The Learning Trap

Have you ever felt like you spend more time learning about music production than actually producing music? Yeah, me too. Over the years I’ve turned into a serial information gatherer. Being curious and wanting to learn more is a valuable trait, but it can also be a trap. Where it gets tricky is when you just keep amassing knowledge without putting it into practice.

I’ve heard it said that “knowledge is the booby prize”. In other words, knowledge is only really valuable when you learn to put it to use effectively. And I believe that to be true. It’s the difference between knowing something in theory and knowing it in practice. I certainly learn best by doing. Sure, there have been times where a particular explanation of a production tool or concept has given me a true moment of clarity. But the real value was in taking that clarity and using it actually do the thing.

Why Doing Beats Knowing

For example, Graham Cochrane of The Recording Revolution helped me finally understand the concept of compression. But the nuances of how a compressor works and sounds in context can only be truly understood by turning the dials and using your ears.

These days it’s easier than ever to keep on consuming tips, tricks, and training on making music. There are a lot of people telling you what you should or shouldn’t be doing to get “professional results”. This can be helpful, but it can also be a bit stifling. When there are tutorials on how to do specific things effectively, made by masters in the industry, it’s wise to take that to heart. Your learning curve will be shorter than if you just do things blindly by trial and error.

However, in the pursuit of searching for all the “right” ways to do everything, you can miss out on the joy of exploration, and the satisfaction that comes from figuring things out for yourself. And with all the options and information that’s floating around, there’s a tendency to be dissatisfied with your results so you just keep looking for the next tip or trick.

Back In The Day

I started learning to record on the computer almost 25 years ago while I was in the Army. There was no YouTube, and I didn’t have internet anyway — just me, a homemade gaming PC with an “unofficial” copy of Cool Edit Pro, and whatever gear I could afford at the time.

With only two inputs on my USB interface, my drums had to be recorded through a 4-channel mixer to a stereo track. Before I even knew what plugins were, I’d copy a vocal track and offset it from the original to get a delay effect. I recorded guitars and bass through the same amp and used the same distortion pedal for everything.

I had no preconceived notions about what I “should” be doing — just the excitement of getting ideas out of my head and into the computer. In about a year and a half, I recorded 12 demos. They sound pretty bad now, but the jump in quality from the first one to the last was huge. I got my hands dirty, and I learned by doing.

Information Overload

Then YouTube came along and opened the floodgates. Suddenly, everything I wanted to learn was available for free. So I dug in. I learned whatever I could about EQ, Compression, Vocal Production, and anything else that would help me make my music sound better.

But there was a downside too: it became way too easy to bounce between creators and collect random tips with no real continuity or context. And somewhere along the line, I got sucked into consuming more than I was producing.

Enter The Paradox

There are a few psychological principles at play here: The Paradox of Knowledge and The Paradox of Choice.

The Paradox of Knowledge says that the more you learn, the more you realize how much you don’t know — and that can keep you digging for more info instead of acting on what you already know. It can also be a bit overwhelming at times, but it’s also a good indicator that you’re probably making progress.

The Paradox of Choice states that the more options you have, the less likely you are to be satisfied with the choice you make. When you know that there are thousands of “secrets of the pro’s” videos online, it’s easy to keep jumping from one to the next, for all of eternity. And I would bet that you haven’t even really given most of that info a try for yourself.

Both paradoxes feed the same trap — you keep consuming instead of creating.

The Solution: Filter Hard and Go Deep

It became clear to me that more information isn’t always better. We need better filters. Instead of trying to learn from everyone, pick 1–2 teachers or platforms that resonate with you, and go deep. Follow their workflow. Apply their strategies. See what sticks.

Here are a few that helped me personally (no, these are not affiliate links):

• The Recording Revolution
• Home Studio Corner
• Hardcore Music Studio
• URM Academy / Nail The Mix
• Chris Liepe – vocal training and production

Stop Gathering, Start Growing

Producing music is hard, especially if you’re trying to learn how to do all the different parts of the process. You’re not going to become a pro overnight. You’re not going to close the skills gap on one song. But you will get better if you keep learning and finishing. That means putting all those tips, tricks, and tactics into practice.

Give yourself the time to get your hands dirty. Don’t be afraid to be bad at it for a while. If you really get stuck, go back to your favorite references for a specific solution. Don’t keep hoarding information you aren’t going to implement. Learn one concept and put it to work.