Are you stuck and looking to beat writer's block as a music producer? I feel you. Not being able to come up with anything in the studio is the most frustrating thing that happens to you as a producer. Defining what writer's block is can be difficult. Some call it an excuse. Others call it the harmless resistance found when we do difficult, meaningful work. But how 'harmless' is it really if it consistently stands between you and your goals of finishing more music in Ableton Live?  Here are our four ways to make you effectively beat the writer's block, every time you are struggling in...

How do you maximize your unfinished project files, and what can you do with them? There comes a time in the lifespan of many Ableton Live project files where we must face the fact that it is not worth finishing. Whether we have spent an hour on a loop, a day on a track, or weeks polishing a record that just did not hit the mark, admitting to yourself it's time to move on is difficult.  But just because that loop or arrangement will never see an official release does not mean that the hours spent shaping it are wasted.  Here...

What's holding you back from the finisher's mindset? Nothing defines a producer more than their ability to consistently finish music. Possessing a 'Finisher's Mindset' is a highly desirable trait in any creative industry.  But what's the finisher's mindset in music production? It's a producers ability to follow through and actually finish the tracks they started. Habits define how a producer works, and having good habits is vital to develop the right mindset. These habits can be simple things like basic workflow techniques to more complicated concepts like mixing/mastering decisions.  So why don't more Ableton users work towards developing habits and mindsets that lead to finishing...

How do you create and develop your own signature sound? All super-star producers making the most significant moves in electronic music have something in common: a signature touch to what they produce.  If having a 'signature sound' in Ableton Live is so crucial to lasting success in such an over-saturated industry, why are so many amateur producers okay with only imitating their idols? Developing a habit of finishing music can be a task by itself. But these habits are only half of the battle if you want to leave a lasting impression on the music industry. Developing a unique sound...

Developing your music production skills enough to make professional-sounding music takes years of dedication and hard work. But there are effective ways to make this process a lot faster. There is a learning curve involved in making arrangements that hook listeners, interesting sound selection, and crystal-clear mixing and mastering. You generally learn step-by-step by discovering things as you spend time in the studio. But to shortcut the process and put your learning on a fast-track, the best thing to do is referencing professional material. This technique can help you avoid spending years in the studio, trying to discover all the...

What are the critical elements your techno track needs to rise to the next level? There are five, ranging from deep bass all the way to intricate effects. I mean, what's a techno track without that heavy, rumbling kick and bassline with crispy hi-hats in between? If you do these things solidly, chances are you're a proud artist and creator of an excellent techno track. But if you're just starting out, use this list as a guide-line for the critical techno elements your track needs, with included pointers on things to think about. Let's dive straight in, starting with number one. ...

You know that deep, pounding techno kick and bassline that makes you want to pull an all-nighter at an industrial rave in an abandoned warehouse? The boomy, rumbling techno kick that you can't help but dance to?  Johannes Menzel is famous for making heavy techno music that makes the crowd go absolutely wild. Many of his tracks feature this classic rumbling kick, the gritty essence of deep techno that shakes the subwoofer almost to destruction. Today, he kindly decided to share his secret of the rumbling techno kick with us.   1. Choose A Kick Sample The first step to make a...

Making a Track in Ableton Live 10 In this video, Francois is making a beat from Start to Finish in Session View in Ableton. He's building everything from scratch and also shows how to use a few different 3rd party VST instruments for sound shaping.  Time Codes: 00:00 Playback and comparing synths 00:49 Introduction03:54 Getting started with Chord Progression06:15 Tweaking the sound09:50 Adding an Arpeggio15:00 Adding a Custom Arpeggio21:00 Adding the Bass25:52 Adding Drums26:06 Kick27:06 Low Clap28:07 Hihat32:00 Hihat -> Arpeggio Sidechaining33:55 Hihat Loop35:50 Beat done36:00 Making a simple master39:10 Comparing Wavetable, Operator, Diva, Serum, The Legend44:11 Playing everything      Learn...

  New year, new me. Or as a producer like you would say, new year – let's make some music.   What better way to kick start your studio prosperous 2020, than with some free plugins? Compiled below are the best plugins of this year, to help you create the next club-ready hit.   1. A1StereoControl   It's always nice to have full control over your stereo field. Especially when it's with a smooth, free, and powerful plugin, like A1StereoControl.   Crafted by Alex Hilton from Germany, this lightweight beast of a stereo expansion plugin has enough control to satisfy...

  At some point (maybe recently), you've probably listened to your newly built drum loop on repeat, and thought to yourself: "why does it sound so boring?".If this is you, I've got good news. What makes your drum loop sound boring is not necessarily your production skills or choice of drum sounds. More often than not, it's down missing one of the tips we're going to outline in the article below.More often than not, the drums are what can make or break your track. And it's often the small things that make a big difference. If you've chosen great sounds...