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

Every songwriter has natural strong and weak points. For me, musical and production concepts tend to be much easier than lyrics. Sometimes it is perfectionism, other times it is insecurity, and still other times I simply can’t find the words. But here are a few important items that I have found to be helpful when working on lyrics…

1. Create imagery:
If your listener can't "see" the story then they can't feel invested in it. It is dead to them. Think of an amazing novel you have read that came alive for you. The author may have dedicated several pages to tell you what a certain room looked like. More importantly, you might get revelations about a character's story sprinkled through multiple chapters. In the end, you likely felt as if you knew some of the characters personally. A song can capture that but the challenge is you only get three and a half minutes to do so instead of 300 pages. You have to be efficient and deliberate with your phrases. Be okay with descriptive action words that specify what the characters and scenery look and feel like. Side note... as much as some people may roll their eyes, Taylor Swift is the master of this. She can weave an incredibly thorough story with very few words.

2. Count Your Syllables:
Many songwriters will tell you this but still... pay attention to mirroring your syllables. If verse 1 and verse 2 have completely different syllable counts then it will likely feel forced and unnatural. The only exception is "the moment" where a performer has the liberty to break from the mold and use a phrase or melodic sequence that strays from the expected. This point is unique in that it doesn't always have to be followed but at the same time, I would argue most writers that don't line up their syllable counts will have very sloppy songs.

3. Embrace Editing:
Please. Pretty please! I have heard too many writers say that everything just "naturally flowed" and that the song was just a breath of inspiration. Ok. That happens. Like 5% of the time. But more often than not when someone says that the song poured out with no wrinkles, they don't realize how bad their song is.
You are an author. Think like an author! There are plenty of times where musical instinct will come into play but not always in songwriting. Trust the process. Draft 1, draft 2, draft 3... and maybe on occasion you come back to your first idea. But now you know that you took the time to process and explore ideas that you may have initially missed.

*LASTLY:
Break the rules. Just remember there is a big difference between breaking the rules and not knowing them. If you are intentional when you draw outside the lines, that is where the fun begins.

Happy writing!

The other day I had an interesting conversation with a close friend of mine.  I had given this person a networking lead in the music industry and over the phone he asked, "are you sure you feel comfortable sharing this connection with me? I know sometimes people get upset when other artists try to do what their doing." He was so used to having music artists in town try to keep their support team and methods a secret that he actually felt the need to ask if it was okay.  I was somewhat surprised by it but then realized that sadly, it's definitely part of the industry.

While I think that networking and social mingling is the norm among musicians, there are natural tendencies to be competitive and elitist.  The mindset is often so narcissistic that at shows in the past, I've seen bands on the same bill not even willing to look at each other because they were focused on THEIR show, THEIR music, THEIR fans.  They felt they were the best of the night and had no reason to mingle with the other bands.

I'll be the first to admit I've had moments where that attitude was taking place in me.  At times I've been so indulged in my songwriting and personal goals that I would shut out everything and anyone not in my circle.  I remember reading a book regarding music promotion and it talked about relentlessly sharing about your music, being bold and aggressive, and in many ways, running over people to get what you want.  The mentality was, "do what you need to get what you want."  But I just don't think that's necessary for success.  You can be a hard working artist without being selfish.

To be sure, I have some AMAZING relationships with other artists and I've been so blessed by people who were willing to help me out with advice, connections, and encouragement. Trust me, I need help from every direction! But seriously, why are we so afraid to help each other out?  

“Collectively speaking, African Americans and Latinx people have nothing to apologize for. Every democratic right we enjoy is an achievement that our ancestors fought, suffered, and died for... we were not taught that Mexico abolished slavery long before the United States did. We did not learn that African Americans organized an international solidarity campaign to support the Cuban War of Liberation against Spain. No one seemed to know that Haiti was viewed by many of our ancestors as a beacon of liberty during the grimmest moments of our own independence wars against the Europeans. We were ignorant of the fact that every country in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa has a history of democratic struggle to be proud of. The descendants of these epic movements are today’s reviled ‘freeloading’ immigrants.”

-Paul Ortiz

I’ve been enjoying this book and think you would too. Get your copy today on Amazon HERE

This is the first posting in what will be an ongoing songwriting series.  I have so many talented musician friends and I'd love your feedback and input.  Songwriting is both an art and a science so I'm excited to receive perspectives from different writers.  

---

I've always been enamored by great songwriters.  The music of John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Sarah Mclachlan, and numerous others portray rich character, memorable melodies, and a fresh way with words.  Their songs can pull at emotions, compel deep thought, and in some cases, even change a person's world view.  In the eyes of many, these songs are artistic, inspired, and driven by emotions.  But on the other hand, it's clear that these individuals have devoted time and thought into their craft.  So what are some practical areas in which upstart writers can improve?    

For me, the most challenging aspect of songwriting is producing lyrics.  One thing I've always told my students is that writing songs is very similar to writing other forms of literature.  As a result, one of the biggest principles is making sure to edit your lyrics.  Good novel authors will go through draft after draft before finding the words they want.  The consequence is the same with lyrics.  The more time you take to draft and think through your lyrics, the better the final product will be.  On occasion, the first lyrics are the right ones for the song but too often that's just an easy excuse out of hard work.    

During editing, work on avoiding cliché phrases.  There have been several occasions when I've been listening to a song that was filled with overused lyrical lines and I could finish most of the sentences before they were sung.  Try to find a unique but simple way to say what you are thinking.  I also find that I have my own set of cliché phrases.  They may not be commonplace to other writers but they are lines that I have placed in other songs.  These can be challenging to recognize but it's a good idea to look over old material and make sure that you aren't regurgitating the same lyrics.  

Another thing to examine is lyrical flow.  Is your song conversational?  Does it sing naturally?  If you find the ends of phrases are awkward, choppy, or drastically different in timing from one line to the next, then your song needs major editing.  Don't force a certain lyric that you really want to use if it isn't complimenting the rest of the song.  Let it go and find something else to say.

  Lastly, don't try to do all of your editing in one session.  Take a break, let your mind rest, and then go to work again.  There have been times when I've come back to a song and laughed at how terrible my ideas were the night before.  If the song still looks good a few days after your last editing session, then it's ready to be shared!

  Thanks for reading this.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.  Comment below.