Hey Reader,

Last week, I almost scrapped my entire remix.

Not because the arrangement didn’t work.
Not because the energy was off.
But because I couldn’t find the perfect piano sound.

I spent 10+ hours testing presets, demoing plugins, scrolling through Splice.
Every time I bounced the track, something felt off.
And that one sound became the reason I didn’t want to finish the song.

I kept tweaking tiny EQ notches.
Tried high-end piano VST trials I’d never use again.
At some point, I wasn’t producing anymore—I was just stuck in a loop of frustration.

I almost closed the project for good.

The weird part?

When I finally sent it out for feedback…
​No one even mentioned the piano.

They said:
“Sounds clean.”
“Really nice balance.”
“Catchy vibe.”

That’s when it hit me:
I was obsessing over something that barely mattered.
The track was fine—actually, better than I thought.

And I almost killed it by chasing perfection on one single layer.

Ever been in that situation?

Stuck on a detail that felt like everything…
but in the big picture, it didn’t really matter?

Then here’s what helped me—and might help you too:

🧠 What to do when you're stuck on a sound:

1. Get honest feedback early.​
That’s the one thing I should’ve done way earlier in this process.
If you know someone whose musical opinion you trust, reach out.

(Just make sure they know a bit about production—your best friend saying “sounds cool” won’t help here.)

Most people are happy to give feedback—you just have to ask.

2. Stick to the script.​
I have a 7-step production workflow that keeps me grounded.
It tells me exactly what to focus on in each phase.

This time? I completely ignored it.

Instead of moving on, I let one piano sound steal 10 hours of my life.
Now I know: if something’s blocking progress, leave it as a placeholder and keep going.

3. Zoom out.​
I know how tempting it is to solo a problem until your ears give up.
But that rarely leads anywhere helpful.

Listen to the full track.
Ask yourself: Does this really stop me from finishing?​
Or am I just emotionally attached to this tiny detail?

This week, I’m mastering that remix.
Not because it’s “perfect.”
But because it’s done.
And I’d rather carry my lessons into the next track than get stuck fine-tuning forever.

Been there too? Or maybe you’re stuck right now?

Hit reply and tell me what you’re working on. And if you want my 7-step workflow again, just tell me —I’ll send it your way.

Stay Productive,
- LEMAN

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