "algorithm" is solid. A lot of creators blame "the algorithm", but as Dave who runs Nebula likes to remind us, "every time you want to say 'algorithm', say 'audience' instead." As soon as you start thinking this way, you can stop getting bogged down with the idea that some computer is deciding who sees your videos, and you can start thinking about what your audience wants and expects.

[@jonmakesbeats]

Yeah flipping my mindset to ignore some secret target to hit I just started making them as entertaining and fun as I would want them to be and that was way more helpful

[@schnoodlevideo]

thanks for watching Jason! big fan of your work :)

[@santiagovinicius2988]

Not Just Bikes, My buddy @PlantiProductions makes those!

[@fourwallss]

read through a bunch of comments & didn't see anyone mention London Rain. He's one of the few producers i've seen elevating the game. awesome video, lots to think about!

[@BENJAMIN-nz6nd]

Really good

[@PlantiProductions]

I was about to say soo true! He even inspired my channel and videos

[@skoolhitdabutton]

Is there a spot for a 61 year old grandpa making beatz on the MPC ?

[@bretonnicholas1638]

Yes for sure

[@SilkKuts]

@@skoolhitdabutton hell yeah!

[@jonmakesbeats]

I would watch the hell out of that

[@matthewbuffey2399]

Yup

[@bonwowo]

@skoolhitdabutton yess pleease!!

[@CrimsonCandyMusic]

Agreed! I've been making music but also was thinking of putting out KZbin content since last year. But because of this very reason I thought it won't be worth it. But still, I started putting out KZbin content as well, with my music. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@JohnVillalta]

Content performance is only one aspect of the art improvement. Don't let it discourage you and keep having fun creating your own world

[@smoovbeatzz]

Hey John I signed into my beat making account to comment this just wanted to say thank you for this video. I had to step away from music for a some time now due to life stuff but the last few weeks i've been getting back into the groove of it and this video was really helpful. I've been thinking about how to make content for sometime now preparing to come back to music and this video was the push I needed to start fleshing out my idea for content. My idea is called "stuggle beats" and the concept is showing my process of making beats but being more vunerable and showing self doubt/the mess ups/ the erros/ the mistake that come from making beats. I came up with this idea due to the fact most producer online make videos and make it look like everything came to them easily and it all fell together with ease when we all know that doesn't happen most of the time (or for me at least). I want to highlight the ups and downs but yet show the results at the end. I am behind on alot of beats and I told myself that I would catch up on some before making content and today I finally finished my first beat after stopping over a year now! progress has been made thank you John!

[@mckell36]

Oh man, that's a fantastic idea! that would really help people like me keep motivation going to know that we're not alone. I looked at some of your beats you've already posted, your shorts about hip-hop on the OP-1 is pretty good! On that subject, I'd like to ask you something... I was noticing that there were a lot of musicians (including me) who wanted to make music but were lacking motivation or support, or feeling like their music wasn't being heard. Because of this, I'm working on making a community on Discord that can provide some of that encouragement to keep going forward. I'd like to invite you - if you're up for it - to join and share your music! You've got some good beats behind you and we'd love to have ya if you want to, especially since you've stopped but have started up again - I'm sure that's relatable to a lot more people then you notice. If you don't want to or you're uncomfortable that's perfectly fine. Let me know what you think!

[@undefined_galactic_hiatus]

First off, definitely subbed. Thanks for the inspiration! Second, as a nobody creator that's dipped my toes in many areas, from prog metal music videos to a Dark Souls movie to a phycological breakdown video series of social studies in the gaming space, I can say that this video gave me a nice perspective on the algorithm that gives me a little insight as to how to use it more effectively. I have put hours and effort into my channel, 100% myself, and I still have big plans, like hosting a live metal venue and streaming the whole event. It's not premium content yet, but long story short, I've been broke for many years because of documented mental health struggles. Not to mention only taking my mental health seriously as of 2020ish (which overlooking/ignoring is common for many mental health conditions). In fact, I had over 50 drum covers on KZbin before I had a breakdown believing the changes in the ad policy would strike my channel, so I deleted everything that wasn't an original piece when I could have privated them. Periphery, Tesseract, Meshuggah, Paramore, Deftones, I had A LOT of covers on my first channel. The past few years have been put into finding that channel identity into this one, and with now with confidence, I can say it's ideally only a matter of a year or two before I'm able to achieve my goals irl, and subsequently make much more entertaining content. I have respect for you using this platform to capture my attention with a good title and proceed to give me solid and genuine advice. Though my journey through the SS Titanic we call KZbin is still stagnant, I have full confidence in my ability to eventually make better content when my circumstances change and I'm able to branch out with more bright minds on the team and more ideas on the table. Thanks again! -The Galactic Federation

