I watched 300 hours of music production streams, here are my 17 FAVORITE tips (wish I knew sooner)

Summary

This video offers a wealth of production tips from industry professionals like Skrillex, Ian Kirkpatrick, and others. It emphasizes the importance of creating singable and memorable phrases, using counter melodies and accent layers to enhance melodies, and experimenting with octaves for bass lines. The script also covers techniques such as violating space for unique grooves, breaking the DAW for creative hooks, and chasing the right feeling in sound. It advises on the discipline of showing up to work, overcoming writer's block, and the value of taking breaks to avoid reversing progress. Lastly, it touches on mastering, finding the right vocalist, and the benefits of outsourcing tasks to maintain creativity and efficiency.

Takeaways

• 🎵 Singing the Melody: It helps producers feel the music more deeply and ensures the melody is memorable for listeners.
• 🎶 Make Singable Phrases: The entire musical phrase should be memorable and singable to make it resonate with listeners.
• 🔄 Counter Melodies: Adding counter melodies can bring life to a song and enhance the main melody.
• 🎹 Accent Layer: Introducing an accent layer can subtly bring life to an existing melody without changing it.
• 🔨 Layer Different MIDI: Experimenting with different layers playing different elements can create richer textures.
• 🎸 Octaves and Passing Fifths: Using octaves and passing fifths can spice up a bass line and add interest.
• 🚫 Violate Space: Creating unique grooves and melodies by manipulating reverb and space.
• 🔧 Break Your DAW: Forcing creativity by breaking the DAW's norms can lead to unique and interesting sounds.
• 🎶 Chase the Feeling: The ultimate goal in music production is to evoke a feeling, which is more important than technical perfection.
• 🔄 Get into the Zone: Professionals show up and work consistently, learning to get into the creative zone on demand.
• ⏱️ Writer's Block: Overcoming writer's block involves discipline, persistence, and sometimes taking breaks to reset.
• 🔉 The 7k Trick: Cutting synths at around 7kHz can help clear space for other elements like hats in a mix.
• 🥁 Does Your Snare Slap: A big snare sound should be tested at full volume to ensure it has the desired impact.
• 👀 Close Your Eyes Vocal Test: Closing your eyes can help focus on the sound quality without being distracted by visual cues.
• 🚫 Limit and Saturate Your Kick: Saturating the kick drum and limiting its transient can help it stand out in the mix.
• 🎤 Find a Vocalist: Working closely with a vocalist can teach valuable producing skills and energize the creative process.
• 🔚 Outsource Your Mastering: Outsourcing mastering can prevent overworking a track and ensure a fresh perspective on the final product.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of singing the melody in music production according to the transcript?

Singing the melody helps producers to feel the music more deeply and ensures that if they can't sing it, listeners will likely not remember it either.

What does Ian Kirkpatrick suggest about making musical phrases singable?

Ian Kirkpatrick suggests that the whole musical phrase should be singable and memorable, which can help in creating a more impactful song.

Why is it beneficial to have counter melodies in a song according to Skrillex?

Counter melodies can make a song come alive and provide a solution when the main melody isn't engaging enough on its own.

What is an 'accent layer' in music production, and how can it enhance a song?

An accent layer is a musical element that falls between a counter melody and a new melody, used to subtly bring life to the existing melody without changing it.

How can layering different MIDI elements contribute to a richer texture in music production?

Layering different MIDI elements allows for various layers to play different things, creating a more complex and interesting sonic texture.

What is the '7k trick' mentioned by Jaws for achieving a clear high end in music production?

The '7k trick' involves cutting all synths at around 7-7.5 kHz to make room for other elements like hats and white noise, resulting in a cleaner mix.

What technique does Ian Kirkpatrick suggest to create unique grooves and melodies?

Ian Kirkpatrick suggests violating space by establishing a room sound and then cutting off the reverb to create unique grooves and melodies.

How can closing your eyes while mixing help in music production?

Closing your eyes can help you focus on what you're hearing without being distracted by visual elements, allowing for a more accurate assessment of the sound.

