Do you start with the melody and build around it?
Or with pads?
Do you lay out the bass and beats and jam over them?
Or do you do it differently each time?

Just curious about your methods.

For me, I do it differently each time. Usually start with a melody though, then build everything else around it.

-Heather

I start off differently every time, more or less.

Sometimes I have an idea for a hook, and other times I just have a certain pad, and some stabs that get me inspired.

Lately I have been making the main beat first, and just build everything around it.

quote:

Originally posted by Beyer I start off differently every time, more or less. Sometimes I have an idea for a hook, and other times I just have a certain pad, and some stabs that get me inspired. Lately I have been making the main beat first, and just build everything around it.

Same here, but lately I've been doing all the synth work (melodies, pads, bass) first, as I am now going for more melody driven tracks.

I start with the spine of the track, kick & bass.

I usually always throw the side chain on the bass and will use it to different depths depending on how much low frequency interference is going on.

Than I'll clone the kick 2 or 3 times. I play with the attack and release. Usually I'll have one kick hit full attack instant but will take away most of the D,S,& R. Than the second 2 I adjust the attacks so they hit later, the 3rd just a tad after the 2nd.

I've been doing this recently and all my kicks now sound clubby, thumpy and thick, no more of that woody junk going on.
I get the midi keyboard out and play around a bit to get a 4 bar bass line either on 3 or 4 different keys. Than I'll usually finagle with the bass patch to get it sounding deep and mean.

Than I construct melody from the bass line. This can take one day, it can take a week. If I want a chill melody usually closer to a day, something quick that hooks, closer to a week.

Than usually percussions before the pad. Pad I like to throw in last because pad creates an atmosphere that needs to compliment ALL the sounds. Not just 1 or 2.

I do a lot of percussion work. Layering, a lot of envelope work (very important with percussions) get soft hitting crunchy clap. Snare layering & buildups, or I'll just recruit an old one.

Than I usually change the lead synths around a bit, will maybe throw in a few extra notes. Put noise through a phaser & x/y controller for the swishes, some pitch play and flangers for a saw wave build up if I feel I need it.
Than I'll usually toy around a lot with the fx.

Adjusting compressors & limiters, reverb & delay.
Channel all my highs to an low cut equal.
Channel all my mids to a low/high cut equal.
Channel all my lows to a high cut equal.

Toy some more with levels.
Maybe add some wav fx that my vsts have no chance of ever making.

Clean things up a bit more.
Turn computer off. Wait a week.

Come back, redo the whole track or finish it. Usually the first part. =]

I useually grab a cup of water and mess with a few melodys and then throw a bassline under if i think its catchy and it is worth it to continue then i continue with few elements here and there then if i like it alot i finish the track.

quote:

Originally posted by godsendxd I useually grab a cup of water and mess with a few melodys and then throw a bassline under if i think its catchy and it is worth it to continue then i continue with few elements here and there then if i like it alot i finish the track.

.....and what becomes of the cup of water? Personally, I prefer a glass of orange juice.

i deal with the peak/hook of the track then work around that lol

___________________


Found Atlantis - Mixography [mix archive/mokumentary/my soul]?
i writed a song.

quote:

Originally posted by ******** I just wrote this one working on snares first http://williamashley.info/choochoo_25.mp3 not finished as I had to break for some supervision... and here is how it started http://williamashley.info/thestartofchoochoo.mp3

jajajajajajaj lol!!
Man, tell us more about inspirations from a snare! That's hilarious!

I think that 80% starts with an hookline (main melody).. and me too..

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quote:

Originally posted by ******** I just wrote this one working on snares first http://williamashley.info/choochoo_25.mp3 not finished as I had to break for some supervision... and here is how it started http://williamashley.info/thestartofchoochoo.mp3

That turned out great... really enjoyed that.

i generally have an idea then create airflows.

but, if your not all that inspired, one can always start with the kick and bass. get them talking and then craft your spires from there. starting with highs first can sometimes create the challenge of getting the kick to sit nicely in the mix later on.

one thing i like to do is ponder the universe before i begin working on a track.

I start by getting my arse out of the computer chair, sitting down at my keyboard, firing up a basic piano sound and playing some chords and a melody. Sometimes, I have a melody in my head already and I'll just figure it out and develop a chord progression for it. Since I usually write vocal trance, I may have to transpose the idea to fit within the range of the vocalist that I am writing the song for.

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I like to start by laying down a kick playing on every first beat of the bar. I tweak the kick a bit to make it sound as nice as I can. I tend to do the bassline first synthesised or just using congas and toms or pitched down sound. I never side chain unless its neccesary , I prefer to play with ADSR or cut frequencies. Basically I try and layer all the percussion down and once in a while ill open up a vst and hammer at the keyboard to see if I can get a nice melody going. I think its better to get ur notes down and than look for your timbre but some do the complete opposite. My biggest problem is that I always concentrate on making a nice sounding loop instead of focusing on a entire song! Doh!