[@totaled_camry]

there's something really infectious about the pacing and style of video that you and schnoodle have created, i'm always excited to watch a new JMB vid. a lot of this comes down to talent (and charisma close second), but schnoodle has done such a good job at making the pacing feel fast without skipping over the beautiful details of the process.

[@jonmakesbeats]

Thanks for that. We have worked really hard on nailing a pace and tone

[@thomasmadray198]

Giving Mylar Melodies a comments shout here. He even just released a video about making music with just a drum machine and synth. And of course Jon’s channel here too. Always an inspiration.

[@ottoaday]

This is such an inspiring take & view on making media as an artist. I do sometimes find it exhausting doing socials and with algorithms etc, getting signed there was a social media team sending you what’s trending and they’d try to get you to follow those trends. KZbin has fallen into that same category and I need to shift my mindset and just enjoy the process! Making art is a gift being able to pull something from nothing is a such a fulfilling experience. Thanks for the uplift Jon!

[@jonmakesbeats]

Let them work for you

[@NathanJamesLarsen]

Well done with this - I've been trying to find a way to transition my channel fully away from "talking" and going all in on just making music, filming it, and creating narrative stories of how it happened. Only in the past year have I even begun to figure out HOW. And now I'm feeling like I've got a much better idea of how. Only took a few years and after I already had over 200k subs. So it's not easy. But it's worth it. I never got into KZbin originally to be known as a tutorial guy - I wanted to make music and showcase it and build a brand around actually making it. But here we are - it's easy to go where the traction seems to be. Couldn't agree more with this video. This also removes the ability for producers/artists to present themselves as pros while never showing their music - cause it's wild how many are just not even that good and have nothing to show.

[@madsenamplification]

Would love to chat about the how. I want to apply that to my own youtube channel. As a gear builder I just have some demos up. And I want to showcase the art that’s created rather than just putting out product videos.

[@EdTalenti]

Loved the message in this video! As a fellow music content creator, I constantly struggle with finding creative ways to present and showcase the process of making music in video form. Making music is already a "story" in and of itself but I find it often needs to have additional elements in order to be engaging enough to watch and be successful on KZbin. When you think about where music storytelling was on KZbin just five years ago, it’s wild how much it has evolved. Like you said, I’m super excited to see where we’ll be in another five or ten years!

[@jonmakesbeats]

Agreed. Keep pushing the envelope!

[@PlantiProductions]

@@EdTalenti Cheers

[@PlantiProductions]

@@EdTalenti Cheers

[@SaiyaSounds]

I've been very self-conscious about showing off my incredibly scattered, unfocused process to making a track. It's something I want to work on so that, if nothing else, I can make my own contribution to resources that hopefully others can use to help them along their music production journeys. In the meantime, I'm just glad to upload what I can, when I can, and even if I'm not chasing trends like I did in the mid 2010s, I love uploading what I want to. Thank you for posting this :)

[@pravaed]

Quit my job and been going all in for the past 2 months refining my craft and, trying different things Hope I don't have to go back to my job but 2025 Wish me luck y'all 🙏

[@karuchiu]

Me too Pravaed. Let's live our true selves.

[@Linqua2112]

Once Upon A Synth has a lot of great content on this. I especially enjoyed his videos making an entire song with just one synth by making samples with it. It's a video documentary and a gear demo/review in one!

[@RadioBluesPR]

Yes. OUAS tapped into this early on!! Great channel

[@KyleTheLandon]

i'm doin' my best! thanks for being you!

[@NiharSavala]

Thanks Jon, for getting your thoughts out in a video. It is very inspiring. I hope to create more videos, but most of my time goes in making music. I have to get into the habit of turning my camera on while doing it.

