Now that I've added the mixing/mastering/production hats to my wardrobe, I'm starting to spend more time watching YouTube tutorials, reading instruction manuals on plugins, and scanning Twitter for 'best practice' tweets. There's a lot to learn about the manipulation of audio and there are A LOT of people doing their best to teach.
I'm a learn-on-the-job type of guy and I need the high-stakes of completing a song or project to force me to level up. I carry that competitor's complex from my former life as a football player. I also like to have as much fun as possible, so this week I've been working on a remix of WHATS POPPIN by Jack Harlow, the Louisville bred rapper signed to Generation Now and Atlantic.
MY PROCESS:
I ripped the song from this Cole Bennett video on YouTube using YTMP3
Re-produced the drums in Ableton using Splice samples while referencing the original
Re-made the melody after watching a great tutorial for the proper notes and chords
Wrote my verse (which ended up being too wordy for the original BPM so I slowed it 143)
Mixed it using mostly plugins from the WAVES Gold Bundle -- You can use my link here to save 10% on WAVES plugins
Mastered it using the assistant feature on Ozone 9 Elements by iZotope
All-in-all, it took me about four days to finish. I shot a mini music video for it and posted it to my Instagram and now the song is officially streamable on Soundcloud. Leave a comment if you vibe with it!