The Secret To HUGE Sounding Productions (spoiler alert: it's layering...)

In this video, Austin goes over how to layer, when to layer, and why to layer different sounds and elements of your productions.
---
Shop Our Samples, Presets, and MIDI Packs!
makepopmusic.com
Explore Our Start-To-Finish Production Course!
bit.ly/3hWTpYI
---
Follow us on Instagram - makepopmusic
Listen To Our Podcast! - rss.com/podcasts/thesoundtable
Join Our Facebook Community - bit.ly/3nXYJe0
Follow us on TikTok - tinyurl.com/4k5c25vf
---
Listen to some of my work!
www.austinhull.com
austinhull23
www.tiktok.com/saucetinhull
spoti.fi/3Z8GaEI
---
Use The Affiliate Links Below To Shop My Gear
www.makepopmusic.com/studio-gear
DAW: Cubase 13 Pro - bit.ly/47zT3eK
Monitors: ATC SCM25 Mk 2 - bit.ly/atc-scm25
Subwoofer: Dynaudio 18S - bit.ly/mpm-dynaudio18s
Interface: RME UFX ii - bit.ly/mpm-ufxii
Interface Controller: RME ARC-USB - bit.ly/mpm-arcusb
Desk: AZ Studio Workstations - bit.ly/mpm-artista
Main Microphone: Lauten Audio LT-386 Eden - bit.ly/3tEExop
Other Microphones:
Lewitt LCT1040 - bit.ly/47wEM2o
Lauten Audio LA-320 - bit.ly/mpm-la320
Lauten Audio LA-220 - bit.ly/mpm-la220
Lauten Audio LA-120 - bit.ly/mpm-la120
Slate ML-1 - bit.ly/mpm-ml1
Shure SM7B - bit.ly/mpm-sm7b
Advanced Audio 251 - bit.ly/mpm-251
JZ BH-2 - bit.ly/mpm-bh2
JZ V11 - bit.ly/mpm-v11
Voiceover Mic: Lauten LS-208 - bit.ly/mpm-ls208
Compressor: AudioScape 76D - bit.ly/mpm-76d
MIDI Keyboard: M-Audio Code 61 (Discontinued)
Keyboards:
Arturia Polybrute - bit.ly/mpm-polybrute
Roland Juno DS88 - bit.ly/mpm-DS88
Roland Juno 106 (Vintage)
Guitars:
Fender American Professional Stratocaster - bit.ly/mpm-strat
Gibson Les Paul Studio - bit.ly/mpm-gibson
Taylor 214 CE Plus - bit.ly/mpm-214ce
Preamps:
Heritage Audio HA81A - bit.ly/47x1IyK
Audient ASP800 - bit.ly/3NUB23S
Auto-Tune Unlimited - bit.ly/3krYaWI
Camera: Sony A7iv
Lens: Sony 24-70mm f2.4
Camera Lights: Aperture Amaran 100Xs
---
Timestamps:
Intro 0:00
The Basic Song We're Starting With 1:09
Layering The Main Synth 1:52
What Is The Goal When You're Layering 2:20
Finding An Appropriate Layer 3:18
Controlling Stereo Width On Layers 4:40
Adding A Layer To Add Length and Sustain 5:58
How To Layer A Lead Synth 8:12
Adding A High Pedal Pad 12:52
Adding Left and Right Layers For Width 14:30
Layering Drums and Percussion 15:40
Bouncing Layers As A Stem 16:20
Using Layers To Build A Structure and Arrangement 17:00
Outro 18:17

[@LightsandMotion]

I do this with drastically different genres of music! When I write film scores, the orchestra comes together as one, and you don't necessarily want to "hear" the oboe for instance, but you would miss it if it wasn't there. layering is such a deep topic!

[@jaronkhor]

I see a new upload from Austin, I click🤷‍♂️🔥

[@MakePopMusic]

facts baby

[@paulinachmara6692]

This is the video I've been needing!! Thank you so much Austin for making the layering concept so understandable and for the fantastic examples! Your channel is just full of gems.

[@onetwo3088]

This is the one of the best channels about music production, really, I'm so grateful

[@sharadsinghksrd]

Hey Austin, your videos are truly phenomenal! just wanted to give you a shout out for the all the amazing knowledge you've been sharing.

