How my song usually starts

Neon Notes — Week [3]

Ok. Now that I've gotten the introductions and the "Why's" of my music out of the way with the first two posts, it's time to explain the "How's".

Very rarely do I go into a song knowing what it will be, not that I don't have inspiration, but I like to feel where the song takes me. There are some occasions where I'll start a new project with a specific idea, but the organic flow of not knowing is what makes it most fun for me.

This is the order in which I make a song:

• the first two are chords and vocals
• simple drum beat 
• bass
• lead synth melody
• main verse
• chorus
• intro
• Arrangement adjustments (if needed)
• break or bridge
• synth solo (if it has one) 
• second verse/half
• drums/percussion finalization
• fx
• Final arrangement
• Outro

I always start a new project in one of two ways, a chord progression, or a vocal sample. If I start with a chord progression, I'll pick a minor key and start building the progression. The structure of the progression will then determine the tempo of the song, of course I may tweak the progression later and decide to change tempo at that time, like I said, I love the organic approach.

If I start with a vocal, that sample usually dictates the tempo, mood, and feel of the song right away. Although, I could change the cadence of the sample to be more upbeat or downtempo. It all depends on what hits me.

The next thing I do is create a really simple beat just to get a rhythm going. I'll let the beat, chords and vocals (if the song has vocals) loop for a while and just listen. At this point I'll start writing a bassline for groove that fits the chords or adjust the chords to fit the bass.

Then I move on to writing the main melody using the soft synth called Serum. Once I have the synth melody, this is when I start dialing in the main synth and the bass design. I'll tweak the synth and bass depending on where the song is going, is it up tempo? Is it more chill? That's what determines if my bass and synth have more groove or more emotion.

Once that's done I start on the main verse or core of the song. It will either have a vocal or stripped down version of the main melody. It's usually 16 bars with the second 8 bar section a little more energetic leading into the chorus/hook.

Now it's time to work on the chorus or hook of the song now that I have the main verse done. My goal here is to build a catchy earworm hook that makes me want to hum or sing it all the time. This is where I use the main melody of the song, and it always has the most energy or emotion. 

Now it's time to move on to how I want the song to start, if it's an upbeat dance song, I might start with the chorus/hook, right into the meat of the song and keep the energy going. Or, I may have a moody slow building intro if the song is lower tempo, and more emotional. It all depends on my mood.

At this point I have lightly arranged the song, and now I'll deliberately make changes to the arrangement if needed. I'll move sections around so that they make sense to me in the context of the song. Sometimes, this can lead to major changes in how the song feels, like I said, it's all an organic approach.

Once I have a basic arrangement down, I start work on a break or bridge after the chorus/hook. This break/bridge is usually in the middle of the song, and will lead into one of three things...A synth solo, the chorus/hook again, or directly into the second verse. If it's a solo, I'll write 18 bars, 1 bar at the beginning as a lead in, 16 bars of actual solo, and one bar at the end for an outro that leads into the second verse or chorus/hook. 

Now that the bridge and solo (if there is a solo) is done, I either go into an even more energetic chorus/hook or the second verse. The second half of my songs almost always have more elements, energy, or emotion than the first half. It's just the way I like to write.

This is where I start adding percussion, like rim shot grooves, shaker grooves, tom fills, and I also finish the drums. I either make it a simple 4 on the floor or I make it groovy depending on the feel of the song.  I also start adding drum fills and beat cuts, as these can make a huge difference in how interesting a song is.

Next up is all the fx and ear candy, swooshes, blips and bloops, ambient breaths...all the things you hear, but wouldn't notice until they're no longer there. The fx and ear candy can make take the song from plain and boring to super interesting with just a few additions. 

Now it's time for the final arrangement. This is where I solidify how the song is structured. Sometimes this step only takes a few tweaks because the arrangement works, sometimes I make major adjustments (rarely) because something seems off. The goal of this step is to keep the song as interesting as possible so that it makes me want to listen to it over and over.

Finally, I work on the outro. Now...when I first started making music, I just did a fadeout because I just thought that's how it's done. Now, I write deliberate, meaningful endings to my songs.

And that's it, that's how I build a song. It's one of the most rewarding things I've ever done besides becoming a husband and father. Music has always been apart of my life, it's always been there to cheer me up, or make me think of a certain time of my life when I hear a specific song...and now, maybe I get to do that for someone else. 

Thanks for reading.
If you have thoughts about any of this, I’d love to hear them.

This post is part of my weekly Neon Notes series. Look for new posts every Wednesday.

