Diversity

You might be surprised to learn that the big studio sound you like isn't just a byproduct of a big studio. Similarly, it's not just a product of expensive gear understanding that can really help you in your productions. I remember when I got my first nice recording microphone. After the adrenaline wore off, I realized it wasn't the silver bullet I thought it was gonna be. This is the frequency response chart for a Neumann U 87. It's an iconic mic coveted by a lot of pro studios. Notice that this mic has a pronounced boost in the 5-6k range. That's neither good nor bad, it just is. But a good producer in a nice studio isn't necessarily using one mic and they're not using one singer.

They're not using one preem because when you stack 30 vocals using one mic, the idiosyncrasies of that mic began to multiply. And before you get mad at me, I'm not telling you to go get more stuff. I'm telling you to diversify your recording process wherever you can. Don't just play through the same amp because it's the best one. Stop using the same instruments, the same plugins, that vocal chain you scrolled by. It's tired. Change your recording position in the room because just like everywhere else, inclusivity is important to music production. And it's important because it creates diversity, and diversity just makes a better product.