Talent Isn’t Enough

Over the years of my music journey, I’ve had the chance to work with all kinds of artists.

Some came from strong musical backgrounds, trained and polished. 🎶💎

Others had their very first contact with music by simply recording songs in a home setup. 

’ve worked with vocalists who could sing effortlessly, and with those who couldn’t really sing at all, where autotune had to step in and become their best friend.

I’ve also worked with people for whom I was the very first collaborator, and together we built tracks, projects, even full albums from scratch.

I’ve learned through all of those sessions, that there are certain habits and qualities that make an artist much easier to work with. 🤝

It’s not just about making my job smoother as a producer, engineer, or collaborator, it’s about making the whole creative process better for everyone involved. 

Whether it’s the person crafting the beats, the one mixing the track, or even the videographer shooting the music video, the way you show up as an artist affects the entire team.

So in this article, I want to break down some of the most important professional habits I’ve noticed, the kind that make people actually want to work with you again.

Because at the end of the day, talent will get you noticed.

But professionalism is what keeps the doors open. 💡

Get the Knowledge

In my opinion, one of the biggest differences between artists who are easy to work with and those who make the process way harder comes down to one thing: knowledge. 🧠

When an artist walks into the studio and actually understands the basics, it changes everything.

If you know what compression is, what an EQ does, or how to position yourself in front of the mic so it captures your voice the way you like it, that awareness instantly makes the session smoother. 🎙️ 

And if you’ve spent at least a little bit of time learning about production, whether it’s exporting stems properly, understanding the difference between WAV and MP3, or knowing what basic plugins actually do, you’re already ahead of the game.

Now, don’t get me wrong, you don’t need to be a full-on engineer to be a good collaborator.

But at the very least, knowing that these tools exist and what their purpose is will save a lot of time.

And if you don’t know, the best thing you can do is stay open to learning. 📈

Whenever I run studio sessions, I always explain things if someone’s curious:

“Yo, this is EQ, this is a compressor and here’s what they do.”

And I’ve noticed that artists who ask questions, who want to understand, always end up improving faster and recording better music in the long run.

Because if you understand the language of production, you can give better feedback later on.

Instead of saying:

“This mix sounds weird,”

you can say:

“I think there’s too much compression on my vocal, it feels squashed.”

That one sentence makes it so much easier for an engineer to fix the problem.

And that kind of clarity only comes with knowledge.

Prepare Yourself

Whether you’re stepping into a professional studio for the first time or just running a session over Discord, the rule is the same: be prepared. 📝

If you’re working on an arrangement, don’t just show up empty-handed.

Send over the demo, share your reference, and think about what exactly you want from the arrangement.

What do you like about it? What doesn’t feel right? The clearer you are upfront, the smoother the process will be.

Now, let’s say it’s a recording session. 🎙️

If you’re going to record, especially with an engineer you’ve never worked with before, preparation becomes even more important.

That session isn’t just “time in the booth”, it’s your shot at capturing the track the way you hear it in your head.

If you can walk in and say things like:

• “Load up a new track, I want to do just the ad-libs here.”
• “Let’s go back to the last chorus, I’ve got two harmonies I need to layer in.”
• “Run that verse again, it’s not hitting right.”

then you’re already ahead of 90% of artists.

You’re steering the session, you’re shaping the outcome, and you’ll leave with a song that actually matches your vision.

The truth is, not every engineer or collaborator will automatically “get” your ideas.

Some will just do the job, maybe throw one suggestion your way, and move on.

That’s why it’s on you to come prepared.

Whether it’s a full studio session, a remote Discord call, or even just a phone conversation about a project, know what you want, be able to explain it, and you’ll make it 10x easier to bring your music to life. 🎶

Know What You Want (and Say It Clearly)

By now you’ve probably picked this up from everything I’ve written above, but it’s worth saying clearly: know what you want, and be able to say it out loud. 🗣️

Whenever I work with an artist, whether it’s the very first time or the tenth, I always try to figure out what they’re into. 

I ask them:

“What songs inspire you? What mixes do you love? What style do you want to lean into?”

And often, I’ll even push them a little: 

“Send me two or three tracks you vibe with, so I can get a sense of your sound.”

For me, that’s not just small talk.

That’s how I can take your taste, your vibe, and your references, and mix it with my own perspective.

That’s how we create something new together. 🔥

And honestly, I encourage artists to keep telling me what they want.

