whats the best way on approching a tune

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Manny

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Joined
Oct 3, 2010
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Orlando/Queens Ny
hey guys right now im getting stuck on making tunes. I just finally understood logic a little bit better now and im trying to make a song on their. Once i get my loop going i just don't know where to go. After making the drum pattern and hi hat pattern i don't know if i should layer another break or go to basslines but mostly i don't know how to approach my song after making the drum loop. Sometimes if i don't get anything i go to reason cause i do better on reason but is their like Any ideas on how to over come it
 
this is a hard question to answer...

i usually start with kicks and snares, layering them and sending them to a bus, applying compression, reverb, distortion (whatever your ears approve of) to the bus.

add a few breaks, percussion/cymbal loops or patterns, apply high pass filtering liberally.

after this, i usually poke around in my sample library or try to "synthesize" a new noise (trust me, the quotation marks are necessary). you can usually find the spark for a tune here, but even if not, keep at it. don't forget, even simple-sounding dnb is made of many, many layers working together, so often your track will sound like sh*t until you have built it up.

also, youtube, youtube, youtube. just search "dnb production" or anything related to that and you won't make it 10 minutes of watching before you will be like "i gotta go try that" and fire up logic (stick with logic, you won't regret it)
 
hell yeah i understand what you mean. I'm trying to make jump up dnb and i used to use reason so it was easier than right now what i am using logic but its better in general for post processing and just clearer sound. I think my most biggest problem is sounds since i know what i want in my head but i don't know how to approach it since my synthesizing skills are pretty low since i've been working on production seriously for about 5 months. But i think making sounds is the worst part for me sadily
 
yeah, and it sucks, but it just takes time. i've been at this for five years and i'm still only semi-happy with my productions. not all gloom and doom though - it's just such a good time. even if your tracks a slow to get the professional sound, you will still get to enjoy all the moments of discovery.
 
do you know any videos like masterclasses or anything thats for jump up. I know you lfo to cutoff and you get the wobblez d00d but lol i would like to see how some people actually go on making some of their basslines like yatz type or pleasure or hazzard type basses
 
Mostly i start with a kick snare drum pattern, and search a synth/bass with a fine melody. Than i try some drums that fit the synth sound. I just mess around till i find something.
Than the inspiration starts to come from itself :).
 
Usually i start off with the main break thats going to be used throughout the majority of the tune.

Kick, snare, 5+ cymbals/hi hats. I freeze right there most of the time.

But if you play around with a synth, or start creating sounds, eventually you'll find some sort of melody.

and once you do, take it, and run with it.
 
Learning how to program your own sounds from synths was one of the hardest things to learn IMO. That being said, I never really "studied" it either, it was just one of those things I just picked up over time.

My tip is to not jump between various different synths, just stick with one for now. Once you know how one works, you pretty much got the basics down for others, as they generally all use the same algorythms to produce the sounds, it's just the user interface that differs a little.

Onto the structure. I always start with a kick, couple of snares and several hats open and closed. Build a drum loop, maybe pass a break behind it to give it that shuffle. Then I will open one of my synths (albino 3 usually at this point) and create a nice bass sound, I'll then write a fairly descent riff (or try ) then decide if it could use some filter movement, so play around with a little automation. Next I'll try and write a lead synth line to compliment the bassline.

Once I have all this working I'll generally shift the whole thing across by 16 bars and try and work an intro onto it. Then move to the break, build up to a second drop and then the outro. Once I have all that down I'll work on little FX / Risers / soundscapes / atmospherics etc.

Note: while I'm doing this I'm constantly working on EQ and effects on the various sounds throughout the production.
 
I suggest picking 1-3 synths and just stick with those and learn them inside and out
For myself im trying to learn massive and z3ta at the moment

This way when it comes time to create sounds hopefully you will be proficient enough in either synth to be useful
 
Manny said:
do you know any videos like masterclasses or anything thats for jump up. I know you lfo to cutoff and you get the wobblez d00d but lol i would like to see how some people actually go on making some of their basslines like yatz type or pleasure or hazzard type basses
Click to expand...