[@MegaMashuuCl]

Here comes my tangent on why my niche seems to be very specific... Although Vocaloid is much bigger nowadays, you rarely see covers of those songs done on instruments, at least on winds or orchestral strings. Outside of Japan, this rarity increases a fair bit. That is probably why I am a bit addicted to Vocaloid songs. I always think about playing those songs on my clarinet, and I also want others to know that the typical "band kid" may also join in on the fun.

[@LevphonicMusic]

I’m not even gonna deny that it makes me nervous to create music in front of people on KZbin. I’ve always wanted to stay in the background and be a studio musician. I was on a good path before the pandemic because I had sync licensing deals that were making my dream a reality. Fast forward to now and the sync deals have gone away because of over saturation in the market. Plus, they’re looking for you to make music that “sounds like”, fill in any popular artists in the blank space. I like to create original songs that are usually pretty different from what you might find in the popular space. I say all of these things because I feel this video is directed at me and others like me. I feel I needed to see this in order to understand what my next steps will be. Thanks Jon. I’ve always respected your talent and your work. Now I just have to figure out where to start.

[@kenc4907]

Gotta shoutout the MPC community, Malo, Cookin Soul, Marlow, Amed One, Dubs Banger, MPC and Guitar, and a big up for Kirk State putting on the monthly sample challenge. There's probably a lot of people I've missed too, but there's heaps of people who show their process flipping samples and dropping knowledge

[@jonmakesbeats]

Thanks for the shouts

[@kennyzee3221]

Don’t forget Bolo Tha Producer

[@BoBeats]

A very good video. I love that you put focus on how the format of music making videos can be explored further. I absolutely believe there is huge potential in the video format for showing the musical process. I also think there are inherent problems. If you look at for example music production Twitch streams most don't do to well. And I think it is because the format, like you say, is underdeveloped. It isn't super exciting hearing someone's metronome go on and on while they try out different chord progressions. It can frankly be quite annoying. The moment to moment payoff isn't there. Contrast this against someone doing live musical improvisations or taking requests playing covers. These streams do quite well. And this shows that 'music making' is not the problem. Instead it exemplifies your conclusion very well: it is simply that we haven't figured out a format that appeals to a broader audience. In the synth space there is similar room to evolve. A common misconception is that it is somehow easier to get views if you show off a cool synth. It isn't. Most who make videos showcasing synths get very little views. Because a video where all you get is someone's hands tweaking various knobs on a synth isn't very exciting in itself. Even if the sounds or music is great. Those who succeed, just like you describe, have developed their style over time and build an audience that trust there will be payoff to all this filter tweaking. And even then videos fail. Regardless if its just talking about making music, talking about synths or whatever. Sometimes you miss the mark. People don't click and if they do click off quickly. Why? Maybe because the video wasn't that good. Or they saw another video in the sidebar that they rather watch.

[@vaeerror]

This encapsulates something I been feeling lately. I used to make beats on KZbin but I switched to just breaking down music and lately I been feeling like I been putting KZbin algo first rather than the music and been making less beats. Maybe I need to take a step back.

[@jonmakesbeats]

Both of those things are fine and good but you should make what you want

[@vaeerror]

@@jonmakesbeats 💯

[@Baywood]

thank you for this video. I have around 68K subscribers and my channel grew from trying everything and I started to notice lots of traction when I made vocal mixing videos. Then I started to create and sell vocal presets. then this stuck me into a mindset where I had to create vocal tutorials. Then In order to keep sales going I felt even more pressure to make vocal tutorials. Then I grew resentment and uninterest... because my true passion is life is producing electronic music. So you just freed me from the chains that I put on myself. I'm shooting videos on me producing different sub genres in edm because that's actually what I love doing when the camera is off. I will shoot what I truly love doing and increase video quality and value from there. I think your way of story telling is one of the best I've ever listened to. and I love your latest beat making video btw. I subscribed to your channel because I'm looking for both from you. WELL DONE. Life changing stuff right here.

[@chamomile_BILL]

Thank you, this is the push I needed. I'm going to get started

[@NowyouknowMusic]

This is awesome, Jon. As someone who has struggled with documenting the process as well it's just nice to know I'm not alone in these thoughts that surround content creation as a musician.

