Hey Reader,

Imagine this:

You hear a track that blows your mind.
You're inspired.
Tonight, after work, you're finally going to start that new banger.

You sit down.
Open your DAW.
Start scrolling for the right kick.
Load a clap.
Sketch a basic pattern.
Kick on the one, clap on the two.

And slowly... the excitement starts to fade.

"Where did all that excitement just go?"

Another night lost to tiny decisions and technical busywork.

A few years ago, I learned a truth from competitive gaming:

Speed isn't about rushing—it's about using your tools without thinking.

The more you click around instead of acting, the more momentum you lose.

It's like trying to play guitar and having to check where every chord is.
You can't feel the music—you’re just fighting your fingers.

And it's the same with music production.

At first, setting up shortcuts and templates feels like extra work.

But if you care about making music beyond just one track,
if you want to create consistently,
then your workflow is either your biggest advantage—or your biggest enemy.

Today, when I open my DAW, it’s different.

My basic beat is already there.
The kick, the hat, the clap—sounds I already love.
I can hit play instantly.
And instead of wasting energy building a skeleton,
I dive straight into what matters:
​Hook ideas, melodies, vocals.

I stay connected to that first spark of inspiration.
Because the busywork is already done.

Want to see how much time you’re losing right now?

Try this:
Time yourself building a basic beat—kick, clap, hat, bass.
Nothing fancy, just the bones of a track.
Then ask yourself:

• How many steps could you automate?
• How many clicks could you skip with shortcuts?

The difference isn’t just a few minutes.
Over weeks and months, it’s the difference between an idea stuck in your head and a track you actually finish.

A few simple upgrades you can make today:

🎯 Use DAW Shortcuts:​
Even learning 5–10 essential shortcuts speeds up your workflow massively.
​(I just posted my favorite Ableton shortcuts on Instagram)

🎯 Create a Starting Template:​
Save a project with your favorite kick, clap, hat, and a few synths ready to go.
Open your DAW, press play, and you're already halfway into the groove.

🎯 Keymap Visual Plugins on Your Master Channel:​
In my template, I mapped visualizers like SPAN or reference meters to simple keys.
Press "1"—SPAN opens.
Press "O"—a LFOTool opens.
No searching, no clicking.

Small changes.
Big impact on your creative flow.

Train your hands to fly.
Let your brain stay free.

That’s how you finish more music—and have way more fun doing it.

🚀 Want to save even more time in your music workflow?

If you're ready, here’s how I can help you:

​Stay Productive Notion Template - The ultimate tool to organize your music projects, manage your tracks, and finish more music faster. Designed for music producers.

Have a great week!

Stay Productive,
- LEMAN

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