Beats: Motivation & Plans
- Thread starter Fade
- Start date
Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
What are the specifics? More money from music? Just making more music in general? Perfecting your sound/mixing?
Self promotion has always been my biggest weakness, improving that is goal number one. Starting to actually put stuff out properly is goal number 2.
I need to up my networking game, Im an anti social fucker but I need to be more social.
Perfecting my sound is my lifelong goal and I dont think I will ever achieve perfection, by trying is half the fun in making music. Growing as an artist and improving my skill set is what has always driven me, its so satisfying to look back on old beats, remake them and just see how far Ive come from the first time I made/flipped the track.
Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
Good points. Me too it's hard to be social on social media, I hate it. I don't want to use it but for ILL I have to if I want traffic.
its hard to be social when you hate people lmao
Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
I'm starting this thread with the hopes of finding some structure, a plan, and some accountability to help me move forward with my music life.
Gonna seek some ideas and suggestions first.
My aims
- actually start putting records out. Releasing actual tracks. Get a publishing/whatever deal (if relevant)
- monetising my music making
- make money as a mix engineer
Any solid tangible measurable suggestions to achieving these results?
I will hopefully soon after have a list/goals, example "create xyz account by xx/xx/xxxx" "make 3 full beats a week" etc etc
Any suggestions, and advice, especially from people already successfully doing similar, would be greatly appreciated.
Let's start moving forward. God knows it's been far long I'm already running late.
IK
(if there's a more appropriate location for this thread, move it there)
Gonna seek some ideas and suggestions first.
My aims
- actually start putting records out. Releasing actual tracks. Get a publishing/whatever deal (if relevant)
- monetising my music making
- make money as a mix engineer
Any solid tangible measurable suggestions to achieving these results?
I will hopefully soon after have a list/goals, example "create xyz account by xx/xx/xxxx" "make 3 full beats a week" etc etc
Any suggestions, and advice, especially from people already successfully doing similar, would be greatly appreciated.
Let's start moving forward. God knows it's been far long I'm already running late.
IK
(if there's a more appropriate location for this thread, move it there)
Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
This is perfect for this thread. I moved it in here.
From what I've gathered over the years, I think it's best to step back first and figure out what type of sound you're really looking to create consistently. With so many beat makers doing type beats or that feel they need to do a certain style, I think the first thing is to figure out the style. Then see how popular that style is just by checking it out all over the place.
For example, if you mainly make Trap then:
- What's the status of Trap in 2023?
- Is it still popular?
- Is it played out?
- How can I stand out? What makes my beats different than others that make Trap?
However, even if you do something like Trap and lots of others do it, how can you be unique within that? One thing that comes to mind is the QUALITY of the beats you put out. I've heard a ton of Boom Bap instrumentals but only a few beat makers have consistently put out beats that are mixed so well and just have a high quality professional sound. But not just mixing like putting everything in the right place at the right levels, I mean making it sound as professional as possible.
I think once you figure that out then it's time to think of putting stuff out there and marketing the hell out of it. I'm not a marketing person but I know just by thinking of someone like the Kardashians, it's ALL about marketing.
Extra thoughts:
You could also just make a porno and grow your name from that. Like do a scene with a fruit of some kind and have your beat playing in the background!!!! Or film yourself doing stupid stunts and have your beats playing. People will definitely be all "YO WHAT SONG IS THAT?!?!".
B.Nevolent
Member
Battle Points: 40
I feel the same way with social media, but I also think that IllMuzik, is a beautiful outlet to test the waters. If you your tracks knock, then you will see traffic. If not, that’s a good indication, that there’s more work to be done, in terms of your sounds and the material that you’re putting out!
I always remember that this is mostly producers and track makers on here, so it’s more of each member critiquing and competing against each other, which is dope! Iron sharpens Iron
JustIn Flow
ILLIEN
I love making beats. I hope that this passion will continue for the time being.
For many years (with numerous interruptions) I have made this hobby only for myself and only a few good friends who also love hip-hop knew about it.
Now I have at least started to put my current stuff online. So I get, even if not much, feedback.
If I think that my skills are good enough, my next goal would be to contact a few selected rappers to possibly win a collaboration (or at least something to get into a network).
What I don't want, is to produce beats on the assembly line to sell them on platforms.
