Picking Sounds for Pop and Dance music

From the period of 2015 to 2020 I was listening to pop music every day. EDM chord progressions and pop styles were all around me. Artists like the Chainsmokers, Kygo, Calvin Harris, Tame Impala and Avicci filled my brainwaves and ultimately inspired a lot of the work that I currently make. I started using Logic Pro X, as my main DAW (Digital audio workplace) in 2021. The midi instruments that they offer for first time users is endless, as long with all of the different free plugins that are available. 

For instance, multiple drum machines that are available I will equalize and match them to what I enjoy, which allows me to repeatedly use them in the pop genre. 

Alchemy, the catalogue of synth sounds that comes with logic is perfect for dance and pop music (I’ve recently downloaded more instrument plugins to my list). Picking from the thousands of pop synths isn’t easy but i’ve been able to filter out certain ones that resonate the most with me. I then preset them and now have easy access to my own sounds at all times. I’ve also noticed, that the return of 80s sounding basses and synths in mainstream pop (Dua Lipa and the Weeknd are some examples) also have impacted my choice of sound. I try to add my own twist to it though, since I don’t want to sound generic (I hate that term).