KEYS PRODUCTION SERIES: DIGITAL WORKFLOW AND RESOURCES
The current climate in popular music is a keyboardist’s dream. From digital production to the resurgence of analog synths, and sample libraries to groundbreaking VSTs (Virtual Studio Technology), songs are leaning into keys production more heavily than ever. And with the continued expansion of home and satellite studio culture, there are an overwhelming number of affordable and free plugins, digital emulators, synthesizers, and sample libraries available to get the sounds you need. All of these tools are amazing and essential in making modern music. But is it possible to have too much of a good thing? The options can be overwhelming and if not intentional with how we use them, they can be counterproductive. If you have ever wasted too much time tweaking a sound, trying to find a preset, or deciding which VST to use before even pressing record, you know what I’m talking about. At the end of the day, all of the toys at our disposal are only beneficial if they help us get ideas tracked and finished. Which brings me to workflow. Momentum, creative bursts, and efficiency all rely on flow. Whether I am producing from home or playing keys for another studio, the expectation of a keys player is to have useful draft ideas up and running quickly. So here are five things that I do to keep a clean workflow:
#1 ORGANIZE YOUR LIBRARIES AND SOUNDS
There is nothing more frustrating than knowing what a song needs and not having easy access to the sounds. Some VSTs like Omnisphere, for example, do a great job of organizing presets by genre or instrument type. But others are very broadly labeled and you can end up wasting a ton of time trying to sift through “mono” or “arpeggiated” synths. The same goes for sample libraries where you might have 500 kick drums or claps just sitting in a folder. One thing that has helped me to be more efficient is to categorize presets more specifically. Genre folders like “pop” “edm” or “cinematic” can be useful. Another way to organize is by audio pallets such as “plucky” “aggressive” or “dreamy”. Also, there are honestly a ton of sounds I’ll never use, regardless of the song, and I just dump them all into a “Junk” folder to avoid ever running into them. I do the same thing with drum samples and try to find kick drums, snares, claps, etc and rename them to recognize them faster, put them in “favorites” folders, or divide them by genre use. Also, SAVE YOUR EDITED USER SOUNDS! If I’m working on a certain song and start with a preset, I am very likely going to be editing the daylights out of it as the song evolves and if I need to recall the patch later, I will be toast if I didn’t save all my changes into a new preset.
#2 MAINTAIN A CLEAN WORKSPACE
One of the biggest obstacles to creativity and a faster workflow is a messy workspace. When the cables are running to all the wrong locations, when there are empty cans and bottles of water sitting on the desk, when instruments aren’t put back on their stands or cases, all of these lead to a deteriorating and debilitating environment where creativity is dead. So one thing I try to do at least once a week is just take some time to “clean house” before jumping into the day’s project. I’ll dust off the speakers, wrap up dead cables, put labels on my midi triggers, and make sure I have the FASTEST and SIMPLEST avenues possible to track vocals, guitars, or keys. As Julia Cameron said, “When we clear the physical clutter from our lives, we literally make way for inspiration and 'good, orderly direction' to enter.”
#3 PICK A DIRECTION AND RUN WITH IT
Sometimes, we might instantly run into the PERFECT sound or idea and it feels too easy. So we start to second guess ourselves -I’m really bad about this… There’s probably a better idea I haven’t found yet, right? Shouldn’t I edit the crap out of this preset? Is routing this analog synth through 3 FX pedals really enough? You get the point… it can be easy to obsess over finding the right sounds for a song. But I would argue that for majority of us, trusting our instincts more and trying the ideas that feel good out of the gate is the best way to make music. Sure, there is a place for nerding out over the exact filters, wave types, and sequencing patterns… But that time isn’t when you are trying to get a song up and running. So find something you like and press record.
#4 DON’T FORCE AN IDEA INTO A SONG
On the opposite side of picking a direction and running with it is the mistake of finding a sound or part you think is really cool, and refusing to let it go. There have been many times where I have thought I had the hottest idea at the start of a project. But as production evolved, the song became something very different than what it was at first. And I have been guilty of trying to keep my original idea in play when it no longer complimented the song. So remember to hold onto all ideas loosely and don’t clog the flow of production because you stubbornly want to fit a certain idea in.
#5 KEEP THE FINAL PRODUCT SIMPLER THAN YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE
With less time wasted finding the right starting preset or routing cables in your studio, you will have more time to get ideas tracked. Lots and lots of ideas. But don’t keep them all! Do you really need seven poly synths on the chorus? Why are you tripling sounds on that hook line? While there are definitely times to do layering and have various tracks coming in and out as transitional or FX ideas, you shouldn’t be blasting the song away with a bunch of the same parts. The quality gets saturated and can overwhelm the vocals. So while it is awesome you have a ton of ideas to play around with in post, make sure you edit down to your favorite parts for a clean and forward finished product.
I hope these ideas were helpful! Here are a few of the digital resources I’ve been using in my keys production. Shoot me a message and let me know what you are using too. There are so many great tools out there.
VSTs THAT I’M LOVING RIGHT NOW
KEYSCAPE: My go-to for Rhodes, Upright Piano, CP-70, and many other stage keyboards.
SERUM: Super powerful and rich presets.
ARTURIA ANALOG LAB: These analog sounds are incredible and I love the feel and look it offers of a real synthesizer.
OMNISPHERE: This is a huge collection and it is the most organized preset layout I have found.
REAKTOR/MONARK: This still offers great bass and mono synths.
MASSIVE X: Big sounds and easy editing/layering.
KONTAKT ANALOG DREAMS: Very simple layout but really cool two-part combo capabilities.
HAMMOND B-3X: The closest thing I have found to a real organ.
OTHER PLUGINS AND RESOURCES I USE REGULARLY:
SPLICE.COM
VALHALLA
UNIVERSAL AUDIO
SOUNDTOYS
SLATE DIGITAL