THE #1 WAY TO BE A BETTER PRODUCER & SONGWRITER (Active Listening) | Make Pop Music

In this video we will be going over how to actively listen and analyze songs in order to reverse engineer them for your own tracks. We will be looking at Dua Lipa’s song Levitating and breaking down how to analyze the melodic structure, the arrangement and production choices, and how to listen for elements that are tucked deep in a record.

*Editors Note: When I talk about the chord progression I say Fm7 but it should actually be “F#m7”. I play the right chord but my mouth was moving faster than my brain. So it sounds right, but just make a quick note that it’s the “F#m7” not Fm7. Also, the key is Bmin (notated on the analysis sheet correctly)

Download the Levitating Analysis Sheet:

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My Gear:
DAW: Cubase 11 Pro
Desk: AZ Studio Workstations
Monitors: Focal Shape 65s with Focal Sub6
Interface: UAD Apollo Twin USB
MIDI Keyboard: M-Audio Code 61
Keyboards: Roland Juno DS88 & Roland Juno 106
Guitars: Fender American Professional Stratocaster, Gibson Les Paul Studio, Taylor 214 CE Plus
Preamps: Heritage Audio HA81A & Audient ASP800
Microphones: Slate ML-1, Shure SM7B, JZ BH-1, JZ V67, Lauten Audio LA-320, Lauten Audio LA-220, Lauten Audio LA-120, AKG P170, Sterling ST59
Camera: Panasonic G7
Lens: Panasonic 25mm f1.7
Camera Lights: Neewer LED Light Panels

Timestamps:
Intro 0:00
Run-Down of Analysis Document 1:30
Finding the Tempo 2:45
Finding the Key 3:25
Finding the Chord Progression 4:20
Dividing the Song Sections 6:00
Intro Breakdown 8:28
Verse Breakdown 9:10
Pre-Chorus Breakdown 13:40
Chorus Breakdown 15:58
Turn-Around Breakdown 19:37
Verse 2 Breakdown 19:57
Pre-Chorus 2 Breakdown 21:35
Chorus 2 Breakdown 22:22
Post-Chorus Breakdown 23:20
Bridge Breakdown 24:38
Break-down Breakdown 26:15
False Chorus Breakdown 27:15
Final Chorus Breakdown 28:10
Outro 29:45

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By: wildsPosted on Categories : Categories : UncategorizedTags:

27 Replies to “THE #1 WAY TO BE A BETTER PRODUCER & SONGWRITER (Active Listening) | Make Pop Music”

  1. *Editors Note: When I talk about the chord progression I say Fm7 but it should actually be F#m7. I play the right chord but my mouth was moving faster than my brain. So it sounds right, but just make a quick note that it's the F#m7 not Fm7.

  14. Man this is great stuff. It's kinda funny; it was listening to Dua Lipa that led me here, now I'm learning how to produce better by listening to more of her songs.
    Also, the key is actually B minor, not F# minor.

  15. I think we need a tutorial but without using the add ons. Although it sounds amazing with them, it would be great if you could teach us a way to make it sound good without them if you get what I mean.

  20. Super good information! You did a fantastic diagnosis of this song, I’m impressed.
    I used to do this back in the late 80s and early 90s in the early hip hop era.

    My main question is where can you find a singer or real vocal stylist coach to get singers to even understand what major label singers do. They sound like they are relaxed while delivering extremely powerful vocal energy and expressions regardless of having a fantastic natural voice.
    Where are those singers or the coaches they use?
    That’s my missing link.

    Thanks,
    Sumbi

  23. Hello Austin and all Austin's music kids 🙂 is any simple idea to choose for vocal buses: hall + room, or plate + hall, bright long reverb + hall + plate ? Is any idea for example: ballad: plate + room etc. How to choose it ? Regards from PL 🙂

  26. I always wanted to do breakdowns with my friend and today spending half a hour with you just felt like that, really loved your vibes, I have my own method of breakdown but this video added some new stuff in that for sure.

    Thanks Brother.

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