As we end another year filled with new beats and memories, we took some time to step back inside the studio and revisit all of the production tips shared by top artists in 2025. From highly detailed instructions for a better sound and on to indispensable creative insights, these artists imparted true wisdom.
Here we selected 20 of the most unique studio tips from 2025 (in alphabetical order) to take your game to the next level.
Photo by Mike Hindle on Unsplash
- Mixing Presets
If you’re not very comfortable tweaking synths, a great way to create unique sounds is by layering different presets from various synths and instruments. For instance, if you’re designing a synth sound to play chords, start by creating three tracks, each using a different preset from an available instrument. Have each track play the same chords and experiment with their volume levels. Perhaps one track should stand out more than the other two? Find sounds that feel right to you, and experiment with effects like reverb and delay. It’s easy to go overboard with effects, so remember that sometimes a few subtle adjustments here and there can make all the difference.
- How We Approach Panning
Low frequencies should always be in the centre. Important sounds should also be in the centre, while background or supporting sounds can be panned wider, whether fixed on the left or right, widened, or wandering across the stereo field. Bass and kick always stay in the centre, and if you have a wide bass, make sure the low stuff under 100Hz is in mono.
With other drums, anything that hits at the same time can be gently panned away from each other. Things of similar style or timbre can also be panned apart — think of it as creating an equal balance on each side. Keep the most important drums more central, with subtle, not extreme, panning. If you have one main lead sound or melody, keep it very close to the centre. If you have two, pan them slightly away from each other. For vocals, keep the lead vocal in the centre as you want it in front of you, not off to one side, while backing vocals or supporting layers can be panned. Pads can be gently panned and sound great widened.
You can be a little looser with things like arps and sound effects, creating more of a soundscape. When using recordings or emulations of real instruments, be wary of widening them. This makes the sound appear to come from all around you, which can feel unnatural if you expect an instrument to be in a specific spot. Still, this effect can sometimes be used intentionally if it fits your creative vision.
- Understanding The Track
In the process of making music, something usually comes into your hands, like a vocal acapella, a bassline, or some samples. There are multiple factors to consider: the key, harmonies, lyrics, and structure. It’s important to understand the strong parts of the track—the ones that catch attention. That gives you an idea of what the essence of the song is, and what we can do with it—how far we can push without losing focus and the intention behind it.
- Arrangement: Vertical vs. Horizontal Workflow
Many producers, in my opinion, make the mistake of working mainly with clips or loops. What significantly improved my progress was shifting to a horizontal workflow—working forward through the song rather than getting stuck in loops. This approach allows you to build a rough song structure within 1-2 hours, giving you a better overview of the bigger picture. It also creates more space for unique moments in your track.
- Concept
Aim to start a song or jam session with even a loose concept of the end outcome in mind, often the energy or a vocal line. I find visual images via Pinterest are great for capturing a vibe I want to fit into. Having this concept will allow you to better audition sounds, tempo, vocals, and instruments to ensure the ones you pick will fit the vibe and not detract from it or take the sound down another path. If you’re making a bassline-focused peak time track at 140bpm, then you know the tempo and style are going to dictate the number of notes in a riff, the ideal musical key to use (F and D are good for low punch bass, for example), and the type of kick that will work with the low bassline.
- The Mic Captures More Than Just Sound
The microphone is like a witness. It catches fear, pride, hesitation, and courage, and everything in between. Don’t EQ it right away. Don’t reach for the compressor. Listen first. Feel it. There’s always a point in the take where the singer stops performing and starts telling the truth. That’s your cue. Build the entire track around that point, and of course, when receiving vocals from a remote source, request a RAW file.
- You & The Infinite
What is your unique identity in music? How do you hear things differently, and what can you contribute? In the end, we’re all just having a conversation through this mystical world of vibrations and harmonics that we call music. How will you jump in and bring something to that conversation?.
Your experiences and perspectives are uniquely yours, so please don’t hesitate to share them through your music. Make the music for yourself, but always remain a humble student. We are all fortunate to explore this wondrous sonic universe. Remaining grateful for the chance to participate will see you through the ups and downs. And a continual sense of wonder will always show up in the music.
