[su_dropcap style=”simple” size=”5″]A[/su_dropcap]s we begin a new year, many of us tend to make resolutions as we do every year. For me, I always look for ways to be more productive and more effective in the studio. So let me share with you a few tips I have learned along the way that can help you too.
[su_quote cite=”Making the habit of listening to more music will increase your productivity in the studio by giving you more creativity, inspiration and will keep you up to date with the musical trends. “][/su_quote]
Whether you are a musician, mixer or producer in a full or part time capacity, all of us look to be more productive in the studio: the part time producer doesn’t have all the time he wishes and the full time producer is always looking for ways to get more gigs. The key is not to get more time but to be more productive with the time you have. That said, here are my 9 tips to be more productive in the studio.
1. Close your Social Media
Like me, you probably know that it is easy to waste time when working in the studio. And a good way to waste time which leads to lack of productivity is having your Facebook or Twitter open while working. Social Media can be a big distraction.
It all starts by getting a notification on your phone or computer that leads you away from your current work. Then, you just continue scrolling down the page to see what’s going on with your friends or by replying to a post. The next thing you know, you lost 30 minutes of studio time.
2. Don’t eat fast carbs and sugar before a session
This is something that I used to do a lot: going out for lunch and eating pasta, burger and fries or even worse, a “poutine” (French Canadian classic meal made of french fries, cheese curds and gravy). The result was the same every time – falling asleep in the middle of the afternoon with a drop of energy. In the end, it greatly impacted my productivity.
Finally when I changed my eating habits and started to cut back on fast carbs (especially during studio hours), I had no more energy drops. I felt so much better and much more productive. So try to avoid eating fast carbs like white bread, white rice, potatoes or pasta before you hit the studio. Avoid processed foods and eat natural foods that have a low glycemic index that give you energy instead like nuts, veggies, meat, fruits, whole grains, dark chocolate etc. Here’s a good read on the subject: http://lifehacker.com/5953060/how-the-food-you-eat-makes-you-more-or-less-productive
3. Take breaks to get a better perspective
Taking breaks is challenging for me, especially when I’m on a roll (or I think I am). When I’m working on a mix, at some point my ears get tired managing so many frequencies. If I don’t rest my ears I will lose all perspective of the song. If I don’t stop, it could affect my entire mix and in the end it only results in more work. Taking short 5 minute breaks every hour will always give me a better perspective. If I’m not on the right track, I will know right away and if I’m on the right track, that break will just give me more fuel to continue. So it’s a win-win!
4. Take 15 minutes for a light workout before your work day
Exercise has more benefits than simply weight loss or staying physically fit. Exercise helps all aspects of your life including productivity. By increasing the blood flow to the brain, exercise will make you more alert giving you better concentration. It will give you more energy so you will feel more awake and has also been shown to help curb feelings of anxiety and depression.
You don’t have to go crazy – just take 15-20 minutes out of your day to do some light exercises such as power walking, running, weight lifting, swimming… You can even use an iPhone or Android workout apps that will help you exercise just using your body weight. I can assure you that exercise has made me more productive in the studio. It is a game changer for me.
5. Don’t answer your phone
Like social media, the phone can be a distraction when working in the studio. I lost a lot of time answering calls during my work hours. The reality is, you don’t have to answer all incoming calls. If it’s very important, they will leave a message. That’s why voice mail is my best friend.
So the first thing I do when I get in the studio is I turn my phone ringer off while I’m working. I will then listen to my voice mail and make callbacks during my breaks or after my studio session. This way all my attention is going towards my work.
6. Write a quick to-do-list
The goal is to improve time management in the studio. Writing down a task list will help you measure your productivity vs. time management. Make a quick task list in about five minutes (don’t waste too much time with this). I will also suggest to go old-fashioned and use a pen and paper instead of an phone app. Chances are that you will waste time using a phone app to write your list down!
7. Read more
One of the best ways I’ve found to train my brain and be more productive in the studio is to read 15-20 minutes every day. Books or articles on music production, personal development, business and spirituality are subjects that help me gain focus, inspiration and creativity in the studio. I encourage you to take the time to read. Reading is more important than we think:
First of all it increases knowledge. Everything you read fills your brain with new information that can be handy. The more knowledge you have the more equipped you are to face challenges.
Secondly, reading improves focus and concentration. In this internet age that we live in, it can be very easy to multitask like crazy between work and emails, social media, phone notifications, Skype, chats etc, all in a small amount of time. That kind of behaviour can quickly cause stress and lower your productivity. When reading a book or article, all of your attention is focused on what you’re reading and everything around you no longer distracts from the main task.
8. Listening to more music
As an artist, I believe that music is the key to creativity. Regardless if you are a producer, composer, musician, mixer or all of the above, the more music you listen to, the more creative you will become. Try to listen to different genres of music – even music you’re not used to listen to. This will enlarge your creativity and give you more inspiration.
You can listen to music with different sets of ears. For example, if I put my “mixer” ears, I will listen to the general sound, tone, mix effects, the mix balance etc. As a music producer, I will focus more on the song in general, arrangements, song structure, performance etc. As a composer and songwriter, I will mainly listen to the feel of the music, the way the music is written etc.
Making the habit of listening to more music will increase your productivity in the studio by giving you more creativity, inspiration and will keep you up to date with the musical trends.
9. Know your tools
It is very important to know the tools we work with. It’s very easy to waste time in the studio when we don’t have much knowledge of our tools.
Referring to tools, I mean your DAW, plug-ins, music instruments, virtual instruments, computer softwares etc.
Every week put aside some time to learn more about the tools you’re using in the studio or to learn new ones. The more you manage your work tools, the more you will increase your productivity.
When working with a client, work with the tools you know best. Avoid wasting too much time in front of a client. When you’re working on a music arrangement or composing a new piece of music, again work with the instruments and plugins you know best. This will keep your creativity and inspiration flowing by not getting distracted with plugins or DAW settings etc.
Conclusion
With only so many hours in a day, we all can learn to be more effective and efficient in the studio and increase our productivity to achieve our music goals. I hope these tips will inspire a personal challenge for better productivity- in and out of the studio – for 2016!