A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

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A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby Freewave » 25 May 2012 15:19

Getting a track completed and perfect is really all about a process and going through a mental checklist for each and every track. I've gotten tired of having a fragmented virtual checklist in the back of my mind and occasionally forgettting to actually follow each step. So I'm actually writing down most of the steps i eventually follow when i put a track together. I figure a thread like this will encourage others to do so (and examine what they have and haven't been doing) and also as a way to see what i may still need to add to mine. It's easy to come across these mistakes but if you go through a checklist (I hope) you'll see mistakes begin to dwindle... :)

PRE-PRODUCTION
* Do I have a theme to my music, a concept? Is this a fresh concept or a tired retread?
* Will this fit into my style or the rest of my catalog?
* Is this a good idea that people will like? Would it have a very small audience?
* Do I have a genre in mind or a creative hybid of several? Be familar with the sounds of those genres before production.
* If a remix; do I have permission, a midi file, stems, or an flp to do the work?
* Is this track Pony enough!?
* Do I have the time to pull this track off from start to completion (is there a deadline)?

PRODUCTION
* A reminder to rename your project with a new name or number every time you make a significant change to it so you can revert back from any mistakes.
* Assign a mixer channel for every instrument you have.
* Rename and add colors to differentitiate between patterns and instruments.
* Are my synths or libraries good enough? Have I avoided recognizable defaults presets and made my own?
* Is my track too repetitive? Do I have enough different melodies and sections?
* Is my track to minimal? Is there enough elements going on throughout?
* Is my track to short or long? Is it interesting throughout?
* Do i have mix in /mix out points? Is it dj friendly if it's edm?
* How are my drums? Too simple, strong enough, eq'd right?
* Does each instrument stand out? Loud enough, panned, and eq'd?
* Does it need vocals? Samples? Are they compressed and eq'd right?
* Do I have drops, risers, sidechaining, filters, glitch, or noise sweeps?
* Do I have enough automation and effects on the track?
* Is my track completely in key?
* Any fades outs needed?
* Is my track infringing on any prior piece of music uncredited?
* Have I listened to my track multiple times on different equiptment?
* Have I had several friends listen to my WIP to recommend changes?
* Is my final track eq'd or mixed effectively? Are there no remaining flaws?
* Is there enough reverb on the final track? Is it too clean? Is it organic enough?
* Is there any clipping? Am I relying on a limiter to mask poor mixing?
* Is my track loud and full enough (across all EQ freq)?
* If I am absolutely stuck at this point, take a break and come back in a week or two and repeat going through the checklist.

RELEASE
* Has the original artist heard the remix and given a thumbs up before it's release? (for remixes)
* Have I named it appropriately?
* Is the mp3 tagged correctly before the upload?
* Do I have art to go with the track? Is it credited and approved? Does it look good?
* Is my youtube 720p or above (HD) for better quality music? Is the art/pmv good? Is the thumbnail worth clicking on after the upload?
* Does it look and sound ok? (in stereo, no glitches or bad encoding)
* Have I credited and linked to any original? (for a remix) Have I linked back to the original via a youtube video response?
* Have I explained the concept behind the track in the description?
* Have I linked back to a working mp3 link?
* Have I uploaded this to all the places I upload my music to? (soundcloud, eqbeats, etc)
* Have I submitted this track to EqD, EqR, or any other periodical or website?
* If Eqd features my track have I given a secondary link if my download maxes out? (ie only 100 downloads for a free soundcloud account)
* Have I posted it on my own tumblr? On my own youtube playlist? As a featured video?

POST-RELEASE
* Did my friends/other musicians like it? Did people comment, favorite, or download?
* What was the positive and negative feedback? Justified?
* Did I gain subscriptions from this track?
* What would I have done differently? (add it to the checklist!)
* If feedback is poor should I re-do / VIP a new / better version?
* Listen to your track a month later, do you still like it? Are you proud of it?

Lemme know what you think I may be missing or what ya think...
Last edited by Freewave on 26 May 2012 06:57, edited 6 times in total.
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Re: A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby BronyTuber » 25 May 2012 15:26

Two of the sections are named Pre-Production.

Great checklist though I will be referring to this in the future :D
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Re: A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby vladnuke » 25 May 2012 15:43

Good job, this is really useful.
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Re: A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby Freewave » 25 May 2012 15:44

BronyTuber wrote:Two of the sections are named Pre-Production.


* Did I proofread before hitting submit?

:lol: lol
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Re: A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby Expy » 25 May 2012 17:57

This is really useful, thanks for this. :D
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Re: A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby LunchBagMusic » 25 May 2012 20:29

Is this a good idea that people will like or is it a bit silly or have to a very niche audience?


This doesn't make sense...


Great checklist man. Real useful.
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Re: A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby Legion » 25 May 2012 21:19

Saving this. I will create a folder in my desktop and save like 20 copies of this list there. I am not kidding.
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Re: A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby ChromaticChaosPony » 28 May 2012 17:27

Thank you for this post. I found it very helpful.
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Re: A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby Whitetail » 28 May 2012 19:40

Full post-preduction checlist:
*Am I completely happy with this song?

If no, repeat until yes
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Re: A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby PhillyPu » 29 May 2012 16:10

Oh boy, can I share my list?

Pre-Production
Is anyone else playing TF2 right now?
Am I inspired, bored, or just want to do something productive? [Answer yes before proceeding]


Production
Do I know what I'm doing right now? [Answer NO before proceeding]

Release
Have I found a stupid problem with my track that will forever haunt me for the rest of my life? [Answer yes before proceeding]

Post-Release
Am I bored again? [go back to start of list]
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Re: A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby Facade » 29 May 2012 16:14

ooh great job this will be useful :D
https://facadeofages.bandcamp.com/album ... o-the-dark
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DerpyGrooves wrote:The secret to a good song has everything to do with the relationship of the verse and the chorus to one another


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Re: A Checklist For How To Have a Complete Track

Postby ChromaticChaosPony » 29 May 2012 18:16

PhillyPu wrote:Oh boy, can I share my list?

Pre-Production
Is anyone else playing TF2 right now?
Am I inspired, bored, or just want to do something productive? [Answer yes before proceeding]


Production
Do I know what I'm doing right now? [Answer NO before proceeding]

Release
Have I found a stupid problem with my track that will forever haunt me for the rest of my life? [Answer yes before proceeding]

Post-Release
Am I bored again? [go back to start of list]


This is what I usually do, except I go on Lulz's Livestream instead.
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