Q&A MAY 2025

Answering your Q's!!

Some really solid questions this time around — here’s the main takeaways:

Genres, Branding & Branching Out

There were a few questions around how to approach genre when you’re starting out. My take is: early on, it’s fine to experiment and try a bunch of styles. That’s how I started. But if you’re trying to build a recognisable project or brand, it really helps to lock in something more defined for a bit. Doesn’t mean you have to stay in that lane forever — but people need to know what to expect from you.

A smart way to branch out without confusing your audience is through EPs. A release that explores a few directions but still has a consistent vibe can help stretch your sound without alienating listeners. Look at how Knife Party did it — different BPMs and styles, but everything still sounded like them.

That said, don’t overthink the idea of “finding your sound.” Your fingerprint shows up in all the little decisions you make. As long as you’re doing the work, your identity will naturally come through.

Finishing Songs Faster

This one comes up a lot. Yes, finishing tracks quickly is something I’ve had to work at. These days, I’m less focused on speed for the sake of it and more focused on getting things done well — but efficiency still matters.

A few things that help:

• Having a solid production template ready to go

• Organizing your sounds and sample folders so you’re not wasting time

• Knowing your go-to tools and what works for your genre

• Sketching out drop ideas before worrying about details

What’s been a game-changer for me lately is focusing deeply on just one song for multiple days. Instead of starting five ideas and leaving them all unfinished, I’m carving out focused time for fewer tracks and taking them across the finish line. The results are better and it actually ends up being faster in the long run.

Layering Drops

When I layer sounds, I’m thinking about how to fill gaps. If your main lead lacks width, you add something wide. If it’s too wide and lacks focus, you layer something centered. If it’s dry, you add texture. Simple idea — fill the holes.

Textures matter a lot here. Organic elements, strings, different synth characters — they all bring contrast. Once I hit the mix stage, I clean house. If something’s not adding anything meaningful, I cut it. You don’t need 50 layers to sound big — you need the right layers.

Motivation When You’re Time-Poor

For those of you working corporate or full-time jobs, this one’s real. I haven’t done the corporate grind personally, but I know what it’s like juggling side gigs and music. What’s worked for others — and what I’d recommend — is building systems around your limited time.

That might look like:

• Simplifying meals and routines

• Reducing stress where you can (like avoiding traffic or switching commutes)

• Prepping your studio or template so you’re ready to go when you do get time

• Being really intentional with your energy and what drains it

You’re not going to find balance all the time, but if you want this to become your full-time thing, you’ll need to make sacrifices at some point. That might mean working when others are resting. It’s rough, but it’s also how you build the momentum that can eventually get you out of that 9–5.

Getting Signed to Bigger Labels

Two big factors here: quality music and relationships.

Connections can open doors — but when the opportunity comes, your music still has to hold up. I know a few artists who talk a big game, have lots of 'industry homies', but never get anywhere cos they're too caught up in the game, about looking cool and being at the right parties and places but not making sure the music and brand is up to standard. its a balance. Build real relationships with labels and artists you admire. Collaborate. Remix their tracks. Engage on socials. Be active in their ecosystem so they know your name before you submit anything.

At the same time, be honest with yourself about where your music is actually at. You want to be ready when the door opens. Better to lock yourself away for a year or two, then come out swinging, than to swing early with no force.

Also worth noting: labels, managers, agents — they all pay attention to how you’re showing up online. You don’t need a massive following, but you do need to show you’re serious. Be consistent. Be visible. Put in the work and let that speak for itself.

There were a bunch more production-heavy questions in this batch that I’d rather answer with actual walkthroughs or tutorials, so stay tuned for more of those soon. Thanks again for the questions — keep ‘em coming and I’ll catch you in the next one.