I can easily step into “producer mode” and start directing: 

“Do another double here, stack three harmonies in the chorus, pan them left and right, let’s add one more ad-lib at the end.”

I can do all of that, no problem.

But when the artist also knows their vision, when they can say,

“This is what I’m hearing, this is what I want to try,”

that’s when the magic happens.

Because then it’s not just me leading or just you leading, it’s both of us meeting in the middle, reacting, adding ideas, and building something neither of us could have made alone.

That’s the real win-win. 🏆

Be Open

One thing I’ve really learned over the last year and a half - working with tons of artists, both online on Discord and in person at the studio - is that it’s always better to just test an idea than to argue about it.

Instead of spending half an hour going back and forth, saying

“nah, this won’t work” or “that idea feels mid,”

it’s way more productive to just try it out. 🎛️

Load it up, record the line, add the harmony, drop in the effect, in three minutes you’ll know if it works. If it doesn’t, cool. Delete it. Move on.

That whole process takes ten minutes max, while endless debating just kills the vibe and wastes energy.

The same goes for feedback.

Personally, when it comes to my beats and productions, I don’t go chasing feedback from everyone. But I do have a couple of people I trust, and every now and then I’ll send them a track.

If they tell me, “Yo, this is fire,” it reinforces what I already felt about it, and that’s valuable. 🔥

So if you’ve got people like that in your circle, whether they’re producers, engineers, or just friends whose taste you respect, don’t be afraid to ask for their input.

Having trusted feedback and being open to quick iterations makes the whole process smoother, more creative, and honestly a lot more fun.

Respect Time and Deadlines

If there’s one thing that builds (or destroys) your reputation faster than anything else, it’s how you treat people’s time. 🕒

When you show up to a session on time, with your lyrics ready and your ideas in place, you’re telling everyone in the room: “I respect you, I value your energy, and I’m here to make this work.”

And trust me, people notice. 

On the flip side, when you’re late, unprepared, or constantly pushing deadlines, it sends the opposite message.

Nobody likes chasing files, waiting three days for stems you promised, or sitting around while you write lyrics you could’ve prepared before.

That kills the vibe, wastes money if the studio is booked, and slowly chips away at people’s trust in you.

Deadlines work the same way.

If you say you’ll send a verse by Friday, send it by Friday.

If you commit to finishing a collab this month, stick to that timeline.

Things happen, life gets messy, but communicating and sticking as close as possible to what you promised makes you stand out.

Because here’s the truth: in music, talent is everywhere. But professionalism is rare. 💎

And respecting time and deadlines is one of the easiest ways to show people that you’re serious.

When others know they can rely on you, they’ll want to keep working with you. And that’s how opportunities multiply. 🚀

Communicate Clearly 

You can have all the talent, but if you can’t communicate, every project will feel like a struggle.

Good communication doesn’t mean sending long essays or overexplaining every move.

It’s about being clear and upfront.

If you already know you can’t make it to a session tomorrow, let people know today.

If you don’t understand how to export stems, don’t just bounce them wrong and hope for the best, ask the producer how to do it right.

That one question saves everyone hours of wasted time. 🙏

And if something feels off? Say it. Don’t keep it to yourself, and definitely don’t tell everyone else around you, except the person you’re working with.

Nothing kills relationships faster than silent frustration turning into gossip.

At the end of the day, music is teamwork. 🎶

The better you communicate, the faster small problems get solved, the less energy is wasted, and the more fun everyone has making the track.

Professionalism isn’t about being perfect.

It’s about being honest, direct, and respectful in how you communicate.

Do that, and people will want to keep working with you. 🤝

Wrapping It Up

At the end of the day, making music isn’t just about talent, inspiration, or even gear.

If you come prepared, know what you want, stay open to feedback, respect time and deadlines, and keep your communication clear, you instantly become the kind of artist people love working with.

And trust me, that reputation will open the doors. 🚪

Because professionalism isn’t about being stiff or corporate.

It’s about showing that you care enough to make the process smooth, that you respect the people you’re building with, and that you treat every track like it matters. 

When people see that in you, they’ll call you back. They’ll recommend you. They’ll want you in the room again.

Talent can get you noticed, but professionalism is what keeps you in the game.

And if you combine both?

That’s when your music career really starts to take off. 🚀

And as always, if you are looking for high quality and unique rap instrumentals you can go and check out my catalog.

Take care,

Baxon 👊