#Hypertips 1133: Take a Saturday and build acoustic panels. Foam does virtually nothing for your production room (especially foam "bass traps", they are useless and a scam). This is a great tutorial: youtu.be/tLk6fQVcoSw?si…

#Hypertips 1089: Chances are, you are probably thinking WAY too much about mastering. Mastering will never "make" one of your productions (poor mastering could break one, though...). Everything you need to know is in this two minute video: youtube.com/watch?v=3HfDW2…

Just some morning thoughts

So pumped to announce a brand new start to finish course with melodic techno and house wizard Pete from @weareAnden is out now!

It's been a while. New music coming out March 10th on Lilla Era <3

#Hypertips 988: Pick a weekend day, gather 1-2 friends, and build some bass traps. Putting bass traps in your production room is the single best thing you can do to make your room sound better. This guide is the best on the internet: youtube.com/watch?v=MHnFYF…

Twitter fam! Hope you're having a great holiday season. Just a quick heads up there is only 36 hours left in the biggest Christmas Sale we've ever run. Scope it ALL here: hyperbits.com/xmas-sale

#Hypertips 933: Avoid high pass filters with sharp Q values on drum sounds. In standard EQs, this creates a "phantom" bump in higher frequencies that can actually make the drum sound LOUDER. Check this vid for an explanation: youtube.com/watch?v=efKabA…

#Hypertips 931: Keeping your production area organized and clean works wonders for your creativity. Cable management is key -- here's a great video breaking down an easy and cost-effective way to keep your cables organized: youtube.com/watch?v=7V1isE…

#Hypertips 888: This is probably the single most helpful music production video I've ever seen. Give it watch when you get a chance this week: youtube.com/watch?v=XVQ8c1…

#Hypertips 834: A lot of loudness will come from your mixdown, not your master. Saturation is absolutely key here - and we made a whole video on the topic: youtube.com/watch?v=gE7cwc…

#Hypertips 811: Clean up your production space. This includes cable management. Get some velcro and zip-ties to keep your wires tidy and out of sight. This helps SO much with the vibe of your room. Here is a great guide: youtube.com/watch?v=7V1isE…

The answers are all here 😂

#Hypertips 629: Want a fresh perspective on the state of music marketing today? Check out this awesome seminar from NYU and Billboard: youtube.com/watch?v=ox2bm8…

#Hypertips 535: Ask your older generation family members if they have any reel to reel tape players sitting in an attic. With a little maintenance work, most of these units can get up and running again. Why use plugins when you can have the real thing? youtube.com/watch?v=RCE7NI…

#Hypertips 527: I probably tweet about this once a year, but to me this is still the most important video for every producer to watch. After 45 minutes, I guarantee you'll have a refreshed perspective on workflow and finishing music: youtube.com/watch?v=XVQ8c1…

#Hypertips 506: Be careful using a high pass filter on your kick! It can cause phase issues which will totally change how your kick sounds (usually not for the better). This is the best video on the internet which explains what I'm talking about: youtube.com/watch?v=efKabA…

#Hypertips 502: Tune your drums. Tune your drums. Tune your drums. This is something you can do when you want to be productive but aren't feeling creative. Here's a good how-to guide: youtube.com/watch?v=aJycZ4…

#Hypertips 483: Let's talk about tips for producers under quarantine this week. Take a weekend to do a handy project - I recommend that EVERYONE build some bass traps for their production room. This is the best guide I've found: youtube.com/watch?v=MHnFYF…

#Hypertips 476: We've made some pretty cool Youtube tutorials throughout the years, but this one is probably the most black magic/voodoo production trick we've ever come up with. Sample ANY kick from ANY song: youtube.com/watch?v=dYnrvr…

**New Vid**

Layering isn't JUST about making your sounds bigger. It also helps you to sound more unique, polished and refined. Scope the vid to demystify layering in less than 3 minutes!

youtube.com/watch?v=673R2H…

If you've ever struggled to understand compression, here is a cool visual way to think about it in under 2 minutes.

youtube.com/watch?v=LGqDVh…

Should finishing music fast be the #1 priority? Or should you do some goat farming instead? 🤔😂

youtube.com/watch?v=Oen3WY…

wooooo! we just relaunched our Youtube channel. Here's to plenty of consistent, highly-informative and concise vids moving forward <3

youtube.com/watch?v=gE7cwc…

Aside from checking your mix occasionally in mono, I really think we need to all stop emphasizing our mixes in mono. It's basically a non-factor in 2020! 🤓

#Hypertips 335: Want an analog sound without all the gear? Here are some recommendations: 1) analog style synths (Diva, Arturia stuff etc), 2) preamp plugins (a Neve 1073 emulator is a great start), and 3) analog-style EQs (Pultec, API-560).

#Hypertips 334: Watch this video. That's today's tip. I guarantee it will get you inspired and get the wheels turning. youtube.com/watch?v=7AqNUN…

#Hypertips 327: It's ADE week! Who's going? Let's talk about networking this week. Build a database of your contacts and stay in touch with them. It's easy to fall out of touch and lose someone from your network - make a touch point at least a couple times a year with everyone.

