Watching a great artist and producer at work is a fantastic experience. Mike Thompson happens to be one of the most talented names in music production right now, so many people want to get a piece of his artistry and vision, looking forward to getting a sense of what’s going on. What makes a song great? Well, it all starts from having a clear goal in mind. Some artists turn on their DAW and record ideas hoping to “strike gold” and make some magic happen. While you can get lucky in some situations, starting with a strategy is also very important.
A producer is almost like a painter: before applying colors or drawing shapes, it is essential to check the canvas first. What are we working with? What are our limitations, and what can we accomplish within that specific frame? It all starts from understanding the context and setting a goal for the song. For instance, a producer like Mike can immediately help an artist focus on the goal at hand. The producer and artist can discuss the direction of an idea and determine what it should be, such as going for an energetic beat that’s just fun or maybe focusing more on the lyrics’ emotional feel. The possibilities are endless, but it’s essential to start with a focused idea to gain a clear direction for the song.
The second step is to start from a main melodic idea, and a producer like Mike Thompson (who also runs his own company, Hexproof Music) can team up with artists and riff with them on melodic ideas. For example, an artist could have an excellent rough idea for an enjoyable part. Still, with his experience and musical know-how, Mike could help the artist take it to the absolute next level, perhaps with the right sound idea to match the melody or by changing up some notes to unfold the full potential. The cherry on top is to encourage the artist to give the best performance. Especially when singing, artists can become a little self-conscious or miss out on some of what makes their singing special in the first place. Mike can help them see that and take their focus to a higher level of efficiency!
