Thoughts & Things

Learn about my creative process, musical and spiritual insights, and get updates on ongoing projects and resources. There’s a lot to explore here, so look around! Subscribe to get email updates as I release new content.

Nathan Lain 8/8/25 Nathan Lain 8/8/25

“The Lord’s Prayer” By Susan Morrill

Nathan Lain 7/23/25 Nathan Lain 7/23/25

Building A Demo: A Step-By-Step Process

Learn the basic steps to developing a song demo with me from the song ideas to the final demo mix. Each step explains the process to achieving a successful demo production, maximizing emotional creativity, and exploring next steps.

Nate Lain 5/14/25 Nate Lain 5/14/25

Production Walk-Through of Pop Demo

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the production process of a pop demo in this detailed walkthrough. From the initial idea to arrangement, layering, and mixing, this post breaks down how the track came together—and offers insights you can apply to your own home productions.

Nate Lain 5/7/25 Nate Lain 5/7/25

Three Free Drum Set Sample Packs for Music Production

Looking to level up your recording projects with fresh drum sounds? This post shares three free drum set sample packs that are perfect for producers, songwriters, and home recorders. Get a quick overview of each pack and tips on how to use them creatively in your own music.

Nathan Lain 4/24/25 Nathan Lain 4/24/25

Logic Pro for iPad Keyboard Play Surface: Creative Chording Layout

Discover how Logic Pro for iPad’s Keyboard Play Surface can spark creativity and enhance your songwriting. This post explores the Creative Chording layout, offering tips on how to use it for fresh harmonic ideas and smoother chord progressions—perfect for producers and songwriters on the go.

Nate Lain 4/9/25 Nate Lain 4/9/25

The Creative Potential of Consumer-Centric DAWs

Modern DAWs make music production more accessible than ever—but with convenience comes creative trade-offs. This post explores how beginner-friendly tools can jumpstart your creativity, while also highlighting the value of digging deeper to develop originality, technical skills, and a personalized workflow.

Nate Lain 1/23/24 Nate Lain 1/23/24

How To Think About Music Notation

When you think about music notation, you probably picture the traditional five lines of the music staff with little dots, lines, and articulations scored across the page. You might imagine choir music with lyrics or piano music in a lesson book. But have you ever wondered where our music notation system came from and why it’s used to write and share music?

Nathan Lain 9/1/23 Nathan Lain 9/1/23

“Rise & Fall” Berklee EP by Nate Lain

In September 2023, I finished my graduate program at Berklee Online to earn a Master of Music in Music Production. This is my final project, a four-song EP sharing stories of my faith journey.