Future Producers - Theory, Composing & Sound Design

Article: Stereo Width Tricks and Tips

=Angelo= — Tue, 21 May 2013 04:24:43 GMT

With these stereo width tricks, you can get your sounds jumping right out of the speakers and surrounding the listener. Questions we answer:

How to get stereo width by offsetting the left and right side
How to layer two sounds horizontally for maximum interest and width

Click here to check out the free article, complete with audio examples for each step!

How to create some shaker/percusion like this? HELP!

itzdlo — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:59:48 GMT

Song Example - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKjJ_Syho_o

Im wondering how to create a percussion element such as the one in this one. It sounds like a shaker with coins in it or something. Either way it sounds like its moving up and down. I cant identify the percussion they used, it almost sounds like a tambourine mixed with a shaker. Anyways, all the help is most appreciated. My primary question is how do I create elements that sound like shakers / tamborines. They have a open feel, very loose, but I feel like its hard to imitate that in drum processing. Am I over thinking this? Of course I COULD record a live element, but is there a way to do this via processing? Hope the answer to this helps me as well as others! Thanks FP.

5 Free Chord Progression Maker

BangOnPads — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:27:01 GMT

Lately I felt very limited when it came to making more melodic stuff.
I've never been classically trained in music theory and it can be very frustrating at times.
On my way looking for a quick solution to improve my skills, I came across some kind of chord progression maker.

Unfortunately that thing wasn't really working for me due to it's rather shitty implementation and I was quick to reach limits again.

Well I put some effort in it and have been researching the web for better solutions.
I guess I found some.

These free website-based tools are really helping me improving my music theory and I don't want to miss them anymore.

Thought I share this with you, since you might have the same problem:

5 free chord progression maker

Also if you know any other chord progression generators that I didn't cover - feel free to discuss below! :D

How to get epic sounding melodies

I.C.E. Prod. — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:25:12 GMT

I have been working on trying to get something epic and this is what i got (the piano melody would sound way more epic on brass)

But ive been bumping these to songs recently because they are just plain epic, so my main question is how do you get melodies to sound that epic. is it the chords or is there a specific scale to use? thanks for your help and enjoy the two songs below ;)

stopping everything and start studying other genres?

dmajor100 — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:19:06 GMT

Ive decided to kinda do a experiment these next two months and listen to every genre and study them. I wanna study song arrangments,instruments,mixing,effects, and see if this will develop me into a better producer/engineer. When i was a teen i used to buy music every weekend and listened to it stoned and feel into a ephoric state and was inspired how producers made that. Honestly i feel way out of love with music but still striving to be a unique producers and succeed were others fail in originality and this is why im doing this. Classical,country,jazz,80s,70s,metal,dancehall even more will be studied over and over again to find a hidden influence that i never had and might open crazy ideas for success. So what do you think of this idea?

can i become a good musician in a few yrs?

dmajor100 — Sun, 19 May 2013 06:21:02 GMT

Today i took a vow of practicing piano everyday and mastering as much as i can. Im starting off by mastering every scale and most inversions for starters and after i might get a teacher for other studying. Im not trying to be a pianist but rather like my favorite producers such as ryan leslie,bryon mcknight,pharrel,scott storch who all play piano. What im curious about how long will this take and what must a study if any one knows about practice. This will be a hand full i know but my desire has never been stronger as i wanna be better and different than producers that trend on todays music.

Disco String Stab?

gxd — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:01:49 GMT

Aloha,

I'm trying to create a disco string stab. The exact sound I want is here:

Fst Disco Strings Stab TFX2909 | Sound Effects | hollywoodedge | 0:01 | 127757

Someone told me that this is called a 'pull down', but I haven't had luck finding tutorials for creating the sound with VST's. I am hearing strings that pitch down along with something else in the background, maybe a guitar?

If anyone has experience creating this sound, please share your knowledge. I'm sure this is a simple technique but so far everything I've tried sounds wack.

Transposing acapellas in ableton

tturchi — Sat, 18 May 2013 06:14:21 GMT

Lets say I have an acapella sang in c minor. The synth I'm using sounds better in d minor. If I transpose the acapella +1 is it in c# minor or d #minor? I'm talking warp mode in ableton btw.

Creating a merengue/mambo beat.

aaron2k13 — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:55:35 GMT

Hi everyone, i'm fairly new to making music and even though it's generally a latin based music not really popular outside latin countries i am very interested in merengue and mambo music.
I've been looking for tutorials and articles but still not really got anywhere...

