30 Music Production Tips in Under 16 Minutes
Summary
TLDRIn this insightful video, a seasoned music producer shares 30 essential tips for creating professional-sounding music in a home studio. From investing in sound libraries to mastering acoustic treatment, the tips cover recording techniques, mixing strategies, and creative approaches to songwriting and production. The producer also emphasizes the importance of finishing songs, serving clients, and maintaining enjoyment in the creative process for a sustainable music career.
Takeaways
- 🎼 Invest in sound libraries before effects plugins for a more professional sound.
- 🎸 Avoid recording with cheap-sounding instruments; ensure the instrument has a great sound quality.
- 🎤 Use dynamic mics like the Shure SM7B for bedroom studios without professional acoustic treatment.
- 🔊 Invest in good acoustic treatment to achieve clearer vocals and better overall sound quality.
- 📊 The fader is the most important mixing tool; proper volume adjustment is crucial before adding effects.
- 🔄 To find the right volume level, start too loud or too quiet and find the middle ground.
- 🌐 Use two separate reverbs for vocals to create a sense of width and depth.
- 🎵 Add a breath before pronouncing words like 'I' in vocals for a softer effect.
- 🔉 Boost frequencies to add crispiness or character to vocals, rather than only using subtractive EQ.
- 🥁 For drum programming, use existing loops as a starting point and customize them to your needs.
- 📋 Aim to stay under -6 dB when recording to avoid clipping and allow for better dynamic range.
- 🔍 Scrub the timeline to check for arrangement interest; if it sounds the same, it may need reworking.
- 📝 Always have a recording app ready to capture song ideas as they come.
- 🚶 Take breaks and allow your mind to wander to solve production problems creatively.
- 🥋 Understand the balance between top-end and low-end in kick drums for a well-rounded sound.
- ⏰ Set a timer to increase production speed and focus on making significant changes first.
- 🎧 Record multiple vocal takes to create a huge pop vocal sound through layering and doubling.
- 🔊 Be cautious not to overload the low end; let the bass and kick carry the low frequencies.
- 🎹 Use different chord inversions in various tracks to add uniqueness to your production.
- 📚 Learn music theory to understand how music works and improve your creative capabilities.
- 🔑 Use clipping in addition to limiting for increased loudness and a more natural sound.
- 🔄 Save different versions of your productions, especially when working with clients for revisions.
- 🚫 Know when to abandon a production that isn't working out and redirect your creative energy elsewhere.
- 🏆 Finish your songs to avoid having many unfinished tracks and to build a complete portfolio.
- 🤝 Focus on serving clients rather than yourself to build a successful career as a producer.
- 🔍 Mute unnecessary elements to simplify your production and enhance clarity.
- 🔁 Add additional processing to effects like reverbs and delays to make them more interesting.
- 🎉 Remember to have fun in music production, as enjoyment is key to creativity and sustainability.
Q & A
Why is it recommended to invest in sound libraries before effects plugins?
-Investing in sound libraries is recommended because professional sounding music requires access to high-quality sounds, which have a greater impact on the overall production quality than effects plugins like EQs and compressors.
What is the main reason for not recording with cheap instruments?
-Cheap instruments often produce inferior sound quality, which can negatively affect the overall recording. It's better to use instruments that sound great, even if they are not very expensive.
Why is a dynamic mic suggested for recording vocals in a bedroom studio without professional acoustic treatment?
-Dynamic mics, like the Shure SM7B, are less sensitive than large diaphragm condenser mics, making them more suitable for untreated rooms as they are less likely to pick up unwanted room noise and reflections.
What is the most important tool in mixing, according to the script?
-The most important tool in mixing is the fader, as many mixing issues stem from volume problems rather than issues with EQ, compression, or reverb.
What is a quick method to set the appropriate volume level for any element in a mix?
-The method involves turning the volume up until it's clearly too loud, then turning it down until it's clearly too quiet, and finally splitting the difference. This technique helps in finding the right balance for the volume.
How can using two separate reverbs enhance vocal recordings?
-Using a combination of a longer reverb and a shorter room reverb can give vocals a sense of width and space, making them feel bigger and more dynamic.
What is a practical tip for capturing song ideas that come at random times?
