30 Music Production Tips in Under 16 Minutes

My Studio Gear List:
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I personally purchase my gear from Sweetwater and have for over 12 years -- these are affiliate links, meaning you can support my channel by using Sweetwater. The reason I trust Sweetwater is because they have the BEST customer support I have ever seen, two year warranty, free shipping, and they have they best reputation in the industry. You will never see me recommend buying pro audio gear from Amazon

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Logic Pro X: (use the app store)

Sample Libraries / Plugins I HIGHLY Recommend:
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[jamiehaynes]

The advice offered here is incredibly generous and useful. I say that as a 70 something composer who's been in and out of studios since the 60's. Thanks for this.

[NathanJamesLarsen]

The free workshop we have is incredibly valuable - I cover the Production Roadmap and walk through the production process step by step.

[frogs]

Thank you so much for putting this together. As a 61 year-old amateur musician, recording, producing and releasing my own music (under the artist name 58frogs), nearly every one of these tips resonated with me (only excepting the vocal ones as I only do instrumental). I’ve saved this video for future reference as I’ll never remember it all! Keep producing great content Nathan - you certainly know your stuff!

[andrewjacksonmusic]

Great video. Just got myself Logic Pro, been writing on iPad mostly so getting my head around the new DAW, but having fun and that’s the main thing for me, create and have fun

[kishlayjha]

I really appreciate the drum loop trick, I've been struggling with drums a lot so thanks for the tip
Amazing video btw

[InkedUpERAbeats]

I’ve been producing since I could walk. I’m 36 years old now and haven’t made a penny working for my dream.. it has been the craziest thing to think about, that I am either more talented than most ppl I come in contact with on a daily basis, yet I don’t make nearly as much money as them and struggle.
Oh yea, I forgot to mention, I was addicted to drugs my entire 20s which led me to prison for 5 years!!

Is it so much to ask to simply support your family with something you love to do? I’m not even greedy.. I just want financial stability and to reach the world with my beats!
I mean my beats ARE THE NEXT BIG BREAKTHROUGH!!
If there anyone here that can point me in the right direction… I just want to provide for my 1 year old and start my career!!
I’m way to talented!!
And I’m sure others can relate!!

[monty]

The Architect analogy 🤣 9:41 Great video THANKS!!

[toddcollins]

Hey Nathan - Love your channel and tips. I’ve seen you do many tips on vocals but had a question about whether you’ve ever done a before/after video on a “mediocre” singer and shown what a good producer can or can’t do? Many of us out here doing our own music are probably in that category. Totally understand the initial performance matters a ton, and you seem to have a talented roster and coach your singers, but some of us are limited in what we can actually do and wonder how much a pro can or can’t help. Thx!

[lawinter]

I think this type of video is how I found this channel originally. One clipper I love is kclip by kazerog. It’s super light on cpu and it has crazy over sampling that you can just render with but not produce with, so it saves cpu but it still over samples. Another great clipper is newfangled audio saturate. This one sounds the best but makes your cpu work harder.

[farfromnorth]

This is true I’ve been recording and producing music for a decade now it’s only been the past year or so I’ve been confident in what I’m doing. In my experience the best thing to do is to work really hard mastering your skills for 2-3 year and then put it all to practice as much as you can. Work with musicians and get feedback from others. The BIG game changer too is to use reference tracks listen to the volume, width, tone everything and if the song is similar to the one you’re working on then copy it. Try to get your mix to sound as close as possible and then you will start to learn how to mix and master properly. From a creative point of view just try stuff, reverse guitar parts, automate a massive reverb on a vocal for one powerful word. Work hard and experiment, don’t think too much about it and if it sounds good it sounds good. Sending love from Glasgow ❤

[donnydarko]

Music theory isn't so much restrictions, it's more like learning a language. I think of it more as learning how to use notes, chords, voicings, scales, inversions, chord changes, and so on, as a way to communicate, knowing music theory helps you be able to intentionally and efficiently convey emotion.

[kenleymorrison]

Wow! Smartest person I have ever listened to. PHENOMENAL CLEAR AND VALUABLE THINKING!!! And no arrogance or posing either!!!

[curtismech]

These were great tips, Nathan! Thanks for sharing your skills!

[jackiejames]

Excellent reminders of doos and newbies like stacking vox not just dubbling, also for the clipping suggestion.... hope baby doing fine Nathan x

[wskrqvi]

I'm so thankful for the time you took to compile such useful information!! Appreciate you

[xRiseAgainstx]

Damn these are great tips. I’m one to despise click bait videos so this is a refreshing take. I agree with all his tips

[corbinottsmusic]

As a bedroom producer of about a year, this is super helpful! Thanks!

[LeChapeauMusic]

very interesting and useful! thanks for the tips!!!

[heartshinemusic]

Ah, you're following Jordan's channel too. The clipper on drums was eye-opening for me. Thanks for this overview, Nathan!

[coxinhalover]

for 1, 2, and 3, I would have to disagree a little bit. I know it's a cliché thing to say "it's not about how expensive it is, but about what you do with it", but in my own experience, I had to made do with what I have. Though its a little more tricky with real life instruments, cheap sound libraries and recording equipment can still work well. The good sounds do sound good, but that doesn't mean the bad ones can't sound good either.