How to innovate without overcomplicating your music

half melting metal face

If music is too predictable, simple and familiar, our brains quickly ‘get it’ and a big part of the enjoyment disappears.

But if it’s too random, chaotic or strange, our brains can’t latch onto it, and we lose the ability to enjoy it in the first place.

That’s why, as music makers, we need to carefully walk the line between familiarity and surprise, between predictability and complexity.

One of the main characteristics of the best tracks in any electronic genre is their ability to follow a familiar formula while flipping a few key aspects on their head in a bold, fresh way.

The artists making that music understand something crucial: when to stick to the basics and when to push the boundaries.

This can show up at any level of the production process: composition, arrangement, sound design, even mixing. And yet, it’s one of those subtle creative decisions most artists don’t pay enough attention to.

But if you can become more aware of this idea and start making choices with it in mind, you’ll find yourself exploring new creative angles.

After you’ve identified your own strengths and figured out what parts of the process bring you the most joy, you can start leaning into those areas, innovating where it feels natural to you and keeping things simple everywhere else.

Here are a few personal examples.

I’ve always struggled with synthesisers and never felt comfortable with music theory. So I decided to keep that part of my music as simple as possible and instead lean heavily into drums and sound design.

That choice made my music musically predictable and familiar but all the novelty and complexity comes from the rhythm and textures.

Even my drum programming is relatively simple. So I focus on injecting the magic through how I process the sounds with effects, automation and subtle modulation.

Same goes for arrangement. I usually follow a very standard structure:

Intro → Build-up → Breakdown → Peak section → Outro.

This gives me a solid framework to work within, so I don’t waste energy reinventing the wheel every time.

Instead, I focus on how I tell the story within that structure... using unexpected transitions, textures or dynamics to create surprise and tension.

You don’t need to master or innovate every single element of music production. In fact, trying to do so can slow you down and even burn you out.

Instead, give yourself permission to suck at some things, and go deep on the things you love and are naturally drawn to.

It’s a simpler, more enjoyable way to make music, and can often even result in better tracks.

Let 80% of your music be basic and familiar. Use the remaining 20% to go wild and make it uniquely yours.

That balance makes your workflow faster and less frustrating. It also keeps your music grounded enough for listeners to connect with, while still offering moments of surprise and magic that will make the track memorable. Now go make some familiar and freaky music <3

Big love

Eryk Kabay

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