Don't keep a track just because it sounds good. If it doesn't fit the theme or context of the overall arrangement, it needs to go.

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We make trance; reverb is our friend.

Also it's always the least noticeable parts of my tracks that make them stand out the most (usually atmospheric pads)

Bassline and percussion are the key to any dance track.

Higher/lower bpm doesn't mean faster/slower. I have made songs at 130 that have more drive than songs at 136.

Having s specific sound for your music is good; as long as you keep it fresh.

Using different arrangement styles on the regular is great; if not necessary.

Mute the whole song; bring up to 0db; then unmute and take off .5 db at a time until you hear what you want. It allows you to hear the dynamics you're allowing to breathe as you take the track away from 0db. It's not always about being as loud as possible without losing dynamics. Sometimes you'll go a step or two lower or higher because the song just sounds better that way.

quote:

Originally posted by mfitterer1 Higher/lower bpm doesn't mean faster/slower. I have made songs at 130 that have more drive than songs at 136.

This reminded me of something I do from time to time. If your drum line seems like it needs a bit more drive or is dragging at all, try pushing the snare just a tiny bit ahead of the rest of the beat. Just push it forward a very small amount, like 1/64, 1/128 or even 1/192. This can help to give the illusion of the track constantly pushing the tempo forward and can help to make a slower BPM seem a little faster.

mix at low volumes.
dont force anything into a track.
Believe in yourself.
timing is everything.
Always think of the listener AND the dancefloor when composing melodies, mixing, devloping arrangements.

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Originally posted by derail Yes, there's no rule on minimum or maximum length of time. And it varies for a given producer, as well. Maybe they can get a song together in a day, do the finishing/polishing the next day, and it's done. Maybe next time they'll start a tune, and come back to it every now and then and let it slowly take shape. Fantastic songs have been made in a day or two. Fantastic songs have been made in a year or two. There are probably examples of fantastic songs being made in a decade or two, though we'd be talking about a different genre of music...

Its just for me personally, any track thats gone over a couple of days was never any good in the end :-/

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Originally posted by Morvan Never forget the "question - answer" concept of music. (Simple example would be a verse ending before the new beat begins with a short guitar lick at the end) Most Trance just keeps stacking stuff up without considering this.

Sry I know I'm off when it comes to guitars and guitar playing, but whats a guitar lick?

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Originally posted by DJ Robby Rox You know about as much about me as I know about your mother. And under that rationale I can call your mom a whore and be as right about her as you are about me. Yeh I made a thread about how to make a proper bassline. Thats what this forum is for you clown. And yes AGAIN I made a thread cause I couldn't install FL, because AGAIN dipshit, thats what this forum is for. ASKING QUESTIONS. The only question you won't see me asking, is why losers like you come into constructive threads like these to shit negativity everywhere. When a group of people walks into a party and some time passes there is always one person who can not have fun or be positive no matter how hard they try. And you will always hear something negative come out of their mouth like "this party sucks" or "this is boring" when in FACT, the truth is, they suck, and THEY are boring. The same way you came into this thread saying my advice sucks because in reality, YOU SUCK. Because if I went into one of your threads, and didn't like you, I wouldn't feel tempted to tell you your advice sucked unless I FIRST felt inferior to you in someway.

You speak the truth.

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Originally posted by evo8 Its just for me personally, any track thats gone over a couple of days was never any good in the end :-/

In an interview steve lawler said the same, if after a few days its not working then leave it and start over.

As derail also said its preference to evereyone how long you take. I find I can get lots done in a day or so. Other times longer, much longer. But I do find it hard to start over after a few days, i usually keep going. most times that isnt always friutful.

Think I'm gonna take evo8's 2-3 day trick and see how it works out.

Don't get caught up on a track and then get frustrated when you can't get the mix right, can't get the sound you want, can't seem to finish it, etc. If you're struggling with and something isn't right just let it go and start something new. Before you know it you'll be wrapped up in the new track you won't even remember the old one, however you will remember the important things you did at least subconciously and use that in future tracks.

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best tip I ever heard was from a magazine:

"Don't ever take your music making too seriously. Even in the slim chance you make it big, avoid getting too big for your own boots or you'll end up failing and/or looking absolutely ridiculous!"

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quote:

Originally posted by music2dance2 In an interview steve lawler said the same, if after a few days its not working then leave it and start over.

That might help to explain why Steve Lawler's tracks are always so damn repetitive and boring.

But assuming you quoted him directly or at least reasonably accurately, there's a difference between "not working" and "not finished."

Leaving yourself a 2-3 day window or even a 2-hour window and throwing away whatever is done afterward is something I recommended a long time ago; it's a great way to practice and teaches a lot of important skills (specifically, focusing on getting things done instead of tweaking everything to subjective perfection, and not getting too emotionally attached to your own material). But you then apply these skills, not the time limit itself, to production tracks.

If you've been banging away on some project for a week and it still sounds awful and you're running out of ideas then yes, throw it away. But if during one of your 3-hour practice sessions you decide that you've got a perfect booty-shaker, then throwing it away after a few days because it's not done is just stupid.

You want to cut a lot in the early stages, and not demotivate yourself by forcing yourself to work on a project that's going nowhere, but once you've separated the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, you have to actually make the bread, finish the job. That part takes time.

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