When techniques aren’t enough: how to listen and respond to your music
- Feb 3
- 4 min read
Shift your focus from technique to context: how focusing on the 'why' of decision-making will improve your music.
Saturate the kick. Glue the drums with compression. Add warmth to the bassline. Take out the resonances with an EQ. Create this type of sound by setting up your synth like this. Blah blah blah…
For a long stretch in my early development as a music producer, this was all I focused on—months, maybe even years spent on technical details. I’d finish my day and dive straight into masterclasses and YouTube tutorials where other artists explained precisely how to do those technical things.
I got to the point where I could saturate a kick a dozen different ways with ease, had four different plugins ready to go, and knew every knob on my compressor. I could copy a synth patch from a YouTube short and match the sound exactly in my Ableton project.
Yet something was missing. Despite learning all these new tricks, my music wasn’t getting better. It felt like I was putting in the hard work, but my tracks still lacked artistic impact.
Looking back, I can see the root of the issue clearly: I understood how to use techniques like saturation or compression, but not why or when to use them.
The missing link: context
Everything in music is context-specific. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ setting for compression or saturation.
If your drums already gel nicely, adding compression for the sake of it will only weaken them.
If you copy a synth patch straight from a tutorial, it will only shine if it fits the rest of your track.
Taming resonances is pointless unless you know which resonance is actually causing problems.
Once I shifted my focus to the decision-making process—understanding the ‘why’ behind each move—my music started evolving.
It is not enough to know which technique or plugin does what. You have to know why your track needs that thing in the first place.
Listen to what the track is telling you
In practice, it is the music that tells you when to use a tool, not the other way round. Here are some ways you can tune into that instinct:
Listen holistically. Spend a moment taking in the track as a complete work of art, then zone in on specific elements.
Ask questions. Is the kick too weak? Does the lead sound too harsh? Are some vocals way louder than others? Identify problems before reaching for a fix.
Imagine the track’s fullest form. What feeling do you want listeners to have when they hear it? That goal should guide your decisions.
If your kick is weak and lacking character, then saturation might give it the weight it needs. If your lead sounds unpleasant, then you may need to tame some resonances. If certain vocal lines jump out, then a compressor could help even them out.
This approach ensures your tools serve the music, rather than the other way round.
The role of taste and context
Tutorials and masterclasses often teach one specific way to use a tool—‘this is how you properly compress a kick drum.’ And while those guidelines are useful starting points, music is subjective.
Context and personal taste are vital.
What if you like the sound of a heavily over-compressed kick?
What if a YouTuber claims a limiter on your kick ‘kills the dynamics', but you prefer the squashed sound?
There are no hard rules in music—only guidelines.
A so-called ‘mistake’ can become your signature sound if you genuinely love how it fits your track.
Developing better creative decisions
To understand the ‘why’ and ‘when’ of your choices, you have to:
Step back and listen. Treat the track like the sound of rain—observe and describe what you hear. Does something bother you? Does a certain element feel missing?
Define your goal. What vibe or style are you aiming for? What would you like the music to sound like, regardless of what a tutorial says?
Consider simpler routes. Sometimes you do not need an entire chain of effects. A single EQ or a bit of saturation might do the trick.
This is a creative skill that takes time to develop. Just as your ears evolved over the years—recognising acid synths, picking out crunchy distortion, understanding what once flew under your radar—your ability to discern the right moments for each technique will also grow.
Tools alone don’t make great music—your creative choices, shaped by context and intuition, do.
Embrace the ‘why’ muscle
Keep flexing that ‘why’ muscle every time you sit down to make music:
Why am I adding this particular effect?
Why am I reaching for this sample pack?
Why do I like or dislike how it sounds?
Tools alone do not guarantee brilliant music.
Your choices—informed by taste, technique, and a willingness to experiment—are what truly shape your tracks.
By understanding the bigger picture and context for every decision, you’ll develop the real magic of music production.
At the heart of every track lies the reason behind each choice—once you tune into the “why”, the “how” will fall into place.
Big love
Eryk Kabay
Ready for action? Whether you’re feeling stuck or looking for that final professional polish, I’m here to help you cut through the confusion and make your tracks shine. Let’s get your music sounding its best and ready to be released into the world.
Comments