nathan christian

Author: Nathan

  • Songwriting and the 80/20 Rule

    The 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle) is a powerful productivity concept: 

    80% of results come from 20% of the effort.

    This applies to songwriting. The first 20%—the spark of inspiration—often delivers 80% of the song’s essence: a melody, lyric, chord sequence, or all three. It’s quick, effortless, and exciting.

    (Sometimes, a song arrives nearly complete—think Wonderwall or Yesterday. When that happens, don’t overthink it. Just be grateful.)

    But here’s the reality: The final 20% of the song takes 80% of the work.

    Your initial idea might include part of a verse, most of a chorus, or a rough structure. But what about the rest? The second and third verses? The outro? The arrangement?

    This is where many songwriters stall—replaying the best bits instead of finishing the song. The last stretch is tough. You may not be sure what you’re trying to say, run out of ideas, or doubt whether new lines are good enough.

    The key is persistence. Yes, sometimes a break helps, but finishing requires discipline. Push through. 

  • How to Become a Professional Producer

    What is a producer in the music world? 

    These days, many songwriters call themselves producers simply because they can operate a DAW, create a beat, and record vocals.

    A more accurate term for them is amateur producers—and that’s not a slight. There has to be a distinction between amateur and professional, or else why do artists and bands still hire professional producers?

    One reason is their ability to shape a song into a hit. They don’t just record and mix—they know how to elevate a song through arrangement, instrumentation, and added “catchiness” to make it connect with an audience.

    But that’s not the role I want to focus on here. Chasing hits is one thing, but real producers do something just as important: they get things finished.

    Professional producers are valued as much for their creativity as for their planning and project management skills. They know time and money are limited, and they ensure an album or song is completed on schedule with the resources available.

    Many creatives love the process of making music but struggle with knowing when something is done and how to reach the finish line. That’s where production skills come in.

    What Does This Mean for You?

    If you don’t have the budget to hire a producer, you need to become one—not by taking an expensive course, but by getting organized.

    • Map out the work – What’s left to finish the song or album? How long will it take? Write it down.
    • Schedule your sessions – Plan exactlywhen you’ll write, record, mix, and master. Set realistic deadlines based on your other responsibilities. 
    • Adapt as needed – If something takes longer than expected, adjust the timeline, but don’t let the project stall.

    The sometimes chaotic mind of the creative may be very helpful for generating new ideas, but not so much for mapping out and completing a project that leads to high quality results.

    You won’t lose artistic integrity by thinking like a producer. You’ll finish more songs and make more music—which is what really matters.