Hey a,

The biggest mistake I see when it comes to arrangements is this:

Adding more "stuff" to keep things interesting.

This probably sounds familiar:

You start creating your initial loop. The groove is there, you add some nice atmospheres, and even manage to write a great-sounding lead line.

But when it comes to turning that loop into a full song, you find yourself adding more and more layers.

As soon as you arrive at the first buildup, it feels like you've already exhausted all the elements you can put into a song.

So what do you do?

You add even more risers, swooshes, and other ear candy.

But as soon as you get into mixing your track, you get a healthy reality check:

Your lead gets masked by all the competing synth layers. 

The low-end feels weak because three bass layers, two subs, and a complex kick drum are fighting for headroom.

And compared to your reference tracks, your production sounds like a dull and muddy demo.

Isn't there a better way to create interesting arrangements?

There absolutely is.

But it requires you to say goodbye to a lot of misleading arrangement advice you've probably heard before.

Here are my three principles for effortless arrangements:

Principle #1: Make the most out of what you already have

Instead of adding more and more layers, I challenge you to work harder on automating your existing material.

A great example is your lead synth.

If you identify a few key parameters you want to automate, you can create an entire arrangement around the synth line.

You can watch me follow this approach step-by-step in my video on the “skeleton arrangement” technique.

Principle #2: Subtracting elements can be more powerful than adding them

Next time you feel the urge to add one more layer, try going the opposite direction.

Maybe muting the entire drum tops and giving kick and bass room to shine is way more powerful than adding yet another shaker loop.

I've heard countless tracks where the producer removed the hi-hats for just four bars, and it completely transformed the energy of that section.

Principle #3: Arrange from the inside out

This one has helped countless artists I've worked with over the years.

Arranging in a linear way, from intro to outro, is a really bad idea. You'll end up exhausting your best material way too early.

Start with the peak part of your track and design it for maximum emotional impact. Then create the rest of the song around it.

This way, your best ideas end up where they belong - at the emotional center of your track.

Try this on your next production:

Pick one existing element in your track and see how many different ways you can make it sound without adding anything new.

You might be surprised how much mileage you can get out of what you already have.

Your music matters. Let's make it count.

Philip

PS: This arrangement approach is only a small fraction of the things you'll learn in our coaching program. If you want to find out whether this is right for you, book your free discovery call here.