50 Twitter Music Production Tips

Aden Russell
February 22, 2021

Last year, we posted quite a bit on our Twitter account.

But not all of you are following us on there, and sometimes they get lost in the noise.

So we decided to round up 50 of the best tips from the past 12 months into this blog post!

Because sometimes, you just need something to keep the inspiration flowing.

You’ll find tips on:

Optimising workflow
Production hacks
Mindset shifting
Setting goals
+ more!

Let’s get to it.

The Tips

Strike balance between routine and fresh experience.

One is needed to make music in the first place.

One is needed to have something to express.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) February 26, 2020

Never underestimate the power of layering.

Even a simple second layer can help find the sound you were looking for, and it always works better than trying to EQ, compress or process the first layer in order to compensate.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) February 27, 2020

We’re all so scared of sharing the vulnerable parts of ourselves, including our music. But the more you put out there, the more confident you’ll become, even in the face of haters.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) February 26, 2020

Points of similarity and points of difference are both needed in your ‘sound’ in order to be palatable yet unique.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) February 27, 2020

Make a series of frequently-used FX chains that you can drag on to give any instrument a particular sound.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) February 25, 2020

Try making a song where the only mixing you can do is with volume.

No EQ, no compression, no mastering.

Just focus on the quality of the arrangement, sample selection and composition.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) February 25, 2020

More ideas generally imply more finished songs, but there are ways to increase your ratio of unfinished tracks to finished ones.

– Structure your track early
– Commit to ideas and bounce to audio if necessary
– Make versions incase you go in a bad direction and need to backtrack
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) December 4, 2019

Cool sound design hack – reverse a sound.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) December 6, 2019

Rest is important for producers. While productivity and creativity are also important, striking a balance is key.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) December 4, 2019

Starting with just a piano instrument or VST can help to focus on the composition and not on sounds or mixing. Those things can be thought about later down the track.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) December 3, 2019

“The amateur tweets. The pro works.” – Steven Pressfield

The irony but it’s true.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) November 6, 2019

Is your environment conducive to music production?

Which programs open when you start your computer?
Is your desk clear of unnecessary tools?
Are your keyboards always on and ready to go?
What does your default DAW template have in it?
Do you get too many notifications?
Etc.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) November 9, 2019

Always challenge your production habits:
– does that sound really need sidechain compression?
– maybe the lowpass on that sound is too high?
– maybe the mix sounded cooler before I chucked on a stereo imager?

Don’t do something arbitrarily. Do it because it makes the song better
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) November 8, 2019

Teaching what you know is an effective way to retain the knowledge you learn.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) November 7, 2019

Invest into your craft with both your time and money. Many producers are afraid to spend money on their artist project because they think it’s a waste, but both time and money can multiply results if spent wisely.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) November 5, 2019

Give yourself a time limit for making something ‘work’ in a track.

For example, you try a kick drum in your track. It sounds good, but needs tweaking. You EQ, compress, shape the tail etc. for 5 minutes and it still doesn’t quite do it for you. Scrap it and find a better sample.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) November 29, 2019

Ableton Pro-Tip: If you’re warping fast drum loops to a slower tempo, make two copies of the loop and set one to Repitch, and the other to Complex with a high-pass, and blend to taste. This way you retain the natural feel of the drums without losing the high-end.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) September 9, 2019

Tracks sounding boring? Try layering in interesting, unusual textures. Foley, weird synthesis or unusual effects can be fun to play around with.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) October 9, 2019

Don’t assume you’re not good enough. Send your stuff to labels, YouTube channels or whoever. Worst case scenario, they don’t like it. But at least you tried. So then you get better, and try again. Until it works.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) October 10, 2019

Going into the studio with high expectations can be dangerous. The only thing you should expect to do is produce something. Expectations can kill motivation.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) October 14, 2019

Who’s better?

A producer who grinds out an 8 hour session into the the morning?

Or a producer who does a solid 4 hours and gets sleep?

The second – sleep is proven to help improve muscle memory and knowledge retention, so stop fulfilling the producer cliché – get some rest!
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) August 8, 2019

Compare yourself to your previous work, not to the current work of others.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) October 3, 2019

Don’t neglect the importance of good samples.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) September 27, 2019

Things tend to grow at rates which are unnoticeable to humans. This includes careers, music projects and musical skill.