- Mix As You Go
I usually mix while building the structure. A beat can hold on its own longer before the bass comes in, depending on how it sounds. I shape the sound while arranging—usually, I don’t rework a track; I just keep working on it until it’s done. For the ‘WARM UP’ album, it was different because I had to rework the tracks after recording the vocals. It opened up new perspectives for me—coming back to a track weeks or even months later.
- Communicate Your Vision To Mastering Engineers
Louder isn’t always better. One thing I always have an issue with when it comes to collaborating with others or sending my music out for mastering (if I have to): a mastering not well done by a sound engineer who doesn’t have familiarity with your sound characteristics can easily outshine some elements of your track. For example, if the track is mixed to be played in a closed ambience like a packed club, it shouldn’t be so focused on bringing up the highs or shining the kick; instead, it should be focused on keeping the groove round and smooth. Make sure to communicate your intentions with the track and key elements when it comes to working with a mastering engineer.
- Set Limitations For Yourself
Less can often lead to more. In a world where everything is instantly available, limiting your tools or sounds can actually boost your creativity. Try working with just one sample pack or one plugin. It forces you to focus on the core of the idea instead of getting lost in options.
- Arrangement As A Creative Trigger
Once I’m happy with a loop and feel there’s nothing more to add, I start working on the arrangement. I usually focus first on building the key parts of the track, the main drop, and the breakdown. This helps spark new ideas and gives me a solid foundation, making it easier to arrange the rest of the track around those moments.
- Transient Designer & Automate Sustain For Creative Movement
A transient designer isn’t just for dialing in punch; it’s a powerful tool for shaping groove. Automating the sustain—either with a controller or digital automation—adds subtle dynamics. Extending sustain on hats or claps during a build-up can build tension, while shortening it on a drop tightens the groove. Treat it like an instrument, not a static effect.
- Digital Tools, Real Groove
I work almost entirely in the box – all digital, no hardware. But I treat my digital instruments like physical ones. I spend time shaping every sound with purpose, using subtle swing and layering to bring a human, groovy feeling to the beat. Tech-house needs soul, even in minimalism.
- Vocal Ganging — My ‘Choir’ Approach
For stacked, “choir-like” vocals, I record six takes per vocal stem (not including backing vocals). I’m very picky about selecting and editing them. My panning layout is: two at 50L / 50R, two at 35L / 35R, and two at 10L / 10R. This gives a massive, full stereo stack. I then compress and push it with Ableton OTT — push hard, then dial the dry/wet down to 10–15%.
After that, I send the whole group to my doubler bus for even more width, and to my room reverb to make them sit in an ambient space. The result is a huge, wide vocal texture that stays controlled and musical.
- Noise, Texture, Reality
Trigger noise with rhythmic patterns so you can get special textures that are still connected with the music. Keep shaping different noise samples to give tracks their own identity. Play with decay automation to give it dynamics. Special tip: Use field recordings from your phone. The best ones are often those that weren’t meant to fit a track.
- Surround Yourself With Others
Go out, meet people, talk, and share your experiences. You learn a lot from exchanging with others. We sometimes give masterclasses, and even then, we learn new techniques and routines from students. It’s incredibly inspiring. And don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone—pushing your limits is how you grow.
- Play Well-Produced Material
This is hard to judge until you try a track on a big system back-to-back with proven bangers. Poor bass mixing and too much compression are the most common causes for failure.
- Embrace Broken Instruments & Imperfections
Clean-sounding plugins are great, but real character often comes from unconventional sounds. Old, broken instruments or raw, gritty samples can bring something truly unique to your music. Experiment—shape weird sounds until they speak to you.
- Warming Up Digital Sounds
Run your sound through RC-20 Retro Color with a touch of Wobble and Magnetic for analog-style depth. Low-pass the output slightly and balance the mix around 30–40%. This gives your sound that subtle drift and warmth without washing it out. This is great for pads, vocals, synths, textures, and even drums sometimes, and can be done with other plugins that do the same thing.
