5 impactful sound design tips from Mad Keys

Sometimes, sound design tips that are unassuming on the surface can have a transformative impact on your track.

In the tutorial video above, veteran producer and instrumentalist Mad Keys returned to the Splice YouTube channel to share five sound design tips that inspire his creativity. From layering multiple timbres to blending textures into lead synths, he covers a wide array of topics that transcend genres. While he uses Arturia’s FX Collection to showcase each concept, you can readily apply many of them with a DAW’s stock plugins or other alternatives.

“I hope you all learn something new,” Mad Keys says. “One thing I always like to remind myself about is that music is truly about experimentation. We should always approach it with a childlike mentality and just really have fun with it.”

For more tips from Mad Keys, be sure to also check out his previous production tutorial with us, which also includes a free download of his Ableton template:

What was your favorite sound design tip that Mad Keys covered? What other topics would you like to see us explore next? Let us know in the comments section of the video, and join the Splice Discord to be a part of ongoing conversations with an ever-growing community of music creators.


Try FX Collection for free, and then rent-to-own the suite until you own it outright:

August 13, 2024

Harrison Shimazu

Harrison Shimazu is a composer, content strategist, and writer who’s passionate about democratizing music creation and education. He leads the Splice blog and produces vocaloid music as Namaboku.