The Step Most Producers Skip (And Why It Slows You Down)

Published 23 days ago • 1 min read

Hey Reader,

Last week, I finished a full track idea.
Not by chasing inspiration.
Not by locking myself in the studio for hours.

I just followed a clear system.
And it all started with one thing: analysis before action.

My first session wasn’t about building anything.
No synths. No drums. No sound design.

Just listening and breaking things down.

I had discovered a label recently—Sweatrz Records—and their sound had been stuck in my head for weeks.

Not on my radar before, but after hearing a few of their recent releases, I knew I wanted to create something in that direction.

So I dropped two of their tracks into Ableton.
And instead of producing, I analyzed.

How is the arrangement structured?
What kind of sounds do they use?
Are there vocals? Synth hooks? Just groove?
When does the energy shift?

I made notes.
Identified around 20 key sounds that made up the vibe.
Not to copy—just to understand the rules of the game.

Here’s a snapshot from that session, if you’re curious:

Only after that did I start building my own idea.
I found matching vocals on Splice, created a similar groove, and layered synths that reflected the mood of the reference.

That was Session #2.
Session #3? Break section.
Session #4? Second drop.

Each session had one job.
By the end of the week, 5.5 hours total, the full idea was done.
Only mixing and mastering left.

And here’s the thing:
Even if you’re not producing for a label, this works.

Pick a track from your favorite artist.
Use one from your go-to playlist.
It’s not about copying.
It’s about creating with direction.

When I work like this, I don’t waste time guessing what to do next.
I just follow the path.

I’m currently building something that guides you through this exact process.
So you can start tracks with clarity and actually finish them.

Would something like that help you? Hit reply and let me know!

Always happy to share more.

Have a great week!

Stay Productive,
- LEMAN

🚀 Need a productivity boost?

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Stay Productive Notion Template - The ultimate tool to organize your music business, manage your tracks, and stay productive. Designed for music producers.

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