Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
Hello,
Often I find myself with an inspiring sound, could be a bass patch, or recently I've been exploring resampling so could be hit/texture/note from that process, or a vocal, chord, note, whatever - I've made something that makes me go 'yeah that could go somewhere'.
But then at this point I tend to get stuck with no real direction to whatever I come up with from here on. Often it ends up feeling like a mix of random elements rather than a track with a clear hook/mechanic/subject/whatever.
I was wondering if anyone can share their process or and tips and tricks at this stage that helps them turn the inspiration into a track?
I have never been one to 'hear' a track before I make it, I usually get inspired by a sound and go from that point onwards.
Cheers
Often I find myself with an inspiring sound, could be a bass patch, or recently I've been exploring resampling so could be hit/texture/note from that process, or a vocal, chord, note, whatever - I've made something that makes me go 'yeah that could go somewhere'.
But then at this point I tend to get stuck with no real direction to whatever I come up with from here on. Often it ends up feeling like a mix of random elements rather than a track with a clear hook/mechanic/subject/whatever.
I was wondering if anyone can share their process or and tips and tricks at this stage that helps them turn the inspiration into a track?
I have never been one to 'hear' a track before I make it, I usually get inspired by a sound and go from that point onwards.
Cheers
Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
If i make a sound that inspires me first, usually ill hear in my head how i think the track should go. If not, ill put the sound to one side and solely focus on drums and groove.
Ill play around with groove and sound/texture of the drums and then start to see what works with the inspiring sound. Once you have them things sorted, the arrangement falls into place.
Ill play around with groove and sound/texture of the drums and then start to see what works with the inspiring sound. Once you have them things sorted, the arrangement falls into place.
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Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
You could try to fill out your loop with some random raw sounds and start chipping away at the ones that don't quite fit, when I do this it usually helps to get a clearer picture of where the track wants to go. Another advantage is that it makes it easier to delete parts when you have a better idea since you haven't gotten 'attached' to your ideas.
how far do you want to go
Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
Most of my tracks start just with a single chord. Then I duplicate that, transpose it, change the notes a bit, make a second chord from it. Change the envelope and filter, put some reverb on it, make a pad out of it. Put an arpeggiator in front of it and make an arp out of it. Put reverb on it, resample it, make an atmosphere out of it. Resample, put it in a sampler, make a quick stab for fills out of it etc. One of the big advantages of working in the box with mainly MIDI IMO, you can quickly duplicate anything while retaining full control over everything.
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Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
I just lay out a 32 bar loop and try to fill it with elements that work well together, then I go back and spread them out over a loose structure of a track. That's usually where it dies as I don't come back to it, lol.
When I'm done I render out all the stems and put them in a folder called grave yard.
When I'm done I render out all the stems and put them in a folder called grave yard.
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Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
I work a number of ways.
If I have created a sound I like then I try and pick out any natural rhythm inside of it and then make a beat to go with it.
Or I pick out complimentary melodies with a sound that roughly fits and make a melodic part then jank that sound until it fits.
Usually a good sound starts creating ideas and it just snowballs. If that doesn`t happen then I don`t consider it to be a good sound and move on.
If I have created a sound I like then I try and pick out any natural rhythm inside of it and then make a beat to go with it.
Or I pick out complimentary melodies with a sound that roughly fits and make a melodic part then jank that sound until it fits.
Usually a good sound starts creating ideas and it just snowballs. If that doesn`t happen then I don`t consider it to be a good sound and move on.
Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
I think you are addressing two issues here. How to fill sonic space and how to fill time.
If you have, say, a bass patch that you like, you could proceed by looking for elements that fill the remaining frequency spectrum that won't clash with the element you already have.
Regarding a hook or theme, one approach is to think in terms of phrases, i.e. call and response. This relates to the arrangement of your elements over a given period of time, like 1-8 bars in order to create a hook. Your synth line poses a question, the chord stab gives the answer, for example.
That's of course not to say that this is the only valid approach. Just one of many.
If you have, say, a bass patch that you like, you could proceed by looking for elements that fill the remaining frequency spectrum that won't clash with the element you already have.