How I Found My Way Back to Making Music

Neon Notes — Week [2]

I’ve always been creative.

Before I ever thought about releases or “finishing” songs, I just liked making things. Back in 2000–2001, I was using MTV Music Generator to make simple tracks. No pressure, no expectations, just experimenting and seeing what sounded good. I even found a way to record the audio from my PlayStation and was able to burn a few of my songs on CD, but that’s a whole blog post in itself.

I ended up making around 20 instrumentals that way.

And then… I stopped making music.

But music itself never left my life.

Even during the years I wasn’t creating, music was always there, constantly playing, even if it was just background noise. I’ve gone to bed with headphones on at low volume for as long as I can remember, and I still do. It’s something I’ve done since I was young. Listening never stopped, even when creating did.

For years, music wasn’t something I made. It was something I lived with.

That changed on January 7, 2023.

I was browsing bundles on Humble Bundle, not really looking for anything specific, when I came across a bundle focused on creating music. Something about it immediately sparked my interest. It felt familiar, like reopening a door I didn’t realize was still there.

I downloaded the 90 day trial of Ableton Live 11 and started learning from scratch.

For the next seven days, I experimented nonstop. Clicking things, breaking things, starting over. Watching tutorials, ignoring them, then watching them again. Just trying to understand how ideas could turn into something listenable. Besides my family, I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited, or passionate about something in my entire life.

After about a week, I made my first song.

I uploaded it to SoundCloud under the name “Synthia.”

It’s obviously a beginner track. I can hear every limitation now, the choices I didn’t know how to make yet, the things I’d approach completely differently today. I just did the best I could, but I’m still proud of it.

Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s something I created… it exists because I made it.

Around that time, I also needed a name.

Laxrax wasn’t something I came up with for music. It’s an old online gamer tag, one of those names that never seems to be taken when I start a new game. It’s followed me for years, long before I ever released a song.

For some people online, it’s the only name they know me by.

Using it for music felt natural. It wasn’t about creating a persona or rebranding myself. It was just carrying a name that had already been part of my life into something new.

At that point, I gave myself a challenge.

I decided to see if I could make a full album before the 90 day trial ended.

No overthinking. No waiting until I felt “ready.” Just showing up, learning as I went, and finishing ideas. Song by song, the project started to take shape.

I ended up completing that goal.

Right before the trial ended, I released my first album, We Are Lights.

Looking back, there’s a strange symmetry to it. From simple instrumentals in the early 2000s, to years of silence, to picking things back up decades later with completely new tools, but the same relationship with sound.

That album wasn’t about mastery. It was about momentum. Proof that starting again was possible.

This blog is part of that continuation.

Not a highlight reel, but a timeline. A way to remember where things started, how they paused, and how they’re still evolving.

Thanks for reading.
If you have thoughts about any of this, I’d love to hear them.

This post is part of my weekly Neon Notes series. Look for new posts every Wednesday.

Why I’m Starting This Blog

Neon Notes — Week [1]

For a long time, I only wanted to share finished music.
Polished tracks. Final mixes. Clean artwork.
The version that felt safe to release.

But the truth is, most of the meaningful work happens before any of that, in half finished ideas, rough vocals, and moments where something almost gets deleted.

I’m starting this blog because I want to document that part of the process.

Not just the finished songs, but the uncertain, rough ideas too.

Over the past few years, I’ve gone back and rebuilt older songs using new ideas and techniques. Hearing the same idea with a more experienced ear has been humbling. Some things I’d change immediately. Other things I’d leave exactly as they were, even if they’re imperfect.

I’ll always keep the older versions of my songs and display them proudly, even when I decide to reimagine them.

That contrast, between who I was when I made a song and who I am now, is something I don’t want to lose.

This blog is a place to capture:

• What I’m working on each week

• How my process keeps evolving

• Why certain decisions felt right (or wrong) at the time

• What I’m learning as I keep moving forward

Most of my music starts with a vocal. That emotional core usually decides everything else, the tempo, the chords, even how dense or minimal the arrangement becomes. A lot of these posts will start there, because that’s where the songs start for me.

I don’t expect every post to have a clean takeaway. Some weeks it might just be a rough idea, a moment in the middle of the process before the picture fully comes into focus.

That’s okay.

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s consistency, honesty, and momentum.

If you’re reading this, you’re seeing the work while it’s still being shaped.

See you next week.

Thanks for reading.
If you have thoughts about any of this, I’d love to hear them.

This post is part of my weekly Neon Notes series. Look for new posts every Wednesday.