#Hypertips 303: Let's celebrate Hypertip 303! The Roland TB-303 was one of the synths that defined electronic music in the 80s. If you're looking for that sound and don't want to drop $2K+ on an original, check out Roland's TB-03 - a very faithful (and affordable) remake.

Yesterday, we officially launched one of the most extensive sample packs ever created — featuring 8,674 total sounds. Available until Aug 29th. You can scope it here: hyperbitsmusic.com/creative-suite

#Hypertips 296: Are you listening to Nils Frahm? If not, start today...

#Hypertips 291: Plugin recommendation - it's no secret that Valhalla reverbs are some of the best on the market. But at only $50/plugin, there are arguably the best value. If you're looking to step up your reverb game on a budget, this is where to start.

#Hypertips 278: Sit in on another producer's production session. Even if you aren't collaborating, you will undoubtedly learn something new. Pete (a Masterclass Instructor) didn't know Logic had Midi FX until working with @enamourmusic - and he had been producing for 10 years!

#Hypertips 272: Almost without fail, spending $500 on acoustic treatment for your room with give you a better result than getting a set of monitors that cost $500 more than what you currently have.

"I am doubtful of any talent, so whatever I choose to be, will be accomplished only by long study and work." -Jackson Pollock

#Hypertips 257: Hannes Bieger, one of the most influential mixing engineers in electronic music today, has said that tuning your drums can be the most important thing you do for a mix. So, do that! Here's a video showing you how: youtube.com/watch?v=aJycZ4…

"I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance." -Steve Jobs

“We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” -Bob Ross (also, if this isn't the truest thing for music production, I don't know what is...)

#Hypertips 245: Want to make a sound feel a little more old school/analog/organic? Roll off the extreme high end. Use a smooth EQ to reduce a bit above 15kHz. We love using a EQP1A emulator for this (attenuate the highs at 20kHz).

#Hypertips 240: Are you sampling kicks from your favorite tracks? If not, start today. Get the extended mixes of songs and look for instances where the kick is isolated. Save it into your favorites folder (and tag it by key).

#Hypertips 235: You don't need breaths in your backing vocals. Chop them out entirely.

#Hypertips 230: Listen to @Jon_Hopkins_ 'Singularity' album. This is the pinnacle of creative and high-quality electronic music production.

#Hypertips 227: Apple Music has surpassed Spotify for paid subscribers in the U.S. We all know that Soundcloud is a thing of the past, but if you ONLY focus on Spotify, you're still missing a huge market for your music.

#Hypertips 222: Invest in some press shots for your social media pages - or better, find a photographer friend who will help you out pro bono (maybe take them out to dinner). A couple creative, professional headshots and lifestyle shots go a long way for your brand.

#Hypertips 217: Why does such a simple song like 'Losing It' have such an ENORMOUS impact? It's because the *song* behind the production is great. Sometimes actually producing can blind us to the underlying feeling/message of a song. Tips on how to address this coming Thurs/Fri.

#Hypertips 212: It's Miami Music Week! Who is headed to Miami? This week, I'm dishing out specific MMW tips. 1: When you talk to someone you recognize (you'll recognize many ppl), remember, they are REAL people too. Don't be a fanboy/girl - they'll appreciate it.

#Hypertips 209: If you're going to spend a lot of money on a hardware synth, make sure you're plugging it into a good preamp. UAD preamps are safe bets, and @georgefitzmusic recommends Great River preamps.

#Hypertips 203: The ways people consume music are totally different now than even a few years ago. Focus on building up your presence Spotify and Apple Music - Soundcloud is all but dead at this point. And please, please, please, don't pay for SC reposts.

#Hypertips 200: Happy Monday! Get your mind right today to set you up for the rest of the week. Do something active, eat healthy, set some achievable music goals for the week. Now, get after it!

Evening thoughts...

#Hypertips 197: For most music purchases, try to avoid paying full price for anything. Almost all plugin companies do huge sales a few times a year, and most Guitar Center/Sweetwater employees are able to give you at least some sort of discount (depends on product brand).

#Hypertips 193: Your mix will rarely need more of something. Almost always, it needs less of stuff that doesn't sound good. Focus on reductive EQ, less reverb, turning lesser important things down. Let the good stuff shine through.

#Hypertips 187: Don't be afraid to do some volume automation on your mix bus in order to make hook/drop sections more prominent. We love the "mono build trick", and @Slateproaudio will boost hook sections 1-1.5db to make them pop even more.

#Hypertips 185: Watch this video. It might be the most helpful music production video we've ever seen: youtube.com/watch?v=XVQ8c1…

#Hypertips 183: Your friends are talented. Don't be afraid to ask for help/advice with anything for your music/artist project. Sometimes non-producers can provide the best feedback on a track. Find a friend who does photography to help with the visual side of your brand.

#Hypertips 173: If something sounds good, then it IS good! You don't need to follow production "rules" all the time - even if you do something "the wrong way", if it sounds good, keep it.

