User blog:Thefreewave/Making a Music Track (from beginning to end)

PRE-PRODUCTION PRODUCTION RELEASE POST-RELEASE I wanted to post (and update) a music list I made awhile back based on all my experiences with making music and things I've learned often from mistakes. With so many steps involved in making a track (pre-production,production,release, and reflection) it's very easy to make mistakes, skip steps, or forget to do things but I am hoping this may help whoever has looked into making music, or makes it currently, and just how involved it is and how important are some of the marketing steps (if you want to be even seen these days). Hopefully this will help someone as i don't see too many music making threads in this forum as creative resources.
 * 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? Am i catering to ANY audience?
 * Do I have a genre in mind or a creative hybrid of several ideas? 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!? Can I justify sending this to EQD by the end?
 * Do I have the time to pull this track off from start to completion (is there an event deadline)?
 * Write down all good concepts. I have in a concept queue so if i can't do them immediately i could do try them later if they still sound like a good idea.
 * 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 or samples and made it 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? Automated so each has a moment to shine? Does the velocity change so that they don't play the same level continually?
 * 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 ins or outs needed?
 * Is my track infringing on any prior piece of music uncredited (important if you plan to sell it)?
 * Have I listened to my track multiple times on different equiptment? Listen to it again and again and take notes when you hear something you need to improve.
 * 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? Too much? Is it too clean? Is it organic enough?
 * Are the bass and vocals centered? Am i avoiding any synths echoing the vocal line and competing with the vocals for midrange space.
 * Is there any clipping? Am I relying on a limiter to mask poor mixing? (Don't do that). Mix under threshold, avoid clipping, and master in a final project.
 * Is my track loud and full enough (across all EQ freq)? (ie had a final Mastering phase)
 * 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.
 * If I'm doing doing a vocal track have i gotten rid of sibilance and de-essed it? Do it!!
 * Look to other people to add what you can't. Collaboration not only gives another pov on what to improve but also another set of hands and another skillset you may not have. Don't know how to piano or play guitar? Don't know how to sing? Someone out there likely does. Ask for their help and collaborate with them.
 * Has the original artist heard the remix and given a thumbs up before it's release? (for remixes). Not required but might be nice for their input or to make them be aware it's coming out and to look for it. Have I let them know about the video upload when it's completed so they can check it out?
 * Have I named it appropriately? Check spelling!! Is that title in the video for the track? Does it look good?
 * Is the mp3 tagged correctly before the upload?
 * Do I have artwork to go with the track? Is it credited, linked, and approved? Does it look good? Have I let them know about the video upload so they can check it out? Is there animation or just a boring static image?
 * 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 good on youtube or do i need to re-up for better thumb choices(3)? Does this compete with what other brony musicians are doiing?
 * Does it look and sound ok? (in stereo, no glitches or bad encoding)
 * Have I credited and linked to any original artist and track? (for a remix) Have I linked back to the original via a youtube video response so it will show as a link from the original track?
 * Have I explained the concept behind the track in the description? (Very important with EQD)
 * 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, reddit, EQDmusic, or any other periodical or website? Tumblr post? Linked out to friends?
 * 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?
 * Have i looked to friends to help promote, alt bronysites, or reddit?
 * 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 and based on production failure 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? Should you VIP remix it, burn it with fire, or feel good about it?
 * Learn and improve. Lean on friends when you feel down as you often will.