One of the best ways to grow as a music producer is by learning through feedback, which can be hard after spending hours on a track.
So we want to share 5 tips on how to give negative feedback as a music producer to help you grow at music creation.
Why you should be open to feedback:
Music is something that is meant to be shared and listened to by others, so receiving feedback can give us different perspectives on how to create better music to reach the masses.
Also, if you are creating beats for music artists, you should listen to feedback to better understand different music artist’s needs to help you sell more beats.
So here are a few tips to help you handle feedback better.
How to Deal With Negative Feedback
1. Don’t Take Feedback Personal
It’s understandable. Our very first instinct every time we receive criticism is to take it personally.
But a point we should always remember is that the person behind that critique doesn’t really know your thought process and what decisions led you to take the actions you took. They are merely an observer.
So, learn to put the critique where it belongs and give it the proper attention it deserves from the right perspective. That way, it will be much easier to use it constructively.
2. Value What You Can Learn From Criticism
Criticism should not always be viewed as a bad thing. Sure, it may be constructive or destructive, but there’s always something to learn from it, no matter the type, Be it something about your work or even about personal growth.
This type of approach will certainly help you stay focused and not ruminate too much on thoughts you don’t need.
It will help you learn that once you’ve processed it in your mind and taken everything you could learn from it, you no longer need to keep contemplating it.
3. Listen Without Judgement
One of the most effective and practical ways to put the first and second tips into practice is to listen to the critics without judgment.
Once you listen without judgment, it will be much easier not to take it personally and see what you can learn from the person giving feedback.
4. Ask Follow Up Questions & For Alternative Suggestions
Some people may voice they don’t like something, and that is simply criticism. What we want to help grow is constructive criticism.
This is where the person explains in more detail what they don’t like specifically and provides some helpful suggestions on how the project could be better.
So, get in the habit of asking questions to get a better understanding of this person’s suggestion, and look for suggestions on how things can be improved.
5. Understand That People From The Industry Are Not Always 100% Right
Many music producers, especially those who are just starting, have the false belief that well-known critics and people in high positions in the music industry are always 100% right.
The fact is, few things are as subjective and personal as music or art in general. There are hundreds of stories of music artists being looked down upon in the music industry and then becoming successful.
Even The Beatles were told they would not have the success they had.
So please keep in mind critics are always subject to their own beliefs and subjectivism.
Conclusion on Dealing with Negative Feedback
Receiving negative feedback and criticism can be hard because we work on something really hard and get attached to the work. But receiving negative feedback can also inspire us and push us to work harder.
Here is an example by Pharrell Williams, who said he created 9 songs that were rejected for the Despicable Me movie soundtrack before making his hit song “Happy.”
So, push yourself out of your comfort zone and start seeking feedback to help you grow musically.
Additional Feedback Tips
- Go to trusted sources for feedback – Go to people who you know can give good feedback on the topic. Don’t go to yes men or people who do not know about the topic.
- Take notes on the feedback to sort through later.
- Test out the suggestions – You don’t have to agree with all the tips you receive. But maybe spend 10 to 15 minutes testing out the new idea. This may inspire you with new ideas you haven’t tried before.
- Seek inspiration based on the feedback – If you can’t fully envision how to create what was suggested to you, search the internet for inspiration to inspire you.
- Trust your gut over the feedback you receive, but still be open-minded to suggestions.
How do you handle negative feedback?
Please share in the comments below!
Thanks for reading.
