This unit, “Introduction to Music Production”, introduced me to some artists I had never heard of before contributing to the broadening of my knowledge of very specific genres and music from around the world. I got an opportunity to dive into various topics myself on an ongoing basis and sometimes discover elements I have previously overlooked in my favourite music releases. I noticed a gradual improvement in the efficiency of my research skills and academic referencing—an aspect that I have always found to challenge my time management abilities. This not only contributed to the quality of my work but also made it easier for me to balance various tasks.
Over the duration of this academic term, I sometimes felt limited because of my inability to improvise on musical instruments. While I thought I could rely on the music theory knowledge I have previously used for composing, I was once again reminded of the importance of being able to come up with a musical idea in the studio quickly, off the cuff. I have decided to make time to review music theory, look into improvisation and figure out the way to build my technical skills (which are currently on a basic level) towards songwriting.
Even though I have been using music softwares and studios for just a year, I noticed how this experience helped me in all of the units. I was familiar with the terminology used in the classroom, the layout of a typical DAW, and the studio equipment, so, having that base, felt confident learning new skills.
Even after learning to appreciate different genres of music, I still struggle to draw inspiration from all the opportunities Ableton Live offers for electronic music creation, as I have not previously worked in this genre. I expect to overcome the art block by implementing a skill of active listening I developed during the “Introduction to Music Production” module by listening and analysing a variety of electronic tracks and discovering elements I could use in my own production.