-Using a good recording app on your phone to document song ideas as they come can ensure that you don't forget great ideas. The user mentions using Voice Record Pro for this purpose.
How can setting a timer help in producing music faster?
-Setting a timer for one hour and committing to producing as much as possible within that time limit can help focus on making big moves and avoid getting bogged down in mundane details.
Why is it important to be cautious with the low end in music production?
-Overloading the low end can create a cluttered mix. It's crucial to ensure that only essential elements like the bass and kick carry the low end, allowing other elements to fill higher frequency ranges without causing issues.
What is the advice given for producers who often don't finish their songs?
-Producers are encouraged to finish their songs and not let them sit unfinished on their hard drives. Completing songs, even if they feel they only need a few more tweaks, is crucial for moving forward and potentially having a career in music production.
Outlines
🎵 Tips for Investing in Sound Libraries and Instruments
The speaker shares their extensive experience in music production, emphasizing the importance of investing in high-quality sound libraries before effects plugins. Good sound libraries provide professional-sounding music, while cheap instruments yield subpar recordings. Recommendations include using dynamic mics in untreated rooms and investing in good acoustic treatment for better vocal and monitor sound quality. The fader is highlighted as the most crucial tool in mixing.
🔊 Effective Volume Adjustments and Reverb Techniques
Tips on adjusting volumes and using reverb effectively are provided. The speaker suggests a method for finding the right volume by alternating between too loud and too quiet and then splitting the difference. For bigger vocal sounds, two separate reverbs are recommended. Additionally, a trick to make vocals softer is shared. Boosting frequencies and using different EQs are also discussed.
🎧 Drum Programming and Vocal Recording Techniques
Advice on drum programming includes using loops as references to learn and create unique patterns. For vocal recording, turning the head at a 45-degree angle helps manage dynamic volume changes without altering frequency capture. Recording below -6 dB ensures safe levels, and a technique for checking arrangement interest by scrubbing the timeline is explained. The importance of capturing song ideas immediately is emphasized.
🛠 Practical Production Tips for Improved Workflow
Taking breaks to refresh creativity and ensuring kicks have both top-end pop and low-end thump are recommended. Setting timers to work efficiently and recording multiple vocal layers for fuller pop vocals are advised. Managing low-end elements in arrangements and using transitional sounds effectively are crucial. Different chord inversions can make productions more interesting, and learning music theory is highly valuable.
📈 Advanced Mixing and Production Management Techniques
Using clipping in addition to limiting for louder mixes and saving multiple versions of projects to manage revisions are key tips. Knowing when to abandon a production that's not working and the importance of finishing songs are highlighted. Producers should focus on serving clients' needs to build a career. Removing unnecessary elements from tracks and enhancing effects with additional processing are also advised.
😊 Enjoying the Process and Setting Boundaries in Production
The importance of having fun in music production is stressed. Producers should only take on projects they enjoy and learn to say no to work that doesn't excite them. Drawing boundaries and focusing on enjoyable projects lead to a fulfilling career. The video concludes with a call to comment on the most helpful tips and encourages viewers to watch more videos for faster production learning.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Sound Libraries
💡Acoustic Treatment
💡Dynamic Mic
💡Fader
💡Reverb
💡Additive EQ
💡Drum Loops
💡Transitional Elements
💡Music Theory
💡Clipping
💡Project Alternatives
💡Vocal Doubling
💡Creative Energy
💡Mixing
💡Effects Bus
💡Service Provider
Highlights
Invest in sound libraries before effects plugins for a more professional sound.
Avoid recording with cheap-sounding instruments for better quality.
Use dynamic mics like SM7B for untreated rooms to avoid sensitivity issues.
Acoustic treatment is crucial for clear vocals and accurate listening.
The fader is the most important mixing tool, focusing on volume before effects.
Determine appropriate volume levels by adjusting until clearly too loud or too quiet, then finding the midpoint.
Use two separate reverbs for a wider vocal sound, one long and one short.
Add a breath before pronouncing 'I' in vocals for a softer sound.
Boost frequencies, especially in the 6k range, for added crispiness in vocals.
Study drum loops and program to them to learn and create drum patterns.