What is the importance of finding a vocalist when learning to produce music, as suggested by Cashmere?

Finding a vocalist helps in learning to produce music by involving another person in the creative process, which teaches how to create a song around their vocal and enhances production skills.

Why is outsourcing mastering recommended by Abstract, and how does it benefit the production process?

Outsourcing mastering is recommended to prevent producers from getting sick of their own song and to ensure a fresh perspective on the final product, allowing the producer to move on to new projects.

What is the 'snare slap' test by Zed, and how does it help in music production?

The 'snare slap' test involves playing the snare drum at full volume and determining if it has a slapping impact. This helps in assessing the effectiveness of the snare sound in a mix.

What advice does Morgan Page give regarding overcoming writer's block in music production?

Morgan Page advises taking breaks when experiencing writer's block, as it helps reset the ears and ensures that progress is being made without overworking or undoing previous work.

Outlines

00:00

🎶 Enhancing Musicality and Listener Engagement

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of feeling the music deeply and creating memorable melodies. It suggests that producers should sing their melodies to better understand their musical phrases and ensure they are memorable for listeners. The speaker also discusses the use of counter melodies to bring life to a song and the idea of adding accent layers to enhance existing melodies. Additionally, the paragraph touches on the use of different MIDI layers to create rich textures and the importance of a simple yet effective bass line using octaves and passing notes.

05:03

🔊 Production Techniques for Unique Grooves and Melodies

The focus of this paragraph is on creative production techniques to develop unique grooves and melodies. It introduces the concept of 'violating space' by manipulating reverb and cutting silence to create distinct soundscapes. The speaker also talks about the importance of having the right attitude in production, using limited tools to create impactful sounds, and the value of chasing the right feeling in music production. The paragraph concludes with advice on getting into the zone on demand and the discipline required to maintain creativity.

10:04

🎚️ Mixing Strategies for Clarity and Impact

This paragraph delves into various mixing strategies to achieve clarity and impact in a track. It discusses the '7k trick' for creating space in the high end for elements like synths and hats, ensuring they don't fight for the same frequency space. The speaker also addresses the importance of a snare that 'slaps' and the use of sensory deprivation techniques like closing one's eyes to focus on the sound. Additionally, the paragraph covers the benefits of limiting and saturating the kick drum to enhance its transient and the value of working with a vocalist to improve production skills.

15:04

📘 Finalizing Music Production with Outsourcing and Self-Reflection

The final paragraph discusses strategies for avoiding burnout and ensuring the completion of a song. It highlights the benefits of outsourcing mastering to maintain objectivity and prevent overworking a track. The speaker also shares personal experiences with finding vocalists and the learning opportunities that come with collaborating with artists. The paragraph concludes with advice on taking breaks to avoid reversing progress and the importance of self-reflection to ensure that one's work is moving forward.

Keywords

💡Singing Melody

Singing the melody is a technique used in music production to connect with the music on a deeper level. It helps producers to understand the flow and memorability of the tune. In the video, it is mentioned as a way to ensure that if a producer can't sing a melody, it might be challenging for listeners to remember it as well. The script uses Skrillex's approach to emphasize the importance of creating a memorable melody.

💡Singable Phrases

A singable phrase refers to a musical idea that is catchy and easy to remember. Ian Kirkpatrick mentions this concept as an advancement over just singing the melody, suggesting that the entire musical phrase should be something that can be recalled and sung hours later. It is a key component in creating music that resonates with listeners and stands the test of time.

💡Counter Melodies

Counter melodies are additional melodic lines that run alongside the primary melody, enriching the harmony and giving the song more depth. Skrillex discusses the use of counter melodies as a way to bring a song to life, especially when the main melody alone does not suffice. An example from the script illustrates how a simple melody can be transformed with the addition of a counter melody.

💡Accent Layer

An accent layer is a musical element that sits between a counter melody and a new melody, adding subtle emphasis to the existing musical content. It is used to enhance and bring life to the existing melody without necessarily changing it. The script suggests using an accent layer to add interest to a melody that isn't quite grabbing attention.

