Do you believe in mentors?

dreddedblaze

Member
ill o.g.
The title pretty much sums it up. Do you think that it's good to have a veteran producer watch your growth, and help contribute with advice pertaining to music, and life as a producer? I've been "mentoring" a few newly budding producers, and it's incredible to see how they're progressing! I wish I had one lol.
 

Relic

Voice of Illmuzik Radio
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 83
Yeah I didnt have one either and wish I had, now I guard all my secrets with a greed surpassed by none because it was hard on the come up...Unless they belong to Ill..
I had helped one guy who was with our camp , then after learning enough he jumped ship,
thus the school closed.
 

J-ReZyN

Soul Slinger
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 1
Great post dreddedblaze. I didn't have a mentor either and while sometimes I wish I did, because it would have made things easier having someone to guide me, not having one forced me to work hard and dedicate myself which is much more fulfilling when you look back at how much you've accomplished. There was nothing like Illmuzik back in the day to turn to for help so it was all trial and error and reading cryptic manuals. I'm completely self taught, and while I can understand others saying "Fuck that, I learned this all myself so I'm not helping anyone", I do find it fullfilling to mentor someone and pass on some knowledge. I've been doing this for a minute now and have had the chance to take a few people under my wing. When you show them the basics and get them started and then see how they progress, it's almost like planting a seed and watching it grow. I've seen some of them transform into really outstanding producers with their own unique style and it makes me proud when they produce a hot track, or spread the knowledge to others starting out. And it's also cool when I get new gear or software to have others that know what you're talking about and appreciate that shit. Not like showing the wifey a new synth and hearing,"Oh, you got another piano, it's pretty, so many knobs and thingies".
 

dreddedblaze

Member
ill o.g.
Great post dreddedblaze. I didn't have a mentor either and while sometimes I wish I did, because it would have made things easier having someone to guide me, not having one forced me to work hard and dedicate myself which is much more fulfilling when you look back at how much you've accomplished. There was nothing like Illmuzik back in the day to turn to for help so it was all trial and error and reading cryptic manuals. I'm completely self taught, and while I can understand others saying "Fuck that, I learned this all myself so I'm not helping anyone", I do find it fullfilling to mentor someone and pass on some knowledge. I've been doing this for a minute now and have had the chance to take a few people under my wing. When you show them the basics and get them started and then see how they progress, it's almost like planting a seed and watching it grow. I've seen some of them transform into really outstanding producers with their own unique style and it makes me proud when they produce a hot track, or spread the knowledge to others starting out. And it's also cool when I get new gear or software to have others that know what you're talking about and appreciate that shit. Not like showing the wifey a new synth and hearing,"Oh, you got another piano, it's pretty, so many knobs and thingies".


Exactly how I feel man. Sometimes, I think that it takes a lot of courage to even come up to a producer and ask for help to be honest.
 

Relic

Voice of Illmuzik Radio
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 83
Well like I say if its someone on this site or someone I have a connection with Ill help. but there have been a couple of cats I have Tried to get to come through and learn somthing , but apparently they are too good to come learn even though they just started, and of course home studios arent as exciting as big ones filled with 20 cats all smoked out and trying to play they shit all at the same time , so Im just tryin to learn from the Illfam myself.
 

dreddedblaze

Member
ill o.g.
^^ Lol yeah I agree. I've never been in a studio, I hope that one day I can just vibe with people in one and make great music.
 

J-ReZyN

Soul Slinger
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 1
Well like I say if its someone on this site or someone I have a connection with Ill help. but there have been a couple of cats I have Tried to get to come through and learn somthing , but apparently they are too good to come learn even though they just started, and of course home studios arent as exciting as big ones filled with 20 cats all smoked out and trying to play they shit all at the same time , so Im just tryin to learn from the Illfam myself.

I feel you Relic. I've had some experiences with cats who just wasted my time or thought they knew everything. If I get a bad vibe off someone I give them a polite "fuck you" and give them the boot. I won't waste time with anyone who isn't interested. You can't help everyone. Oh and I haven't been to big studios much but I have had like 20 heads smoked out in my home studio all trying to play their tracks. Now that's a tough crowd!
 

Relic

Voice of Illmuzik Radio
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 83
I feel you Relic. I've had some experiences with cats who just wasted my time or thought they knew everything. If I get a bad vibe off someone I give them a polite "fuck you" and give them the boot. I won't waste time with anyone who isn't interested. You can't help everyone. Oh and I haven't been to big studios much but I have had like 20 heads smoked out in my home studio all trying to play their tracks. Now that's a tough crowd!

LMAO!! yeah to both of you guys , the bigger studios are cool I have a friend who owns one.BUT thats why I bought all my gear, so I never ever had to go back to a big one again unless it was on someone elses dime.I BLEW (like rent $) thousands trying to go to some of these studios that after I left STILL didnt have the sound I was looking for.
Im str8 right now, I could care less if I go to a big one in the near future Id rather spend the money on maybe getting a better mic or improving my own stuff.
It doesnt make any sense, if I go to one now what am I gonna do? Bring a PT session from the house..
But if you havent been go and be dazzled cuz it is cool..But invest in yourself.
(There thats my mentoring for today lol)
 

dreddedblaze

Member
ill o.g.
LOL. See, we're using your mentoring powers already! Haha, so note to self, don't invite more than 5 smoked out people to the studio...


