Producing electronic music isn’t just about beats, drops, and plugins. Behind every banger lies a journey of hilarious struggles, odd habits, and moments that only other producers can truly understand. Let’s explore the side of music production we don’t always talk about—the quirks, the inside jokes, and the undeniably funny truths that make us who we are.

1. Studio Zen and the Art of “Pretending to Work”

Producers love spending hours in the studio… but let’s be honest, not all of that time is productive. Sometimes, you’re just sitting in front of your DAW with an empty coffee mug, staring at a single hi-hat loop, wondering if you’ve hit creative nirvana—or just lost your mind.

Relatable Scene
You press play, tweak a single knob, nod sagely like a sensei, and whisper: “That’s it.” Spoiler: Nothing has changed.

2. The Great MIDI Drama

MIDI files are a producer’s best friend—until they betray you. That moment when you accidentally transpose your bassline by 12 octaves and it sounds like a spaceship taking off? Or when you swear the MIDI quantize button has a vendetta against your groove?

Producer’s Thought Process
“Do I fix this, or do I convince myself it’s an avant-garde choice?”

3. The Never-Ending “Pre-Release” Phase

Every producer has that one track that’s “almost done” but somehow never sees the light of day. You’ve exported 15 versions, renamed it “Final_Final_Real_FINAL3,” and convinced yourself it just needs one more tweak before it’s ready. Spoiler: It never will be.

Unspoken Rule
The more versions of a track you export, the less likely it is to ever be released.

4. The Social Media Hustle (and Its Pitfalls)

Marketing your music is essential, but not all of us are born influencers. From accidentally posting your DAW screenshot with 200 unread emails visible to trying to look cool while explaining sidechain compression, the struggle is real.

Unexpected Result
You spend two hours crafting the perfect Instagram post, only to get one comment: “What’s your CPU usage?”

5. “Field Recording” Adventures

Every producer thinks they’re a sound designer when they discover field recording. Suddenly, every trip to the grocery store is an opportunity to record the sound of a shopping cart or the hum of a refrigerator. You’ll swear that random background noise will become the cornerstone of your next track.

Reality Check
Weeks later, you listen back and realize: it’s just static. But hey, at least you got outside.

6. The Plugin Rabbit Hole

Plugins are the producer’s version of a candy store. You don’t just want the latest reverb or synth—you need it. Even if you know deep down you’ll only use it once before returning to your trusty stock plugins.

Classic Cycle

1. Download plugin.
2. Spend three hours figuring out how it works.
3. Use it on one track.
4. Forget it exists.

7. When “Random Sounds” Turn Into Gold

Producers are masters of turning mistakes into happy accidents. That weird audio glitch you almost deleted? Suddenly, it’s the main hook of your track. Who needs rules when the best ideas come from chaos?

Example Thought
“If I pretend this was intentional, no one will know I accidentally recorded my cat sneezing into the mic.”

8. Gear Envy: The Endless Loop

You visit another producer’s studio, and suddenly your setup feels inadequate. They have analog synths, racks of shiny gear, and perfectly treated walls, while you’re over here trying to balance a MIDI keyboard on your lap.

Mental Note
“Next time, I’ll just Zoom call from a corner where they can’t see my IKEA desk.”

9. The “Finished Track” Listening Ritual

After spending weeks on a track, there’s only one thing left to do: play it on every single speaker you own. Studio monitors, headphones, laptop speakers, your old car stereo—you test it everywhere. And yet, there’s always that one sound that only shows up on your phone speaker.

Typical Thought Process
“It sounded perfect in the studio. Why does the snare sound like a potato here?”

10. Trying to Explain What You Do to Non-Producers

Talking about music production to non-producers is always an adventure. You might say, “I’m a producer,” only for someone to reply, “Oh, like DJ Khaled?” Or worse: “So you just press buttons?”

Survival Tip
Smile, nod, and accept your fate. They’ll never understand the blood, sweat, and MIDI files.