I get the impression that it’s all in the preparation in the case of @Eaves agreed, but his output is too prolific to be spending days or weeks on one track. Anyway, maybe he’ll chime in about his process rather than me guessing about these things.
FWIW I don’t agree that Elektron boxes are like computer programming. I get lost in the Elektron boxes in a different, more fun way.
However, I’ve only been doing this for months, not years, and I don’t hold myself to any standards as a musician, producer, whatever. I’m a middle aged computer programmer who loves music.
Maybe this is my workflow for making “music” in an Elektron set up:
jam (this is the noodle/creative/trying to express a feeling/discover a feeling bit)
arrange, where the jam has to take shape into at least one part, maybe two
expand (use another instrument, for me A4 then AR or AR then A4)
Play it, learn to perform it as single take
record it
listen and take notes
revise and re-record (repeat until bored)
stick on soundcloud and never go back to it, who cares?!
Only stage 5 and 6 are on the laptop
As another 'naut said in another thread, the above is a funnel, not everything gets through every step. But with most probems the deal is expressing what the issue really is. I have no goal beyond enjoying and getting “better” (whatever that means)
What are you trying to achieve? If you want polished music you’ll have to either polish (which if you do, you will get better at/faster at) OR pay for polish OR find a collaborator who likes to polish.
Maybe you don’t want polished music? Everything sounds so pristine and over produced anyway.