Turn your head at a 45-degree angle for dynamic vocal recording instead of pulling away from the mic.
Aim to stay under -6 dB when recording to avoid clipping.
Scrub the timeline to check for arrangement interest and differentiate if needed.
Always have a recording app ready to capture random song ideas.
Take walks to refresh creativity and solve production problems.
Ensure kick drums have both top-end pop and low-end thump for a balanced sound.
Set a one-hour timer to focus on making significant production progress.
Record lead vocals and two exact duplicates for a huge pop vocal sound.
Avoid overloading the low end, focusing on bass and kick for low-frequency elements.
Transitional elements like symbols and risers can significantly impact music.
Avoid copying MIDI regions; use different chord inversions for uniqueness.
Learn music theory to understand how music works and improve creativity.
Use clipping for more loudness in tracks, especially on drums.
Save project revisions or use alternatives to access older versions.
Give permission to abandon a production if it's not going well.
Finish songs even if they require that last 5% of effort.
Focus on serving clients as a producer rather than personal interests.
Mute unnecessary elements to simplify and improve arrangements.
Add effects to effects, like distortion after a delay, for unique sounds.
Enjoy the process of making music, regardless of career aspirations.
Transcripts
all right so i've been producing music
for over 13 years in a home studio i've
done everything from producing artists
to music for film to making custom music
for commercials i know a thing or two
because i've seen a thing or two here
are 30 production tips that will help
you almost guaranteed it's going to be
extremely fast we're going to get right
to the point and this is in no
particular order number one invest in
sound libraries before investing in
effects plugins if you want professional
sounding music then get access to
professional sounding sounds like more
eqs and compressors will not impact your
music as much as having very good sounds
number two if you are recording live
instruments please do not record cheap
sounding instruments like it's like
sound libraries cheap instruments simply
sound cheap i'm not saying go buy a 2000
guitar but just make sure that the
instrument actually sounds great for
example i never record my upright piano
because it just doesn't sound good
enough to actually record with as much
as i would love to number three if you
are in a bedroom studio without
professional acoustic treatment then
record your vocals with either a dynamic
mic like a shore sm7b or the loudoun
ls208 which is a condenser mic that
actually behaves more similarly to a
dynamic mic typical large diaphragm
condensers are simply too sensitive for
rooms that are not at least somewhat
treated and will likely cause more
problems number four invest in good
acoustic treatment it solves literally
so many problems like this previous tip
is a good one to use a different mic but
if you want those crystal clear vocals
then working in a great sounding room
helps immensely and not only that but
listening to your tracks through
monitors will actually sound how it
should if you use monitors in an
untreated room you are not hearing a
good representation of how it'll
actually sound number five the most
important tool in mixing is not eq it's
not compression and it's not reverbs and
delays it's the fader plain and simple
like so many problems in bedroom
producers mixes are simply volume
problems more than anything get your
volumes adjusted and set up before
adding in other effects you'll get so
much further if you actually spend a
good amount of time dialing in your
volumes number six the fastest way to
decide how loud or how soft something
should actually be no matter what it is
is to turn the volume till it's clearly
too loud turn it back down until it is
clearly too quiet and then split the
difference and you will be in the right
ballpark this works on effects too so if
you're trying to decide how much reverb
on a vocal for example do this if you're
trying to figure out how loud the drum
should be in relationship to everything
else do this trust me it works 93 of the
time
if you know you know comment if you know
number seven if you want your vocals to
feel bigger then a reverb trick is to
use two separate reverbs each on an
individual bus one reverb is a longer
reverb like say two to three seconds
depending on what you're going for this
other reverb is going to be a smaller
room that is under one second the
smaller reverb is going to give the
vocal the feeling of more width now just
be careful not to overdo it because if
it's too loud it will sound weird number
eight this might sound weird but if you
are recording vocals on the word i like
i love you and you need it to be softer
try putting a bit of a breath before the
eye almost pronouncing it more like high
now obviously i want to be careful you
don't want to accent this too much
here's actually an example of this being
used in one of my tracks
[Music]
this makes it sound a lot less like
accented and actually works like magic
number nine don't be afraid to boost
frequencies so many youtube videos talk
about subtractive eq which is cutting
frequencies but a lot of them make it
out like additive eq is this bad thing
and this is not true at all i boost
frequencies all the time my favorite is
to boost in the 6k range on vocals that
need more crispiness and i personally
