Hey a,

Yesterday I showed you how to create Strong Core Ideas (SCIs) instead of loops, giving your tracks that emotional foundation they need.

But now comes the moment that stops most producers in their tracks:

Turning that idea into a full song.

Let me guess...

You've tried the "duplicate and subtract" method where you copy your loop across the timeline and then remove elements to create different parts of the song.

Or maybe you've started from the intro, working chronologically and hoping you have enough material to make it to the end.

Here's why both approaches are setting you up for failure:

The "duplicate and subtract" method leads to boring, lifeless tracks that don't tell a story. They're predictable and lack the contrast that makes music exciting.

And starting from the intro? You'll almost always run out of creative steam right when you reach the most important part of your track – the climax.

What happens next is painfully familiar: 

You start randomly adding new elements, hoping something will stick, and end up with a cluttered, incoherent mess.

But there's an even more dangerous approach that gets propagated in countless tutorials and Reddit threads:

Importing your reference tracks directly into your session and building your arrangement alongside them. I call it the "Reference Track Trap."

I'm not opposed to learning from reference tracks. But working with them in the same session severely limits your creativity. 

Here's why:

You can't fully separate how they arranged their song from their sound design, harmonies, and melodies. 

If you constantly compare your work-in-progress to their finished, mastered track, you'll end up with a Frankenstein version of an existing song.

The only problem: Theirs is the beauty and yours is the beast.

There's a better way. I call it the Jigsaw Arrangement Method.

Remember playing with jigsaw puzzles as a kid? What's the number one trick to complete them faster?

You build the frame first, then fill in the details.

This exact principle is what makes the Jigsaw Method so powerful for music production.

When you created your SCI yesterday, you already crafted the emotional heart of your track. Now you're going to build the frame around it and then fill in the pieces.

Here's your step-by-step guide to the Jigsaw Method:

1. Build the frame. Duplicate your kickdrum from start to finish to define the total length of your track. This immediately creates a sense of the full song existing (even though it's just a kick!). Don't underestimate the psychological advantage this gives you. 

2. Create the structure. Add markers in your session to map out the typical parts: intro, buildup, breakdown, peak part (your SCI), outro. In a more traditional song structure, this would be verse, chorus, bridge, etc.

During this process, delete or filter out the kick drum in strategic places to further shape your arrangement.

Pro-Tip for beginners: If you're unsure about structure, analyze one of your favorite reference tracks in the same genre. How long is the intro? Where does the energy peak? Use a similar framework but don't blindly copy their arrangement. 

3. Place your SCI. You have two options here:

• Drop your entire SCI as it is into the center/peak part of the track
• Keep your SCI as reference and rebuild the peak part with its elements, making subtle changes

4. Work from the inside out. This is where the magic happens. Just like with a puzzle, you now have a frame and can start filling in pieces wherever feels natural.

Work on whatever section appeals to you in the moment. Feel stuck on the intro? Jump to the outro. Hit a roadblock with the breakdown? Move to the build-up.

Use elements from your SCI to construct these sections, and add new elements only when necessary. Remember, less is often more.

5. Keep it rough. This is just your rough arrangement – an end-to-end sketch of your song. Transitions don't need to be perfect, and your mix doesn't need to be polished. That comes later.

The psychological advantage of this method is massive.

When you start with the frame, your brain registers that "the song is already complete" in structure. All you're doing is filling in details.

Compare this to the traditional approach, where you're anxiously working from section to section, hoping you'll eventually reach the end.

One approach feels like play. The other feels like directing a film without a storyboard—shooting chronologically only to discover you've run out of budget before the final scene.

Why does the Jigsaw Method work so well?

• It reduces creative friction by making arrangement feel like a game rather than a technical challenge
• It eliminates the "blank page syndrome" that comes with chronological arranging
• It ensures your song's emotional peak (the SCI) gets the attention it deserves
• It creates a repeatable, reliable process you can use for every track

The first time you try this, it might feel strange. We're conditioned to think chronologically.

But once you experience how effortlessly tracks come together with this method, you'll never go back.

Tomorrow, I'll share the final piece of the puzzle – how to take your rough arrangement and truly finalize it with what I call "sonic storytelling."

Your music matters. Let's make it count.

Philip

PS: Want to see the Jigsaw Method in action with your own music? In our 1:1 coaching program, we guide producers through this process step-by-step, helping you develop an arrangement approach that feels effortless rather than frustrating. Book your free 60-minute discovery call here to learn more.