How Do You Produce????

DJ Pete

New member
The hole song process can take up to 1 month to 4 months for the one song, I start off thinking about the type of song I want to produce sad, happy, up lifting energy and so on, at the same time I get into character to get into the right mod because I'am wating for a spontaneous melody to pop it to my head from this. this can happen in many ways, Dreaming, Listening to other peoples music, or when I get strong emotions or some other type of trigger.

To get these spontaneous melodies I keep a small tape recorder with me and beside me when I sleep. This hole process can take 2 weeks to 2 months and I never force it.

Next is putting these melodies together on a small program ether Fruityloops or Music 2000 which realy good for this because its really easy to use.

This is were is see what works together and put things together I usually spend about 2 weeks on this than I will move to paper drawing the tracks out on papper as if they were like real tracks on a music program.

I do this really get the little things that all add up when you make music.
Next Time to get the sounds together with a number of softsynths that I have but mostly I use my MicroWave XT, a Hardsynth. I will go about editing the sound I want for around 1 week.

The next thing I do is start building the tracks in Cubase in MIDI than record to audio. I build them up one by one until the hole song is there than I add the FXs EQ filterseeps stereo panning and the other things I want to do.

After I have the hole track its time to mix it, this takes about a day to get it right then I will leave it for a couple of days and not listen to it . And I also try and not listen to any other music at all because I want to rest my ears and I want them to be fresh when I go back to hear my mix again to see if its right. Than I turn it into one track to be exported to a wave editor.


I like to use wavelabe for this, this is were the finished track is mastered were I add EQ, compression, Reverb and stuff like that Burn it to a wave file and go and test it out to see if it sounds right, If not I will do the process again.

The hardest part for me is the Drum tracks, I think its because I am so melody minded and I never get drum Tracks popping in my head like I do with melodies.

So what's your process, I would like to hear it?.
 
That's a toughie...

To ensure that I can produce adequately, I do certain things
that help the process along very well. In no certain order here
they are, hope it works for you!

Take brisk walks daily five kilometres or less.
Drink at least two litres of H2O daily.
Eat foods high in fiber at all three meals.
Two Ex-Lax tablets in the P.M. for a B.M
in the A.M.

Good luck and happy hunting!

the Faithmonster
 
Re: That's a toughie...

faithmonster said:
To ensure that I can produce adequately, I do certain things
that help the process along very well. In no certain order here
they are, hope it works for you!

Take brisk walks daily five kilometres or less.
Drink at least two litres of H2O daily.
Eat foods high in fiber at all three meals.
Two Ex-Lax tablets in the P.M. for a B.M
in the A.M.

Good luck and happy hunting!

the Faithmonster


whats with the smart ass reply?
 
My songwriting

Well, as I read your post I have to say that I write a song much faster. When I get a melody in my head I start to think of the other parts of the song. Usually the writing part takes about 1 day to 3 weeks. And then I start to record the song and that may take time up to 2 months. Usually I'm not so self critic and I want to finish the song as quick as I can. But everybody does things on their own way...
 
I once had to write 10 surf instrumentals in three weeks.

I plugged my guitar via my Twin Reverb straight into my cassette deck. Everytime I got an idea I just recorded it.

Now this may seem like a complicated, not to mention non mobile method, but I didn´t have any recording gear and since I usually get all my (bright) ideas after midnight I was usually at home.

I still listen to the tape every now and then for more ideas.

Since I work in a studio I just record properly whenever there´s time for it. I´m very picky and it usually takes quite a while before I´m satisfied with the tracking. Then I often remix the song for days before I´m ok with it.


giggsy
 
I strongly recomend reading "All You Need Is Ears" by Sir George Martin,which is a brilliant explanation of being a successful record producer (the Beatles!).He talks about production ideas from the nuts and bolts arranging issues etc. to conceptual sound design (Sgt Pepper on a 4 track Studor).I guarentee it will change your perspective.

Tom
 
Some of these posts are interesting.

I've written some songs, but have never completed the process to disk.
Im new at this and am reading everything I can and find this thread could really be benificial to me and others who haven't done it and see the process as a complete maze with no arrows to follow.

I know my songs, been playing them for years, so I fiddle with my Boss DR 770 to find a drum beat I think might work. I play it and my guitar to see if that's really the drum set I want. If not, I continue till I find one.

Then I run my 770 and my guitar into my Behring MX 602A. Each on a seperate Line in. At this point, when the drums are playing, I'm playing he rhythum on my guitar.

These two lines are then put into my VS840GX. The volume is adjusted there and put to a Zip Disk.

Then I play it back with headphones, and once more on my guitar, except playing lead and mouthing the words, I make another track the same way.

