You know, diving into music production from home is more accessible than ever, right? But let’s be real, it also throws a bunch of challenges and roadblocks your way that can seriously slow down your learning curve . We all have big ambitions and goals though, so a slow pace just isn’t an option . That’s why I’m here to share seven ways to really speed up your music production learning journey, so you can finally start seeing that progress you totally deserve . You’ve got this!

Through music production is helpful.

Main features of music production

What is important in music production is helpful.

Okay, this might sound a little old school, but hear me out: using every learning medium available, and yes, that includes books, is key . I know, I know, books still exist! And here’s the surprising part, you don’t even have to buy them . Libraries are there for exactly that reason, and trust me, they are super helpful . I’m talking about those classic, master-level books like “The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook” or “modern recording techniques” and “mastering audio, the Art and Science” . These books are absolutely packed with incredible knowledge, all organized perfectly, written by the biggest names in the field .

The core of music production is helpful.

Now, if you’re more into reading on your tablet, no worries . Most of these amazing books are available in ebook format on apps like Kindle . And here’s a little secret that’s pretty cool: “making music 74 creative strategies for electronic music producers” is actually available as a free PDF right on the Ableton website . Seriously, instead of paying $150, you can grab it for free . I’ll put a link in the description for you if you want to check it out; it’s just a cool resource I wanted to share . On top of that, you’ll find a list of all the books I’ve read or recommend for you, so definitely take a look if you’re curious . Using these structured resources can give you such a solid foundation that videos alone can sometimes miss.

For effective use of music production is helpful.

Let’s talk about something that can really skyrocket your skills: learning directly from the best . Think about it simply: your goal is probably to make professional-sounding tracks and really be seen as a legitimate artist, right? A fantastic way to get there is by remixing songs . Pick those tracks from your favorite artists, the ones you totally admire and wish you could produce .

The whole idea here is that this process will push your ear to really analyze every single detail of that song . You’ll start asking things like, “What’s the arrangement like?” or “Are there any cool tricks in the intro or build-up?” and “Which instrument did the artist choose, and why?” But it doesn’t stop there! It also forces your ear to figure out how to recreate those exact sounds through mixing or sound design . And trust me, you’ll pick up a ton of different production techniques along the way . For this to be super effective, here’s a practical tip: pick 12 songs and aim to remake one per month for the next year . I can guarantee that your own music production skills will absolutely explode after doing this .

Here’s another strategy to really speed things up: embrace the 80/20 rule . It might sound a bit complicated, but it’s actually pretty straightforward . Watching tutorials on YouTube feels productive because, well, you are learning . But here’s the surprising part: watching too many tutorials can actually hurt your progress more than you realize, and studies have proven this time and again .

In the beginning, you need a lot of “doing” to achieve that quality you’re aiming for . It all starts with you actually practicing and implementing what you learn in those tutorials . You need to make that EDM lead preset you saw in a video to truly grasp how it works . You also need to add those synth layers yourself to really understand how everything layers together effectively . And this is where the 80/20 rule comes into play perfectly . Aim to spend about 20% of your time watching tutorials and taking notes, and dedicate a solid 80% to actually producing in your DAW . As Ed Sheeran famously said, it takes roughly 10,000 hours to truly master a skill . You’ve just got to put in the time, roll up your sleeves, and do the hard work . However, without the next step, you might be missing a huge piece of the puzzle.

This next tip is one of my favorites, and it’s incredibly powerful . It’s called the Feynman technique, and while the name sounds intimidating, it’s quite simple . The core idea is that when you teach what you’ve learned to others, it really helps you deeply understand and grasp those concepts yourself . Einstein himself had a famous quote about this, saying, “If you can’t explain it simply, then you just don’t understand it well enough” . From my own experience, starting a YouTube channel back when I began learning music production was honestly the best thing I could have done, even though I didn’t realize it at the time .

So, how do you actually put this into practice in your own life? A great way is to join online communities filled with other producers . Think about Facebook groups, Reddit forums, or Discord servers . In these spaces, you can actively answer questions, share tips and tricks you’ve picked up, and essentially verify your own knowledge . You should strive to explain things so simply that even a five-year-old could understand . And here’s the insightful part: whenever you find a subject or topic you can’t explain simply enough, according to the Feynman technique, it means you don’t truly understand it yet . This tells you exactly what you need to go back and learn more about to deepen your understanding . You don’t have to start a YouTube channel or make educational content if that’s not your thing . It’s simply a tool to help you deepen your knowledge, and it can be as easy as just trying to explain what you’re doing to your friends or family . But don’t stop there, because there’s another crucial element.