love using more vintage style eqs to do
this but you could also use plugins like
fresh air or oxygen number 10 if you
struggle with programming drums then you
should pull drum loops into your daw
that are really close to what you want
and then program to that loop this not
only helps you make that loop your own
and customize it but it will also help
you to start to learn each time you do
this what works what doesn't work which
will then help you come up with your own
drum patterns without using loops you're
welcome number eleven if you have a
vocal part that is extremely dynamic and
goes from normal volume to very loud in
the same phrase rather than like pulling
away from the mic like this is like what
a lot of singers do instead try just
turning your head at a 45 degree angle
instead this actually allows the mic to
still capture the same frequency range
because you're the same distance from
the mic but it's not going to pick up as
much of that volume change quite as much
if you pull away from the mic like most
people do it's going to lose some of
that mid-range it's going to sound
different this is the workaround now
another option is to actually place the
mic higher so it kind of comes down at a
45 degree angle above your mouth you can
do that as well that's a secondary
option number 12. let's just clear the
air here when you record literally
anything you should be aiming to stay
under minus 6 db when you record now
this is not like a black and white rule
but it is a really good guideline until
you can understand when and why you may
want to go above that like for example
if you're pushing compression or
saturation with analog gear you might do
that but just aim to stay under minus
60b because this is basically going to
guarantee that you are not recording too
hot it's always better to be safe than
sorry number 13 a quick trick i use to
know if my arrangement is sounding
interesting or boring is to scrub the
timeline by skipping about 15 to 20
seconds ahead and playing it back every
single time i skip ahead if it sounds
too much the same throughout the track
that's a very good indicator that i need
to try to find other ways to
differentiate the entire arrangement i
do this in our weekly feedback sessions
in my program producer accelerator and
many of my students are pretty blown
away at how simple of a trick this is
and if you realize like wow this does
not sound interesting throughout the
entire song you need to rework that
arrangement oh and if you want to check
out the course i have a completely free
workshop that you can check out i have a
link in the description down below
number 14. this is a songwriting tip but
for real some of my best song ideas hit
me at the most random times so make sure
you have a good recording app on your
phone to document ideas and literally i
just sing them into my phone i'll pull
them into my daw to flesh out later i
just i hate having ideas and then
forgetting them right because i don't
have a way of capturing them and this
does happen all the time so i have my
voice record pro app ready for new ideas
as they hit you can really use any app
this is just what i use as long as i can
get the gist of the song it's good
enough for me so don't let your great
ideas be forgotten number 15 if you feel
stuck while producing honestly get
outside and take a walk and spend time
simply allowing your imagination to run
play the song in your head away from the
computer and let your mind problem solve
without the computer in front of you
like the number of times i've done this
and come back feeling immensely
refreshed and ready to go and in many
cases actually knowing exactly what
moves to make it's actually a lot so
just never underestimate taking a break
and giving your mind freedom to wander
number 16 the biggest mistake i hear
with kick drums when giving feedback to
my students is kick drums that have a
lot of top end pop like they pop through
the mix but not enough low end thump
you're struggling with getting great
sounding kicks just be aware that a
great kick sound is gonna have both a
nice top end to cut through the mix but
also that low end thumb obviously this
one's gonna depend on genre if you can't
get all that from one kick sound then
try layering two kicks together and make
sure they complement each other in other
words one has the top end part and the
other has the thump basically don't
reach for eq to fix that problem just
get better sounds working for you number
17 if you want to produce music faster
then try setting a timer for one hour
and commit to producing as much as
possible within that time limit this
actually forces you to stop worrying
about mundane details that really only
make a one percent difference and
instead lets you focus on making big
moves and doing those first because the
truth is that especially if you want a
career in music doing this producing
music fast is essential like the faster
you can produce the better you're gonna
be at it making a career as a producer
honestly requires you to be able to work
very fast like heck i had a day and a
half to score a commercial last week and
if you can't write and produce very fast
then those types of gigs are not
possible number 18 if you want those
huge pop vocals then the way you do this
is by recording your lead vocal and then
recording two other vocals exactly the
same and paying them hard right and hard
left the goal with this is to perform
the doubles as close to the original as
possible this adds that huge element you
can do this as many times as is
