It’s important for newbie musicians to know what goes into their own music. You don’t have to be an expert in music theory to make this happen, but you do need a good idea of what your sound is in particular.
After all, picking up an instrument, or downloading some sound mixing software, is the start of your musical journey. Now you’re on the road, you need to develop your sound as a musician. It’s what all the greats do!
And every single one of those great musicians has a signature sound they’re known for. What will be yours? Here are a few of the best ways to find it.
Identify Style Patterns in Your Favorite Music
What songs do you like to listen to? What artists would you say are your favorite? These two questions can inform you on a lot of the details when it comes to your own music stylings.
What you listen to is likely to be what you love in music of your own. These sounds have likely inspired you, and probably more than you might think. And when you put all of this together in one big mixing pot, what is likely to come out the other side?
Think about this whenever you find a new artist you enjoy, as it’s how you can reliably develop your sound.
Think Like a Record Producer
Play back a song you’ve made and recorded; make sure it’s one you’re most proud of as well. Now, try to put yourself into the shoes of a record producer, and a big one like Clive Davis at that.
If you had made successful artists before now, what would you think if it was your job to find potential in your song?
Obviously you’re going to have a lot of bias to deal with here, but this is an important exercise to try out. What would a record producer think of your song if they were hearing it for the first time?
What would they pick out? What moments would catch their attention? Where do you think their criticism would fall? Analyze your songs with this kind of ear to start refining your raw tracks into something bigger and better.
Experiment!
No artist got anywhere without a bit of musical experimentation! Even when reaching the heights of fame, experimenting with new sounds is common.
Think about all the artists who have received criticism for releasing new albums that sound nothing like their old ones. Experimenting with the way you make music never quite stops!
So feel free to try out new things whenever you want. Your sound won’t dramatically change overnight, so you don’t need to worry about that. You just need to try things that interest you, so you can make new music that keeps on appealing to you.
Developing your sound as a newbie musician can be tough. Think about your favorite songs, think like a record producer, and have some fun with sonic experimentation!
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