Productivity is not always a factor when creating art. If an international label offers to pay for your band to spend two months in the recording studio, then go ahead! Enjoy yourself.
For the rest of us, studio time can be expensive, and life can become very busy. We can’t afford to waste time or miss out on opportunities just because we aren’t quick enough. The music industry is not always equipped with a time management roadmap due to its lack of traditional work structures.
Creatives must be able to focus on their vision and talent when necessary. Let’s examine the best and easiest ways to maximize productivity and use the tools you already have.
Create templates
The best way to maximize your workflow is to use templates. They are easy to create, edit, and implement.
You should create a template that is as specific as possible for every type of work. You may have to create three or four templates. Examples include top-to-bottom demo production, top-to-bottom-only guitar/piano/voice, a template to score or produce trailer music, and one for master populates sends, vocal chains, etc. Create a template that includes inputs according to where you usually connect your hardware and instruments. You can also set the grid to the note lengths you prefer.
Pre-programme your patches
In a blink, composition can take on its own life. In a moment when we are experiencing spontaneity, we can be overwhelmed by ideas. We all know the feeling of clinging to an idea and working ourselves into a frenzy in fear of losing control.
It can be very frustrating to have to slow down the process of searching for sounds and building presets. This will prioritize your ideas. This is a blink. When having to wait for lightning in a jar moments. You can create presets in your DAW by mapping your most-used sounds to a Sampler, or customizing Ableton Live Drum Rack with your Splice one-shots, etc.
You can bookmark or use your favorite patches often or create a template using those patches.
Digital Modeling
In the late 1990s, models like the POD became mainstream. The technology has advanced so much in the past decade that even musicians and laypeople can’t tell if a model is a recreation of an original sound or a pedal combination that created it. This is not about tube-ampers (I have them too), but rather ease of use.
It’s worth it to have tone modeling at the ready for songwriters and producers. Otherwise, they will waste time and effort lugging bulky equipment and fiddling with mic configurations when they only need to create a simple demo.
The Fractal Axe tube amps 6Helix model, too), as well as the Kemper Profiler, for songwriters and producers, enabled instrumentalists and a range of sounds using a simple, compact interface. These units can simulate heads, cabs, and combos, as well as pedals, mics, placement, and other features found in tube amps. They are also extremely consistent, not subject to changes due to factors in the real world, such as the room, the weather or the efficiency (literally) of your wall outlets.
This includes es plug-ins. Software companies like Native Instruments and Bias offer high-quality software that can be used to create an almost infinite variety of sounds at the touch of a single button.
It is still possible to record the final guitar track with a tube amplifier or in a large recording studio. However, the ability to quickly record large, versatile guitar and bass tracks is one of the most time-saving features in the modern studio.
Master key commands
It may seem obvious, but knowing the shortcuts for your DAW is a great way to increase productivity. It’s amazing how many times I have worked with writers and producers who were otherwise very competent, but would mouse-click through an entire session. This wastes everyone’s time while hindering creativity.
Commands such as snapping the entire session into the edit window or alternating between the Mix window and the Edit window, creating a new track, muting the audio, slowing the tracks, punching and nudging, and cycling editing tools can save hours of time in long sessions.
Time-sharing is a great way to save money.
When you have a lot on, try to plan your work down to the minute. Create a daily schedule that includes each project and commission due. Set aside one hour for one project, thirty minutes for another, and minutes for the lyric sheet.
Pomodoro Technique is another great way to achieve this. This technique involves using a timer for 25-minute intervals of work, followed by a minute break. This model allows your brain to concentrate on a single task, ask in standard blocks of time, and not drift until the task or block has ended.
If you push your attention limits to complete a project at once, it can result in a loss of focus and diminishing returns. Overwork can also lead to ear fatigue, as well as other problems.
Prioritize creativity
Musicians often split their attention between several projects or jobs both inside and outside of the music industry. If you want to maximize your career growth, it’s crucial to prioritize creative over menial tasks.
This is the “I have been so busy shopping for groceries lately!” syndrome that we often see among creative types who are bursting with kinetic energy but lack any structure to channel that force.
Prioritize tasks you consider important for your project or livelihood. They can be creative, logistical, or related to your livelihood or project. This means you can save the washing of your car or doing the dishes for later. You can use that caffeine buzz or inspiration to tackle the tasks that are most important and demanding.
