🧠 The missing piece in your music process

Hey music makers!

If you've ever thought preproduction just means running through songs before a session…

You're not alone — and you're not totally wrong.

But that's only a tiny part of it.

Industry professionals consistently confirm that preproduction saves both time and money by introducing organization into the creative process before expensive studio time begins.

In fact recording professionals report that proper preproduction reduces studio time by 25% on average. So that's saving $500+ on a typical $2,000 project.

Producer Michael Beinhorn, who worked on Korn's Untouchables, describes preproduction as involving "analysis, discovery, revision and implementation."

He notes that it helps artists "work methodically and, thereby, smarter."

Here's an example to drive this point home: Pink Floyd performed The Dark Side of the Moon live nearly 50 times before recording it.

You may know the result. That album became one of history's best-selling albums, with a super efficient studio session process. Producer Alan Parsons noted they were "very, very efficient in the way they'd worked."

Preproduction isn't just for bands. It's not just for live rehearsal. It's for anyone trying to create music intentionally: the solo artist, producer, composer, doesn't matter.

Here's what real preproduction looks like:

Think beyond preparation to play. You're setting up to win.

Key: Ab major

Progression: Dbmaj9 - Abmaj9

Style: 70s Disco/R&B (Influences: The Sound of Philadelphia and Chic)

You can do a lot with a 2-chord progression when you plan it right. The grooves and melodies really serve this record, but that didn't happen by accident.

I spent weeks studying disco drummers, specifically Earl Young and how he used hi-hats to change the pace of song sections.

I also needed an orchestral sound but knew hiring strings would blow my budget, so I wrote the parts myself and used Native Instrument’s Kontakt sound library, then lined up a violinist for strategic overdubs.

Most importantly: I wrote chord charts and sent demos to every musician before our live session.

The day of recording? Smooth. Everyone was prepared.

The musicians actually thanked me because most producers don't do that level of prep work.

Without this planning phase, that $65/hour studio rate quickly becomes $65/hour of expensive experimentation plus additional fees for the musicians if I have to bring them back in to record another day.

Here's what effective planning looked like for "Heatin Me Up":

✅ Study reference tracks (Earl Young's hi-hat techniques, TSOP’s approach to using strings on disco records, Chic's approach to rhythm guitar, Ron Baker’s bass guitar approach).

✅ Plan budget workarounds (Kontakt strings + one live violinist vs. full section)

✅ Create detailed charts and demos (sent to all musicians 1 week before session)

✅ Map section arrangements (where hi-hats change energy, string entries)

✅ Confirm gear and setup (one day to record most of the track + plus two other records)

Result: We saved tremendously on costs and everyone left happy.

👉 In the final email, I'll break down the exact costs and share the checklist that made this session so efficient.