Hi All,
I often struggle with ideas or knowing where to start with my original tracks so I was wondering where you guys start off with your tracks?
I have made quite a few tracks using samples from other tunes which have been ok but I’d like to make something original…
Do you plan it out or just let things evolve? Do you make the main tune with all parts playing first and then work backwards from there? I’d love to hear your different methods of getting something going from scratch.
Cheers,
Si
[quote]simon-s (25/07/2010)[hr]Hi All,
I often struggle with ideas or knowing where to start with my original tracks so I was wondering where you guys start off with your tracks?
I have made quite a few tracks using samples from other tunes which have been ok but I’d like to make something original…
Do you plan it out or just let things evolve? Do you make the main tune with all parts playing first and then work backwards from there? I’d love to hear your different methods of getting something going from scratch.
Cheers,
Si[/quote]
myself personally i make a phat loop say 16 bars and play it like it was live and if it sounds good i then i mix the the track from there !
usually i’ll just sit down to try and learn something and get carried away with it. my tracks are not that great but i think you can learn more from finished track (no matter how good or bad it is) compared to just making an 8 bard loop.
if you make a killer hook along the way, you can always go back and revise your ideas and turn it into a full blown track.
[quote]simon-s (25/07/2010)[hr]Hi All,
I often struggle with ideas or knowing where to start with my original tracks so I was wondering where you guys start off with your tracks?
I have made quite a few tracks using samples from other tunes which have been ok but I’d like to make something original…
Do you plan it out or just let things evolve? Do you make the main tune with all parts playing first and then work backwards from there? I’d love to hear your different methods of getting something going from scratch.
Cheers,
Si[/quote]
I don’t know how everyone else tackles writing a tune. But usually I start with the drop/chorus whatever you want to call it, the biggest part of your tune. I start here because, well it just seems most logical. What’s going to be easier Writing an intro, then making up another new idea, then another new idea then another and another…etc Or making one big idea and reducing it to create the other sections? I feel the second. Strangely writing this way helps flow too, there are rarely bad transitions when you write this way. -I find anyway.
If I’m writing a drop I tend to start by picking a key, then a chord sequence in my pads, maybe something like 6-1-3-3 with each of those spanning over an entire bar, so I’d have a 4 bar sequence, then I’ll work on maybe a piano part over the top, something simple, a melody line maybe, then I start working on a drum part, then a bass line - the reason I do drums first is so I can work on syncopation in my bass line using them as a guide.
When the drop’s done. I tend to work on an intro. I’ll maybe simplify the drop somehow, maybe take out all the instruments except the pads and some hi-hats or something, or alternatively instead of going 6-1-3-3- as I do in the drop, I might just go 1-3-1-3 or do something similar.
When I have the intro and the drop down I start working on a breakdown/mid section to go between drops. Then I just copy and paste my drop, then copy and paste my intro as an outro.
When all that’s done it should look something like this for me
16 bar intro
32 bar drop
16/32 bar mid section
32 bar drop
16/32 bar outro
When I have the structure down I start really working on the details. Filtering drum parts in or out. Adding more detail to the second drop…etc
I always have an idea in my head or will have seen something or a technique or something. Say it’s a Lead sound, I’ll make a similar sound adjusting to taste, then I’ll develop a bass and a few melodies to go with it. Then I’ll lay down some drums, get a nice loop rolling over 8 bars, then I’ll think about an arrangement and what I want popping out of the loop. Then I’ll develop a track, it’s at this part things usually fall apart for me, lol. But I think the best way to work is to develop an idea over 8/16 bars, if it sounds tight it’s worth going into track mode, otherwise dump it and store everything you’ve learned for the next project. I think everyone develops their own way of working, as with most things in music, there is no right ways,just common ones.
Hope this helps.
Danny.
Really depends, i may start with a loop and build around that, or a riff i made up and build around that. My most recent was just after creating a bassline i liked i moved on from that.
I think the easiest way to do it is, how SVD does it !
Cheers
Start off with 16 Bars Egg?
