Create a sense of 3D space in your mix. Phase 7: Mastering and Finalizing The final polish to make your track radio-ready.
đź’ˇ Many of these are better because they include audio demonstrations, community Q&A, and updates.
Load your default mixing template (if you have one). Ensure your sidechain compression bus and master limiter (set to a safe level) are ready to go. Reduce friction now so you can focus on music later. Create a sense of 3D space in your mix
Creating the initial melodic or rhythmic hook.
The 28 Steps to Electronic Dance Music Production: Your Free PDF Guide to Creating Hits Load your default mixing template (if you have one)
| Phase | Steps Included (examples) | |-------|---------------------------| | | 1. Choose DAW, 2. Learn basic rhythm & arrangement, 3. Set up monitoring | | Sound Design | 4. Kick design, 5. Snare/clap layering, 6. Bass synthesis (sub/bassline), 7. Lead synth, 8. Pads & atmospheres, 9. FX (risers, impacts) | | Songwriting/Arrangement | 10. Chord progression, 11. Melody, 12. Intro/build/drop structure, 13. Breakdown | | Mixing | 14. Gain staging, 15. EQ (subtractive), 16. Compression (sidechain), 17. Reverb/delay sends, 18. Stereo imaging | | Finishing | 19. Reference track, 20. Automation, 21. Arrangement fine-tune, 22. Export stems, 23. Mastering basics (limiter, loudness), 24. Metadata/tags, 25. Render to WAV/MP3 | | Release | 26. SoundCloud/Spotify submission, 27. Artwork, 28. Promotion basics |
Mixing ensures all your elements sound clean and balanced together. Creating the initial melodic or rhythmic hook
Make your track easy for DJs to mix in and out.
| Resource | Type | Best For | |----------|------|----------| | (free PDF with email) | 60+ page guide | Complete beginner workflow | | Music Radar “How to make EDM” | Web article series | Step-by-step with videos | | Coursera / Berklee “Introduction to Music Production” (free audit) | Video course | Academic but accessible | | You Suck at Producing (YouTube) | Video series | Humorous, stepwise, practical | | r/edmproduction Wiki | Text + links | Crowdsourced checklist + DAW-specific tips |
: The primary host for this guide is Audio Stems on Teachable . It is designed as an "all-in-one" framework to help producers finish tracks from scratch regardless of their skill level.