necessary for the track like sometimes
i'll do this four times like four
doubles sometimes i'll do two doubles
and then two others that are either an
octave up or an octave down to actually
accent that melody like basically most
pop edm and even rock nowadays has huge
vocal productions so if you want that
sound it's all about vocal layers and
doubling just never copy and paste a
vocal and call it a double that doesn't
actually work number 19 be very careful
not to overload your low end when you're
producing like the only elements that
should really carry the low end is your
base and your kick and not really
anything else this doesn't mean that you
need to cut the base out of everything
but it means that when you are arranging
you should be very aware that you should
not be overloading the lower elements
the lower the range the fewer elements
that there need to be and as you start
going up in the range you can add more
without having a clutter issue now this
has actually everything to do with the
harmonics series which i'm not going to
really get into because it's complicated
but basically it's science number 20
when you are producing music never
underestimate how much transitional
elements can add into the track like
listen to this example without
transitional elements
[Music]
and now listen with transitional
elements like symbols and some almost
riser-esque sounds
[Music]
it makes a really big difference and you
don't need to copy this specific thing
but basically don't underestimate how
much transitions can impact your music i
almost always try to work hard on my
transitions because it can add so much
life to the music number 21 so many
producers copy midi regions from track
to track so if you have chords you may
just copy those chords from one track to
another and this in my opinion is rather
lazy and it's not going to make for very
interesting sounds instead try using
different inversions of chords from
track to track so if you have piano
chords then try using the same chords
obviously within the progression but use
different inversions or voicings in like
the synth part or the string part or
whatever part it is to make it more
unique because this means you're
actually adding new notes into the
production instead of just copying them
trust me this is going to make your
music sound much more interesting number
22 okay trigger warning okay maybe not
but for real learn music theory so many
people have this idea that theory will
somehow restrict their creativity and to
be totally frank that is really dumb and
the only people saying this are people
who don't know theory so that's that's
kind of odd like i've never met anyone
who knows theory saying dang like i
really wish i didn't know this like i
mean just think about it for two seconds
that's like an architect saying dang i
wish i didn't know math it's so
creatively limiting but for real
learning basic music theory is arguably
one of the most valuable things you
could possibly learn i'm not talking
about learning scientific theory or
super mathematical theory like
universities are teaching but basically
learn how chords work learn how chords
interact with each other learn chords
voicings and harmony and melody how to
wield music because music theory to me
is just understanding how music works if
you don't understand how music works
then how can you expect to make great
music number 23. i don't talk about
mixing a lot on this channel but this
one is a really great tip if you want
more loudness from your track try using
clipping and not just limiting
essentially clippers are going to shave
off the loudest parts of the transients
and this works best on drums especially
because you know snares and for example
are going to have a very loud burst of
the transient it's going to make it so
that your limiter is not having to work
quite as hard which means it's going to
give you a more natural sound and also
allow you to push your volume much
louder i've been using the black salt
audio clipper and my goodness it's
really easy to use i absolutely love it
it's been a long time since i found like
a really super simple plugin that i
actually really love i love this thing
i've been using on every single
production i work on lately i'm getting
louder mixes with way less effort if you
want specific tutorials on using
clippers and hardcore music studio
channel talks about it he's also the
creator of that plugin and also streaky
has a great channel talking about that
stuff as well number 24. this is more
practical than anything but make sure
that if you are working on revisions of
a production that you either save a copy
for every revision or if you're using
logic use project alternatives if you're
working for clients or even your own
music and you have multiple revisions
but you want to be able to access those
older versions and make sure you are
saving every version as its own
production in a commercial that i just
got done scoring we've already had like
six different project alternatives
because there have been several rounds
of revisions and we ended up actually
using two different ones so the ad
agency had options and as i'm making
this video we're in the process of the
next round of revisions for the final
three so if you're just changing the one
production you cannot go back to older
versions trust me nothing is worse than
a client saying hey can we go back and
use a version two and then version two
is now totally gone because we're on
version 10. number 25 don't be afraid to
