Hey Reader,

Welcome back to Inside the Studio – my weekly newsletter about finishing tracks, staying productive, and building your music career next to a 9–5.

When I started producing, I thought every track needed brand-new sounds.

A new kick, a new bass patch, fresh claps – every single time.

The result? Endless hours spent tweaking, and very few finished tracks.

Over the past three months, something changed.
I finished six tracks – and I feel like I finally found my workflow.

The shift came from one simple idea:
​„weniger, aber besser“ – and in English: less, but better.

Instead of building a new bass from scratch, I reused the same patch across three tracks.

I changed the melody, adjusted the ADSR, but the core sound stayed the same.

Why? Because it worked.

And “working” for me means this: when other DJs play my track on a big system and the crowd reacts, I know the sound holds up.

That’s why my template has my favorite kicks, hats, claps, and bass already loaded.

Within minutes, I can sketch a solid foundation – and spend my creative energy on the vocals, hooks, and ideas that make the track unique.

Even with 100 channels in a project, I now use fewer “types” of sounds.

• A clap becomes a splash effect in a break
• The main kick turns into a kick roll
• A vocal chop transforms into a riser.

And here’s the interesting part: the best producers follow the same principle.

Whenever I watch track breakdowns or study project files from the top names, I don’t see 20 different ideas fighting for attention.

I see just a handful of elements – a kick, a bass, one main hook – brought to life with clever arrangement and effects.

That’s what the top 1% do differently.

They don’t try to impress you with the number of layers.
They focus on making a few sounds shine so bright, the whole track feels huge.

„Weniger, aber besser.“ – less, but better.

If you’re just starting out, this principle is even more powerful:

Don’t worry about advanced tricks like multiband compression.

Focus on the basics, reuse what already works, and make those few elements shine.

I keep encountering this phrase in my productions, and every time I realize how true it is.

One focus, one sound, one thing – done well.

👉 Where do you keep getting stuck in your productions — even though you nailed it in your last track?

That’s it for now. Have a great week!

Stay Productive,
- LEMAN

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P.S. This Friday I’ve got a new track coming out. It’s a deep tech tune, a bit more clubby than my usual sound. If you’d like to check it out (and maybe support me), the track is already up for pre-order on Beatport:
​https://www.beatport.com/de/track/let-me-hear/20965185​

If you're looking to go deeper, here’s how I can help you:

🎯 Track Finishing Blueprint
My complete system to finish tracks faster, from first idea to label submission.

🚀 Stay Productive Template
Organize your music business, manage tracks, and stay on top of everything.

This email is sent by Stefan Lehmann via https://musicbyleman.com. I help independent music producers stay organized, consistent, and focused – even with a full-time job. These emails share tools, workflows, and personal insights to support your music journey.
You can reply directly to this email with questions or feedback – I read every message. To manage your preferences or unsubscribe, use the link below. For legal or support inquiries: contact@musicbyleman.com

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