Things could get messy.
 

Relic

Voice of Illmuzik Radio
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 83
Hell if your going to the studio dont invite ANY smoked out people with you, you will end up pissing your money away.Especially if the people just want to go and arent the talent.
Thats a big waste of time and if the engineer is worth a shit , your prolly secretly pissing him off.
We had a guy that had redlight syndrome that would be fine until they hit record and literally 10 takes later we would get a good one and he would want to do it again because he said ONE word the wrong way in his opinion.Thats what that shit can get you, thank God that cat is gone now.His shit sucked anyway and he wasted years of my fucking life with his bs.
 
T

The Bastard

Guest
if they are ur boys like that teach em everything u know. my boys teachin me the guitar. if u dont know em like that or u suspect two faceness then tell nothing
 

dreddedblaze

Member
ill o.g.
I know a few artists I work with and regret too. Call me a sellout, but it's good money :p. One of these days I'll just have to cut him loose though.
 
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 3
Spirit Evolution Via Awareness & Sound

"People who look for truth are more than friends. They are BROTHERS"

Personally, I don't believe in so-called TEACHERS\GUIDES\GURUS... I certainly do not deny mentoring\instructing, yet, these "relationships" are often VERY problematic... I STRONGLY believe in a "hand in hand" route instead of an-often unbalanced "teacher-student association". We're in this together, no hierarchy shall exist.

* I initially got into music thanks to my father. My father is a die hard jazz collector and a serious audiophile. He was a member of a big jazz club in Russia and knew most of the Russian jazz musicians at that time. He has been collecting music since the late sixties, and thus, music has always dominated our house. My father did not push me into music, it happened naturally. There was simply no other way. As a small child, my father always used to tell me all these great stories about jazz and jazz musicians. It fascinated me to the fullest extent and beyond. At some point, I took piano lessons, but quickly stopped playing since I knew that it wasn't what I wished to do. I've strived to make my own soundtrack, to let my creativity out.



“A great teacher is one who realizes that he himself is also a student and whose goal is not dictate the answers, but to stimulate his students creativity enough so that they go out and find the answers themselves.”

"It seems that most students actually want to remain little children and idolize their holy daddy, and holy mommy."

"There is only one real book to study and learn from—
the greatest of all books—
and that is the very manuscript that you, yourself, are."

"A true seeker cannot not accept any teachings, not if he sincerely wished to find something. But he who found, could give his approval to every path, every goal; nothing separated him from all the other thousands who lived in eternity, who breathed the Divine."

"Real Masters never charge for their services, nor do they accept payment in any form or any sort of material benefits for their instructions. This is a universal law among Masters, and yet it is an amazing fact that thousands of eager seekers in America and elsewhere, go on paying large sums of money for "spiritual instruction.". Masters are always self-sustaining. They are never supported by their students or by public charity."

"The Buddha said that neither the repetition of holy scriptures, nor self-torture, nor sleeping on the ground, nor the repetition of prayers, penances, hymns, charms, mantras, incantations and invocations can bring us the real happiness of Nirvana. Instead the Buddha emphasized the importance of making individual effort in order to achieve our spiritual goals".

"THOSE WHO HAVE NOT ATTAINED AWAKENING SHOULD PENETRATE INTO THE MEANING OF REALITY, WHILE THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED SHOULD PRACTICE GIVING EXPRESSION TO THAT REALITY"


"Only by asking the silliest questions can you get the wisest answers..."


One Love - Best of Luck,
Wings
 

dreddedblaze

Member
ill o.g.
Wow.








I think after that, you can just close the thread and call it a wrap! lol.


Thanks for droppin' the profound knowledge.
 

Ash Holmz

The Bed-Stuy Fly Guy
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 207
having a mentor is damn near essential .. not from a beat making standpoint but from a business perspective. Someone thats been there and can tell u certain things. but i never had a mentor with beat making but i have a mentor who is also my manager of sorts. I owe alot to him cuz id be assed out if I didnt recieve his guidance on certain things.
 

classic

I am proud to be southern
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 90
only if the person is talented and worth my time, i aint gonna waste my time on same wack ass dude who bought one scratch magazine and wants to be the next just blaze...

I wouldent teach them how to produce it would be more like an ideas thing, Me i never had a mentor production wise but ive had PLENTY of mentors in music in general
 

Ash Holmz

The Bed-Stuy Fly Guy
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 207
to be honest i havent met many people who love making beats as much as i do ... it is honestly my favorite thing to do in life lol....i would gladly teach someone if they were as into it as i am. The problem is evryones tryin to come up quick and not really doin it for the love or for just the sake of making some new music. Im on an endless quest to make the perfect beat
 

dreddedblaze

Member
ill o.g.
^^Ditto

A lot of these newer producers think that all you need is a Triton, MPC, and FL Studio and you've got the perfect setup and will be making Grammy award winning beats in 5 minutes.
 
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