As most of you might know by now, if you are reading this at the time of writing, I’ve recommitted myself to the daily practice of working on my music for at least 15 minutes every day. I’ve worked through Christmas and New Year’s Eve/Day, and every day in between so far. My plan is to do this every day of 2026, including holidays and my birthday.
So far, I haven’t missed a day. So far, so good!
Through repeating this process (I last did this nearly a decade ago—working on music every day for 13 months, missing fewer than 25 days) of touching your music daily, you create new pathways in your brain that remind you where you are in your process, where you are trying to get to (the finish line), and help solve creative problems unconsciously.
These unconscious solutions simply aren’t possible when you don’t have a daily practice.
Instead, you’ll find yourself returning to a project days, weeks, or months later and having to remember what the hell is going on with your work. This reacquaintance kills your momentum and forces you to reassess the situation before you can move forward. Often, this can lead to that “deer in the headlights” glaze while looking at the project in your DAW, and it can completely paralyze progress.
I’m not saying that revisiting projects can’t be a good thing. Allowing time to pass so you can come back and see things from a new perspective can be valuable, but for the most part, better work and more completed songs come from a daily habit.
Resistance still arises on some days, and there are still moments where you have no clue what to do next. This is where a process can really save the day. But showing up and just trying something is almost always the way through. Through solving problems daily and the pattern recognition that comes from that, you will eventually find a process that works for you.
I am discovering that all the time I thought I didn’t have to make music was mostly an illusion. In reality, it’s the resistance we don’t want to face. If you face the resistance, time will open up. Speaking from experience, I can promise you that.
Another surprise you might notice over time is that resistance starts to have less power over you in other aspects of your life as well. One thing I notice is that I write more posts when I’m making music daily. Come to think of it, the same year I worked on music daily for the better part of 13 months, I also finished my first book, The Mental Game of Electronic Music Production.
For me personally, working on music daily helps me be more valuable to my students, members, and those who follow my work. The subjects I cover come from personal experience in the moment and from problems I’m currently solving. I’m constantly upgrading and tweaking my approach with the times. New tools create new opportunities and help music evolve, while core guidelines and process keep you centered in a world of infinite choices. Through the practice of touching your work daily, you can quickly discern which tools are efficient and which ones create endless rabbit holes that pull you away from your goal of finishing what you start.
Finally, I’ll say that daily practice won’t protect you from new roadblocks. They will still come. They must, if you’re trying to make great work. Your best work is rarely in your comfort zone. The difference is that you’ll know daily effort will always get you through, and the next time you run into that issue, you’ll know exactly how to navigate it.
This one practice is certain to improve the quality of your work while also speeding up the process.
If you’d like to take this a step further…
I’ve opened a small 15 Minute Music Producer Discord where I show up daily to share what’s actually happening in my own practice—what’s working, what isn’t, and how I move through resistance when it shows up. I also coach members through their own 15-minute daily habit, helping them stay consistent and finish more music.
This is for producers who want structure, accountability, and honest guidance—not hype or endless content.
The group officially kicks off January 5th, and the doors will close shortly after so I can focus on supporting a small, committed group.
? Join here: https://5970130242179.gumroad.com/l/15MinuteProducerGroup
If you’ve been stuck starting, stopping, or making excuses instead of progress, this is a simple way to change that.
Now go touch your work!
If you are benefiting from these posts, you will absolutely love my 2 bestselling books:
The Mental Game of Music Production
The Process for Electronic Music Producers
To level up your Ableton Production Skills: Ableton Courses & Instruments
Take the Free Music Production Mastery Assessment Test. Discover your current strengths, weaknesses with your music making journey. You will get a personalized response directly from me as well as your next best steps to help you reach your goals faster. https://musicsoftwaretraining.com/evaluation
Happy music making!
Jason