Drumcode's Producer Playbook: 6 Artists on Finishing Tracks, Finding Your Sound and Building Momentum

Signing music to Drumcode is a major milestone for any artist – one that’s usually the result of years of hard work, learning and refinement. Here, SCRIPT, OKAYVAL, Alex Stein, Bexxie, and Gabriel Gil & Martin Costas share the habits, lessons and mindsets that helped them become better producers and cut through the noise.

Q: What’s one production habit that improved your music more than any plugin or gear purchase?

OKAYVAL: Finishing records consistently improved my music more than any plugin or piece of gear ever did. It’s easy to get stuck endlessly tweaking sounds or chasing new tools, but committing to arrangements, transitions, and final decisions teaches you far more about what actually works on a dancefloor. The more tracks I finished, the more my workflow, sound selection, and confidence naturally improved.

SCRIPT: A production habit that changed everything for me was within the last year. Someone I was working with kept bringing up their Ableton window and had their own sample pack full of sounds and racks, so that whenever they worked on something it would sound like them and cohesive overall. Once I did this myself, I was able to make music so much quicker and get ideas down faster instead of searching for samples or racks I had used in previous music.

Bexxie: One of the biggest mindset shifts for me was realizing I didn’t need endless hours to make progress in music. When I was working a full-time job, even spending 15-30 minutes organizing samples, sketching ideas, or experimenting in the evenings helped move things forward and made my longer weekend studio sessions much more productive. Consistency mattered way more than marathon sessions.

Alex Stein: Finishing tracks, even when they're not perfect. For a long time I'd over-engineer everything, layering and tweaking and second-guessing until there was very little left of the original idea. The shift came when I started treating completion as the actual skill. A finished track that's 80% of what you imagined will teach you more about yourself as a producer than a perfect idea that never leaves your DAW.

That discipline alone changed everything for me, more than any piece of gear ever did.

Martin Costas & Gabriel Gil: We believe consistency is everything. Producing a little bit every single day helped us improve faster, work more efficiently, and gain confidence in our sound and creative process. More than any plugin or piece of gear, discipline and repetition were what truly elevated our productions.

Q: In your opinion, is it better to wait for the perfect label or release independently and build momentum?

SCRIPT: I can personally see two paths here, while I feel record labels are still valuable, it is my opinion that if you are going to sign to a record label make sure it be an artist run label. You can get better live show opportunities out of it and also having the artist co-sign your music is amazing. On the other hand, signing music to your own label or releasing independently takes the most work but in the end usually has good results if you put effort into the content and release plan for the music. I have mainly tried building my project with the first approach as its easier to build a fanbase and get known, but now I’m focusing more on myself and working on self- releasing more music so I have more control overall.

OKAYVAL: I think building momentum independently is usually the smarter move early on. Waiting around for the “perfect” label can slow your growth, whereas consistently releasing quality music helps you develop an audience, improve your craft, and create your own identity. Strong labels pay attention when there’s already genuine energy and consistency behind an artist.

Bexxie: I think when you’re starting out, it’s more important to consistently get your music out there rather than waiting for the “perfect” label. There are so many great labels, and the right one is often the one that genuinely believes in your track and wants to support it. If one label passes, keep going. Persistence is a huge part of the process.

Alex Stein: Build momentum, always. Some of my best opportunities came not from waiting but from staying active, keep making music and keep sending demos. Independent releases aren't a compromise either, they're another way you can become someone worth paying attention to. The music has to be out in the world for any of that to happen.

Martin Costas & Gabriel Gil: For us, the most important thing is simply making music — regardless of the label. Creating music that truly represents who you are and feels authentic is what matters most. Of course, signing with Drumcode was always a dream for us, and we believe it happened largely because we focused on developing our own musical identity instead of chasing trends.

Q: What’s the most valuable piece of advice you ever received?

OKAYVAL: The best advice I received was to stop comparing my timeline to anyone else’s. In electronic music especially, every artist develops at a different pace, and focusing too much on what others are doing can distract you from building your own sound. Consistency, patience, and authenticity tend to matter far more in the long run than chasing trends or overnight success.

SCRIPT: Most valuable piece of advice I’ve ever received was when I was pretty young in this career and just starting out as a music producer. I was only 2-3 years into making music and I had a false look on the industry and thought I was deserving of making it purely based on the time I had put in. The piece of advice was, just keep working and one day it’ll pay off. Keep your head down and work in the shadows until the right moment comes along to make your mark. It’s been 15 years now of work and I’m finally feeling like I’m about to get my shot, so do with that what you will!

Bexxie: One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is not to tie my self-worth to external accomplishments or compare my journey to other people’s. Everyone’s path in music is different. I’ve also really benefited from the ideas in the book ‘The One Thing’, especially learning how to focus on the one thing that will move your goals forward the most.

Alex Stein: That contrast is everything. In a track, in a set, in life honestly. If everything is intense, nothing is. Learning to use space and restraint intentionally, knowing what to take away rather than what to add, that completely changed how I produce and how I connect with a crowd. It sounds simple but it took me years to really feel it.

Martin Costas & Gabriel Gil: Never give up when a label rejects your music. A rejection doesn’t mean your music isn’t good enough — sometimes it simply means it doesn’t align with what the label is looking for at that particular moment.

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