composition without band

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innovine

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Hi,
I have a reasonable home studio with electric drumkit, bass, guitar, amp, and all the small bits. I am ok at playing these too, but I find it hard to write any music by myself. I enjoy stoner rock and psychedelic rock, which often sounds very much like a long jam session. Sadly, I don't have a band at the moment and am doing this all by myself, and in this case, I have a very hard time trying to write something without hearing the other instruments. For instance, it's hard to come up with a nice drum groove without hearing a bit of bass and guitar in there, and its also hard to come up with anything on the guitar unless there's already a groove going on in the background. I can improvise ok when jamming with others, but I can't get anything more than a loop going if I try this my myself. The long, flowing, ever-building structure of the tracks doesn't happen.
Any suggestions for how I might get somewhere with this? I have tried recording pieces in 16 or 32 bar sections, and going from one instrument to another, but I simply lose my way overall and can't get it to flow.
Yes, having a band to jam to is what I really need, but what can be done in the meantime, besides practicing scales...?
 
I agree that music historically is intended to be a collective effort - however, often we don't have other musicians avaiable (or willing to offer their talents for free). Perhaps we simply have a musical vision that the musician we know are not able to relate to.

I have a very decent project studio fully equipped with drums, guitars acoustic, electic and bass), keyboards and various other insturments (pedal steel, banjo, mandolin,violin, etc.) - most I can play well to very well and others I can play well enough to learn a part. I write and record original music - I normally write on an acoustic guitar or piano. Sometimes I hear other parts/arrangements but most times I don't.

So, I record a scratch track of vocal and acoustic or vocal and piano. I then start to add other tracks, normally starting with a rhythm guitar, then a bass guitar. As I'm doing this, I do start to hear other parts or I start to develop an arrangement. So, I often have to re-record a new scratch track (to reflect the new arrangement). Once I have a decent bed track - I then record a drum track. After that I start to record whatever other pad tracks I need. I then record whatever guitar solos, etc. I may need. I then record the "real" lead vocal track and lastly record whatever harmonies I need.

However, I write rather structured songs that can be layered one track at a time. Innovine has a different challenge since he/she writes a more "jam" type music that is much more dependent on musicians working with each other to take the music in whatever dirrection the collective effort may take it. I don't know if my approach could work for Innovines choice of genre - but I think it could work for most types of relatively structured genres.
 
I think the key here is you play a chord or whatever and if you listen it will tell you what to do. So no pressure just sit there and dont try. just enjoy what you have and listen to the music. Its not hard otherwise we coulden't do it. music is not meant to be a challenge. just play "C" and listen don't force it or try to make a song its all ready there you just have to relax and listen. Ps you wont hear things it more like a feeling that makes you know what to do. sometimes being on you're own means more space for you to work with.
TOM
 
I also enjoy stoner rock and psychadelic rock. :)

A looping pedal can help you write riffs. It helps to be able to quickly record a riff and hear it as you bounce around ideas in your head. I usually start by writing a cool guitar part, then figure out the bass line on my guitar, and either hum or noodle to find other melodies that fit in. Alternatively, if you have a cool idea for drums, you could record that, play it on loop and try jamming over it. Sometimes new parts will even spontaneously evolve during the recording process.
 
I put my tracks together working alone and find that the method which works for me is as follows. I get an idea of roughly what tempo I want to work in, then get a drum track sorted which is functional but not over complex. I then decide what kind of mood I'm in with regards to choosing chord types to match that mood. I then loop the drum track for a while and play a load of chords over the top until I come up with a progression which can be a verse or a chorus, then find another set if wanting two distinct melodic options for verse/chorus. Once happy with those, I play them in to see how they fit the drum track length. I decide how many verses/choruses/instrumental/bridge and so on. I then do a drum track which the right length with any frills included.

At this point I decide which instrument/s will play the chords and get them recorded over the drums. I then play in the bass parts. At this point I can start finding melodies which in turn give me ideas for lyrical content which works naturally with the melodies. Once I have all the lyrics, I record the vocals and then reflect upon what I have thus far and experiment with adding other elements to broaden out the texture of the music and convey the overall mood of the track.

Personally, I find the biggest time wasting exercise is fiddling with bits and pieces while sat trying to draw inspiration from a parallel universe. But once I have a drum track and some chords the rest of the track is created through my brain improvising stuff to go with it.
It means the outcome can be way removed from where I anticipated the music might initially go, but on several occasions I've been really pleased to finish up with a track that I wouldn't have otherwise come up with. Actually getting something done is always going to move things along better than being sat frustrated because a song won't materialise while sat half heartedly trying to find some magic chord which summons the song fairy to impart the words onto my tongue.

Good luck

Tim
 
I work in a similar way to Phrasemaker, although I always have the song written, pretty much structured, finished and ready to record. When I'm ready I'll put down a quick drum track, no fills, no cymbals, just hi-hat, snare and bass drum. The bare bones. Get the tempo for the song and start tracking with guitars, bass, keys, whatever in whatever order I fancy at the time. Sometimes I'll record a scratch acoustic track with a vocal sang live to get a feel for it when I'm playing along and tracking the other instruments.

I'm terrible when it comes to drums but I can hear a good drum beat. I've been a songwriter/bassist in a band working with a drummer and know what I want to hear but can't play it for shit. Putting little squares in boxes for midi is even more difficult but I'm learning.

Usually I'll go for a walk. Hum/sing the song to myself and work out the drums in my head, the fills I hear etc. Then I tackle the midi grid and start playing around. I always do the drums last but have a basic beat to get the tracks together and an idea of the finished sound. It's the only way I know.
 
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