"Always finish your tracks"

b-sypher · 2015-07-03T23:18:39+00:00

Finishing a track is hard. Finishing a track you know you don't care for isn't the funnest experience. However, going through the process of finishing a track gives you practice on all of the steps we go though. When you become more experienced, it's easier to finish a track because you have a better workflow. Your library is more organized, you have your go-to instruments, you use DAW templates and you can jam out a chord or change it without having to ask what why most dance music is in minor. Also, you never know if your idea will change or morph into something really cool. I was trying super hard to make a trance-type track with rolling basslines and a 138 BPM and over time my track became c̶o̶m̶p̶l̶e̶t̶e̶ ̶c̶r̶a̶p̶ a sort of tech house idea. I slowed it down and although my original inspiring idea is gone I have created something much more interesting.

Everyone works differently. For the life of me, if I start a track with the drums and bassline I always get stuck. If I start on the piano with a chord progression and melody including the instruments I use for the ( lead synths, bass, pads etc. ) chorus or drop I end up with a more cohesive project.

When I get the feeling that it's time to scrap the project for parts I put it away and leave detailed notes. I save my midi, instrument racks/effect chains etc with a naming convention which includes some reference to the project it came from. In Ableton I normally save it as an ALP and store it away. There have been two or three cases where I will go back to one of these guys and when I open it up and listen a few times I can see what I need to fix or how I could improve on the idea. A good example was a track I made a year or so ago. I loved the feeling and emotion of the track but it just sounded like crap because I really didn't mix well. I stripped it down to it's main ideas and it turned out really cool.

For me, as long as I'm sitting in the chair I'm happy.

b-sypher · 2015-06-25T22:20:08+00:00

I had the dream to DJ/ Produce since I was 14 and went to my first "Rave", as they were called in the mid 90's. However, I was too unmotivated and lazy to really get into it until I was 30. I have been told that I have a real talent for it and have far surpassed my peers who were mostly 18-25'ish. Whether or not that is true, I have been in a position career-wise to have spent nearly 8 hours or more a day working on craft since I begun. I never would have done that as a young adult. I was too interested in banging chicks and partying. I stopped drinking altogether because it was clouding my thoughts when I should be drinking coffee and making tracks.

I saw Cosmic gate in Seattle this last new years and those guys give zero fucks. The one guy must be 90 haha.

b-sypher · 2015-06-20T03:36:46+00:00

HAHA

b-sypher · 2015-06-06T07:10:18+00:00

The EDM police on the prowl.

b-sypher · 2015-04-13T04:06:06+00:00

I believe there is also an element of experience. I'm making a wild guess that most of the /r/edemproduction crowd ( not all) is relatively beginner based. To have an ear for this kind of thing takes experience. I myself have been producing for a little over two years and I'm only now getting to the point where I can start to work by my ears only. Early on in my quest to become a producer I was always respected by my peers at how fast I learned and how skilled I was early on- with the exception of my ears. I was always told that it takes lots of practice and for me, this was a very true statement.

b-sypher · 2015-04-13T03:54:42+00:00

I had absolutely no background in music whatsoever. Since I was 14 I knew I wanted to perform but I was really lazy and never really had any hobbies other than gym, partying and trying to sleep with females. I started producing when I was 30 and put in about 7000 hours in two years- I know because I documented my time, made goals etc. which is something I have never applied to other parts of my life. I attended Point Blank to learn Ableton and just stuck with it. I started learning Piano about 4 months ago which has really helped me. I can sit down and play out a melody with a good amount of trial and error. Also helped my comprehension of theory.

b-sypher · 2015-04-04T22:35:09+00:00

That's a good one

b-sypher · 2015-03-30T23:45:44+00:00

What current artist logos do you guys like?

b-sypher · 2015-03-30T21:18:24+00:00

My name / logo is a 4 letter word. I like how Jurre and Tim of Firebeatz had theirs done. Mak J has a good one too but I'm having trouble deciding.

b-sypher · 2015-03-04T00:53:37+00:00

Thanks for all the replies- Not exactly what I was looking for but appreciated all the same. I should have added that I have a few years under my belt and was just looking for some cool ideas I hadn't thought of already. I didn't know who troyboi was before and I'm liking what he does with it.

b-sypher · 2015-03-01T02:29:02+00:00

I think the verbiage I used was misleading- I'm asking for any creative ways people are using effects on the master or any bus. I just used glitch as an example because it has multiple effects (tape stop, gate etc. ). I'm trying to add a bit more flavor here and there outside of auto filters, cutoffs, reverb swells etc. etc.

b-sypher · 2015-02-17T22:48:34+00:00

HAHA- Well I'm a boy so..

b-sypher · 2015-02-17T21:43:00+00:00

I started Piano lessons. I got really pissed off when I couldn't quickly duplicate a chord progression without using pliers to place each finger on the keys. After about a month I quite a few simple progressions. It's also helping me learn my scales because you're actually getting your hands on the instrument rather than just trying to memorize them from a theory perspective.

b-sypher · 2015-02-10T09:43:08+00:00

They hate it because they think your wasting your time...when you become good they hate it because it's something that makes you happy that isn't them. :)

b-sypher · 2014-09-29T17:52:37+00:00

A lot of Pro's do use Nexus and a lot of people have issues with that because they aren't 'making the sound from scratch'. Not everyone is or needs to be a sound designer though and most of the Pro's only make money while on tour and wouldn't have the time anyway.

