> Technique

5. Weapon of choice

Ever find yourself jumping from instrument to instrument without becoming an expert with one particular plugin? Well, it’s time to use the new year as a reason to pick one synth or sampler, and only use that one piece of software for an entire month. Learning one tool inside out can be hugely beneficial: you’ll push the instrument to its limits and discover exactly what it’s capable of.

If you’ve chosen a synth as your weapon of choice, use it to make every single element of a track. This way, you’ll brush up on drum design, synthesis, music theory, FX creation and more! And, of course, swot up on your chosen tool by reading the manual or watching tutorials.