[@silalbers]

Your channel is the best man❤

[@RestLer-]

Excellent as always, thanks.

[@georgecoles7268]

really impressive you make it easy

[@hirozopel]

Layering…… my weakness!! Thank you for your hard work and dedication!

[@jitendradewangan9485]

Austin, please talk about the production workflow, Artist Block, your mistakes in your career that you will save us by avoiding that , how someone can become better music production obviously you already talked about it in your videos but knowledge and facts are scattered in your videos. I can see your videos topics are getting repeated. please think like what we (artists, music producers, mixing engineers, freelancers and any music industry guys) are facing problems specially who are in their initial and middle stage. Just talk some secrets, AI Stuffs. We can learn from your video to get rid off from problem. I know YouTubing is not your full time and I'm following you and watching your videos since 2020 and you are consistently great job but Something is missing, Austin. please figure out your audience are getting smarter time by time. I'm just a well wisher of makepopmusic community. Austin think about it. Thanks for reading and making consistently great content. PS- You are looking more Sexy

[@MakePopMusic]

If you want topics like that, check our Podcast, The Sound Table. We talk about that kind of stuff a lot more on there! As for repeating videos, we may talk about topics we've talked about before, but I'm always using new techniques, tools, and methods. After doing this channel for 5 years, I'm going to teach the same general concepts, but will always be showing you my NEW way of doing things as I also grow as a producer.

[@AllanGildea]

Thanks Austin, great stuff.

[@ujin347]

Thank you so much, I love your videos

[@histakes12]

Nice work! You said "we only started with 3 different elements." Yes, but they were not random sounds: chords, lead, bass. You showed how each "element" can be expanded with additional layers and how to glue them together. Even the bass is the same MIDI as the 808. Very well done!!

[@hampsonpaul3531]

Austin you are super talented... kudos.....Learning so much from this channel especially about texture..

[@MrBandBBoy]

Fantastic work

[@allans1212]

I've found best EDM teacher on youtube on BIGZ, i've now found the best POP teacher on youtube 🔥

[@rodrinies]

this video's so helpful, ty so much, my main "problem" at the moment is finding me creative to layer more instruments with the "main one", like making different melodys that compliment each other in different instruments. ty again!

[@JonDeth]

*It's exactly the process I suspected and have used in all my experimenting with DAW's over the last 20+ years.* My compositions are outstanding, but I have to be more committed to hope to have your level of dedication as a producer and editor. I've heard many bands' demos and then the commercially released version of those hit singles after working with a producer, and the critical improvements it made for them were essential in their success.

[@guitar_nerd]

super helpful!

[@zarahaines]

I struggle with finding the right sounds….specifically with drums and ear candy stuff! Would love your advice on that!

[@charliesimonetis]

Thanks for the tips man! Enjoy seeing you bring productions to life. Could you make a video or let know what are some of the best kontakt libraries to use for various instruments? Like a list of all the ones you generally use. Thanks

[@cheribarkman1784]

Thank you

[@studiofrank]

Top! Very interesting 👍

[@onetwo3088]

Austin, you are doing a great work, man, I really appreciate it! Greetings from Kyrgyztan! Thanx!

[@ariczair]

Taking a little and making it a lot 🔥 great vid!

[@MakePopMusic]

Exactly!! Thank you!

[@DanYannay]

This is fire

[@marklarm]

Hey Austin. I don't have an issue using layering, been doing that forever. What i would love for you to cover however is putting in the "ear candy" elements of a track. How you decide what types of sounds to use, the effects you apply to them and where it's most appropriate to insert them. What your thought process is on that topic. That would awesome! Thx Austin! Rock on!

[@JodiMusicOfficial]

he has a whole ear candy episode you should check out

[@soundweird]

i love this channel

[@garaiss]

Woow, that's a huge!

[@xavierbermeo]

My maaan i always see your videos, since i dowload your pack of The Weekend Drums. I love you content , thanks

[@MakePopMusic]

Thank you so much!!

[@boristubeti6776]

The Home Team style production/writing video please 🙏🏻

[@official_kaylimarie]

Austin! Thank you for your videos. Been watching them non stop recently. Do you think you can ever make a video for the vocal chain like tom odell?? He makes beautiful ballads. Would be amazing if you made a tutorial. Sending all love!!

