Phase 1
Orientation
Most producers don’t struggle because they lack talent or technical ability. They struggle because they lack structure.
They have ideas, sounds, and tools but no framework for making decisions. A big part of an artists development is understanding that they have to get tracks finished quickly, and once they’re able to do that, making music and releasing almost became a system in and of itself. It may sound counter to the arts, but the truth is that thinking in terms of systems will naturally lead to more success, as positive steps will statistically compound. Whether the meaning of success for you is releasing music, touring around the world or even winning awards, changing mindset to systematic thinking will undoubtedly improve ones chances of getting there.
Why Most Tracks Don’t Get Finished
Before we talk about systems and constraints, it’s important to understand what actually causes tracks to stall.
In my experience, it’s rarely laziness or lack of skill. It’s usually one of the following:
Option paralysis
Too many sounds, plugins, or ideas create friction. When everything is possible, nothing feels good enough. A blank canvas + unlimited paint colours to choose from isn’t going to help you creatively.
False progress
Tweaking, sound designing, or reorganising feels productive, but the track doesn’t move forward.
Emotional attachment
Ideas that took time become precious, even when they’re not serving the track. Conversely, finishing quickly allows you to be objective.
Premature polishing
Mixing or processing a loop that hasn’t earned the right to be finished yet (more on that in module 2).
Avoidance disguised as learning
Consuming tutorials, techniques, or gear reviews instead of committing to direction.
If any of this feels familiar, that’s a good thing. It means the problem isn’t you but the way you’re working.
Phase 1: Orientation
How you think before you touch anything
“Clarity beats possibility”
This is about deciding what kind of record you are making before you open a DAW.
This phase sharpens:
Taste — knowing what good actually means to you
Intent — what the track is trying to communicate or do
Constraints — the boundaries that create focus rather than limit creativity
Without orientation, every choice feels possible - and that’s the problem. Too many options leads to hesitation, second-guessing, and unfinished work.
When orientation is clear, decisions become obvious. You stop searching and start executing.
Decision Authority
A track only successfully moves forward into the next phase when someone has the confidence to decide what it ultimately is.
In collaborative environments, this role is often clear:
A producer
An artist
A creative director
In solo production, that authority still has to exist, and it has to be you. Most unfinished music comes from avoiding this responsibility:
Keeping ideas open “just in case”
Refusing to commit to a direction
Letting the track sit in limbo
Part of becoming a professional is learning to say:
“This is what the track is.”
MSTR works because it introduces external authority, perspective and objectivity.
Over time, the goal is to internalise that yourself.
More Tools Won’t Save You
There’s a point where adding tools stops helping and starts hurting.
Every new plugin, synth, or technique:
Adds more choices
Increases decision fatigue
Slows momentum
Professionals don’t move faster because they know more tricks.
They move faster because they’ve removed unnecessary decisions.
A small, well-understood system will outperform a large, unfocused one every time.
This applies to:
DAWs
Plugins, VST’s etc.
Hardware setups
Entire workflows
If your setup feels overwhelming, it probably is.
Make a start by going through all plugins and ditching ones you never use or worse, feel like you have to use. Every plugin you use should feel like another appendage, i.e you can add it to a channel, make a few parameter changes, and then close it, confidently.
Build Systems That Open Doors
When adding anything to your setup, ask a simple question:
Does this open new possibilities — or just add complexity?
Healthy systems:
Reuse ideas in multiple ways
Encourage exploration without chaos
Make progress feel inevitable
Unhealthy systems:
Require constant setup and calibration
Encourage endless tweaking
Create the illusion of movement without actual progress
The goal isn’t minimalism for its own sake — it’s utility that encourages creativity.
Exploration Mode vs Commitment Mode
One of the biggest mistakes producers make is mixing two very different modes of working.
Exploration Mode
Experimenting
Sound design
Jamming
No judgement
No pressure to finish
Commitment Mode
Editing
Arranging
Removing
Making decisions
Moving toward completion
Exploration without commitment leads nowhere.
Commitment without exploration leads to sterile results.
The skill is knowing when to switch.
If you find yourself endlessly tweaking, ask:
Am I exploring?
Or am I avoiding commitment?
Be honest with yourself - this is quite a big one as it forces you to be objective.
Energy, Not Time (Decision Fatigue)
Creative work isn’t just limited by time, it’s limited by energy.
Decision-making quality drops as you get tired.
Overcomplicated systems drain energy faster.
Good workflows protect your energy by:
Reducing unnecessary choices
Creating clear starting points
Encouraging momentum early
Sometimes the most professional move is stopping before you’re burnt out.
Take a break if you need to, or plan a working day where you’re leaving 15 minute breaks per hour. This not only helps reframe your mind but also gives the ears some much needed rest.
Constraints Help Shape Identity
Constraints don’t just help you finish tracks, they will invariably shape your sound.
When you work with the same tools and limitations repeatedly:
You learn what they do best
You develop personal workarounds
Style and taste emerges naturally
Most “signature sounds” aren’t mysterious.
They’re the result of repeated decisions made inside consistent boundaries.
Identity is built through process, not novelty.
Grow Your Setup Organically
A common mistake is trying to build the perfect setup upfront.
A healthier approach:
Start small
Learn deeply
Add only when you understand why something is missing
Create and finish as many tracks as you can with that setup until start to feel like you need that extra tool
When your system grows organically, every addition has purpose and you never have to wrestle with the paradox of choice. Try to think of Constraint as a creative accelerator rather than a limitation.
Practical Reset (Optional Exercise)
If you feel stuck, try this:
Limit yourself to a small, fixed set of tools
Decide what the track is within the first 10 minutes
No saving multiple versions
Finish something in one sitting, even if it’s rough
The goal is never perfection, that doesn’t exist. The goal is to create and finish as much work as possible, especially when in the learning phase. Firstly, each track will present a new problem, and knowing how to solve problems is how you become professional. Secondly, if you don’t have any finished tracks, it’ll be incredibly hard to develop taste and signature, which is something that all artists at some point ultimately aim to achieve.
Closing Thought
MSTR isn’t about learning more. It’s about reframing and learning how to decide.
Once you build systems that support decisions, everything else - groove, arrangement, mixing - becomes easier.
This mindset underpins every module that follows.