Hi guys, just wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks on work flow?
How many of yous have set up templates for example and would you use them on a regular bases?
My template - Simple:
A couple of different sidechain patterns (muted).
Have a drum machine on a channel.
2 blank midi channels.
Big Reverb on the master (wet/dry set to 0% for fx).
Same Big Reverb on one send, so that I can send sh!t to it.
Autofilter on the master to take out the lows.
Utility plug (turned off), set to 0% for mono checking.
Voxengo Span at the end of the master line, so that I cant check the freq’s.
I have all of these things mapped to my Midi Keyboard so I can tweak 'em or press relevant buttons. I also have scenes 1 - 16 mapped to my drumpads on my keyboard. Thats my template.
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I used to think that the reason why I wasnt making full tracks was cos of “bad habits”.
It was more than that. It was a confidence thing & also that I’d got so bogged down in the process that I’d totally forgotton about the music. Finding out about about “good habits” was not gonna make a blind bit of difference to anything. Organising samples, templates and buying new plugins was not gonna do anything really. Not saying any of this stuff to you directly Mate (please dont take offence 
), but I’m just thinking about what would have been running through my mind when I’d be reading threads like this in the past. Just incase anyone stumbles upon this with a similar problem to me.
Its a doubled edge sword - you do need to have lots of knowledge, and also must be able to produce something with it. Experimenting is part of the process - you cant structure creativity.
Make a template for your brain, not DAW.
Feel the vibe. Keep it simple. Make that your default. No pressure! 
Everything after that (if there is something) is a bonus 
I feel like templates save time, but they almost limit your creativity. Think about it. If you are opening the same file every time when you start a track, don’t you kind of already have the same mentality? Then you end up going down the same route, using the same fx techniques and so on.
It might be a bit more work to have to open certain elements everytime you start a new track, but atleast that way you’re in a different mindset everytime and you might add different types of plugs depending on the sound you’re trying to achieve.
I would say the furthest you should go with a template is what ICN said. This is cause he doesnt really have anything that will give him a certain sound, its more just plugs that producers always use. (ie reverb on the master so that everything sits in the same space, spectrum to view your mix etc…)
I for one just use a basic mastering chain (mix-gel compressor, slight bass heavy EQ, limiter, spectrum)
This is just my opinion, take it or leave it 
Hope it helps a bit though
Ok I have one pump channel (basically a silent kick) for side chaining
10 Audio channels - with an eq 8, compressor, and span
5 midi channels with the above but with simpler at the front
5 midi without simpler
1 send with short delay
1 send with long delay
1 short reverb
1 send long reverb
2 send really dirty free reverbs
1 send exciter
Same as ICN on the master
For remix work the same but with 25 Audio channels
I just wing it . heheh
anyways in cubase you have an option to save FX settings . and the whole enchilada.
[quote]alinenunez (20/11/2011)[hr]I just wing it . heheh
[/quote]
we know
I use for Ableton:
1 Drum rack using NI Maschine
1 Percussion Group composed of 7-8 percussion tracks sometimes using Maschine
1 Bass track
1 Lead Group composed of 2 tracks usually an atmosphere and the lead
1 Break track composed of a few different samples i use in the break using Maschine
1 FX Group composed of 7-12 Fx samples using Maschine
5-6 Return tracks using a compressor, 1 delay, 3-4 Reverbs some used with Maschine
Master track i use a compressor, EQ and a Limiter used with Maschine
Haven’t got a template either.
It’s not like I have to make a track a day. I have a spare minute or two to add the sidechain channels, reverb returns, etc.
Just start with an idea and work to the end. As soon as you got a loop of say 4-16 bars you got to start the arrangement. Along the way you will add stuff. Remove redundant things.
My template is simple I have a impulse on one midi track and that’s it lol
I dont really use templates, then I end up doing the same thing over and over again. Clean program every time:D.
D Ramirez said something useful about using a Ghostrack, its great for your workflow if you get stuck in A writers block. Putting a full track that inspires you on one channel so you can follow the arrangement and ideas for lets say the breakdown or some simple fills.
also to speed up your workflow, create some midi files and presets when your lacking energy or inspiration, just mess around but save the files. Once you get stuck in a song one day you go back to those files and see if you can put 2 songs together.
I’ve got so much stuff lying around that’s useful but never used before. Never had a writers block either because of those files. It helps me to create tracks very fast while they are still completely mine. So i guess its really good for my workflow 