7 habits of unsuccessful producers you DONT want to copy
It's been a bit since this came out but we wanted to say thank you for this
We just started the project back in June 2023 and from then to November 2023 we've already seen so much growth - thank you so much!
OK - back to the letter you came to read
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On your way to becoming a top level dance music producer, you'll pick up many habits, good and bad.
From a YouTube video that showed you how to sound design - or from another that showed you how to mix.
Or even from outside music, you've picked up subconscious habits or ways of thinking which come from an unsuccessful mindset.
Spotting and avoiding these are essential for you to improve your productions + grow your audience.
Here are 7 habits of producers you DONT want to copy
1. Continual focus negativity - you are what you think about
"My mix never sounds good, I'm a bad producer"
"I can never be successful, I don't have connections"
"It's hard in my area, there is no one like me here"
"I never have time to make music, I'll never make it and it's going to be a hobby for me forever."
Can you see how even reading these starts to make you feel worse?
Imagine always thinking like this and assuming the worst.
Instead - you want to practice "positive reframing".
Trying to avoid negative thoughts all together is impossible.
We will always have negative thoughts.
You want to instead practice;
1. Catching yourself when you think negative
2. Understanding why you think that way
3. Reframing it from negative to positive/glass half full vs half empty
For example, let's say you often think to yourself
"I can never be successful, I don't have connections"
Instead
1. Notice yourself thinking this
2. Ask "Why do I believe this? Do I honestly believe this deep down?"
3. Reframe it - "I don't need to have connections to be successful - there are other ways and if I search deeper, I will find one"
In this case, we have the internet and posting content to grow your audience has never been easier!
2. Not curious enough
We get conditioned as we grow older to NOT try new things so we don't stand out too much or "disrupt" anything.
Fear of judgement makes us lose our curiosity and interest in trying new things.
Like making a weird new sound, song idea, or even trying to make a different genre than you normally do.
I can't tell you how many times I've found or made game changing sounds and ideas simply because I was goofing around trying new stuff.
If I was too concerned with "that's now how you're supposed to make Techno" or whatever random rule we're told - I'd never get anywhere and my spotify wrapped would look like this
Be curious and ask "what if I ___".
Allow you endeavours to run their course - you never know what will stand out to you and where that curiosity can lead.
3. Easily distracted - no focus.
Procrastinate starting things for fear of seemingly inevitable failure
How often do you pull your phone out when you're in a line waiting for something or just don't want to make eye contact with anyone and have to start a conversation?
This bad habit of us always running to our phones when we are uncomfortable KILLS our focus in all areas.
It teaches our brain to chase "cheap dopamine" (using phone for TikTok for example) instead of focusing and dialing in on the task at hand.
Because of this, we never get quality work on our productions - and this leads us to having below average song quality etc.
This is why intention and removing distractions are key for creating high quality ideas.
4. Give in to laziness.
"I'll do it tomorrow"
"It's future me’s problem"
"I don't feel like it right now"
I wrote about the difference between hard work and working hard a few weeks ago.
In essence, doing things you fear or avoid despite knowing you should do it is a sign of being a hard worker - faking working hard.
But doing the stuff you fear and avoid is the opposite and actually leads you to success and the goals you want to achieve.
The continual putting off of easy to do tasks for flimsy and lame reasons.
The solution is to do small tasks right away and build that positive dopamine momentum of completing a TO-DO list.
This is how you reinforce a positive habit - by stacking it with dopamine or the "feel good" hormone.
Achieving a lot of small tasks in succession makes you feel accomplished and releases dopamine.
Now if you pair that with working hard - you start to get momentum in an upwards spiral.
5. Ignoring your body health and longevity
This is a pretty obvious one but too many of us ignore it - and it's precisely because of this we suffer in our lifestyle.
Your mind and body are one and the same.
If you treat your body poorly, your mind goes.
Treat your mind poorly, your body follows.
Exercise, 3-5 times a week. Resistance and some cardio, running, cycling - whatever.
Your mind and ability to focus, create good ideas, finish them, be consistent, kick laziness to the curb and achieve your goals HEAVILY relies on the shape of your mind.
And a weak body is a weak mind.
So exercise - it's does wonders for you in and out of music.
6. Not knowing your “Why”
"Why are you making music?"
"What's the purpose and goal behind it?"
"Why do you want to reach that goal?"
"Why is that goal important for you?"
"What happens if you don't reach that goal?"
Your "Why" must be alive and top of mind everyday - otherwise you'll have 1/2 the energy, drive and motivation to do the work you don't feel like.
If you don't know your why - journal and write them down.
Follow the series of questions I asked above and follow the trail of "why" until you reach a fundamental truth that resonates with you.
That's your why.
Write it down everyday
Repeat it to yourself every morning and night
Keep reminding yourself of it until it gets engrained into your habits and daily work.
7. Mistaking getting help as weakness
People take pride in saying they did “x” themselves.
“I became a successful producer and musician ON MY OWN.”
This is more prevalent in individualistic cultures such as western America (Canada, USA etc.)
They insist on going it alone when it’s not even required and don't know when to ask for help or to work in a team.
Neil Armstrong didn’t get to the moon on his own.
He had the help of Buzz Aldrin and the rest of his crew.
The key here though is not to accept help from someone just because they are offering.
Instead it’s to seek out the right information from the right people.
Take your help from a trusted, knowledgeable source.
At the end of the day - why are you even reading this letter?
While I appreciate your support in reading these letters - the goal is to get you to take a massive action and start changing your life by:
1. Deciding to commit to music production if it's something you want as a career OR decide it's just a hobby for you.
2. If you're serious but are NOT making any progress and are stuck in your mixing/mastering, sound design, branding, social media - see if I can help you actually fix those.
If you are serious - watch this free intro training I have for EDM producers here.
Peace,
Vig/MA
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