#207: How Many Drafts Does It Take to Finish a Track? (feat. Michael Oakley)

Music Production and Mixing Tips for Beginner Producers and Artists | Inside The Mix

Have you ever abandoned a promising track because it suddenly "didn't feel right" the next day? Why does your track feel wrong the next day? Is Overthinking Killing Your Songwriting Process? In this eye-opening episode of Inside the Mix, synth-pop artist Michael Oakley unpacks the creative psychology behind overthinking songwriting and how our emotional state can sabotage musical momentum.

Inspired by advice from Max Martin -“Don’t overthink a song until its third rewrite” -Michael reveals how writing 14+ song drafts taught him the balance between intuition and iteration. We explore the mental traps artists fall into: abandoning promising tracks, getting stuck in endless revisions, and losing objectivity. Michael shares how trusted collaborators (Ollie Wride, Dana Jean Phoenix, and John Kunkel) help him overcome production blindness and restore clarity to his mix decisions.

You'll also learn practical strategies to break creative paralysis, from setting a tempo and key to choosing sounds that unlock inspiration. Discover how he transformed a 2000s-inspired track into a synthpop anthem, retaining its essence while reinventing its sound.

Whether you’re battling the blank DAW screen or questioning your last vocal take, this episode offers real-world tools to finish more music with confidence.

Subscribe now to join our community of producers and songwriters learning to navigate the creative landscape with confidence. Michael's new album arrives May 8th next year—perfect timing to apply these insights to your musical projects.

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1. #207: How Many Drafts Does It Take to Finish a Track? (feat. Michael Oakley) (00:00:00)

2. Overthinking vs Intuition in Songwriting (00:00:59)

3. Drafting Songs & Getting Feedback (00:08:04)

4. How Mood Affects Creativity (00:16:56)

5. Reworking Without Losing the Spark (00:27:45)

6. Mapping Musical Ideas in the DAW (00:35:11)

7. Sound Selection & Reuse Tips (00:46:42)

8. New Album and Future Projects (00:51:25)