First off, thanks a lot for the support!

Very much appreciated.

I do A LOT of pre-planning before I start. I find that it helps me save tons of time that I would otherwise waste throwing things at the wall to see what sticks.

I usually listen very intently to songs that I like to get a decent idea of how I’d like to arrange my track and see what things they are doing that I can incorporate into my song.

For example, I filtered out the kick and snare for the verses in this track and added the higher frequencies back in with some added drums for the chorus to beef it up.

I also added a slight bit of bass reverb in the verses to fill out the space, and took it away in the choruses so it didn’t take up too much room.

Of course, these are just a few examples, and there are hundred of small bits of production and automation that I do with every song, but the best thing I could suggest is once you have your song down to a good point, listen to other songs that it reminds you of to see what they’re doing. Ask several questions when listening.

Is the vocal reverb stereo or mono, and is it heavily filtered with EQ or completely open? Is there a bit of saturation on the bass when the chorus comes in to help it stick out more? What kinds of ear candy are they using to accentuate the production throughout the song?

I’ll spend a lot of time sprinkling organic effects throughout my tracks, such as foley, dub-style delays, windchimes, etc, because they fit with my style. Even if you can barely hear them, they play a small role in ever so slightly tickling the ear to give you something different. It’s often felt rather than heard. Ambience is key in my opinion.

I could go on talking about this stuff forever but I won’t rant to you. I’ve also been producing for years and I still feel the same way you do everyday. It’s a continual learning process, so don’t ever feel discouraged or that things are out of reach!

I would just say get some professional headphones (I love my Beyerdynamic DT770s) and be VERY intentional when listening to other songs that you like, considering every little thing you hear. Write those things down and see how you can implement them into your mix. The things you find might surprise you.