What is a Vocoder: The Ultimate Guide 🎤
A vocoder is one of the most recognizable effects in popular music. If you ever heard a robotic-sounding voice in a tune – chances are it was a vocoder. Even if you haven’t heard the term before, you’ll know what I’m talking about: Made popular by bands such as Pink Floyd and Daft Punk, a […]
808s: How To Make Them Slap Hard 👊
“When I hear them 808 drums, It’s got me singing…”🎵 From Madonna’s “Girls Gone Wild” all the way to Kendrick Lamar’s “A.D.H.D”, 808s are part of popular music culture. But maybe you’re still not quite sure what this so-called “eight-O-eight” is… In that case, you’ve come to the right place! In this guide, we’ll cover: […]
Waves Plugins: A Roundup Of The Best Picks For EDM 🔌
Waves plugins have quickly become a cornerstone of modern electronic music production. However, with more than 200 plugins listed on their site, it can be hard to know which ones are worth it, and which ones are overrated. So lucky for you, I’ve done the groundwork and listed the 15 best Waves plugins out there […]
Bitcrushing & Downsampling: How To Add Grit To Any Sound 💥
You might not have heard of bitcrushing before… But you might have seen words like “downsampling” or “bit reduction”. In a nutshell, bitcrushing reduces the quality of an audio sample by lowering its resolution and/or sample rate. This adds distortion, grit, or warmth to your sound depending on the settings. In this guide, we’ll cover […]
25 Music Production Quotes To Get You Motivated 💬
A good music quote has the power to stay with you forever. And no, I’m not talking about cringe “Live, Laugh, Love” and other Sex and the City-inspired motivational quotes… What I want to cover here are deep words of wisdom that will make change your perception and push you to overcome challenges. So just […]
MIDI: The What & How Of Modern Music Production 🎹
You might not know what it stands for, but you’ve definitely used MIDI before. Everybody has! Because MIDI is one of the most important tools in music production. Without it, writing and editing music in digital format would be near impossible. Maybe you’re just starting out with MIDI. Or maybe you’re looking to bring your […]
MIDI Packs: 17 Creative Packs You Should Check Out
Let’s face it: coming up with chord progressions and catchy melodies is hard. Especially if you skipped your Music Theory 101 lesson. This is where MIDI packs come in. With MIDI packs, the chords and melodies are written for you! Just drop them in your favorite synth and you’re ready to go! In this guide, […]
How To Use Chorus, Flanger & Phaser Effects in EDM
Chorus, flangers, and phasers… You’ve surely seen these effects in your DAW before, but can you tell what they do? They’re much less common than, say, reverb of delay – but they’re powerful effects for sound design. And they all work in a similar way, but with subtle differences. So let’s explore what sets these […]
Reverb: The Ultimate Guide For Music Producers (2024)
Reverb is one of the first effects producers learn to use. And why wouldn’t they? Reverb instantly adds depth and emotion to any sound. But if you’re not careful, you can fall into the trap of “just adding reverb” – which is the quickest way to destroy your mix. So it pays to understand it […]
The Delay Effect: A Powerful Tool For Electronic Music
The delay effect is probably the most famous effect of all. Its echoing result is instantly recognizable and can add depth and emotion to your music. But apply it too much or with the wrong settings and it can destroy your mix. In this guide, we’ll cover the basics of delay. We’ll look at the […]
Synth Bass: 9 Crucial Bass Sounds You Need To Know
Bass sounds are one the most important pillars of electronic music. In fact, entire genres have been defined by certain bass sounds. And the number of sounds out there is literally infinite. But there are a few ones that have stood the test of time. In this article, I’ve gathered some of the most popular […]
Weak Mixes? Phase Cancellation Might Be The Issue
Phase cancellation is a problem every producer will run into someday. You may have phasing issues in your music and not even realize it. It’s more subtle than “too much reverb” or “not enough bass”. It can be hard to hear and even harder to fix (if you don’t know what you’re doing). And it […]
ADSR Envelopes: How To Creatively Sculpt Your Sounds
Ever come across the term ADSR, but weren’t sure what it meant? ADSR stands for Attack-Decay-Sustain-Release. And it forms the basis of all synthesis and sound design techniques. Although it can seem daunting at first, the concepts are really simple to grasp. If you are just starting your sound design journey, you have come to […]
Writer’s Block: 7 Tricks to Overcome Your Creative Enemy
Writer’s block is a well-documented condition with many different causes. It happens when the “author is unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown”. And the longer it lasts, the more frustrating it can become. “As a writer, a blank page will humble the hell out of you. It always does, and it […]
Collab Bro? 9 Crucial Tips For Collaborating With Other Artists
“Collab Bro“? Hang around music producers long enough, and you’ll get a few of those in your DMs. However, “Collab bro?” is much more than just a meme. Collaborations can help you learn faster, grow your audience and finish more tunes. But it has to be done right. In this article, we’ll explore: Let’s get […]