This is a lesson I find myself having to relearn again and again and again, but it's an important one so I want to share the pain and hopefully it will help.

Over many tracks in many genres I have noticed one of the most consistent points of failure is when I resist taking the most direct route to an objective because it is "too easy".

I have had to learn that this urge to reject what's easy is a trick of ego and vanity and 9/10 times it does more harm than good.

We all want to feel like our music is special, that we aren't hacks, and that this extra bit of effort is what sets us apart. I totally get that and I will continue busting ass to employ techniques and styles that are off the beaten path. Going the extra mile during PREP is essential.

But

Please remember this while you are writing:

• Not EVERY technique needs to be crazy.

• Not EVERY sound needs to be crazy.

• Not EVERY song needs to be crazy.

Sometimes you just need to let go, have a good time, take the easy way, and let the song write itself.

You can ALWAYS make the song more complex later but it's really hard to unmake a mess after you've gone off on a thousand unnecessary tangents.

Remember, your audience primarily cares about one thing: the FEELING.

Often unnecessary complexity make your track feel like like it comes from a place of insecurity and whether consciously or unconsciously the audience will pick up on it.

Style is confidence in self expression.

Don't let the imagined opinions of others hold you back.

Hopefully this helps

All the best, music makers!

Dylan aka ill.Gates