Recreating instrumentals? Any tips?

[D-toks]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone could share some of the tips, resources, or tools they have found helpful towards becoming better able to recreate instrumentals for song covers from scratch?

I ask because I feel I am becoming overly dependent on finding backing tracks online to sing over which is frustrating at times because some less popular songs don't have available backing tracks.

So instead of feeling frustrated, I figured I need to take steps to learn how to recreate instrumentals myself. I only started thinking about the power of self sufficiency since subscribg to a guy named Will Singe on youtube who recreates all the instrumentals for his covers and makes them sound unique to him, which I feel is a hugely invaluable skill to have so I'd like to develop it now but my attempts to date have gone very poorly. Thanks!

 

[rob aylestone]

Don't quite understand. You want to create your own backing tracks? Fine, many of us do this. You need two things. Recording techniques and playing techniques. Can you play many instruments, or have access to people, who can? Then you need the equipment and recording skills? I'm guessing you have these ingredients, but just haven't done it before, or are you thinking about starting from scratch.

 

[Armistice]

If you pretend you're an 18 year old gorgeous hot female singer who desperately needs some backing tracks recorded to launch your career as a pop stripper, then the guys here will queue up to knock them out for you.

Other than that you could learn to, I don't know, play and record music, but how dull would that be?

 

[D-toks]

Don't quite understand. You want to create your own backing tracks? Fine, many of us do this. You need two things. Recording techniques and playing techniques. Can you play many instruments, or have access to people, who can? Then you need the equipment and recording skills? I'm guessing you have these ingredients, but just haven't done it before, or are you thinking about starting from scratch.

I think you're onto what I mean in two ways. Yes I can play instruments but what are these recording techniques you speak of? Also yes I'm saying I want to start from scratch with an empty project and create an instrumental myself: not an instrumental that just copies the original but an instrumental that is unique so i was thinking maybe i need to understand theory, counterpoint and such more or something other to do this because whenever i try to do this things don't happen for me. The ideas don't come and the chord patterns are not apparent to me. So in that sense I'm starting from scratch. I guess my thread could have been named tips for recreating unique instrumentals.

If you pretend you're an 18 year old gorgeous hot female singer who desperately needs some backing tracks recorded to launch your career as a pop stripper, then the guys here will queue up to knock them out for you.

Other than that you could learn to, I don't know, play and record music, but how dull would that be?

Haha I can't convince anyone I'm an 18 year old girl and I actually do want to learn how to do it myself and become self sufficient. Playing instruments is something I can do, but identifying how to make a unique, original instrumental based on the template of an actual song is something I can't really get a handle on. I'll post an example of what I'm trying to do in a sec.

 

[D-toks]

Okay...sure it's a far road but I want to be able to make a unique instrumental like this. So everyone knows what Ed Sheeran's thinking out loud actually sounds like but to be able to take a song like that and then spin the instrumental to something like what I've posted below in the event that I can't find an instrumental is what I'd love to be able to do to no longer feel restricted.

However when I try, the ideas don't go anywhere and I don't know where to go from the first chord I try to play. I just feel like I'm throwing darts in the dark with no process or understanding/rhyme or reason of how I should approach creating these songs. I feel I'm missing out on certain patterns and such that exist in making instrumentals. I have the same issue trying to create completely original songs...it falls apart at the instrumental, even if I have the lyrics and melody! Thanks.

 

[Robus]

Learn a lot of covers. It gets easier the more you do it. The basics go like this. Break the song into sections. Work out the time, tempo and chord progressions for each. If you're recording this, then set up the song with the right time and tempo and markers to divided the sections. Then pick an instrument and try to match the feel of the original. Playing along with the recording will help you there. I usually start with bass guitar. If it's a straight-ahead rock tune in 4/4, you've got it easy. If it's a funky or jazzy tune, expect it to take more attention. Focus on one instrument at a time. Listen, and then match the feel. If you can write musical notation, that sometimes helps to wrap your head around a tricky part. But ultimately, it's about listening, and then performing what you've heard. Move on to the next section and repeat. Do the same thing with guitar, keyboards, whatever. It just takes practice. People who play in cover bands get very good at it.

 

[D-toks]

Learn a lot of covers. It gets easier the more you do it. The basics go like this. Break the song into sections. Work out the time, tempo and chord progressions for each. If you're recording this, then set up the song with the right time and tempo and markers to divided the sections. Then pick an instrument and try to match the feel of the original. Playing along with the recording will help you there. I usually start with bass guitar. If it's a straight-ahead rock tune in 4/4, you've got it easy. If it's a funky or jazzy tune, expect it to take more attention. Focus on one instrument at a time. Listen, and then match the feel. If you can write musical notation, that sometimes helps to wrap your head around a tricky part. But ultimately, it's about listening, and then performing what you've heard. Move on to the next section and repeat. Do the same thing with guitar, keyboards, whatever. It just takes practice. People who play in cover bands get very good at it.

