This is why I follow a clear 2-stage process. Idea creation and production are separated.

Think of an artist who first makes some sketches, before preparing his color palett and proceeding with his painting, and then finally he adds his finishing touches in the form of the fine details.

The creative process has been refined over thousands of years, and is fairly easy to follow. Any introductory art book/course should point everbody in the right direction.

 

Last edited: Jul 24, 2016

There is no right or wrong way to achieve your goal, it only matters that you achieve it, and for every way of mastering you will always find someone who disagrees with it, or think their way is better.

Rather than tell you HOW to master a track, I would rather you listed exactly what you have been doing up to this point and merely correct one or two things you may have missed, because essentially there is enough room for everyone to have a different way as long as you follow a few simple rules.

If you can, list the exact process of your last track, then watch as several of us offer different ways to find your Golden Fleece, as it were.

From there you can cherry pick different pieces of advice, and the whole time remain that slight bit different to everyone else.

 

You already have the basics of a good producer, or something else. You're never satisfied with what you did previously. Of course you do not see the results of your efforts over the years, but they do exist and others see them. If you think you've done something great, you'll do it again and again and after a while you will work mechanically already mastered techniques that you think are best. Talent is himself the best critic. He does not let you stand in the same place, always takes you farther. What would happen to a painter who makes a perfect picture. Is there a need to make another one? If paint the next one will not be a copy of the previous. Knowledge helps, but it can not be an end in itself.

 

sample selection / sound choice.

you want sounds to compliment each other...

For example, an extreme case like a sub-bass (like a sine-wave note), and a shaker. They are two totally different sounds that occupy different end of spectrum... THUS, you can hear them very well when play together.

Well... your problem, is most likely that you are still combining sounds that mask one another too much.

Also, with that choice,you are probably having to eq the shit out of sounds you try to combine that are not good choices.

(my 2-cents :D)


P.S. I also fricking love the guys that always give the "non-answers."

It;s always some kind of metaphysical, philosophic whatnot... I do not believe helps.

Never the less... whether or not you want to allow the "ufo's" to control the way your music sounds, or go your own unique way... you are STILL going to need to combine sounds that don't sound ghastly with one another. You still need to understand what "masking" is, and how to utilize sound choice AND/or design to minimize it.

 

Last edited: Jul 24, 2016

Hey iamsomeone.You could try getting into a few studios near your hometown you could ask some of the sound engineers if you could sit along with some of them for a few sessions.They could teach you a lot first hand.Agreed that you should have ear training blah blah etc.Getting into a studio and listening to the raw sound and the way they mix in Protools, and the plugins that enhance sound ,will give you some headway into what you are trying to achieve.Nothing like it.The rest is on this page by the contributors who have already painstakingly given you a lot of advice.And yes there is Steve Hodge to guide you the rest of the way plus the tons of tutorials on our sister site.All in all ,I think the rest is up to you ,and how hard you want to work ,and listen ,and learn ,to get the results that you hear from the pros.Don't worry you will get there soon enough.Passion is the key.Cheers and good luck