18 posts
How do you guys record your own music? What sequence do you lay down tracks?
I used to do a basic drum track and then the bass first but I am finding that then limits the imagination a bit. I now create a click track with a snare of cowbell only to count 4/4 or whatever the time signature is and then do the guitar track(s) then the bass and then finally create the drum track to fit my riffs etc.
Anyone have a preferred way of working ?
I'm fairly random. Sometimes I start with a guitar idea, melody and/or rhythm. Other times I am just playing to random beats in Superior, come up with a combo I like (guitar and drums). Other times a random synth patch inspires an idea so the synth line is first. The one consistant thing is refinement. I go back and rework all the parts iteratively. I have ideas and parts sitting in their own project files. some get combined into full songs at some point, some are forgotten, lol.
I've always been curious about how others do this. I tend to use a iterative process with scratch tracks that get replaced (sometimes multiple times). Improve one part than realize that other parts now suck in comparison and need to be made better! A never-ending process to some extent. LOL
actually I just changed my process again this afternoon by creating a drum track first. It's better to groove along to but unless you create a very original drum track to groove to all riffs seem to then be created to fit the drums. If I was any good at playing drums I would buy a drum kit.....but I'm not so I won't :)
I usually compose the backing tracks in Jammer Professional or Band In A Box, and then I edit the heck outta them in Sonar. usually trashing the cheesy parts and using drums, bass , and sometimes pianos, organs, strings, and or horns. However, starting from scratch I arrange the stuff in MIDI mode, and record/create a MIDI file and lay down bass, drums, and any other rhythm instrument except guitar via MIDI. Then I use that MIDI file to render the MIDI to audio immediately with synth or samples at the beginning of any audio recording of a new project. I might also start from an existing MIDI file of a cover tune, but I always change the instrumentation if it has cheesy parts like guitar, or anything else that sounds junky. I change them from patch to patch or sample to sample till I get something I like. Sometimes I strip out MIDI data like bender info etc.
Now that said when I start composing a tune, I do it on guitar composing the chords first, then I add the lyrics, then I render the BT's to audio, I never leave anything in MIDI for long because I can manipulate/effect the audio much better than I can the MIDI data, once I am satisfied with the instrumentation.
I usually start creating a drum track and then I (try to) develop the idea over it. I hate the click ! :)
Usually I develop ideas from my weekly jam, when I go back and mix down those tracks I usually find a nugget or two. Sometimes I'll start up a click track, I use the TL Metro plugin which has some excellent adjustable click sounds, and lay down guitar or bass to that. Sometimes after I lay it down I feel like it's not got the right feel playing to the straight click, so I'll either find a groove in one of my drum libraries, or program something that has the right feel, then retrack. I'll record bass DI, either at the studio through the UA LA-610, or through the DI on my M-Audio box, then throw a compressor on it. I'll record the scratch guitar track or tracks through Pod Farm at home, then go and replace them at the studio through amps... about 50% of the time I take the DI track that's already recorded and reamp, but sometimes I want to stand in front of the amp. I'll usually track drums to the click at this point.
this is how it usually goes for me:
get a riff going from something - open tuning on the acoustic, a new scale, some song I heard, TV show or movie, a new effect (delay, reverb or something) - anything really.
try to find something to fit for drums and play some lame bass.
do rhythm guitars over what emerged as the progression.
throw away the lead riff stuff and bass.
redo the bass with the new rhythm guitars - and redo the rhythm guitars a few times.
try to fit in some drum fills and vary the main drum parts a bit... bounce the drums (render) when it sounds reasonable.
start tweaking lead tone to fit in somehow. redo rhythm guitars as needed.
start playing lead takes.
try to establish some sort of melody or something theme-like that can repeat throughout with variations but generally just play over the sections that get a lead on them over and over (and over) until something works.
once I have a few things that work (or that I thought were interesting), I try for a good take.
now I usually throw out the drum bounce and redo the layout of the whole thing.
bounce the new drum sequence, redo rhythm guitars and bass.
try to use lead takes from earlier... think to self "self, I can do a better one!" and do several more hours of takes.
when not overly unhappy with the leads... mix and bounce to mp3.
listen a lot... hate it, start over at step two above with what is now "the idea".
that's about it.
Here is how I do it.
Plug in stuff. Turn it on. Hit "record." Stop playing and hit "stop." Listen back. Decide that people will like you better if you keep it to yourself and don't share.
Rinse and repeat.
DreamTheaterRules — Mar 28, 2012Here is how I do it.
Plug in stuff. Turn it on. Hit "record." Stop playing and hit "stop." Listen back. Decide that people will like you better if you keep it to yourself and don't share.
Rinse and repeat.
Yeah, right. I've seen your book! ;) :D
Ha, this is the first time I've noticed the spider fingers thing ;D
just for kicks... here's one in progress - it's at the stage where I'm trying lead takes, just before a drum bounce. everything will get reworked or perhaps shelved. ;)
wow, just found this here....
I like it. What "mode" is this? Are you inventing new ones again? ;D
I could see the end building and getting extended into more "Sheep-like" jamming... would be good!
melodic minor... or major with a flat third.
yeah, needs lots more work - thinking about it more than playing at this point (back to the whistling phase ;))
thanks for the listen!
My current recording sequence:
1) Come up with a great idea
2) Realize I can't do a damn thing about it right now
3) Get depressed and go back to what I was previously doing. :(
CraigBert — Apr 03, 2012My current recording sequence:
1) Come up with a great idea
2) Realize I can't do a damn thing about it right now
3) Get depressed and go back to what I was previously doing. :(
In these days it's the same for me... But I've one step more.
4) What I was previously doing was far boring so I restart from point 1.
It's a tremendous loop ! :)
pretty standard for me,
jam until an idea hits. (usually not that long)
Figure out the tempo, turn the metronome on, hit record.
Work through all the parts for the song.
Edit and glue the parts into the base song.
Go in get the drums done, track bass, go back and re track rhythm guitars, rough mix.
Decide what the tune is, Vocal or instrumental.
if vocal pass along to Sue to let her get lyrics and vocal ideas going.
if Instrumental start working out melodic ideas, chopping parts or rerecording them if necessary until tune if finished.
on vocal track Sue's vocals then add solo (s) harmony ideas, etc. Re-record rehash things as needed until tune is finished.
When enough songs are done for a release, go back listen, do final mix and master. Get artwork done, give to Karl to do his Label thing and wait for release, then promote it via net radio, and start again.
CraigBert — Apr 03, 2012My current recording sequence:
1) Come up with a great idea
2) Realize I can't do a damn thing about it right now
3) Get depressed and go back to what I was previously doing. :(
I do a modified version of this:
1) Come up with a great idea
2) Record a scratch track of the idea with the voice memo on my iPhone
3) Get depressed because it doesn't turn into an actual song and go back to what I was previously doing. :(
I have a pile of banked ideas that won't seem to evolve from the little riffy bits or chordal explorations that they are. I just don't have a lot to say as a songwriter these days. I do feel like I need to force myself into actually completing something, though. Maybe I'll start with re-recording an old song.
When I was recording regularly, I'd go drums (usually a scratch track loop to start) -> Guitar -> Bass -> Vocals -> percussion or other overdubs. I did do a wood block/cowbell click track one time and sent the song off to my buddy to record drums on it. That was pretty cool. His interpretation was very close to what I would have composed for it. His fills were way more creative, though. :)
Tripper