Songwriting & Composition: The foundation where melodies, lyrics, chord progressions, and harmonies are created.
Arrangement: Determining which instruments play at certain times and organizing the song structure (verse, chorus, bridge).

Recording: Capturing live performances (vocals, instruments) using microphones and an audio interface.
Sound Design & Editing: Creating custom sounds via synthesizers and cleaning up recorded tracks to ensure timing and pitch are correct.

Mixing: Blending individual tracks by adjusting levels, panning, and adding effects (EQ, compression, reverb) to create a cohesive sound.
Mastering: The final stage of balancing the stereo mix and optimizing it for playback across all systems and streaming platforms. 

Essential Tools
Modern production primarily takes place in a "home studio" environment, which can be built with relatively few items: 
Digital Audio Workstation (DAW): The central software used to, FL Studio, and Logic Pro.

Audio Interface: Hardware that converts analog signals from microphones or instruments into digital data for the computer.
MIDI Controller: Devices like keyboards or pad controllers used to trigger virtual instruments within the DAW.
Studio Monitors or Headphones: Specialized speakers designed to provide an accurate, "flat" representation of sound for precise 

mixing.
Virtual Instruments & Plugins: Software-based synthesizers, samplers, and effects that expand the sonic palette of the DAW.