music

Production, Mixing & Sound

Articles on music production for film & TV, mixing techniques, plugins, and the creative process. 305 articles.

With over 4 million streams as Scott Millien and years of composing for film and TV, I write about what actually works in music production — from mixing techniques and plugin reviews to sound design, mastering workflows, and studio setup. These articles cover DAWs like Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and FL Studio, plus the gear and creative process behind getting a professional sound. Whether you're producing your first beat or refining your mix bus chain, you'll find honest opinions backed by hands-on experience.

305 articles

10 Best VST Plugins for Music Production in 2026
MusicProductionPlugins+2
Read article

10 Best VST Plugins for Music Production in 2026

My practical guide to the best VST plugins for sound design, mixing, and mastering, based on real workflow decisions.

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 02, 2023
10 min read
5 of the Best MIDI Keyboards for Music Producers
MusicProduction
Read article

5 of the Best MIDI Keyboards for Music Producers

What budgets are we looking at for these top 5 MIDI keyboards for music producers? For those delving into the world of music production, a MIDI keyboard forms an integral part of your journey. A high-quality MIDI keyboard can help you to effectively navigate your digital audio workstation, refining

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 02, 2023
3 min read
How to Wrap Audio Cables the Right Way
MusicProduction
Read article

How to Wrap Audio Cables the Right Way

How do you wrap an audio cable? (1-Minute Tutorial) Audio cables are essential equipment in any audio setup, be it for your home theater, professional studio, or live concerts. Prolonging the life span of your cables requires proper handling, especially when wrapping them up for storage. Wrapping yo

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 09, 2023
2 min read
How to Use Ableton’s Vocoder
MusicProduction
Read article

How to Use Ableton’s Vocoder

Can you explain the function of different knobs and buttons on Ableton’s vocoder interface? Ableton Live is a powerful, flexible software for recording, composing, mixing, and mastering music. One of the most innovative features of Ableton Live is its built-in vocoder, an audio processor that can be

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 04, 2023
3 min read
The Difference Between Mixing And Mastering
MusicProduction
Read article

The Difference Between Mixing And Mastering

Which is harder mixing or mastering? Since mixing involves more individual elements, it can be considered more complex than mastering. With that in mind, that certainly doesn’t make it easier than the mastering process. Mastering and mixing can each take years of training to pin down, and oftentimes

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 08, 2023
2 min read
The 5 Best Online Music Production Courses
MusicProduction
Read article

The 5 Best Online Music Production Courses

Where is the best place to learn music production? Udemy is another online learning platform with thousands of courses on everything from creative hobbies to professional skills. Their music courses will teach you everything you want to know about music production, instruments, vocal techniques, mus

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 07, 2023
2 min read
3 of the Best Audio Interfaces Under $200
MusicProduction
Read article

3 of the Best Audio Interfaces Under $200

Three reliable audio interfaces under $200, tested for real home-studio use. See which one fits your workflow best.

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 10, 2023
6 min read
The Difference Between Open-Back and Closed-Back Headphones
MusicProduction
Read article

The Difference Between Open-Back and Closed-Back Headphones

Are open backs better for your ears? Open-back headphones have better sound quality It is almost always the case, that users wanting the best sound quality from their headphones should be looking at open-back headphones. This rule has some exceptions, but most audiophile-grade headphones are well-ve

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 07, 2023
2 min read
Audio Signal Levels: Mic, Instrument, Line, Speaker
MusicProduction
Read article

Audio Signal Levels: Mic, Instrument, Line, Speaker

Learn audio signal levels the practical way: mic, instrument, line, and speaker. Clean gain staging, fewer mistakes, better mixes.

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 08, 2023
6 min read
8 Personality Traits of an Excellent Music Producer
MusicProduction
Read article

8 Personality Traits of an Excellent Music Producer

What are the personality traits a producer should have? Personality Traits of the Average Music Producer Risk-tolerant. Willing or open to taking risks, Trusting. Belief in a person’s honesty or sincerity; not suspicious, Optimistic. Hopeful and confident about the future, Deliberate. Fully consider

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 06, 2023
3 min read
The Difference Between Buses, Auxes, Sends, and Returns
MusicProduction
Read article

The Difference Between Buses, Auxes, Sends, and Returns

How do returns contribute to the audio signal process and how are they different from buses, auxes, and sends in PAA? Understanding the different terminologies in the world of audio mixing is critical to achieving excellent mixing results. Among the terms that are often used in audio mixing are buse

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 02, 2023
3 min read
4 Tips for Building a Music Production PC
MusicProduction
Read article

4 Tips for Building a Music Production PC

What you need to build a PC for music production? The build list for your music production PC Quad-core / 2.4Ghz clock speed processor minimum, No less than 8GB of RAM (but 16GB will be more efficient), At least 500GB of storage (SSD preferable), 1TB will be more cost-effective in the long term, A m

Uygar DuzgunU
Uygar DuzgunJul 10, 2023
3 min read