Okay. So basically you're saying split things into verse chorus bridge, get the root note for each chord change in those sections, and then improvise with say a pentatonic scale or such in time with the beat to recreate the instrumental? Also picking instruments is difficult, probably because now adays there are too many virtual instruments that come with your DAW to know if you've picked the right one. How do you typically go about finding the "right" instrument? Finally, when you say play along, do you mean try to play the singing line melody or the background music? Trying to get a gauge of where you're coming from. I can write music I guess on a staff but I don't have perfect pitch or anything to be able to "hear where the notes should go in my head" so it probably would complicate things more for me.

Great idea with the cover band thing. I feel like these type of processes are something I could benefit from observing someone else do in front of me so I can ask them questions like I'm asking here. It definitely does seem rather involved but not impossible like you've alluded to as long as one practices. The key for me though is I want to have productive practice, not practice for the sake of practice. Thanks.

 

[Robus]

I'd try playing along the the recording to begin with. Once you've figured out the key, most of the chord changes will be obvious. Then when you're ready to record, set up a click track at the right speed and try to perform the part. Don't know what to tell you about all the keyboard and synthesizer sounds found in modern pop. How close are you trying to get? If it's a carbon-copy reproduction you're after, expect to spend a lot more time auditioning sounds. If you're trying to create a cover that is reasonably true to the original but contains some of your own input, you've got more freedom.

What instruments do you play?

 

[D-toks]

I play guitar and the keyboard. However I am not very skilled at either from an improv/creative soloing perspective. I'm trying to improve steadily. I think creativity is what I'm lacking. I don't want to create a carbon copy to be honest I'd much rather make something original but I find that to take a lot more time not the other way round for some reason.

 

[gecko zzed]

The bigger picture to creating your unique version is to figure out for yourself what kind of musical story the song suggests to you, or alternatively, down which musical path you want to take the song. Once you have a concept for the song, you can then figure out what you need to do to create it.

 

[mjbphotos]

Practice practice practice. No one (I'm sure) ever told you it would easy.

 

[Robus]

I play guitar and the keyboard. However I am not very skilled at either from an improv/creative soloing perspective. I'm trying to improve steadily. I think creativity is what I'm lacking. I don't want to create a carbon copy to be honest I'd much rather make something original but I find that to take a lot more time not the other way round for some reason.

The advantage of covers is that the real creative work is already done. You're trying to create an arrangement that captures what you like about the song but works with your style and skill level. Learning tons and tons of songs is the time honored way to develop your skills, even if your goal is to create originals. The other key is to play with others. That's something I stopped doing years ago, unfortunately, because bands and career couldn't coexist in my life. It's a shame in a way. My musicianship would be farther along than it is had I continued. You seem to be a young person. Find some people. Get out and play.

 

[D-toks]

The bigger picture to creating your unique version is to figure out for yourself what kind of musical story the song suggests to you, or alternatively, down which musical path you want to take the song. Once you have a concept for the song, you can then figure out what you need to do to create it.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm still learning how to make songs my own. I think even now, I stick to trying to emulate vocals on covers rather than trying to add my own flavour to them. Again I think it may be a creative issue but also partly a failure to connect with song issue as you've alluded to.

Practice practice practice. No one (I'm sure) ever told you it would easy.

This is true. No one said this is easy, but at least it is fun despite being hard. Honestly, I've learned so much since I started taking music more seriously and there is a deep sense of gratification I get every time someone likes one of my songs or gives me feedback of what to improve upon. I may ask a lot of questions that may make me seem frustrated at times but there definitely is a lot I'm content with at the same time for sure that keeps me motivated to keep going.

The advantage of covers is that the real creative work is already done. You're trying to create an arrangement that captures what you like about the song but works with your style and skill level. Learning tons and tons of songs is the time honored way to develop your skills, even if your goal is to create originals. The other key is to play with others. That's something I stopped doing years ago, unfortunately, because bands and career couldn't coexist in my life. It's a shame in a way. My musicianship would be farther along than it is had I continued. You seem to be a young person. Find some people. Get out and play.

I have been reaching out to people in my area to help me with production, instrumentation, and even to split up vocals on songs with. Not had a lot of success trying to collaborate lately but I definitely agree that there is tremendous value in this. I am still relatively young (in my early 20's) and I do have some time, but not as much as I'd like seeing as I'm doing a masters in school right now. Also I see what you're saying with respect to creativity in covers but ah...I just haven't got my head around it yet.