Something I've adjusted with my on/off again relationship with music production is using reference tracks. No, not just trying to remake a song. Not only modeling a tune based on another either.
Literally, importing the original, and toggling it on/off as a baseline as you craft your own version... or something else entirely. It's really been a gamechanger as I continue to battle the learning curve that is EQ (truly the bane of my existence.) And now that I'm being more consistent in using them, I look back and think to myself: why was I so adamant against using them anyway?
Even pro producers and sound engineers use reference tracks in this manner, which is part of the reason why I've come around to it.
I think before, it felt like cheating? Just too much of a crutch. I should be struggling forward on my own. And maybe that has its merits too to an extent. It's not always the best thing to have the immediate answer and solution when you're in the learning phase.
However, what's the context?
For a seasoned musician with schooling, years of play, and the ear? They could do well with more struggle time. They'd probably ease in and out of it much more easily too.
But for someone who took a year of piano when he was 4 years old and stopped, then taught himself guitar to impress girls and stopped... how the hell would he have that ear and knowhow to replicate a song?
The talent is lacking. The skills... they're not cultivated yet.
So similarly with coding and programming, if that's your background, then sure. Maybe you can struggle a bit better. But if you're a fish out of water (like me) coming from a field completely unrelated to this sort of thing, look at other people's code!
Yes, expose yourself to concepts. Find inspiration. Even though tutorial hell exists, do the damn tutorials.
But it's okay to look at and replicate code until you're more and more familiar with the components.
Top comments (0)