[@MidlifeSynthesist]

Hey brother! Amazing video, hits home! What I admire the most about you, Ricky Tinez and EZ Bot to name a few, is how you are able to effortlessly talk about what you are doing and what you’re thinking about during the process of making music on the spot. To me that’s magic, cause I feel so exposed when I try to do it on camera that I clam up. This is definitely a great wake up call to be braver and show that intimate space to share with others and grow together. Thanks for this one🤘🏻 cheers!

[@jonmakesbeats]

Welcome my guy. It’s not easy to do at first but with practice becomes second nature. I think you’d be able to get it

[@camus.mp3]

I feel this. Exactly what I've been trying to do all year.

[@NAETEMUSIC]

It is crazy how so many of my video ideas revolve around this EXACT SUBJECT.

[@FaanaMusic]

Thanks for this! As a small music youtuber and artist in heart, I've been struggling with this for a while now!

[@Adoom]

Thanks for the awesome work Jon & Schnoodle. I always smile when I see you’ve released a new video. Thanks also for inspiring us to show our processes more. As a musician who enjoys sharing the result, it’s encouraging to hear you talk about the benefits of the process. I hope to share more in the future after seeing this video.

[@contentdotcom2023]

the avant chop channel makes some really cool drum covers - and is still underrated imo

[@kevinstrattonmusic]

Excellent video Jon. First video I have seen from you. Spot on.

[@jonmakesbeats]

Welcome!

[@DaveTheFloomper]

Self proclaimed musician here! I am so happy to be a part of this circle so that i can share my current knowledge and findings with music production. After working myself for 4-ish years into learning FL Studio production basics, i've learned a lot and i've never felt so free in creating and expressing what i feel inside. Here are my findings: Be a sponge. Be willing to learn about new things. Be openminded. New topics = new information, new opportunities in improving. Treat the skill like a buffet. Indulge in what you're good at, and don't forget to try other things. Music production takes a lot of time and effort, and having these skills even in a surface level allows you do go deeper. A bit of music theory, a general understanding of your DAW and arrangement tricks will help in the long run. And don't be afraid to experiment, do things your own way. Eefine, always change stuff up in your projects. Humans like variety.

[@Jack458111]

Thanks Barry

[@quicksam9941]

Ive been a musician my whole life and a songwriter my whole adulthood. Ive always loved sharing my musical process with people, but I've never thought to do so on KZbin, to an audience. this idea has really intrigued me, I might just have to give this a try. thank you very much for this video.

[@PlantiProductions]

Go for it :))

[@jonmakesbeats]

Have fun!

[@teftymusictech]

I feel this video personally. Been through many of the ups and downs you mentioned of the music/video process on KZbin. As someone that really enjoys sharing knowledge, I realized 2 years ago that the audience for new music and the audience for learning how to make music often don't intersect. So, made a new channel specifically for the knowledge and it's been growing, but I'm still trying to crack the formula for sharing new music visually (both creating and finished performances). You're absolutely right, the format is under developed on KZbin and needs more people testing the waters.

[@jonmakesbeats]

Thanks for watching. Btw I see your gear stuff on my feed sometimes and you do a great job.

[@ericclement1598]

gave up making music for close to 15 years... a year ago i jumped back in now i make it for fun purely purely purely now. Love this channel love this message thanks for making all these Beats Greg

[@tonyjones1560]

Here's a true story about the value of finding the strength to keep going: a long time ago, a guy wrote a novel and sent it to a publisher. A few months later, the novel came back from that publisher with a rejection slip. He promptly threw the novel into the trash and went back to living life. His wife found the novel in the trash, gave it to him and encouraged him to send it to somebody else. That publisher sent him a congratulatory letter, an acceptance notice and a six figure check. The guy is Stephen King. The novel, his first published work, is "Carrie." The "moral of the story" is this: those beats, lyric sheets or crude song recordings might be YOUR "Carrie." You might be on the verge of discarding a million seller that generates a quarter million bucks and allows you to create music full time...

