It needs to sound good in mono as well. It can't lose all the synths. Look into phasing

I would love some feedback for my remix of Hans Zimmer

https://soundcloud.com/dj-knappster/time-knappster-trance-bootleg/s-g8fqQ

Thank you.

Check out www.dancemusicproduction.com for a lot of awesome tutorials including links to a dance music manual. What you can also do is find the midi of a track for a remix or something and it should have the chords already there. Usually I will get an idea for a track and then lay out the kick and drums for the entire structure of the track. That way I have the shell of the track formed and I can work on each part as I see fit.

www.loopmasters.com has everything you could ever want in any style or genre; and www.looperman.com has a lot of user uploaded samples that you can have for free.

Check out www.dancemusicproduction.com. So many helpful tutorials for writing and learning the ins and outs of producing.

I think the key is saving multiple files. I will have one with the high CPU and I will start (ABLETON) freezing and flattening tracks to clear up CPU power. I also have 4GB Ram and I run into this problem often. Also closing all other programs while you make music will help as well.

If I feel I need to change or tweak something I go to the old version and do that then copy and paste it into my new version. I don't think its an obstruction because it forces you commit to these sounds. Sounds like you're using Ableton as well. Yes it will not copy the sidechaining on any channel or group. You can just add sidechaining after you bounce or use a third party plug-in for sidechaining.

I either start with the drop or the chords for the breakdown. Usually I'm inspired when I'm listening to music or I'm out for a walk. I will hum the melody into my phone and then do it when I get home. Most the time I find the humming is the main drop melody of the track, then I start to work backwards once I have the main idea down. Another thing I will do is construct my drums so they sound like I want them to for my final product. Usually by this time I am ready to start arrangement.

I've been told if you're having trouble, download some midi files from other people's tracks, take their main drop and reconstruct it to something different. It helps you make something quicker and also gives you the practice needed to start doing your own.

Break it down into small sections. Do it 1 bar at a time. Use a 1/16 note piano role for your lead, use one note and just play over your chord progression until you hear something you like. I'm no wizard at writing melodies but I usually get something decent going when I break things down smaller so its less overwhelming. Practise makes perfect right.