Take time to appreciate how far you’ve actually come.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) October 23, 2019

Overnight success takes many years.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 24, 2019

If you’re hesitant to put your music out into the world, just do it.

Worst case scenario? Nobody listens or cares.
Best case scenario? People love it and share it.

Besides, you can always delete it.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 23, 2019

Make music without the expectation of releasing it.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 20, 2019

Opportunities in music come through people first.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 18, 2019

You may have heard the term ‘polishing a turd’ when mastering a poorly mixed track.

The same can be traced back to mixing a poorly produced track.

Or producing a poorly arranged track.

Or arranging a poor initial composition/idea.

Everything stems from the original idea.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 10, 2019

Making electronic music has 2 parts

1. Sound source
2. Expression tool

For most, sound sources vary from synths to samples, & the expression tool tends to be a mouse/keyboard, but it could be good to change that (e.g. MIDI controller or iPad app) when switching up workflow.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 22, 2019

Every idea you make can be used for something, even if you aren’t going to finish it. Export out the stems to resample them, save presets and racks, or even just bounce the whole idea as raw material for you to use later on.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 9, 2019

Why should producers read books?

Nobody just decides to write a book – they write because they have something important to say.

That’s worth considering at the least.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 25, 2019

For the intermediate/advanced producers:

If you ever feel stuck in your sound, let it evolve. You’re likely not going to sound too different anyway.

Remember, not every customer will buy all of a companies products. Not every fan will appreciate every single one of your songs.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 26, 2019

Optimal music production workflow is never achieved, it’s always evolving, adapting and improving as you grow.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 10, 2019

Your sound is likely more distinctive than you think – everyone has their own processes, techniques and workflows, even when trying to emulate someone else.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 12, 2019

If you’re a new producer, don’t make your choice of DAW based on other people’s opinions. Try the demos out and make the decision based on your experience.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) July 21, 2019

In creative work, quantity always leads to quality.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) May 16, 2019

Make a LOT of music.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) May 22, 2019

People need to enjoy the journey of music production and becoming a better producer. Goals and dreams are good, but don’t live in a perpetual state of failure just because you’re not where you want to be.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) April 24, 2019

There seems to be a workaholic school of thought going around suggesting that people who want to start something (producers included) need to work around the clock get results.

Don’t get me wrong, you need to work hard. But work smart first.

Burnout’s not a fun place to be.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) March 25, 2019

If you work best in the morning, work then.

If you work best in the evening, work then.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) May 23, 2019

There isn’t a magic plugin.

There isn’t a magic tip.

There isn’t a magic DAW.

There isn’t a magic collab.

There isn’t a magic solution.

Every step you take in the right direction as a producer – that’s where the magic’s at.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) March 21, 2019

How to guarantee dissatisfaction as an artist:

– set follower-based goals
– keep thinking every song you make will be a hit
– care more about social media appearance than your craft
– have a perfectionist mindset
– compare yourself to others
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) April 4, 2019

Good music is 40% preparation, 50% editing and 10% creative inspiration.

Ideas are good but how you execute them is more important.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) May 24, 2019

Walking is great for creativity and a fresh perspective.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) April 12, 2019

Too many people quit too early.

Making good music is an art that’s difficult to refine but worth every effort.
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) April 18, 2019

Remember to listen to your mixes literally everywhere.

– Monitors
– Headphones
– Phone speakers
– Laptop speakers
– Your brother’s AirPods
– Your Dad’s old radio
– Your friends car stereo
– Hack into the mall speakers
– At your university lecture
– Inside the hadron collider
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) April 5, 2019

My favourite plugins:

1. Coffee
2. No wi-fi connection
3. Multiple hours of uninterrupted time
— EDMProd (@EDMProd) March 4, 2019

And That’s A Wrap

After more tips? Check out a few of these articles:

Make sure to give us a follow on Twitter if you want more tips like this!

Aden Russell

With 10 years of music production experience and some marketing chops, I head up the content here at EDMProd. I also make music under Artsea. My pastimes include reading, drinking coffee and taking photos.

50 Twitter Music Production Tips

The Tips

And That’s A Wrap

Aden Russell

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