💡Octaves and Passing Fifths

Octaves and passing fifths are techniques used by bassists to create more dynamic and interesting bass lines. The script explains that experimenting with octaves, playing an octave higher and lower, and incorporating passing notes like a fifth can add flavor to a bass line. This technique is exemplified in the script by describing how it can transform a simple bass line into something more engaging.

💡Violate Space

Violating space in music production refers to the deliberate use of spatial effects like reverb and then abruptly cutting them off to create unique grooves and melodies. Ian Kirkpatrick discusses this technique as a way to enhance the listening experience by adding unexpected elements that bring out the flavors of the music. The script provides an example where silence is used to interrupt reverb, creating a distinct effect.

💡Chasing the Feeling

Chasing the feeling is about pursuing the emotional response that music should evoke. It is not about technical perfection but about achieving the desired emotional impact. Oliver's advice in the script emphasizes that the technical aspects of music production, such as EQ and reverb, should be used to elicit a specific feeling, which is the ultimate goal.

💡Getting into the Zone

Getting into the zone refers to the ability to focus and be fully engaged in the creative process. Ian Kirkpatrick talks about the discipline required to consistently show up and work, even when not immediately in the creative zone. The script describes how professionals can train themselves to enter a productive state of mind, which is essential for consistent output in music production.

💡Writer's Block

Writer's block is a common phenomenon where creators struggle to produce new work due to a lack of inspiration or motivation. Cashmere's advice in the script suggests that persistence is key to overcoming writer's block, emphasizing the importance of continuing to work through the creative challenges until a breakthrough occurs.

💡7k Trick

The 7k trick is a mixing technique mentioned in the script that involves cutting frequencies around 7kHz to create space for other elements like hats and synths in a mix. It is used to achieve clarity in the high end of a track, ensuring that all elements have room to breathe and do not fight for the same frequency space.

💡Snare Slaps

A snare slap refers to the sharp, impactful sound that a snare drum makes, which is often desired in genres that require a punchy and prominent snare. The script uses a listener test to determine if a snare drum has the desired slap, illustrating the importance of this quality in achieving a powerful mix.

💡Vocal Test

The vocal test is a sensory deprivation technique where producers close their eyes to focus solely on the audio, helping to avoid distractions from visual elements. Zed's advice in the script suggests imagining the vocal as if it's right in front of the listener, ensuring that it feels present and engaging.

💡Limit and Saturate

Limiting and saturating are processes used to control the dynamic range and add warmth or character to a sound. Abstract's tip in the script focuses on the importance of managing the transient of the kick drum and using saturation to push it to the edge of clipping, which can add depth and impact to the sound.

💡Finding a Vocalist

Finding a vocalist is a crucial step in music production, especially for producers looking to create songs with strong hooks. Cashmere's advice in the script encourages producers to work closely with vocalists, as this collaboration can teach valuable lessons about songwriting and production, and can energize the creative process.

💡Outsourcing Mastering

Outsourcing mastering is the practice of hiring a professional mastering engineer to finalize the mix of a track. Abstract's reasoning in the script is that it prevents producers from overworking their own tracks and helps to maintain objectivity. It also ensures that the track sounds polished and professional, as the mastering engineer brings a fresh set of ears to the project.

Highlights

Singing the melody can help producers feel the music more deeply and ensure it's memorable for listeners.

Making singable phrases is a technique to create memorable musical sections that listeners can recall later.

Counter melodies can bring a song to life by complementing the main melody.

Adding an accent layer can subtly enhance an existing melody without changing it.

Layering different MIDI elements can create richer textures in music production.

Experimenting with octaves and passing fifths can improve bass lines.

Violating space by manipulating reverb can create unique grooves and melodies.

Breaking the DAW by tweaking settings can lead to unexpected and creative sounds.

Chasing a feeling is more important than technical perfection in music production.

Getting into the zone on demand is a skill that distinguishes professionals from amateurs.

