Creating music has become a vital part of my everyday life as I find it relaxing and it is a great way to be creative and to get my ideas out in song form.
For the past few months, I have been working on my first actual album, titled “Honeydaisy.” I have made several smaller works under various aliases but I have not really taken music as seriously until now, so the circumstances and way I approach music production as a whole have changed. Going from just messing around with instruments and samples to actually taking it seriously and trying to create a cohesive work that encapsulates a specific atmosphere has been a big leap but one that has taught me a lot about the creative process.
When I go to create an album or an EP, I usually find a picture that encapsulates the vibe I want with the music. Whether it be a painting or a picture of nature, I try to base the sound of the music around what fits with the picture I have chosen. It is a really good way to create an organic experience within the work that provides a good vibe and a pleasant experience when listening. To me, music is all about atmosphere and the appreciation of the art, which somewhat contrasts what is popular today musically, creating songs just for the radio or for sales, which, to me, ruins the art form completely. Taking inspiration from other artists is a large part of my creative process as I usually start my studio sessions by listening to songs I really enjoy, and I try to come up with my own ideas on how to formulate a new song while taking inspiration from others.
Some of my biggest inspirations are producers like Porter Robinson and Jane Remover, who are very dedicated to their craft. Porter Robinson has been critically acclaimed for his spellbinding works such as “Worlds”, and “Nurture”. Also, sampling is a big part of my creative process as I like finding fun and creative samples and editing them into my own work. Using jazz and electronic samples is a heavy constant in my music, as I like to combine multiple genres together, such as jazz, electronic, ambient, and drum and bass. It’s a weird mix, but it works well when created correctly, and the right amount of time is taken for it.
An issue that many artists, including myself, face is either writer’s block or being too nitpicky about whatever we are working on. For example, I have struggled with the process of making Honeydaisy due to me being way too nitpicky or just having no inspiration. To combat this, it’d be good to take a few days off in order to clear my head so I can come back with fresh ideas and make something truly special.
Overall, the process of making music as a whole can be very arduous as a lot of artists, including myself, struggle with the idea of perfectionism. It holds me back often because I try to nitpick and fix every little thing about the song that it ends up either way too complex and messy, or it ends up sounding overproduced. The key to battling this is to make sure the music is a reflection of you and your style.
Another reality of being a music producer is that you have so many options stylistically, which can be a bit daunting at first. Whether it be creating a concept album and telling a cohesive story within the songs, or changing your genre of choice.
Creating music for me has given me many opportunities to express myself and what I am feeling in a creative way. A YouTuber I frequently watch, Yungjamez, has been creating music since his teenage years under the moniker Violeteyez. He is currently a resident of Tokyo, the capital of Japan, he has noticed differences in music culture compared to his birthplace, Chicago.
“The main difference in how live shows go here vs. the United States would be how professional and formal things are here in Japan,” Yungjamez said. “The United States shines in originality and risk-taking, but Japan shines through professionalism.”
Producing music has become a major outlet for me, and it’s a very fun hobby to pick up. It pushes me to be more creative and it has benefited my life a lot, bringing out creative qualities I thought I did not have.
