One common problem with most amateur productions is that a synthesized drumline may sound 'stiff.' This all boils down to natural dynamics when you compare it with a recording. This can be simply remedied by taking your 1-bar loop and turning it into 4-bars, and shifting the beats over a few milliseconds. You have to listen carefully, however, as you have to match the drum beats with any other elements in the track. In certain positions the drum will clash with other waveforms being played and increase the muddy sound, while in others it will breath through. This comes down to the unfortunate limits of technology, as there is a 96Db cap in the bitrate. If two waves acting in similar fashion cross the same path, their Db count will add to eachother and cause clipping. Creating the proper offset will avoid this and the waves will bounce opposingly, allowing for more sound information to pound through. Beyond this, you can create multiple different offsets that work to create an organic rhythm within your 4-bar loop.
On this note, I would also like to cover some EQing basics. You may notice when producing that there will be some instruments that clash in frequencies. In other instances, you may just want to boost certain frequencies to make a sound 'pop.' Whenever you make an increase in one instrument, make a similar cut in the second instrument that clashes. Use a middle to high Q setting whenever you make a boost, but with the cut always use a very low Q. If you do not use a low Q on the cut, you will produce a hollow sound that only damages the instrument.
In my time working with music, I noticed that some producers prefer to only perform subtractive edits on their EQs. When there is a lot going on in a track I see this being a smart move. Experiment to see what sounds best to your ears. More importantly, every track is different. There is no perfect formula that can be used as a generalized solution. Practice makes perfect - and understanding what compression, reverb, delays, EQs, etc. does allows you to know exactly when and how to use them to come up with the cleanest sound possible.
