Production of electronic music involves multiple steps that require creativity and vision in order to produce its distinct sounds.
Composition and arrangement refers to creating the fundamental song elements such as rhythm, harmony, melody, and lyrics – this creative work belongs to the songwriter and may be protected under copyright laws.
Skrillex and other producers such as him use this technique.
Stage 1: Composition
Composition in electronic music refers to the process of finding inspiration and visualizing an overall track’s overall sound and structure, along with selecting instruments and sounds as well as genre, tempo and mood preferences. This requires creativity and vision while setting up the entire production process.
Producers typically start the composition process by auditioning various instruments and sounds until something catches their ear – this could be as straightforward as finding an inspiring drum sound which forms the backbone of their song, or more complex such as designing custom instrument sound designs or sampling existing sounds online.
Once a producer has come up with an idea that inspires them, they will begin creating the song’s basic structure. Depending on its genre and style, this may include an intro, verses, choruses or drop sections as well as some sort of musical climax or conclusion. Dance music and techno tend to use beat-based structures; ambient experimental or IDM music often deviates away from this.
As they move through the composition process, producers will begin exploring various ideas to hone their core elements – this may involve trying different chord progressions, melodies and vocal samples before designing an overall layout of their track (known as arrangements).
New producers may find this stage of composition challenging, and it’s essential that they remember that making imperfect music at this stage is perfectly okay; the goal should be learning and progressing as quickly as possible. One common misstep that new producers make is falling into the “masterpiece trap”, in which they focus exclusively on producing their best work and ignore other tracks they haven’t completed; this hinders learning significantly and may leave them frustrated and disappointed when their “masterpiece” turns out to be less than expected; therefore it would be wiser to focus on finishing songs regularly without worrying too much about having perfect versions or trying for perfection every time!
Stage 2: Production
Production involves recording, editing and mixing raw audio tracks into an entire song, which requires technical skill as well as an ear for sound quality. At times this step may also include using effects to transform or enhance audio.
Music producers craft the foundation of a track by selecting or creating unique instrument sounds and assembling them in an appealing musical structure that includes rhythm, harmony, melody and lyrics – this step should take time and be carefully considered before moving forward with production.
Over the history of music, producers have utilized a wide range of techniques and approaches when crafting their works. Some producers may specialize in one particular area like classical piano or acoustics while others focus on one genre such as pop, rock, or electronic music. As producers explore new techniques and composition techniques they eventually push the limits of their craft and discover novel approaches of composition.
At this point, the magic begins and music comes together. Depending on your genre of choice, song structures will usually center around a basic drum beat composed of kicks, snare or claps, hi-hats/cymbals/toms, pitched drums etc. Some electronic styles like hip-hop/dance music may have more rigid beats while ambient or experimental works may not even require one at all.
Producers typically begin their compositions with a simple drum pattern as the foundation, then layer chord progressions, melodic elements, vocal melodies or lyrics before building tension with an “build” section and finally releasing it with an explosive chorus or drop.
A good producer should dedicate some of their time to building relationships with other producers and people in the industry, as collaborating can often yield the most thrilling and innovative ideas. They should also remain consistent in their work – doing this can prevent getting stuck in what’s known as “dip,” where progress slows or stops altogether.
Stage 3: Mixing
Once instruments, vocals and song elements have been recorded and edited separately, they must be combined into one stereo audio file via mixing – an intricate yet often neglected step in music production.
Mixing is the practice of harmonizing all the components of a song so they work seamlessly, from adjusting each element’s volume and tone balance, panning sounds across stereo field, using effects such as reverb, delay, or compression to creating a polished professional sound comparable with commercially released music. At this stage of mixing, your goal should be to achieve a polished professional sound comparable with commercial releases.
At this stage, song producers need to design the overall structure and arrangement of their tracks within that overall framework. While traditional song structures include elements like intro > verse > chorus, many electronic music genres offer much more flexible structures. Producers must ensure their song evoke emotion while providing an interesting narrative structure that makes listening an absorbing experience.
Electronic music mixes require additional considerations when mixing the tracks that make up their composition, such as dynamic range, movement and tone. Dynamic range refers to the energy and intensity in each track, which can be adjusted by altering the amount of reverb or compression used or by adding textures such as flanging or modulation. Movement is another crucial aspect that must be balanced, which can be accomplished using automation techniques like auto-panning and modulation; tone refers to the relative balance of high, middle and low frequencies; an equalizer can help ensure each instrument lives its own place within its sonic spectrum without covering up other more important instruments or being overshadowed by louder elements.
Once a song has been mixed to completion, the next step should be mastering. This final step in quality control before release to eager listeners includes steps such as equalization compression limiting and stereo enhancement; mastering ensures that its final product stands up against other commercially released music products while providing an enjoyable listening experience.
Stage 4: Mastering
Mastering and recording are the final stages in music production, providing producers with an opportunity to begin making decisions that directly affect the quality of their finished product. They can make decisions like which tracks to include and which instruments should be used; work on improving its structure/flow; fine-tune their mix using elements such as EQing/compression for improved overall tonal balance of their song; as well as fine-tuning elements of their mix such as EQing/compression in order to reach an ideal sound balance overall.
Mastering audio recordings is an integral step, serving as the final checkpoint before they reach listeners’ ears. Mastering requires meticulous inspection of music to detect and correct any potential problems; additionally, this stage also ensures it adheres to industry standards.
Mastering involves several complex audio processes, such as equalization, compression, saturation and limiting. These procedures aim to achieve balance within a stereo mix by harmonizing its constituent parts aesthetically; additionally it gives engineers an opportunity to optimize it for playback on multiple speakers and media formats.
Mastering engineers must be able to discern between an overdone and underdone track, as well as how different frequencies are perceived by human ears. Our ears often perceive higher tones as coming from above us while lower ones appear below. With special software available for mastering engineers, waveforms of individual instruments can be zoomed in on and any unwanted artifacts removed without altering the overall tone of the audio track.
At this stage, it’s essential to take your time in approaching each aspect of the mix one at a time and slowly make adjustments. Too much too soon may result in an overwhelming, noisy mix that distracts audiences.
As part of this stage, it’s crucial that you regularly practice and focus on improving any weaknesses that emerge. Electronic music production encompasses so much that you won’t become adept in all areas. So focus on areas in which you excel. For example, if melodies and countermelodies pose difficulty for you, studying some music theory might be worth your while.