Does anybody know how i can create the basic of a merengue beat? I'm not too fussed about the piano and other instrumentation, just need to know how to get the basic beat in and then i can learn how to make it more interesting.

Thanks in advance!

I'm going to teach you Music Theory, and make it REALLY SIMPLE...

j.troup — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:15:30 GMT

So you say all you need to do is take some "music theory" classes to take your music to the next level. So you've been searching youtube, looking at all these piano players, teaching you chord progressions, fancy chords, and everything else.

It sounds cool while you're watching the video, but you STILL don't know shit about MUSIC THEORY?!

I was the same way. For all the instruments that I play, for all the music notes that I can write, I still didn't COMPLETELY understand MUSIC THEORY, as it related to making my MUSIC BETTER...

UNTIL NOW!!!

So here's what I'm gonna do, since I'm an FP lifer. I'm gonna go on Ustream and TEACH a music theory class. I'm gonna show everybody in attendance the tools that I use to make music theory SIMPLE, and give you all some tools to make composing music SIMPLE, and take your music complexity to THE NEXT LEVEL.

So here's what you do...

Subscribe to my UStream page Here...

IndustrySoundTV on USTREAM: Producer/Songwriter J.Troup broadcasts LIVE from his recording studio, while writing and producing tracks in hip hop, R&B and p...

No this isn't a shameless grab for Ustream subscribers...it's just an easy way to send out notification when the show is going to start.

Or if you prefer Twitter, follow me @JTroupTV.

Once I format the lesson plans, I'm going to send out an email blast telling you what tools to download. You're gonna need a smartphone to download. I have an iphone, so i'm not sure about the App's availability on other platforms.

I know one of the apps cost money, but I'm not sure how much because i own it.

And before someone says anything, NO I DON'T HAVE ANY INTEREST IN ANY OF THE APPS. They are just really valuable tools that I use every single day that I make music, and I'm going to be teaching from those apps. So they will help you understand music theory too. I don't make a single penny off of any sales. Hell, I had to buy the apps too!

That's it. This is just my way of giving back to the FP community, and continuing the legacy of MUSICIANS LEARNING FROM MUSICIANS that Mano1 founded FP on.

So subscribe and follow, and I'll hit you guys up next week to tell you when the Music Theory show is going to take place.

Trust me, you're gonna find it valuable.

Look forward to seeing you all there.

how do you make this synth sound?

RhyanCrisis — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:34:28 GMT

Fed Up- DJ Khaled FL Studio Remake - YouTube
at = 0:23 its called the platinum saw in FL studio.... Now i don't have access to FL studio.. so how can i remake this sound or does a vst have this preset in it already??
i have access to logic and reason, and vst's such as nexus, omnisphere, purity, gladiator, etc... if anyone knows how to make this place let me kno. or know where i can find this saw sound

Question about the significance of chords..

Luminosity — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:29:51 GMT

So I'm still getting to grips with musical theory and with every song I've made (bar one) all are based on a simple 4 chord progression. Listening to songs like Eyedea's - By The Throat (Eyedea & Abilities- By the Throat - YouTube) I can't make out chords.

I understand that keys/scales are essential, but do you need to plot out your chord progressions? I'm really looking to make some unique/different styles of songs and I feel chords almost keep me from pushing ahead because I haven't learned about all the 7ths/9ths/13ths ect.

I will get round to that but can you make a song start to finish based on melodies/counter melodies, and basslines?

Sorry if this is a stupid question just need it cleared up.

Thanks for your time.

Something's missing and need help with Arrangment

Elex — Thu, 16 May 2013 09:19:54 GMT

Hey everybody,
I'm producing a track but... there's a feeling that something is missing.
https://soundcloud.com/alexsemrau/8-uhr-morgens

And Yeah can somebody give me tips how to arrange Minimal House ?
for example;
1-32 Bars = Intro
...
Just like that, that would be awesome.

Tempo Changes in rap beats?

Ma1achi — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:50:34 GMT

Have you ever heard of this? I don't recall listening to any rap song with a tempo change, or I never noticed it. Is this a bad idea or is it possible?

Kinda stuck.

russwasherejr — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:26:59 GMT

So I been making beats and they're finally coming out the way I want them but everyone keeps saying they need more sounds put in them and what not. When I listen i'm confused because to me they sound just like they're finished also and I see beats with maybe 2-3 sounds in it and it's finished. What am I doing wrong? Like with a main melody do they usually play it in one octave then get a different instrument or go up an octave higher and play the same melody line so it sounds fatter? I'm kinda confused.

Here's the most recent track I did. If you guy's can help me out.

https://soundcloud.com/syinide/remem...ose-times-beat