5 Things Every Pro-Level Production Has | Make Pop Music
Creating pro-level pop music productions requires attention to detail, top-notch skills, and a commitment to excellence. As a pop music producer, you need to ensure that your productions stand out above the rest and meet industry standards. In this article, we’ll discuss five essential elements that every pro-level production must have to make pop music that shines.
1. Exceptional Mixing and Mastering
One of the most crucial aspects of a pro-level production is its mixing and mastering. It’s essential to have a clean, balanced mix that allows every element of the song to shine through. A pro-level mix should also be mastered to industry standards, ensuring that it sounds loud and punchy while maintaining clarity and dynamics. A good mix and master can make or break a song, so it’s vital to invest time and resources into getting it right.
Key points to consider:
- Balance and separation of instruments and vocals
- Equalization and compression for a polished sound
- Loudness and dynamics in the master
- Consistency across different playback systems
2. High-Quality Instrumentation
Pro-level pop music productions are characterized by high-quality instrumentation. This includes using top-notch virtual instruments and/or hiring skilled session musicians to perform on the track. The sounds must be professional, well-recorded, and meticulously arranged to create a sonic landscape that captivates the listener.
Consider the following elements:
- Realistic and expressive virtual instruments
- Clean and well-captured live recordings
- Thoughtful arrangement and use of instrumentation
- Attention to detail in programming and editing
3. Compelling Songwriting and Lyrics
A pro-level pop production begins with compelling songwriting and lyrics. The song itself must be strong, catchy, and emotionally resonant. Whether you’re writing the songs yourself or collaborating with a team of songwriters, it’s crucial to create music and lyrics that connect with the audience and stand the test of time.
Key considerations for songwriting and lyrics:
- Memorable melodies and hooks
- Engaging storytelling or emotional content
- Strong, relatable lyrics
- Coherent song structure and progression
4. Attention to Detail in Arrangement and Production
Attention to detail is another hallmark of pro-level pop music production. Every aspect of the arrangement and production must be carefully considered and meticulously executed. This includes crafting intricate vocal harmonies, adding tasteful embellishments and effects, and creating a dynamic mix that keeps the listener engaged from start to finish.
Elements to focus on:
- Intricate and polished vocal arrangements
- Tasteful use of effects and production techniques
- Dynamic build-ups and transitions
- Cohesive and immersive sonic experience
5. Professional-Quality Vocal Performance
Lastly, a pro-level pop production must feature a professional-quality vocal performance. Whether you’re working with a solo artist or a group, the vocals are the focal point of the song and need to be delivered with skill, emotion, and authenticity. This includes not only the technical aspect of recording and editing vocals but also guiding the vocal performance to convey the intended message of the song.
Aspects of a professional vocal performance:
- Emotional delivery and dynamic range
- Technical excellence in pitch and tone
- Consistency and precision in recording
- Connection to the lyrical content and overall vibe of the song
By incorporating these five essential elements into your pop music productions, you can elevate your work to a pro-level standard that sets it apart from the competition. While each of these elements requires dedication and skill to master, the result is music that resonates with listeners and leaves a lasting impression.
This is what I needed Mahn,thank you so much
Another great video! Another great Friday, thank you for all the great content!
This Man is a genius , totally brilliant .
Woohoo havent even started the video yet and already excited.
Oh and I got the Sweet Tooth pack, it's awesome!!
Great job!
Austin really is good. Sound selection is so important.
I got Omnisphere to do similar stuff but this pack really really sounds fire guys.
Very well done. The original kick sounded like it was in the high school band room. You switched to the style of kick I use a lot for metal lol, but also find myself using it in other genres. You called it in general, the excessive layering, clustered reinforcement sounds, and turning it into a more open feel brought out a better sense of musicians on instruments vs samples and sequences.
I use so much staccato all over the place it's easy to end up with too many layers tarnishing it.
This is one of the best videos I've seen on taking productions from intermediate to pro. Awesome presentation and detail, thanks for this!
10 mins with this guy feels like 2 years jump in my career ?.
I love Lush and Sweet Tooth, I wrote 3 Full track in the past 2 days because Ive been so inspired by the sounds! Love this vid, and please……
…..more TSwift content ?
What is this BR-Roll End that you are using here 24:42 ?
Happy Fri-yay! Well done Austin! Curious of what before and after vocals would sound like on each version of this track?
Great video! Would be awesome to have a subscriber submit a song for your review and revision!
hi, one question
because i learn about syncopation i start wondering about this added loops with percs, hats etc – because i know syncopation means accents offbeat moments, when we add loops some under main groove with syncopation – but they not shine in mix, this is still syncopation?
I could watch a thousand versions of this video. Fascinating.
Awesome video! The section on layering felt especially helpful.
How did you made the sweet tooth audio man? Was awesome !!
I really appreciate your videos mate. Thank you for sharing valuable insight and your philosophy on producing music. I do wish you would speak a bit slower though, your high tempo gives off a stressful vibe. I'm sure people wouldn't mind watching slightly longer videos that feel more laid-back and gives time for reflection. Have a good one!
Btw I wish you showed more of what you did in the pre chorus with the synths and loops.. was awesome too
I hope in a next video 🙁
hey Austin, hope you're having a good day. I have a special request. let's imagine you have an idea for a song, you want it to be emotional. You have the lyrics in your head, although it's not fully complete but you already have an idea of how you want the song to sound. Please i would appreciate if you could make a tutorial about how you would go about transforming that idea into a real song. Especially when it comes to making the beat(instrumentals). I really want you to shed more light on the instrumentals, i mean things like chord progressions, melodies, counter melodies and all that good stuff. Lets imagine you dont have a keyboard, how would you start your chord progressions….. The reason i ask this is because sometimes i have an idea of how i want my song to sound but when it comes to laying down those chord progressions and knowing what root notes i should use, i always struggle with that so i end up not making exactly what i want….. So i would really appreciate if you could give us a tutorial on this. Remember you dont have a keyboard, so you have to use the piano roll in your daw. If you dont understand what i'm saying please let me know
MakePopMusic RULES!!!!!!!!!!!
i mean the og version was still pretty good lmao
Reall love watching this man talking about his process. The vibe he has is just like his music.