Regarding a hook or theme, one approach is to think in terms of phrases, i.e. call and response. This relates to the arrangement of your elements over a given period of time, like 1-8 bars in order to create a hook. Your synth line poses a question, the chord stab gives the answer, for example.
That's of course not to say that this is the only valid approach. Just one of many.
Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
This is kind of where I am - except there is a stage of viciously bashing the buttons trying to make it work before grave yard-ing the tracknomadjames wrote:I just lay out a 32 bar loop and try to fill it with elements that work well together, then I go back and spread them out over a loose structure of a track. That's usually where it dies as I don't come back to it, lol.
When I'm done I render out all the stems and put them in a folder called grave yard.
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Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
For me its a matter of time: I don't have a lot of time to work, so I usually don't have enough time to finish a track, plus I don't get a lot of time in the studio in general, so I usually don't go back to a track before I'm over it. I have been refining my working methods to work faster, so eventually I think I will be able to write a complete track in one session, then just go back and master it later and be done.Plyphon wrote:This is kind of where I am - except there is a stage of viciously bashing the buttons trying to make it work before grave yard-ing the tracknomadjames wrote:I just lay out a 32 bar loop and try to fill it with elements that work well together, then I go back and spread them out over a loose structure of a track. That's usually where it dies as I don't come back to it, lol.
When I'm done I render out all the stems and put them in a folder called grave yard.
Well, at least that's what I am aiming for.
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Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
One thing is to make your elements in the track fit and harmonize. The other thing is arrangement, having an idea where you derive your song structure from.Plyphon wrote:Hello,
Often it ends up feeling like a mix of random elements rather than a track with a clear hook/mechanic/subject/whatever.
Cheers
If you got ONE good element, don't add all the others you'll need at the same time. Add only one more and work on this until it's really good and fits. Then go on.. Often people add kick, hihat, percussion, ... at the same time, just because you gonna need it. But that makes it hard to get elements that are based on each other and that are linked.
Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
Thanks Root (And everyone else) -
I tend to make some drums, then try and find my main element, then turn it all back on after - maybe I should make my main element (Whatever that may be) and then build drums around it.
Cheers all.
I tend to make some drums, then try and find my main element, then turn it all back on after - maybe I should make my main element (Whatever that may be) and then build drums around it.
Cheers all.
Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
That's really good advice, actually. I've gotten into the habit far too often of starting out with a kick or percussive loop or crunchy synth riff (or a combination of any/all) and then just plopping on any old generic sounding off-beat open high hat pattern or simplistic bassline - if only to give the track a more solid and "complete" sounding structure - rather than sticking to my original 1/2 sounds and making sure they sound great and approximately what I want, and then moving from there. I'll have to focus more on making sure my source sounds are great and I'm happy with them from now on and then progressing to the next element, instead of rushing to add more content that may just be half-assed. Great tip.Root wrote:One thing is to make your elements in the track fit and harmonize. The other thing is arrangement, having an idea where you derive your song structure from.Plyphon wrote:Hello,
Often it ends up feeling like a mix of random elements rather than a track with a clear hook/mechanic/subject/whatever.
Cheers
If you got ONE good element, don't add all the others you'll need at the same time. Add only one more and work on this until it's really good and fits. Then go on.. Often people add kick, hihat, percussion, ... at the same time, just because you gonna need it. But that makes it hard to get elements that are based on each other and that are linked.
Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
The only way I can really describe my method of working is, imagine you have a fuck off canvass and several pots of paint. And a scalpel . I then throw on the paint and start to carve out some kind of picture. Sometimes it works most of the time it doesn't.
But what I'm really trying to say is I have to throw it down quick, get the vibe going and then perfect it later. I spend more time tweaking than anything else, but it's done at the end of the process. Not the beginning.
But what I'm really trying to say is I have to throw it down quick, get the vibe going and then perfect it later. I spend more time tweaking than anything else, but it's done at the end of the process. Not the beginning.