bail on a production now obviously if
you're working on paid projects you
can't do this but i know so many
producers who are going to hang on
really tightly to a production even
though they know it's not good work i'm
obviously a very big advocate for
finishing songs but sometimes you need
to give yourself permission to say you
know what this is not going well i would
rather direct my creative energy into
something that i know will go well our
creative energy is really limited so why
would you waste it on something that you
literally know is not good work again
i'm not saying bail on stuff because you
don't feel like it but i had a track i
started a couple weeks ago that i was
rolling with and after a little bit i
realized like this just isn't very good
work it's not worth my time to finish so
i stopped and i worked on something else
and i have no plans to return to it so
don't make this a habit where you're
just trashing work when you should be
finishing it because this is a balancing
act and be truly honest with yourself
about it number 26 on the opposite of
this previous one finish your songs like
for real if you know you have a great
sounding production just freaking finish
it like so many producers have like 100
songs that all sound awesome but have
five percent more to finish so there you
go finish the songs just finish them
don't let all those songs sit on your
hard drive because you can't muster up
the energy to do the last five percent
or heck just call them done forget the
last five percent release it publish it
whatever you got to do just finish your
song the number of producers out there
that could legit have a career but don't
because they never finish anything it's
staggering number 27 if you want to make
a living as a producer then stop making
it about you this might be hard to hear
but we are service providers in most
cases yes our services are creative but
ultimately if you want a career then you
need to make it about serving clients
and not serving yourself like if you
just want to serve yourself then make it
a hobby and nothing else if you want to
put food on the table then start seeing
yourself as a solution to someone else's
problem artists need great production
you can solve that problem tv shows need
great music you might be able to solve
that problem production houses need
talented composers and producers to
score commercials really fast you can
solve that problem you get the theme
here stop making it about you and start
making it about solving someone else's
problem and you will get much further in
life and i'm not saying that solving
someone else's problem can't also serve
you you can have them both
it can work together but your focus
needs to be on serving your clients man
that kind of just became like life
advice right there pretty good number 28
if you don't know if your arrangement is
too dense or not try this try muting
elements you feel may not be necessary
and really feel how it impacts the track
if you can hardly tell the difference on
the track at all just mute it and keep
it muted delete it just remove it the
truth is that you do not need as much
stuff in your production as you think
you do like when you see productions
with a hundred tracks that's not a
hundred tracks happening all at once
it's usually like 50 drums and vocals
and then the other 50 is things that are
coming in and out it's rarely ever
happening all simultaneously so if you
have parts that feel unnecessary try
just muting them seeing how much of a
difference it makes you'll find that
often you can remove a lot of stuff you
just do not need because it doesn't even
make a difference your audience won't be
able to tell that you have an insanely
quiet like little plucked arp thing
happening in the distance just delete it
number 29 if you want your reverbs and
delays to sound more interesting then
make sure you put them on an effects
channel or bus then after the reverb of
delay you can now add additional
processing that only impacts the effect
so a lot of times i like delays that are
really crunchy and distorted so i'm
going to actually add distortion after
the delay to really make that effect
sound much more unique and interesting
you don't need to just add like a single
effect and then call it a day you can
actually add effects to effects to make
it sound more awesome number 30.
remember to have fun like even if you
want a career and are aspiring to more
than a hobby it doesn't matter if you're
not having fun making music then why are
you doing it this should be enjoyable
like i understand it can be frustrating
and it 100 can be like i've had times
i'm frustrated but in the end i
absolutely love doing this and it is
still sinking fun i honestly sometimes
don't even believe that i get to do this
for a living but i get to work from home
making music and making these videos so
whether you want a career or not it
doesn't matter just make sure you're
having fun early on in my career i was
saying yes to work that i just did not
enjoy and i had to learn how to say no
to things because they were simply not
enjoyable for me to do so now i'm only
working on projects that generate true
excitement learn to draw your boundaries
and have some fun comment below which
one of these tips you found the most
helpful if you think this video was good
i think you're gonna like the rest of my
videos and especially this one right
here if you want to learn how to produce
much faster i'll see you in that video
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