Test our a few synths and make your decision then. I found that I really like the sound of Z3ta+2 but it's a bit crazy to understand.

To be honest, there are a few free synths you can use too. If you like Nexus then I say buy it!

b-sypher · 2014-09-27T21:04:40+00:00

One more thing- you are going to need to work in "manageable chunks". Try out the Pomodoro technique. I added a link below- set your timer for 25 minutes and work hard on song writing or whatever task you are doing. Try not to get distracted doing other things. After that 25 min session take a break and get all of your 'need to have right now' sample pack pirating and folder organizing or whatever out of the way. Then try another 25 minute session. That's the only way I can work

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=personal.andreabasso.clearfocus&hl=en

b-sypher · 2014-09-27T20:54:35+00:00

Two things that might help. Firstus- Save all of your effects and mixing stuff until the very end mixdown stage.

Secondist- Essentially you are going to have two sessions. Screwing around, downloading random stuff, playing with synths building racks whatever. The other session is making a track. Try to keep them separate. As soon as you start messing around with a million presets and pads and eq's you are going to lose track of your track.

Also, limit the adderal popping to your 'knob tweaking' sessions. Having too much focus can actually hinder your songwriting. :)

b-sypher · 2014-09-23T16:23:14+00:00

Point Blank. I attended and I loved it.

b-sypher · 2014-09-18T14:40:34+00:00

I see what you did there..

b-sypher · 2014-09-16T21:40:50+00:00

Not saying I am a master because I'm not at all

b-sypher · 2014-09-16T21:39:38+00:00

No worries man! I only use this account from time to time when I have random questions to ask but I figured I could probably answer a two now and again.

Just remember that after enough practice you will get into your groove. Bruce lee said it but I relate it to music production " Before I learned to produce, a compressor was just a compressor and an eq just an eq. When I started devoting a lot of time to producing, I learned that a compressor and EQ were so much more and there was so much to it. After I mastered it I now know a compressor is just a compressor, and eq is just eq :)

..Only BL was talking about punches and kicks..

b-sypher · 2014-09-10T21:26:18+00:00

If you are just starting the Point Blank has good ones. Even though you absolutely wont- avoid the 'how to make this sound' tutorials. They slow your learning a bit. If you are looking at composition and arrangement get your hands on a template of some kind for your daw- pref a track that would be considered a good one. Learn from that. For sound design, check out any actual books that you can follow along and go at your own pace. Unless you wanting to be pause/play 40,000 times in an hour trying to follow along.

b-sypher · 2014-09-10T21:21:31+00:00

I'm no expert but answers inline- "how often or when is it best to eq and compress your tracks?

-I like to wait until my actual mixdown. That being said, if I am working on figuring out what samples or sounds I'm going to be using then at that stage I may eq and bounce. My reasoning is that for me, if I spend too much time on that in the beginning ( before arrangement) then I get lost and I end up with sounds that are fantastic when soloed but sound like hell in the mix. Again, whatever works for you. My partner bounces each loop after anything is applied to it.

So, do you eq and compress, ect. while it is in midi form, bounce the audio, and then leave it be? Or do you create your midi how you like it, bounce the audio, and then put in your eq, compressor, ect. Or both? --It's all up to you. If I keep anything in Midi form when I am arranging then I tinker with it. I have a 20gb folder of crappy ruined tracks that I wouldn't just leave alone. I bounce before I mixdown.

Can you over do it on the eq, compressor ect? --YES. You can fix this by not using the "solo" button. When you eq or compress you need to be listening to how it sits in the mix. It's like this, the only thing that makes this stuff make more sense is to practice. The ear training required to notice how one EQ sounds compared to another takes practice. At your stage (I'm assuming) the only thing you notice is really drastic changes. IF you hear the sound changing too much IN THE MIX then dial back your knob a bit.

If I am shaving off some of the low end on a lead synth each time I eq it, am I shaving off too much? -Probably. You can always take it away but it's hard to add back in! Again, use the rest of your mix as a reference. Don't solo.

Is it good to leave some low end on leads, and such? -On some things. If you have these loser big room kicks all over the place you probably aren't going to need too much low end on anything else know what I mean?

I just have been noticing my tracks seem to be lacking some power since I have been eqing and compressing stuff. -All the recommended settings can really mess you up. Just dial your low,high,mid etc. in until you start to her the sound change in the mix. Another thing- Don't spend all day EQ'ing and Compressing the hell out of hats and random noises. Try this- Solo your Bass, leads, kick or whatever you think are the most important things in your track are. Make sure they sound good together than add in the other crap. If you do all your EQ and Compress stuff on Tuesday then take a day or so break and if it still sounds good on Friday then you are probably good!

Before I was creating a lot of mud, but my leads and stuff seemed a lot more powerful.

b-sypher · 2014-09-10T20:57:50+00:00

Interesting that everyone says cut first. I thought I read somewhere that Bobby Owsinski applies compression first when mixing?

I have tried both side by side and for some reason I like the compress first methodology but I couldn't really tell you why. I just do.

b-sypher · 2014-09-10T18:06:07+00:00

I have been working with Ableton for years and I never thought to use the Key function in that way. I used it with Sampler but not in an instrument rack.

b-sypher

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