How Miscommunication Can Derail Your Song

And Why Working with a Producer-Engineer Requires Even Better Communication

When you're working with someone who’s both your music producer and audio engineer, you’re not just hiring a button-pusher. You’re entering a creative and technical partnership—and like any partnership, communication is everything.

Whether it’s getting the vibe right during production or nailing the final polish in mastering, even small miscommunications can cause big delays, creative frustration, or worse: a finished product that doesn't reflect your vision.

I wear both hats—producer and engineer—in most of my sessions, and I’ve seen how common missteps can hurt a project’s potential. Here’s how to avoid them.

🎯 1. Unclear Goals = Unclear Production + Messy Mix

When I’m producing a track, I’m thinking about sound design, arrangement, dynamics, and emotional arc. When I’m engineering it, I’m thinking about precision, clarity, loudness, and technical quality.

If you're not clear about your vision, both processes suffer.

Example: If you say you want an "old-school vibe," do you mean a '90s boom bap, a Motown-inspired groove, or lo-fi bedroom pop? Each one would be approached totally differently, both in production choices and mixing style.

✅ What to do instead:Send a few references and describe what you like about them (e.g., “I love the space in this mix” or “I want drums like this but with dreamier pads”). If you’re unsure about your direction, that’s okay—but tell me that too. Then I can help you shape it, rather than guess.

🎯 2. Naming Sections Wrong (Please Stop Saying “Bridge”)

When artists get creative with song structure labels like “vibe part before the breakdown” or “pre-bridge thingy,” things get confusing fast—especially if you give mix notes or want arrangement tweaks.

Even worse is relying only on timecodes for feedback. If I change the structure slightly in production (say, trimming an intro), your “2:47 synth fix” might now be at 2:29.

✅ What to do instead:

• Use standard labels: Verse 1, Chorus, Bridge, Drop, Outro

• When referencing a timestamp, also describe the moment:

  ✅ “At 2:47 where the second chorus hits, can you boost the strings a bit?”❌ “Fix the part at 2:47.”

🎯 3. Changing the Vision Mid-Project Without Telling Me

As your producer, I’m helping shape the sound. As your engineer, I’m finishing the sound. When you change direction mid-project—like switching genres or suddenly wanting a totally different energy—it doesn’t just affect the mix. It affects everything that came before.

✅ What to do instead:If inspiration strikes and you want to pivot, let’s pause and talk. I’m always open to changes, but it has to be intentional and communicated early to avoid wasted time (and extra revision costs).

🎯 4. Assuming I Know What You Want

Even though I’m producing and engineering your track, I’m not inside your head. If you assume I’ll automatically know to remove background vocals in verse 2, or to master for Spotify vs. vinyl, we risk mismatches.

✅ What to do instead:Tell me:

• Where will the track be released?

• What’s the emotional goal?

• Do you have anything you don’t want in the song or mix?

• Should it be “radio-ready” loud or dynamic and natural?

🎯 5. Unrealistic Expectations

If you recorded a vocal in your car on an iPhone mic, I can clean it up—but I can’t make it sound like it was tracked in a treated studio with a $3k Neumann.

Likewise, if you expect a fully produced track and polished mix in 24 hours with zero prep or notes, the end result will suffer.

✅ What to do instead:Be honest about your timeline, your budget, and your expectations. I’ll always let you know what’s possible with what you’ve got—and offer alternatives if needed.

🛠️ Rushed jobs are possible, but they’re booked separately and priced accordingly.

🎯 6. Ignoring Creative or Technical Feedback

Part of my job as a producer is to tell you when a verse might need rewriting. Part of my job as an engineer is to let you know when the mix won’t translate unless we clean up some frequencies.

If you ignore feedback to avoid “changing the vibe,” you might keep the vibe—but sacrifice the quality.

✅ What to do instead:Stay open to suggestions. You don’t have to take every piece of feedback, but if I recommend a change, it’s because it serves the final product—not my ego.

🛠️ If you’re unsure, I’ll always A/B test creative decisions—so you can hear the difference before deciding.

Final Thoughts: You’re Not Just Hiring a Technician—You’re Collaborating with a Creative Partner

As someone who handles both production and engineering, my goal is to take your idea and turn it into a finished song that feels right and sounds world-class. But that only works if we’re aligned at every stage.

The better we communicate, the smoother the workflow—and the stronger the final result. Whether you're working on a single, an EP, or a full project, this partnership depends on trust, clarity, and collaboration.

✅ Quick Checklist Before You Send Your Next Project

•  Shared reference tracks & artistic vision

•  Agreed on standard section names (no “bridgey breakdown”)

•  Clear expectations for timeline & deliverables

•  Open channel for feedback (both ways)

•  Ready to communicate changes early

•  Understand that production + engineering is a joint effort

Want to Work With a Producer-Engineer Who Gets It?

If you're ready to take your song from rough idea to finished product—without the miscommunication headaches—let’s work.Explore my production packages, mixdown tiers, or contact me directly for custom project quotes.