“Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.”
— Jean-Luc Godard
There’s a pattern hiding in plain sight:
Three is the perfect amount.
A beginning.
A middle.
An end.
Three points define a shape.
Three acts define a story.
Three steps make a path feel walkable.
The Starting Point
Open any great song.
It starts.
It develops.
It resolves.
Verse.
Chorus.
Bridge.
Intro.
Build.
Drop.
Your brain relaxes when it feels three.
The Invitation
Look at your last session.
Did it feel overwhelming?
Maybe it wasn’t the work.
Maybe it was the structure.
Instead of “finish the track,” try:
-
Start something.
-
Shape something.
-
Finish something.
Suddenly the mountain becomes three hills.
The Test
We tend to overcomplicate.
Ten goals.
Twenty tracks.
Endless plugin options.
But momentum loves simplicity.
Three mix priorities.
Three arrangement sections.
Three sounds that matter most.
Cut the noise.
Keep the core.
The Guidepost
Three acts guide almost every journey:
Beginning — You commit.
Middle — You refine.
End — You decide.
If you’re stuck, ask:
Which act am I in?
Clarity returns immediately.
The Change
When you design your work in thirds:
You remember it.
You measure it.
You complete it.
Three daily tasks.
Three weekly wins.
Three skills to practice this month.
Goals stop feeling distant.
They become reachable.
The Return
Music production is a story you tell yourself.
Start.
Develop.
Resolve.
Every track.
Every mix.
Every season of growth.
Before your next session, don’t plan everything.
Choose three.
And let the structure carry you forward.
🎧 Podcast Audio Version
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Free Ableton Live Course & Music Production Guides
Song of the Week 🎧
“What's Going On” — Marvin Gaye
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Listen to the party vibe captured by the voices and huge chamber reverb sound. It created a setting for Marvin's vocals to tell this story. Listen to the backing vocals of "Aaahh", "Sista", and "What's goin on" doing the call and response with the lead vocal. The ambient string section in the background gives the song a timeless feel. The finger snaps are louder than the rest of the percussion - a classic Motown exciting mix choice. And the whole song fades out at the end. We don't get too many classic songs like this.
Book/Audiobook of the Weekđź“š
“The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs” — Carmine Gallo
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Plugin of the Week 🔌
UA 1176 Classic FET Compressor
If you ask any audio engineer or producer to choose their desert-island compressor, they will come up with some really cool bougie compressor that nobody has ever heard of...then they'll pause and say, "Actually, 1176."
#classic
Free Plugin of the Week 🆓
TBProAudio MV Meter
Legit VU meters for seeing your average RMS levels
Unsolicited life advice for music makers
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