Rules are killing your creativity easily - and no one told you 🎵🎶🎵 [061]

The worst advice producers still believe (and why it’s holding you back)

Hi ,

Over the years, I have worked with artists from a variety of electronic music genres and with different levels of experience. I have noticed a recurring pattern, particularly among those who are just beginning to develop their sound.

The questions tend to sound like this: “Is this the right plugin setting?” or “Am I allowed to do this?” They’re rooted in a deeper hesitation - unspoken fear of breaking the rules.

But here’s the truth: in music production, there is no final authority handing out rulebooks. No one is going to fine you for sidechaining vocals to hi-hats, or for distorting your mixbus into oblivion.

Want to manually slice your samples instead of relying on AI tools? Go for it. Prefer a lo-fi cassette feel in your digital track by a free plugin? Go for it. Crave gritty textures, warped layers, or strange signal chains that break the mold? That’s where the magic often starts.

Your ears are the only permission slip you need.

We’ve all been trained by school, by tutorials, by the algorithm, to look for “correct” answers. Music school teaches proper gain staging. YouTube offers “10 Steps to an Industry-Standard Mix.” Forums love to debate the “right” compressor for vocals.

But music is not a multiple-choice exam. It’s a sandbox. A laboratory. A rebellion.

I’ve had artists apologize for stems that were “too weird” or “not clean enough.” But often, those so-called “mistakes” are the spark of something original. What you think of as the flaw might be the fingerprint that makes your sound unforgettable.

How are you supposed to create your signature sound when you do what everyone else does?

It’s easy to feel held back by gear envy. I’ve seen artists freeze up because they don’t own the same $400 plugin their favorite engineer uses. But here’s something to remember:

• Andrew Scheps mixed Adele using just headphones.

• Billie Eilish’s breakout album was produced in a bedroom, vocals tracked in a closet.

• Daft Punk bucked every modern mixing trend with Random Access Memories—leaving headroom, loving dynamics, and embracing analog warmth over sheer loudness.

Your DAW, your plugins, your monitors - they're just tools. They matter, yes, but what matters more is the way you listen, decide, and shape. If Logic’s stock EQ works for you, use it. If a free saturation plugin gives you the warmth you crave, lean in.

Advice is helpful - it’s what I’m offering right now, or every day on Threads. But it’s a recipe, not a commandment. I might suggest parallel compression on your drums. You might prefer routing them through a guitar amp. Fantastic. Try it. Keep what serves your vision. Toss the rest.

The best producers don’t follow rules - they internalize techniques and then break them with purpose.

There is no one way. The path is yours to shape.

Your Intuition Is the Gatekeeper

If there’s one idea I hope to leave you with, it’s this: you’re already allowed. That feeling of waiting-for permission, for validation, for the “right” moment - is just smoke. There’s no gate, no guardian, no fixed method.

The next time you find yourself second-guessing whether you can do something, try rephrasing the question. Not “Can I?” but “Do I love how it sounds?” If the answer is yes, you're already on the right track.

Your favorite song? It almost certainly broke a rule. Your quirks - the parts of your process you’re tempted to hide—are likely the very things that make your sound yours.

I’m not here to judge your approach. I’m here to help you refine it - so your vision gets the clarity, punch, and polish it deserves, without losing what makes it unmistakably yours.

So push that fader. Stretch that sample. Break the ceiling.

And if you ever feel stuck - or want a second set of ears to help shape your track into something club-ready,or boldly personal - feel free to reach out.

No rulebooks. Just results.

All the best,
Marcus

Mixing Mastering Electronic Music