[@prudentknightofficialyoutu1853]

good review....

[@marklarm]

F*ck you're awesome dude. Best production channel on KZbin IMO. 👍

[@TeknaTronik]

I used to layer so much, but I find a cleaner more precise sound to benefit me.

[@johnathankaner4365]

Just as your getting me into the dance “garage” music, Ari comes out with yes and! When are we breaking down those dance vibes? 🤙🎶

[@MakePopMusic]

I need to!!!

[@cekirdekci32]

good vid definitelyy. this guy is the Max martin of Gen Z.

[@MakePopMusic]

Don’t know what’s more of a compliment, you thinking Gen Z or comparing me to big papa Max. I’ll take both though 😂❤️

[@cekirdekci32]

Max martin is old now 😂you are like the young version of him now and you make good tunes that can resonate with genz that s why :) @@MakePopMusic

[@henriquecristo]

Hey Austin, how is it going bud. Are you planing to do any live masterclasses on the topics you usually cover on your vids? Would be quite cool to be able to ask you questions as we follow along xx

[@RKPiano1]

It surprised me just how much you cut out of sounds when you layer with EQ, but it seems so obvious now that I see and hear it. Why would I add more of the same frequencies to the mix when the main element is doing that just fine? And then the comment at 14:11 where you said when its muted you feel that its missing made a lightbulb go off in my head. Feeling it instead of hearing it is a great tip. Such a good video! Thanks!

[@MakePopMusic]

Yess! So glad this resonated with you! Sometimes layers can be HUGE and you can keep everything, other times you may carve all but a few hundred hz out of it just to it gives you that littleeeee bit of extra sauce.

[@antondhondt9851]

Good tutorial but I got to notice that the processing was great enough right before stereo "Center" plugin. Stereo tricks are so common these days but they make tracks too over-processed. Less is more, so minimal tracks often have more ear-candyness in them.

[@ten7192]

👋🏾 Is it ok 👌🏾 to ask what’s your process? Meaning, when you make a beat and you have a particular client in mind, do you send it to them ? Or you just freestyle and have them pick it out?

[@johnnytequila5646]

Make a song like OneRepublic, acoustic strumming, flamenco clapping, doubling the chorus with second time in higher octave. Would be a great video, maybe begin in their "go to" Avicii B minor -D-A-G pattern? BTW I bought CuBase because of you they should pay you

[@lukasz4781]

how to describe a resonating sound?

[@nathalielow4504]

You're a genuis

[@jaredstanfield267]

Killer video as always. It’s always my tendency to add to many melodies and counter melodies that muddy the song. This was a great reminder to keep things simple musically and layer layer layer.

[@who_is_dis]

Bro that waves center plugin... You do know you can just do that with the Pro Q ?

[@MakePopMusic]

Yeah, I use Pro Q for mid side stuff all the time! Doesn’t do quite the same thing as this though (at least in my experience)

[@who_is_dis]

@@MakePopMusic Ohhh

[@bobross8585]

Yeah having the free version of DAWs doesn't allow for any layering unfortunately. Unless someone can help me out with that

[@mariomaslik]

just buy a top notch DAW, free are shit, you get what you pay for, invest man

[@bobross8585]

@@mariomaslik yeah I figured, I'll probably just get into Cubase.

[@jitendradewangan9485]

What is 2024's Sound going to be?

[@flipastix2.031]

Please make a song inspired by Isaac Dunbar’s album evil twin!

[@corrgtdbeats]

I neuuu it

[@royal1234ful]

The song choice in your KZbin channel are better than your paid course. it’s good but the songs over here sounds more interesting

[@MakePopMusic]

We plan on doing a similar course but with different sub-genres of pop, similar to this one! We had the most requests to do something more indie pop for the course so that's what we landed on, but we definitely want to expand it!

[@vycashh]

Let's talk about trap/pop music?

[@oliverkim3745]

🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

[@CFox.7]

Dont know if you have massive wrists or small hands

[@MakePopMusic]

long toes and thick ribs

[@yazc195]

i’ve been binging these 🫣 i loveeee