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Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
I'm 100% guilty of this tooSFBM wrote:
That's really good advice, actually. I've gotten into the habit far too often of starting out with a kick or percussive loop or crunchy synth riff (or a combination of any/all) and then just plopping on any old generic sounding off-beat open high hat pattern or simplistic bassline - if only to give the track a more solid and "complete" sounding structure - rather than sticking to my original 1/2 sounds and making sure they sound great and approximately what I want, and then moving from there. I'll have to focus more on making sure my source sounds are great and I'm happy with them from now on and then progressing to the next element, instead of rushing to add more content that may just be half-assed. Great tip.
And this below is often the reason for what SFBM describes above...
Mslwte wrote:
But what I'm really trying to say is I have to throw it down quick, get the vibe going and then perfect it later.
Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
Yeah, last night I had a go at starting with a kick, then really making my main synth gel with the kick, and then and only then unmuting the claps/hihats etc.
Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
One way ive been able to overcome the stuck in a loop problem is to put all the incidentals in first. So an impactful sound on the start of every 32 bars etc. then a random Porc somewhere in between with lots of verb etc etc. before even thinking about a kick drum.
I was finding that when I began a track with just kick synth hihat texture etc I couldn’t keep interest for large amounts of time.
With the incidental/random elements already in place it bridged gaps by default once I started really working on the core elements. Even if they are just placeholders to begin with.
I was finding that when I began a track with just kick synth hihat texture etc I couldn’t keep interest for large amounts of time.
With the incidental/random elements already in place it bridged gaps by default once I started really working on the core elements. Even if they are just placeholders to begin with.
Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
Yeah, that is really good advice. Going to try and take that onboard.Root wrote:
One thing is to make your elements in the track fit and harmonize. The other thing is arrangement, having an idea where you derive your song structure from.
If you got ONE good element, don't add all the others you'll need at the same time. Add only one more and work on this until it's really good and fits. Then go on.. Often people add kick, hihat, percussion, ... at the same time, just because you gonna need it. But that makes it hard to get elements that are based on each other and that are linked.
What I am trying to do is if I create something that I think could go somewhere is to find another part which is equally as interesting that compliments it, perhaps in call and response, or just to keep the first part interesting. Perhaps in a different time signature. One of these days I might even succeed with this
Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
Lately I've been making nice patches on a synth. Saving them.
Turning on the mpc. Load up some samples. Do a bit of drumming. Copy some bars to 16. Make some tracks to turn on/off, for claps, hats, Porc etc..
Make some tracks for midi. Hit some synths. Use my patches or make something new. Record it in. Turn them on/off. Play with filters.
Wiggle my ass.
Turn everything off. Nothing gets recorded. Feel happy. No pressure.
Really like the MPC / no computer thing. It's all on vibe. No scope to get in too deep with eq or anything. It sounds rough.. but it's good not getting bogged down.
Turning on the mpc. Load up some samples. Do a bit of drumming. Copy some bars to 16. Make some tracks to turn on/off, for claps, hats, Porc etc..
Make some tracks for midi. Hit some synths. Use my patches or make something new. Record it in. Turn them on/off. Play with filters.
Wiggle my ass.
Turn everything off. Nothing gets recorded. Feel happy. No pressure.
Really like the MPC / no computer thing. It's all on vibe. No scope to get in too deep with eq or anything. It sounds rough.. but it's good not getting bogged down.
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Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
I gotta get a better hand on using my MPC. I’ve not been able to spend a lot of time learning it beyond getting all this MIDI shit to function.Críoch wrote:Lately I've been making nice patches on a synth. Saving them.
Turning on the mpc. Load up some samples. Do a bit of drumming. Copy some bars to 16. Make some tracks to turn on/off, for claps, hats, Porc etc..
Make some tracks for midi. Hit some synths. Use my patches or make something new. Record it in. Turn them on/off. Play with filters.
Wiggle my ass.
Turn everything off. Nothing gets recorded. Feel happy. No pressure.
Really like the MPC / no computer thing. It's all on vibe. No scope to get in too deep with eq or anything. It sounds rough.. but it's good not getting bogged down.
www.soundcloud.com/nomadjames
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over." - Hunter S. Thompson
www.nomadjames.com
Pittsburgh Ableton
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"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over." - Hunter S. Thompson
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Re: Strategies to go from an inspiring sound to a track?
I know we’ve discussed this before Crioch, but what MPC are using again?
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"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over." - Hunter S. Thompson
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