The Honor of Working in Music

You never know whether a record you are working on is going to be a hit or not. I have tried to predict it and sometimes I was right, but most of the time I had no idea what was going to catch the attention of the world. Honestly, when you start working on a record that turns out to be a hit, it doesn’t feel very different than what you have done before.

Sure, you know that there is something special about that song. It hits you in a more brutally honest way than others, but that does not predict where things will go, who will hear it, and how far around the world your work will resonate. That's why it is so important to treat every project you work on like it's a hit.

It's weird, right? Some songs shoot to the top of the charts on the day they are released, others go viral two or even three years later, and some you will spend endless hours on, but they never get released.

You really don't know the power of the art you are creating every day. That's why making music is such a honor and privilege. We get to craft songs and sounds that make people fall in love, that get them hype, or just get them past a trash day.

As producers and engineers, we get to create the sonic palette that surrounds those emotions and it is an honor and privilege. Treat it as such.

Be well,

Ryan Schwabe

Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum mixing & mastering engineer

Founder of Schwabe Digital