UPDATE: Production Techniques and Artistic Inspiration

The first studio hours for my band were experimental and innocent. For the most part, we played our music while our producer did his thing. And I didn't really get it. I knew he hit record, and I knew he could adjust volumes and different settings. I knew he could add reverb to my voice. I knew the magical term we all used: "you gonna mix this?" "Yeah, I'm boutta mix everything later."
Over the course of our recording sessions, I learned more about what really makes a good record - what's behind the scenes.
Mixing is an art form if anyone really knows about it. Big bands like Radiohead (post-Kid A) are nothing without their loyal, genius producer Nigel Godrich (above).

Electronic production has an artistry to it that's difficult to explain, but there's a reason it inspires me. Small manipulation can mean all the difference in the world. A key element of mixing involves gradually changing elements of the song over time. For example -- I initially thought that only the volume can be altered gradually over multiple bars of music -- but there's actually so much more one can do with this technique, including the altering of effect intensity or shape, the size of the "room" for reverb, the strong or soft definition of a tremolo on a vocal, the pitch, and anything else imaginable. Literally. Any alterable function. I find this tool so useful for shaping my music. I've really played around with pacing, and I think this technical discovery has prompted me to look at my songs with the bigger picture in mind. I have more of a grasp on what songs should feel like after multiple listens, not just the first one.

I know I still have much more learning to do. I don't really know producer-terminology yet. And I honestly don't think I could properly "mix" a song right now. But I'm figuring more things out every day, and as I do, I'm really learning how to make truly original art. It's like I'm learning to speak a whole new language and then manipulate it to my own liking.

The right gradual buildups and the perfect placement of details mean everything. I just love the idea of a sole resolution that happens two thirds of the way into the song, or an unpredictable change in beat, or a new verse with a different chord progression. The deeper I look into the sound editor, and the smaller details I can manipulate, the bigger the picture portrait of the song becomes.