Writer's block can be overcome by writing something good and getting back into the creative spirit.

Taking breaks can prevent becoming blind to progress and ensure forward momentum in music production.

The 7k trick can help create clarity in the high end of a mix by cutting synths above 7kHz.

Asking if a snare slaps can be a simple test for achieving a big snare sound.

Closing your eyes can help focus on the sound rather than visual cues during mixing.

Limiting and saturating the kick drum can help it stand out in the mix.

Finding a vocalist can be a learning exercise and energize the song creation process.

Outsourcing mastering can prevent overworking a track and allow for a fresh perspective.

Transcripts

hey soul state here if you're struggling

with anything in your production i think

you're gonna find at least one thing

really really helpful in here enjoy it

sing the melody skrillex

this tip is cool for two reasons first

singing forces you to feel the music

more deeply

second if you can't sing it how do you

expect listeners to remember it

[Music]

i think this could go higher right here

[Music]

[Music]

hello

make singable phrases ian kirkpatrick

this is just like the skrillex tip but a

little more advanced

instead of just singing the melody the

whole musical phrase should be singable

like you're about to see you should be

able to remember the phrase

and sing it hopefully a few hours later

i like that you said you only hear four

elements in the song because that's the

objective

the listener doesn't know how many

layers you put on your kick the listener

doesn't know how many things you got

going on but they

out of all the details and stuff you're

making

a phrase when i'm walking around the

house sometimes i'm just like

not pretty like i'm just like it's

memorable you know and it might be a ton

of layers but it sounds like

a phrase a unit you know

[Music]

counter melodies can make a song come

alive by skrillex oftentimes if i

personally can't make a melody come

alive

the solution isn't necessarily changing

that melody the solution can come from

changing

a different melody a counter melody

sometimes the beginning of idea

you'll have this kind of melody in your

head and it

almost doesn't make any sense until you

know you kind of put those cater

melodies in so like

this is the first idea just it's simple

but then

this gives it an instant move this

counter melody

[Music]

right

and then the baseline simple listen

layer different midi leno let's say you

have a melody that isn't quite there

you don't want to add a counter melody

maybe you already have one and you don't

want to change the melody because you

like it

try adding what i call an accent layer

something in between a counter melody

and a new

melody to sort of subtly bring life to

what you already have

synth lead guy another sam fleet guy or

so they kind of like

have this little chord thing going

like when layering stuff you shouldn't

necessarily always try to have

like all the parts play a similar midi

like

have different layers playing different

things i think that

will help you like come up with richer

textures and stuff so this

on top of the chords will sound like

[Music]

this

so then we have this wobbly arp

which i think is a pretty important

element even though you can't really

hear it

or you can't hear it but like it's kind

of subtle

it sort of like gives the track a sense

of movement

try octaves and passing fifths for

better bass lines low file

this is one of the simplest ways to

spice up a bass line really common thing

bassists do when they play they'll

experiment with octaves

always try your octave up and then going

down

the octave too but hitting a passing

note in between like

a fifth away or something

on top of the cord is also a really

common base trick

so i'm basically just doing octaves with

the occasional like

little tiny fill in it but the whole

bass line is based off of these octaves

right

let's do it again

[Music]

