3 Production Tips from Taylor Swift's Hit-Maker
Ever feel like your songs are as bland as a pot of brown rice and water?
Well, you’re not alone. But what if I told you there’s a way to spice up your tracks, courtesy of a guy who’s basically the Gordon Ramsay of music production? I’m talking about Jack Antonoff, the guy who went from playing the drums for the band Fun to producing for Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, and Sabrina Carpenter and recently winning Producer of the Year for the third time in a row. That’s right, he’s achieved something only one other person in history has done. Meanwhile, I’m still trying to figure out why my tracks sound like a cat walked across my keyboard.
In this newsletter, we will dive into the mind of this musical wizard and steal (I mean, learn) 3 game-changing lessons from Jack’s production formula.
1. Innovating with Sound: Turn Your Studio Into a Sonic Laboratory
Imagine walking into Jack's studio.
It's not just a recording space—it's where he crafts illusions of texture and intensity from surprisingly simple elements. Take Sabrina Carpenter's song "Please, Please, Please".
Listen to the song's massive vocal stacks: while they sound like 20-30 layers of vocals washing over you, Jack actually builds this wall of sound with just four main stacks (one lead, three supporting). He spreads the layers across the stereo field. Then he manipulates these takes in real-time using a copycat plugin and space echo, tweaking EQ, tune, and pitch to create a shimmering, emotional landscape.
This technique gives the impression of a big vocal stack!
Genius, right?
The Key Takeaway: You don't need a pro studio filled with rare effects to innovate. The magic lies in creative layering and smart processing. Next time you record a music idea, try capturing multiple intimate performances rather than reaching for that reverb plugin. Build your wall of sound piece by piece, focusing on space and minimalism.
Sometimes the most massive sounds come from the simplest approaches.
2. Concept is King: Build Your Sonic Castle on Solid Ground
Remember when you’d just noodle on your keyboard hoping something would stick? Yeah, me too. But Jack’s approach is different—he starts with a concept. Look at “Don’t Take The Money” by his band Bleachers. On the surface, it’s a catchy pop tune, but dig deeper and you’ll find it’s about staying true to yourself when everything screams “compromise.”
I’m currently working on a record imagining The Beatles producing for SZA. Sounds wild, right? But that concept transformed my production from a collection of cool sounds into a complete sonic story.
Try it yourself: Start with an idea that moves you, then let it guide every production choice you make for the song.
3. Embracing Imperfections: Let Your Music Breathe
This one’s been my biggest challenge because modern production can be so pristine—every note quantized, every wobble smoothed out. But Jack? He’s out here celebrating the wobbles and loose time.
Returning to the example of Sabrina Carpenter's song "Please, Please, Please." The ARP synthesizer weaves through the track, its loose timing is intentionally playing against the tight Linn Drum groove. While most producers would've snapped everything to the grid, Jack lets the synth float freely, creating that magical tension between precision and expression that defined classics by ELO and ABBA.
The result? A production that captures both the mechanical perfection of modern pop and the human soul of the '70s and '80s.
Here's your homework
In your next production, try these three things:
1. Experiment with the layering and processing of sounds in your production to create size and interest.
2. Start with a concept before you open your DAW to produce.
3. Play with the timing of instruments in your record e.g. some elements can dictate time while others play slightly out of time. This will humanize the performance by creating a nice push and pull.
With my productions:
I’m spending less time scrolling through presets and more time creating sounds that wouldn’t exist without experimentation.
I’m purposefully creating genre collisions and thinking deeper about what my music says.
Most importantly, I’m learning to trust my ears and emotions over the clinical precision of my DAW.
Remember, every Grammy-winning producer started as a beginner. So keep creating, keep experimenting, and who knows? Maybe you’ll be giving Jack a run for his money at next year’s Grammy Awards.
🧠 Quote of the week
I always wanna play things in some way like it's the first time I've played them. - Jack Antonoff
Enjoy your week,
Melvin Darrell
