creativity vs tech

co0ke

co0ke

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Jun 9, 2008
when writing a track do you jus put down everything or most of what you need and then tidy it up later (eq/levels/comp/etc), or do you make sure everything sits nicely before adding a new element?>

i do the latter, cos i can't ignore something that isn't sitting how i want it too, although i wish i could, cos i spend way to long tweaking stuff as opposed to jus creative juicing all over the wall...

how do u do?
 
Im a sucker for tech...

but I tend to lay ideas down really quick... my memory sucks so therefore I HAVE to get them sorted before there's any chance that I'll forget them.

It's gashcakes. To be honest all my ideas have been utter shit recently so I can't really moan about forgetting...
 
if i didn't do it as i went along, i'd probably be too tired of the track to go back and fix it later :lol:

i do feel the longer you've been at it, the less time tweaking you need as you'll just get it right the first time.
 
tv_g said:
i do feel the longer you've been at it, the less time tweaking you need as you'll just get it right the first time.
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As much as I'd love to agree... loop mong is a bitch and therefore I feel that you're never gonna get what you want from feedback because any one can just tell you that your stuff is shite :( The whol thing is difficult lol... happy Thursdays
 
i do a string arrangement in midi first and then then then design sounds for it. so creativity but i really cant help but to do lots of tech on the way. its an all-in-one type of way of doing it
 
for me its eq as i go aswell. its annoying doing everything in the end - and you end up spending hours to get the drums right.. better get them right from the beginning.

on the other hand, i got this tune which only has a bassline, drums and a sample and i eqed as i went on with it. now its fucking annoying me that i cant do anything to it, just have to listen to that bassline all the time cause its already so fucking sick! needs some more elements tho unfortunately :(

if it wouldnt sound so sick by now that would defo be easier..
 
I do everything as I go, always have done. Don't think that I've once mixed down after making a tune. Actually no i did, but it turned out terrible :P

But i try not to get hung up on elements. I think the most important for me is breaks! and often as well. weather it's for a ciggy or to make a coffee. my songs always end up shit when i spend more than 2 hours on a time on them.

For me the techy part of making a tune often goes hand in hand with the creative side too
 
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Phat_Sam said:
Im a sucker for tech...

but I tend to lay ideas down really quick... my memory sucks so therefore I HAVE to get them sorted before there's any chance that I'll forget them.

It's gashcakes. To be honest all my ideas have been utter shit recently so I can't really moan about forgetting...
Click to expand...

im pretty much the same way. if i get an idea for a song, i need to lay down at least an 8 bar loop. if not, im guaranteed to forget it within 5 minutes.

but heres the way i do things:

i'll lay down a drum loop. usually nothing to fancy.
whatever instrument i had in mind (reese, strings, etc)
a couple of background instruments
and usually a hi passed break of some sort.

this will at least give me the basic idea of the song so that i wont forget.
i'll then add in the midi notes that i want, or that are at least close to what i want.

then i adjust levels, eq, add reverb/delay, and basically mix it down while its in its 8 bar loop stage.

then i save and take a break, come back nd adjust as needed.


i find that by doing it this way, i can just let my creative jizz flow and spew out the rest of the track, without having to worry about eq or anything too too much.

of course its not always set in stone. most of the time ill add a new layer of some sort, but by that time the track is already mixed down, and i can just add in whatever i want, and blend it like its second nature.

plz excuse any grammatical errors. im posting from a phone

^_^
 
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i mixdown while i go along and always concentrate on getting my original idea down first. usually my idea would be the main element of the track. if it is a main melody i would get that down and create a bassline for it then build my beats and track around it, if i have an idea for an interesting beat/break arrangement i get that as good as i can and build a track around that. Might be just how my head works but i cant seem to do it any other way.
 
I mixdown along the way as well but I also do a separate mixing session after the whole thing is finished. I've said a gazillion times but it's useful to let a 'finished' tune to sit idle for a few weeks or at least some days, and not listen to it at all during that time. You will get a much more objective viewpoint towards it technically. Then your mix might turn out a lot better.
 
my process i mixdown as i go but its more important to get a vibe going, at first its more making sure levels are alright and safe then anything. Then i spend pretty much a session on drums, bass then fx/pads before i final mixdown if i ever get that for.
its the guys who master tech but have more of a creative presence that are better known producers
 
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