violate space ian kirkpatrick ian uses

this technique a lot it can help create

unique grooves and melodies

even with the exact same notes the

important thing is not to overdo it i

think of this a lot like salt

you don't want to put too much on but if

you put on the right amount it can

really help bring out

all the flavors you already have shout

out to ian like one of my favorite

things to do

in production and not in real life one

of my favorite things to do

is violate space establish a room

and then totally violate it you know

introduce a reverb and then cut that

reverb off

like i said i only do that in

productions not in real life all the

yellow parts

are silence that i chopped out so like

no line noise at all like right here you

could see

a little bit of line noise and reverb

you can really hear the reverb break

your daw

lax city if you're still trying to come

up with a great hook or great melody and

it's not working

just break your daw try something it

forces you to create in the moment

and really pay attention to what's

happening versus overthinking everything

i feel like you need the right attitude

to actually see the potential

in having like all these limited tools

that made the craziest

sounds just by using plugins in ways

they're not supposed to

like literally breaking them just

tweaking something

in your daw that's like not supposed to

be touched like maybe this

master pitch you have to remember that

everything in your daw

can be recorded when you break something

or tweak something that's not supposed

to be

messed around with you might get the

craziest sounds

chase the feeling oliver this is very

helpful if you're trying to decide if

a certain part of your song is right or

not listen to what you're feeling is the

eq that you're tweaking giving you the

feeling that you want

is the reverb bringing out the emotion

of the vocal

tips are tools but the feeling is what

you're truly after really that's what it

is is a feeling

chasing a feeling yeah at least my

mixing process or when i'm actually

trying to dial in the sounds it's all

just chasing a feeling until i get that

feeling where i'm like oh that just hits

right like until i get that

i don't really stop because it's not a

technical thing it really isn't

it doesn't matter how you get there

until i get that feeling i'll try

everything

do i need to eq this do i need to put a

different sound in here

like whatever it takes it's really not

about that it's about the end result

is it does it feel right am i bobbing my

head and dancing cause if i'm not then

probably other people won't until i get

that feeling i'll try everything

get into the zone on demand ian

kirkpatrick

one thing that distinguishes pros from

amateurs is that pros show up

no matter what that's what this tip is

about budget time

show up and get to work this sounds

crazy but i i'm telling you

over the years i have learned how to get

into the zone

on demand still takes me a couple hours

to like really get into something or you

know an hour or sometimes

20 minutes if like the ideas are obvious

like two days ago on my calendar

was allotted one day to start work on

this duet

i'm supposed to produce two humongous

humongous artists

most of that day is spent trying to get

into the zone

i can't get in the zone without a vision

you know so like i'm trying all these

things i'm walking down this road i'm

walking down that road and i'm like

trying to develop a theme for the song

then when i do which i did i don't want

to stop

i go as long as i can because i go to go

to like my you know 11 p.m or 11 30

because i gotta be up early in the

morning

and do my exercise i wanted to introduce

discipline into my creativity

my creativity used to be this wild

animal and it still is

it still is wild as [ __ ] but i tame that

[ __ ] say no to writer's block cashmere

this is similar to what ian said if you

think about most of your favorite

artists they spent most of their time

making songs you've never heard

daftpunk has put out a few hours a few

hours of music

over a 30-year career my philosophy is

often painful but i just sit in front of

a computer

until it happens and if nothing happens

i just go to bed and i feel like

a worthless human being and then i

repeat the process the next day

you know what breaks writer's block

writing something good

often times when you cross the finish

line and you score a touchdown and you

remember what that feels like

then you're back in the spirit of it

you're back in the mode and you're going

to score more touchdowns

becoming blind and reversing progress

morgan page despite everything

we just said forcing music isn't always

the best solution if you're investing

the time in music it's important to be

honest and ask

am i becoming blind and reversing

progress for me

taking breaks even just 10 to 20 minutes

really helps reset my ears

and helps make sure that i'm actually

making progress not just sitting in

front of the computer

in the past i thought that working a

12-hour day

was the standard and that you're going

to do better work by working overtime

which simply isn't true and you really

are

you be you kind of can become blind to

what your song sounds like and you can

undo your work and work backwards in

your mix

i've worked backwards countless times

and thinking i'm working hard

i'm maximizing my day i've i'm in the

zone

and to be honest and most people will

disagree with this but

you're probably only getting three or

four good really really good

musical hours in a day it's honestly