Reso masterclass is pure gold
Not necessarily for jump up but producing a dirty dnb style track in general
 
Krispy said:
Reso masterclass is pure gold
Not necessarily for jump up but producing a dirty dnb style track in general
Click to expand...

i think i studied reso's masterclass inside and out but i've been trying to learn massive and maelstrom since they seem to work for me the best but its just programming sounds messes me up
 
i open up reason, go thru my breaks, find one that percs me up a bit, sounds fresh to the ears, then i find another to high pass over it, then whatever vibe im getting from the drums i'll work on it. the pad is usualy my next step, or the b-line. i always always try and work my b-line to my drums taking note of the kicks etc making it smoosh but still sound individual. then the rest kinda falls into place...
Call me a noob but i don't get caught up on the technical shit as much anymore, i just make what im feeling and don't get hung up on it, if it sounds good then just go with the flow and tweak after, im usualy done with a tune in a few hours, then mixdown and tweaks a day or 2 after.
People definatly get hung up on all the intricacies i think tho, the more you work at it the more it will come naturaly... don't force things if u have an idea in ur head for a tune, then spend 2 hours tweaking and layering a kick drum then your just gonna get fed up and ur idea's is probably only half of what it was. they didn't have all this technology 15/20 years ago and those tunes still sound as fresh today.
I don't get how people can spend so long doing that crap to drums anyway... if u start on ur drums with all that shit how can u possibly tell what its gonna sound like when u add everything else? lol.
 
Thin and crispy said:
i open up reason, go thru my breaks, find one that percs me up a bit, sounds fresh to the ears, then i find another to high pass over it, then whatever vibe im getting from the drums i'll work on it. the pad is usualy my next step, or the b-line. i always always try and work my b-line to my drums taking note of the kicks etc making it smoosh but still sound individual. then the rest kinda falls into place...
Call me a noob but i don't get caught up on the technical shit as much anymore, i just make what im feeling and don't get hung up on it, if it sounds good then just go with the flow and tweak after, im usualy done with a tune in a few hours, then mixdown and tweaks a day or 2 after.
People definatly get hung up on all the intricacies i think tho, the more you work at it the more it will come naturaly... don't force things if u have an idea in ur head for a tune, then spend 2 hours tweaking and layering a kick drum then your just gonna get fed up and ur idea's is probably only half of what it was. they didn't have all this technology 15/20 years ago and those tunes still sound as fresh today.
I don't get how people can spend so long doing that crap to drums anyway... if u start on ur drums with all that shit how can u possibly tell what its gonna sound like when u add everything else? lol.
Click to expand...

i think drums are getting easier for me i think my big problem is after drums making sounds and i try not to get to hung up on sounds but it is difficult for me.
 
Manny said:
i think drums are getting easier for me i think my big problem is after drums making sounds and i try not to get to hung up on sounds but it is difficult for me.
Click to expand...

then do your b-line first, go with the flow of the break, if its a busy break do you want bassy stabs? a warm 808 sub? something a bit more drawn out with a wobble to accentuate the rhythm. once you have your sub/b-line sorted what vibe is it, is it dark? melancholy? uplifting? chilled? spend a day going thru presets and find some good examples of synths already available that suite the direction your track is going in, they are professionaly made and there for a reason, no harm in using them either. if they are close, but aren't what you want then use them as a basis to build your own!
 
Manny said:
hell yeah i understand what you mean. I'm trying to make jump up dnb and i used to use reason so it was easier than right now what i am using logic but its better in general for post processing and just clearer sound. I think my most biggest problem is sounds since i know what i want in my head but i don't know how to approach it since my synthesizing skills are pretty low since i've been working on production seriously for about 5 months. But i think making sounds is the worst part for me sadily
Click to expand...

At the end of the day you'll be judged on whether or not you can make a decent tune, not on what process you used, so don't be afraid to use samples.
 
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