#Hypertips 168: If you can afford it, go to ADE or Miami Music Week. Be friendly, make new contacts, meet people in person who had previously only been internet friends. Set realistic goals for the trip: like leaving with an official remix op or getting direct A&R contacts.

#Hypertips 162: Spend $100 on a Zoom H1 and take field recordings. Natural ambience is an effective way to fill out a track and make your track feel more full. You can also record other sounds to create organic percussion elements - @Jon_Hopkins_ regularly does this.

"Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion." - Simon Sinek

#Hypertips 153: "I'm not in the business of fixing things." - @mikerobertsmix When mixing, your job is to make things sound better, not fix problems with the track. Finish your track while you're producing, and save mixing just to make things clear, full, and professional.

#Hypertips 147: Alright, it's Friday, time to treat yourself to a new plugin. Here are some favorite free ones: Xfer Records OTT and Dimension Expander, Softube Saturation Knob, Valhalla Frequency Echo, U-He TyrellN6 (amazing free analog-style synth). Who has more free recs?

#Hypertips 142: To those of you in the US, Happy Thanksgiving!! Probably one of the most important tips I could give - take some time off! Enjoy a break with friends and family. Get some good R&R and get back to music later on feeling fresh and recharged.

#Hypertips 139: It’s all about your kick sample! There is simply no better way to make a track hit hard than with the right kick drum. The best sounding kicks come from the best sounding samples. Splice is a great place to start for finding kicks for your genre

#Hypertips 136: Add panning modulation to bring shaker loops to life. Soundtoys’ PanMan is great for this — just pick a preset you like, speed up the Rate, and turn down the Width so it only moves a little left and right. This will work wonders on adding movement to your drums.

#Hypertips 132: Seek to help others more than you ask for help. When giving track feedback, take 10-15 min to write a couple valuable paragraphs. Buy tix to your friends shows (don't ask for GL). What goes around comes around - and this goes for life in general, not just music.

#Hypertips 129: We get a lot of questions about where to start with buying plugins. All things considered, we think the best value is the Soundtoys bundle. $500 for 21 AMAZING plugins (plus they often have sales) is an absolute steal and a great first purchase.

#Hypertips 125: Visual aids can be extremely helpful in achieving a good mental state to create music. Try collecting moments from film or Youtube videos that make you feel certain emotions (nature videos can be great). Save these for later to help fuel creativity.

"When all think alike, then no one is thinking." - Walter Lippman

Can I just take a moment to say that I love San Diego <3

#Hypertips 118: You don’t need to write brand new chords for every song! If you hear a progression in a song you like, copy it, transpose it to a different key, and change the timing of the chords (or change one of the chords). Voilà! You now have your own progression.

#Hypertips 115: Pick up a copy of Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's an amazing read for anyone immersed in the challenges of pursuing creative work.

#Hypertips 112: Try to sit in on a studio session of another producer. Studying someone else's workflow and techniques can be amazing for idea generation. For anyone attending ADE, go to as many StudioXL, "In The Studio...", and MusicTalks events as you can.

#Hypertips 108: When making an extended mix of your track for DJs, test it in Traktor to see how it mixes with other tracks. Use a standard 16 or 32-bar intro and outro, and error on the side of having less information in the lows and mids to make transitions more smooth.

#Hypertips 103: Develop a routine to mentally prepare to be creative. Take 15-20 minutes before a production session to go for a walk, read a book, light a candle, write in a journal - clearing your head works wonders on your creativity.

#Hypertips 100: Tune Your Drums!! If you aren't sure of the pitch of a drum, use an EQ or analyzer to identify the tonal frequency + then use a sampler or pitch shift plugin to match it to your track. But be careful - too much pitch change can create an undesirable final result.

#Hypertips 92: Compression is about more than just narrowing dynamic ranges. Analog emulation compressors can add great tone and a "real" feel to sounds. The API 2500 and Puigchild 670 (both from @WavesAudioLtd) are a couple of our favorites.

Sunday thoughts: Should I be a man who orders Mexican food or Indian food today? 🤔

#Hypertips 89: Check out Craigslist or other resale websites to purchase acoustic treatment for your home studio. Acoustic foam resells extremely cheap - most recently I saw ~$500 of foam (original price) going for $80.

#Hypertips 87: In cases where you do need to do some additive EQ, analog emulation EQ plugins can do so smoothly and add some desirable analog character to the sound. The PuigTec plugins from @WavesAudioLtd are great for this, as are many of the channel strip plugins.

#Hypertips 85: Experiment with automating filter settings to get movement in your sound design. Automate cutoffs to "open" and "close" sounds, but you can also change envelope settings on the cutoff to get different shapes to plucky sounds as well.

#Hypertips 82: When adding FX to vocals, be intentional! Don't just add reverb/delay and call it a day. These need to be thoughtfully mixed into the track. I've seen some tracks with 6+ FX sends from a vocal chain, but each needs to have a strong reason why it's in the track.