like if you look at there's a book that

described the

the diaries of famous artists and

musicians and

a lot of the most famous artists they

put the work in every day

they'll do their three or four hours and

they're like i'm done i'm gonna go you

know go for a walk or hike the rest of

the day and

these are legendary writers and authors

it's funny because you don't need those

12 hours

you're probably fooling yourself into

thinking that you're maximizing your day

i take it as far as i can and then when

it feels like i'm forcing something then

it's

time to take a break the 7k trick jaws

we're all super obsessed with cutting

the low end and making the kick

and bass fit together but this tip is

really about making the synths and the

hats

and the transients fit together really

nicely big disclaimer this doesn't

always work

but it's super helpful if you're looking

for a very very clear high end

specifically on your drums

i swear this is the first time i've

mastered a song like this and it's this

loud and the high end is just like

pristine

and i swear to god it's because i'm

cutting all of my synths

at like 7k seven and a half k so all of

the hats

and the white noise and everything has

room to breathe

it's nuts so here's without the filter

here's with the filter

everything about that sound stayed

exactly the same you're just missing

that crispy little high end but that's

fine

because we have these hats

so now the hats and the synth aren't

fighting for space

and the mix will sound a hundred

thousand times more clean i won't take

that

advice as my own i got that from

sullivan king like two months ago

and ever since i started doing it i

swear everything is just so much easier

does your snare slap zed for genres

where you want a big snare a great

question to ask is

does this snare slap we'll do a little

educational moment i'm gonna play this

again

at full volume and you will tell me yes

or no

the question is does this snare drum

slap your

[Music]

it appears like the snare drum does not

slap the majority of my chats

while that is what we are trying to

achieve

the close your eyes vocal test zed even

basic sensory deprivation like closing

your eyes

can really help you focus on what you're

hearing and not get tricked by plug-ins

and your daw

and colors and you know all the stuff

that isn't actually sound

anyway just another great question to

ask yourself when you're mixing

oh oh hey i didn't know you're watching

i was just uh getting some dirt off my

shirt

[Music]

your voice sounds a little bit far away

it almost sounds like

you're singing from here um i don't know

if you record it quite far from the mic

or if you like it distant but i always

try to imagine when i close my eyes and

i in my own music i want the vocal to

feel like it's right in front of me

like in my face that's how i like it

limit and saturate your kick

abstract if you're like me you spend a

lot of time too much time

thinking about the transient of your

kick drums ever since seeing how

abstract makes kicks i've been thinking

a lot about how much

air is in my kick transient and another

trick that i really love for kick drums

this is all saturated always

yeah you push it to the edge of clipping

like four is almost

it's too saturated like it's almost too

hard

three is kind of like still at the at

the edge but

two still has like the low like

just to get the hair off

find a vocalist cashmere one of the

hardest things for me and i think many

other producers is finding amazing

vocals

because i think it can be hard to know

if a song is done if you don't have

a really strong hook or vocals to bring

it all together so

this tip really makes me think about

producing a vocalist really as a

learning exercise

i really encourage you guys to find a

vocalist

especially if you're getting started and

work with them a lot because it teaches

you a lot as a producer because suddenly

you're not just in there like this lone

wolf suddenly involved another human

being

in the process and everything that you

do is in furtherance of uh the song that

you've made together

and in furtherance of how to better

create a song

around their vocal and so using an

artist

and building around them it it just

really gives you a new energy that

you can start really whipping out songs

quickly my vocalist was this

uh girl dev we did g6 together and based

down low and

by producing all of her music i really

learned quickly

how i would produce my own music try

producing

first singer five or six songs and i

think you'd

learn a lot about producing and and how

to simplify

outsource your mastering abstract now on

the surface this is obvious but

abstract's reasoning behind it is

brilliant it's very easy to get sick of

a song and not ever finish it

but the decision in advance that you're

going to outsource your mastering

is a way to solve that problem i don't

do my masterings myself i work with a

homie that doesn't for me because

otherwise i would just i could do it

myself but otherwise

i would just spend so much time doing it

again and again and again

switching headphones out it was just a

headache for me it would make me hate my

music

you know so i try to work on my mix

downs as much as i can and make the

track sound as

crazy good as i can using just to limit

it it's gonna

affect the volume basically and then i

send it to someone that masters it that

just like kind of

makes it a bit you know prettier that

means that don't go back to this project

and touch it again i can move on to new

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