[@gekinatracksuit9710]

this is why I gamble I swear I'm so close to winning a gazillion dollars

[@bovindelabbe]

So happy I found this encouraging video. Thank you. I do share videos, maybe not my process so much but very raw videos of me playing. Sometimes I get a few comments, some hundred views but mostly... not much. Let's make a commitment to keep going, all. Enjoyed reading all the comments here too. I guess there's a ton of talent here that we miss out on... Thanks @Jon Makes Beats

[@davidmcgirr]

In terms of the algorithm, I think Dan Harmon said it best "Find your voice, shout it from the rooftops, and keep doing it until the people that are looking for you find you. Stay put." Also look up Michael Keithson if you're interested in piano, he does incredible lessons on harmony.

[@jonmakesbeats]

Will check it out thanks

[@Bino1of1]

I record myself practicing and freestyling on my guitar everyday and I never post as much as I should due to overthinking about quality/ format and aesthetics so this hit home for me 🎸

[@TezTones]

yoo jon, completely agree and pretty synchronous time to have this video come out first off, saw you perform in SF back around 2014 and been a fan of the music since then. 'these words are everything' is a beautifully written song to the point at hand, we started this project (TezTones) that is a 'sports league for artists' and we are moving into our second season (just drafted teams yesterday) in which we will have teams live stream creating songs and visuals while sharing the process over a 4 hour match. teams will go head to head and after the regular season the teams with the best records move onto the post season to eventually crown one team champions. the idea is to help create a narrative around the creation process so each artist doesn't have to crack that code themselves. a goal is to also to tap into the formulas that already work with things like traditional sports, e-sports, competitive art shows, etc. the main drawback is making it a competition because art is very subjective and in my opinion there is often no best piece. but by agreeing upon a rule set and point system artists can approach it like a game, have fun with the creative side of it, and worry only about their contribution as creatives (much like professional athletes only worrying about playing their position) i don't think every artist should need to do something like this, and we are very much testing the extreme side of creating a formula and context around what we are doing, but it is a part of researching how we can contextualize the creation process itself and ideally draw more interest into the base activity of music creation and an artist's process still in the formation and live match testing of this season, but would love to have you as a guest judge once we move into the post season, or even chop it up about some of these ideas! much love! -hashbrown (of TezTones) actually, we're considering adding another team or two because we have more artists interested.. so if anyone reading this might want to be a part of Season 2 reach out to our twitter @TezTones or our email [e-mail] (not sure if emails get censored on YT) or if anyone wants to help brainstorm and help with production also! appreciate the support for all endeavors and likewise if we can be of any help feel free to reach out and message!

[@HofTheStage]

Totally agree. I've noticed a format that works on my channel, but unfortunately it brings the audience who don't stick around and watch anything else but reaction videos - and only to artist they enjoy. Most of them are not interested in anything else. A double edge sword. When you look at my subscriber count, you would think, this is a fairly big successful channel, but the truth is that your channel is healthier than mine. So, slow growth is better and more sustainable. And yes, it's hard to compete with videos that are tailored for retention and the KZbin game (challenge videos, quick paced adrenaline type videos). Music is not a fast pleasure, it takes time to appreciate and enjoy it. So it's harder for music channels to ''make it'', but you pointed out some good tips that can help. I'm trying to find a balance between what kinda works on my channel and what would feel more fulfilling and meaningful to create (posting original songs, doing singing tutorial videos and just interesting musical experiments and stuff). Either way, you left me with a lot to think about. Wish you all the success, it seems to me you're on the right track!

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Preach

[@jonmakesbeats]

Love your videos

[@JamesonNathanJones]

@@jonmakesbeats Thanks man! Likewise

[@PlantiProductions]

@@JamesonNathanJones Jameson, your an inspiration! Thanks for your ideas and knowledge

[@nimsasso]

I ended up here without knowing it was you until I saw your face in the video. That's so crazy, I used to rap to your beat tapes! Godspeed Jon.

[@dustyaudio]

I dislike talking especially to myself and a camera, I’ll continue to post strange musical experiments despite what would “work” good talk, thanks!

[@DarkSideofSynth]

Welcome to the club. People have enjoyed making and listening to music for thousands of years without everything turning into a tutorial or an eye in the sky sharing every second of your process or centimetre of your studio ;) The music is there. Music lovers do have all the means to find it.