But of course everyone has his own views and I wish everyone success in what he's doing!
For many years (with numerous interruptions) I have made this hobby only for myself and only a few good friends who also love hip-hop knew about it.
Now I have at least started to put my current stuff online. So I get, even if not much, feedback.
If I think that my skills are good enough, my next goal would be to contact a few selected rappers to possibly win a collaboration (or at least something to get into a network).
What I don't want, is to produce beats on the assembly line to sell them on platforms.
But of course everyone has his own views and I wish everyone success in what he's doing!
crosstevsky
beats architect
This is my second "restart" of my music making career. I couldn't imagine doing it without Illmuzik. This place is one of a kind...
This time I'm not even going to try making money of my music. That was my mistake previously. I lost all passion and enjoyment out of making beats. Although you can learn a couple of things when you're trying to be so serious.
With my side hustle as secondary income (editing podcasts) now I can dedicate my free time into making beats for pleasure...
My plan is to put out one solid beat a month....
This time I'm not even going to try making money of my music. That was my mistake previously. I lost all passion and enjoyment out of making beats. Although you can learn a couple of things when you're trying to be so serious.
With my side hustle as secondary income (editing podcasts) now I can dedicate my free time into making beats for pleasure...
My plan is to put out one solid beat a month....
Kane the MOD
Grey haired Boom Bap Rap Dad
Battle Points: 5
My goal is to drop records more frequently. I want to step up my beat and rapgame to get and keep an audience. Also, collaborate with more artists and producers on the way.
Dusty B
ILLIEN
Battle Points: 37
I really want to get up and running on socials. I'm on Reddit and YT but I know I need to use one of those social media apps to make it easy to post to all. I've been making 3-4 beats/week regularly so I want to keep that going and really build out a solid portfolio. I also want to get a website up and running that has a way for folks to browse my portfolio by tags, filters, etc. as well as put a few videos on YT of me actually making the beat instead of just audio. The goal of building a portfolio, landing page, personal brand, etc. is a) just want a nice page for myself and b) because I'd really like to get to the point where I have enough of a portfolio going where I can get some projects with artists, and hopefully a solid presence online helps with the relationship aspect of things. I'm in my 30s now and this is really my childhood hobby and passion that I love, if I can make sure money, cool, but that's not the main driver anymore, it's really my creative escape and therapy ha.
Last edited:
Earsblower
ILLIEN
Battle Points: 7
For now, even though I do have Spotify / Soundcloud accounts where I drop my beats, I concentrate myself on learning and experiencing. I think it is a long journey and for each and every beat created you learn something and get better at one (tiny) little thing. With that you can build upon and become a better maker. I promised myself to keep my uniqueness as I do not want to fall into the stereotype/factory-line type of creation that some may fall into.
If it generates income, that's bonus. At the end of the day I am happy with that I create and just throw it out there for some people to enjoy as well if possible. I have a "don't-give-a-fuck" mentality about this (now not saying I don't care about feedback and stuff, more like if you think it's trash, then next guy might think it's dope).
With that said, I am curious... Anyone had received a Record label deal proposition ?
If it generates income, that's bonus. At the end of the day I am happy with that I create and just throw it out there for some people to enjoy as well if possible. I have a "don't-give-a-fuck" mentality about this (now not saying I don't care about feedback and stuff, more like if you think it's trash, then next guy might think it's dope).
With that said, I am curious... Anyone had received a Record label deal proposition ?
Earsblower
ILLIEN
Battle Points: 7
Never thought of Reddit... Is it good for feedback and stuff ?
OGBama
Big Clit Energy
Reddit @Earsblower is a cesspool at times but trying "MakingHipHop" there.
Dusty B
ILLIEN
Battle Points: 37
It's alright, everyone there seems to be in a dick swinging contest or tries to be a smart ass to get up votes. But some of the communities have a ton of active people on there so that's why I've been browsing and sharing my YT links there. For example, makinghiphop has like 300K+ members and there's usually 200+ people online so it's pretty active.
But IllMuzik is much better for feedback, all of the feedback threads on Reddit center around returning feedback so it's a lot of "sounds great bro here's mine" fluff. Reddit seems to be OK for general personal branding and just meeting other like minded folks though.