I've been doing this on 23 songs so far. I've never been a singer so I'm kinda at a stand still on that. Been looking for a prog that can take a voice like mine and make it sound acceptable. No luck. I'm getting ready to do the bass on the songs next. I figure outta 23 songs, I might get enough songs for a CD by next June or July.

That's as far as I am with my producing or what ever I'm doing is called. I see a long looong road ahead and I'm peddling my bike as fast as I can.

From here I guess I'll run my collected songs through my Omni audio station then onto my computer to do what ever recording engineers do with Sonar.
Maybe I should think of my CD being finished by December, 02 instead of July.
 
You know when it's right...

Producing for me means stepping outside myself when I am the writer/performer.

I'll write a song and play it 'til I know what idea that song is emitting. Fine tuning phrases and guitar parts 'til I'm sure. Listening for "funny" parts that need adjustment.

In my situation, I write with only a guitar part and vocal. It's in the studio where my inspiration for production comes out.

I work with the vocal and guitar and "listen" for other things. Harmonies... Sounds... Leads...

I record all the parts I think should be there and make multiple mixes for up to a month until I'm satisfied.
 
Good post Prophet_81.
It's really interesting to hear how others work.

After you record the guitar and vocal,,,, is that all you record?
Do you also do bass and drums? Just wondering. You sound so casual in your post, ya know like you've done it many times.

I've been through Missori many times. Up in them thar hills one can find the best apple cider at those small road side stands. I don't know what kind of apples they use but it's sure good.
 
Re: Re: That's a toughie...

DJ Pete said:



whats with the smart ass reply?


My sincere apologies, DJ Pete.

I meant no offense to you or anyone, just went off on
a tangent and demonstrated my capability for ignorance.
Unfortunately I do that very well the older I become...
Again, I'm sorry for the idiotic post. Like you I carry and use
a small (microcassette) recorder for ideas and sounds I can
sample. That's a damn good idea because I forget quick! There are some good replies in here though.

Tom Hicks-

Sir George's book is a damned good read- not
only for his insight but for what ideas it can give.

Badgas-

I've started with a melody and messed around until I
found a beat for it. On two songs however it all started with a bass line, then drums. Then on six of them the melody came after I had a nice string accompaniment going. I'm waiting for two
things- starting with a beat and actually being able to sing.
I don't think a program or effects can help me as far as my
voice.

And Prophet_81-

I hafta step outside myself- I'm my own worst critic. I can
screw up a perfectly good mix or master thinking I need to "save"
it... there's where my multiple mixes come in.

I will try to stick to subject matter in these posts from here on
out. It would be a real pain for me to know that I offended
someone through something I should have left off posting.

Redfaced but grinning:o

the Faithmonster
 
How do you produce?

You need a minimum of two phone lines and a really good line of bullshit.
 
FM, what are your thoughts on prune juice? :D

DJ, relax buddy...he took the time to read your post but didn't have his whole answer ready yet.

I'm not a pro so some songs can take forever, especialy if I keep changing my mind about what I want instrumentaly. Same basic run as what you listed. I usualy lay out a quick melody on keys or guitar and then throw some drums at it. Like a painting, it starts with a sketch, gets some shading then some color (I hope).

Good luck.
 
well, uhhh...it's like this...

getuhgrip said:
FM, what are your thoughts on prune juice? :D

Since you directly asked...

Not being a purebred Trekkie, I can only hope this is correct.
In an early episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Worf
the Klingon is quoted as having said that prune juice is a
"drink fit for a warrior".

I agree.

I have a wonderful recipe for prune/vanilla ice cream. Prune juice?
I drink it straight or with Southern Comfort or vodka (has to be
Stolichnaya or other Russian import for proper effect!).
I also brew a stout with prune juice in it (recipe is available at
The Cat's Meow.com- listed under "Klingon Stout") I also
add prunes to any fruitcake recipe, and have a seperate recipe
for spiced prune cake. Lamb and pork are complimented by a
red currant/prune sauce that I concocted. When most folks find
out what they ate some are surprised. But not in a bad way.

If you have ever tasted prune juice, then tasted Dr. Pepper or
Mr. Pibb, you might think there is some common ground. Well, there is. In the original recipe prunes were used. After all, these
were the original "health drinks"... right down to the invigorating
addition of "coca leaf extract"(read here cocaine) in the ancient
pharmaceutical (yes) formulation of Coca-Cola.

Prunes are our friends...

Thanks for allowing me the liberty to rant like the old fool I truly
am and become more of with each passing day. Blessings upon your head and home!

your strange friend,

the Faithmonster
:D
 
This is gooood work.

hixmix said:
How do you produce?

You need a minimum of two phone lines and a really good line of bullshit.


This is an example of what the word "suave" means.
The Hixmeister has it down to an artform.
When I try it I come across like the dumb old turd I am.
Hail Hixmix!

the Faithmonster :D
 
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