[@lokopeto]

i am in the same club ._. i have a lot of loops and demos that no one knows and its is the best stuff i ever made, make music is fun despite of no recognition

[@DawlessAndBibleBlack]

Same here 😅 It helps me stay productive too.

[@rlyBeats]

im ngl this vid def playing a role in some branching out i want to do with my channel

[@MaryHamerMusic]

0:22 seconds in, and you already deserve a like! 👍

[@HoboGardenerBen]

My thoughts exactly :)

[@bonfireballads]

Word.

[@3J_Music]

Agreed

[@Spade-hc6jt]

I am a fairly new artist. Not new to making music, but new to the platforms of KZbin, Tic Tok, etc. This video makes such a powerful point, and I believe that we can make music, and the act of making music, just as if not more impact-full than all the "competition" (for lack of a better term). We need to teach the internet that music is more powerful than it thinks it is. I firmly believe that music can change the world for the better, we just have to be willing to put the work in. When we do, amazing things can and do happen. Never stop following your passion!!

[@JaydenLawson]

0:02 You are Nostradamus!

[@guitarfriendtim]

Great message Jon, and thanks to Rhett for shouting you out. I'm ready to collaborate with more YT creators and share the process, simply for its own sake.

[@OrangeDrinkMusic]

Challenge Accepted OctaCaptain! 👏 I'm filming a live Octatrack performance once a week this year on KZbin if anyone wants to follow along!

[@MAD_GROOVZ]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnrcYaysedyFeM0

[@RadioBluesPR]

Trev Barnes does this very well. He picks a style and tells the story of how he got from blank canvas to end product. He even allows space for us to see the mistakes made along the way.

[@Gear-Tube]

Novak The Enjoyer does it well 👍

[@bodieanderson]

This has truly inspired me! I will start doing this TODAY because why not. Worse comes to worst I'm at the same place I was

[@matthewbuffey2399]

Nitrate1984 makes some nice sample based beats

[@Nitrate1984]

🤯OMG, Thank you man, can't belive I find my name here

[@dragonflies6793]

Mostly they just release songs but Johnny Manchild & the Poor Bastards have some good process videos and behind the scenes as well!

[@too_online.3441]

this comment is a shameless self-promo for my music

[@georgiasomething2064]

What do u do?

[@too_online.3441]

@@georgiasomething2064 vgm-style and breakcore

[@Fredable]

This was really motivating, I started posting my music with art I make recently as creative outlet and its been fun. Ofc not everything is about views but it is a little bit disheartening when realizing a song you are genuinely proud of and it just doesn't go anywhere, I don't need millions of views up knowing its going somewhere would be nice. I started sinking into algorithm chasing and what kinds of videos I need to make that would work on KZbin, but the problem was my heart was never in it to make those videos so I never did. This was a good reminder to just keep creating and posting here so at least there are creations out there for the community whether it does super well or not.

[@liberatedturmoil]

Thanks for making this "talk" video :) It gave me some encouragement and food for thought. The point I like the most is that we artists look at other artists and build upon. This is such a simple idea that I often forget about it getting lost in my creation world. It's so important to not forget. It is the biggest ingredient in the not-giving-up area. Now I'll let my subconscious to look for answers to how I can make "it" (whatever that is) more interesting and engaging.

[@onthisepisodeof9112]

Holy shit, i just stumbled upon jonwaynes youtube?! Stoked, I love your work dude.

[@lemiffe]

Wow this really resonates; I've made a few series on making music on Geoguessr, where I play a game and then make a song based on the location I landed on. I go through the whole process, from finding a melody, recording every instrument, and then the final result... I thought it was an original concept yet I think you hit the nail here on multiple fronts: Packaging has to deliver, you have to sell the idea without it sounding over-complicated, the thumbnail must inspire a click, and furthermore the video has to be entertaining, well-cut. Similar to directing a movie, the scenes have to generate the right feelings, and just like a book, anything that is irrelevant to the story should be cut. I think we have a lot to learn, thanks for the video, very inspiring! At least I know what to focus on going forward with my videos.

