Looking for a general method to quickly start new projects and transition smoothly into the mixing phase. How do you typically sequence the sound design, editing, and automation stages? Do you use templates or start from scratch for each track? Man, switching between multiple DAWs while maintaining workflow can be tough—how do you strike a balance? Would love to hear your tips and experiences; it’d be great if we could develop a common approach in the community. 🎧
What do you recommend for setting up an efficient workflow in EDM production?
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Hey man, I'm also creating a kind of "starter pack" template to quickly launch tracks and smoothly transition into mixing. First, I open a "master template" in my DAW and set up 4-5 core channels (kick, snare, bass, synth, and vocals), adding a bus and group channel to each. I drag and drop my go-to EQ, compressor, and saturation presets onto these channels so that when it's time for sound design, I can just drag a wavetable or sample into the channel and quickly dial in the basic tones with the presets. Then, I mark the arrangement with "arrangement markers" for sections like intro, verse, drop, and break, which helps me sketch out the structure of the track in one go without missing anything.
When it comes to mixing, I keep the "automation lanes" ready in the template; I add filter sweeps, reverb sends, and volume fade-ins to each channel beforehand, so I only need to tweak the values later. If I'm switching between multiple DAWs, I export the template in a universal format like .fxp/.aup and import it into the other DAW, ensuring the bus chains and automation structure stay intact. In short, regularly updating these templates and building your own library saves time and lets you jump into new projects with a consistent workflow. Honestly, once I adopted this method, I got into the habit of transitioning to mixing within 30 minutes of starting a new track.