1.Kit Kat
2.Crunchie
3.Mars
4.Snickers
5.Bounty
6.Tracker
7.Topic
8.Aero
9.Toffee Crisp
10. Curley Wurley
11.Double Decker
12.Galaxy
13.Flake
14.Milky Way
15.Wispa
16.Twix
Sheeeet… I’d be on the Jaxxx for a week after eating all them Man! :hehe:
[quote]roben (25/07/2010)[hr]Really depends, i may start with a loop and build around that, or a riff i made up and build around that. My most recent was just after creating a bassline i liked i moved on from that.
[/quote]
Can’t believe I haven’t seen this, I work in a very similar way, with all my drums in the EXS24 and what not.
Hey Simon, welcome to the Site! 
I used to make beats first, but always found it really hard to strip the loop right back to stretch it out.
Now I’m trying to start off with a musical idea & not worry about the beats at all.
As I stretch the tune out, I add whatever hat or perc etc… as I need.
Everyone has their own way of working… so what works for me might not work the best for you. Try a few & take a little of the best from each.
This seems to be working for me now… but the only problem now is actually finishing the track. I’m getting between 1.2 or 3.4 the way & I make dinner or go to bed or whatever (never make dinner in bed… :hehe:).
Anyway… Find it v.hard to go back after a few days.
Wish I had the time to do 12hrs straight & get 90% of the structure done etc…
[quote]ICN (25/07/2010)[hr]Start off with 16 Bars Egg?
1.Kit Kat
2.Crunchie
3.Mars
4.Snickers
5.Bounty
6.Tracker
7.Topic
8.Aero
9.Toffee Crisp
10. Curley Wurley
11.Double Decker
12.Galaxy
13.Flake
14.Milky Way
15.Wispa
16.Twix
Sheeeet… I’d be on the Jaxxx for a week after eating all them Man! :hehe:[/quote]
hahaahahaahaa:)
Depending on what i feel like making i either start with a sound i like and quickly nock up a two bar loop, then slowly build upwards from that, by adding a basic kick and snare. or whatever… then stretch it out to 4 bars, then 8. Then get the basic structure of a track down and start expandign on that.
Or if i’m using a sample i’ll get the loop I want and build from there in a similar way.
[quote]egg2 (26/07/2010)[hr][quote]ICN (25/07/2010)[hr]Start off with 16 Bars Egg?
Sheeeet… I’d be on the Jaxxx for a week after eating all them Man! :hehe:[/quote]
hahaahahaahaa:)[/quote]
I start with a kick drum!
I start by finding a group of about 10-15 samples that work well together, then make a drop, and work backwards from there.
I find it really hard to get inspired from just a kick drum.
Get a midi keyboard, then a cool synth like Sylenth. Find a few cool loops you like and play around with your synth over that, either as a bassline or as a lead synth.
You’ll start creating grooves you like, then go from there.
[quote]onetwoseven (26/07/2010)[hr]I start by finding a group of about 10-15 samples that work well together, then make a drop, and work backwards from there.[/quote]
Thanks everyone, there are some great suggestions here. Definitely something to go on here. Thanks for your time.
PS What is a ‘drop’?
Cheers,
Simon
8 bar kick loop add snares/clap then HHt
Start messing with a sub bassline
Add synth stabs etc
Then delete the lot thinking its s*ht
Start process again 
[quote]simon-s (26/07/2010)[hr][quote]onetwoseven (26/07/2010)[hr]I start by finding a group of about 10-15 samples that work well together, then make a drop, and work backwards from there.[/quote]
Thanks everyone, there are some great suggestions here. Definitely something to go on here. Thanks for your time.
PS What is a ‘drop’?
Cheers,
Simon[/quote]
When a track breaks down, then builds up, and kicks back in. The part when it kicks back in is a drop.
[quote]slender (26/07/2010)[hr]8 bar kick loop add snares/clap then HHt
Start messing with a sub bassline
Add synth stabs etc
Then delete the lot thinking its s*ht
Start process again :P[/quote]
Yes…that’s about the size of things for me 