[@kennethhughmusic]

Sheesh. That is a heavy pill to swallow. Challenge accepted, going to be brutal but what the heck - let me give it a bash.

[@JeffHendricks]

I feel few creators show their creative process as it happens- usually, it's either "follow these easy steps in my producing course!" or just a finished product. I think this is mainly from insecurity! I want to eventually develop and show my own creative process to inspire others, but also as accountability for myself to get things done.

[@Nahshxn]

Thank you for this. Time for me to step up and really commit to this.

[@jonmakesbeats]

Have fun!

[@shawnmuench]

It's always easier to talk about stuff than do the primary activity It's like when people are presenting and they do a huuuuge preface about what the presentation is gonna be like instead of just embodying the qualities they value and getting on with it

[@ChrisIzattOfficial]

This is incredible man and was in the process of writing a similar video but you've honestly nailed it and i relate to so much of your story! Excellent work man and i think you're right about creators focusing on how we can develop entertaining pitches to potential audiences and making KZbin a bit more friendly with Music as a Visual Medium! Thanks man

[@karacoldmusic]

Never seen your channel before but this year i started to really document the process and just recently felt like giving up and this came at the perfect time

[@jorge_albuquerque]

Thank you for point it out! Our struggles as musicians makes part of the creation. Exposing this struggles makes us relate and makes also part of the creation. So lets embrace it and bring the human also up front and share the music but also the human. All the best!

[@LuckyLuchReyes]

As an artist that's getting back into releasing music+content again, this was needed and so encouraging. Thanks Jon!

[@periurban]

I've been on KZbin since 2006, making music videos, and you are right - no-one cares. I was in the first ever partnership program, and just got offered it again. It's a joke. Why would I add adverts to my videos to completely ruin the experience of listening/watching music? This place is insane. But I do love it! lol

[@TheSeaUponUs]

I am just about to rebrand my youtube channel to showcase my writing process! Thanks for the reassurance 🤝

[@KyleLarimoreMusic]

Great encouragement, Jon! 😊 Been a musician my whole life. 11 years of composing music, 4 years on KZbin, and recently got on 150 platforms. Working to get back to making videos on how to create music on my other channel. I encourage anyone to take what you’ve got and put it out there. Doesn’t have to sound or look perfect from the get go, just create; press record. The best way improve your craft is through honest critique from others, which has helped me become a better musician and producer. If you’re struggling to earn money from your music, lookup sync licensing and thank me later. Keep grinding on KZbin, as it’s a big asset! The world needs YOU!! ❤️🎶 #musiciansunite #dontgiveup

[@jesselapierre]

Well shared! Reading the comments and smiling at everyone feeling seen, called to action, and inspired just as you hoped. Feeling the same! Thanks for voicing your thoughts.

[@aejien]

this is such a necessary and relevant video for the music-making landscape here in youtube. i remember beatmaking videos were all the rage back during the pandemic, when everyone was trying to dabble to become a bedroom producer, and everyone consuming it was a beatmaker themselves. but now, there needs to be an evolution to the music-making content, and i sure do hope that people in general, not just musicians, get to also enjoy this kind of content. appreciate the video lots!!

[@SjonnyBB]

Very inspiring indeed! Thanks

[@JPB879]

Hey I love your video! You're totally right about this. I actually found your channel because of this instead of music-making videos. I am trying to make it as a composer/song writer with my youtube channel, but it's frustrating how hard it is to share my music and stories with people. Regardless of this I'll try to showcase my process more because the community needs that and I'll keep hoping people take an interest in my music and videos.

[@wavydane]

eternally grateful, thank you jon, forever 🙏 🤍

[@lordownanglo]

Sick video. This is exactly what I have pivoted to after years of making music. Thanks heaps I needed to hear this

[@BeatShopInstrumental]

Absolutely, the journey is long my friend

[@iainthemusic]

"how do you sell a song without being able to play it" is such an interesting question...! i am now very inspired to make more videos about the process of making music! i LOVE making music AS WELL AS talking about music, and i think making videos doing both (talking and making) is important. i have a bunch of videos doing both, talking and making music, but have only really seen success in the videos talking about music... i really do agree with the main point of your video! hell yea. this is a great video 🔥