How do you start composing your beats/instrumentals?

DeezyNC919

DeezyNC919

Misfits of BullCity
Hey fellow producers, I have a simple question that makes for a good thread. How do you start composing your instrumentals? Do you start with the sample? Or do you start with drums? Which is more efficient? Please respond.

Thank You.

-Kiro
 
I tend to build around the sample but have started with the beat just as often.

There is no right way to get started only what works for you and each instance is unique.
 
Nightshade said:
I tend to build around the sample but have started with the beat just as often.

There is no right way to get started only what works for you and each instance is unique.
Click to expand...

Yeah I agree. I just wanted to get peoples opinions. Thought it would be a fun topic to talk about.
 
Whether sampling or all from scratch, I can't start with drums first. I'll end up with some 80s beat that just a drum kit if I do. I have to have start with something melodic first or I can't get anywhere.
 
If I have a vocal sample to work with, I'll start with it, and then lay down some drum patterns.

When I'm working without vocal samples, I'll normallt start choosing the drum sounds (kick, layered snares, hats, cymbals) and make a basic pattern on the style I'm working on.
 
Hey. I usually either figure out a chord progression on the piano or guitar or I find a riff, based on the chords or riff i build the song. Sometimes when i run out of ideas i create a ghost track, by that i mean i import a song i like into cubase and then i try to copy its style. this is good ear training practice, and good for learning.
 
I'm mostly into sampling. There's just so much music out there that I want to expose that it only makes sense to sample. So that's where it starts usually for me.

yagi
 
I usually wake up in the middle of the night knowing the whole track because it was playing in my dreams. Just kidding. Drums first, with an idea of the chords. Then I play around with pianos because they're the best type of "composing" instruments for me. A lot of notes that sound good on piano don't sound good on synths or other instruments.
 
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It really depends on my mood that day. Sometimes I'll hear something and then immediately feel inspired and build up around a sample, or I'll just open up my daw and just start playing around with the sounds and seeing if anything triggers an idea (it always does). A lot of the times I start with the melody, but I usually add a basic beat to it just as a more exciting metronome and then I go back and revamp the beat when I'm done the melody.
 
When I do samples I usually drop the sample into my Playlist/arranger and stretch it out to match the default tempo (140bpm), then I speed up the tempo to how fast I like my sample to play (re-stretch if needed). I start by recreating the first chord or melody I hear in the sample, I can find both with either one of these. From there I find my bass line, and drum kit along with any other cool instruments/sound clips I can blend in with the scale/key.
 
I always start with the drums and percussion. I get a much better sense of composing and filling in with melodies and such after I have my drums snares/claps and other percs in place. Unless its slow r&b stuff where the drums and such are very simple than I tend to compose first. Then again that could also be my lack of theory where to my composition isn't very over the top per say. I rarely if ever use samples for melodies feel its kind of cheating (just opinion)
 
really depends on my mood. i almost always start after i have sometype of idea or direction. if its a hip hop or trap style beat ill usually start with the drums because in genres like that the drums have to be bangin. For something like an Rnb joint I think about the melody and vibe
 
I open a synth. Go freaking nuts and try to create the craziest sound I can make that somewhat can fit in a key scale so I can atually use it to make a song. and then from their I just keep going :)
 
I always start with the melody. and when i start a sample beat I start with the sample. then i start working my drums around it
 
I'll play around with my guitar and piano, and as soon as I hear something i like in my head I record it on my iPhone, and build up the song from there. I use music theory as a tool to define my music, but until the song is finalised I only limit myself to whatever sounds good in my ear. I think thats how truly great songs are made. By what sounds good, not what they say is right or wrong.
 
It changes a lot for me. On a good day I can come up with a good track from scratch. Most the time starting with the melody but on occasion I start with the drums to make some crazy sounding ones. If I'm having trouble I'll take a song I like and copy it. Usually no more than 1 or 2 instruments, either drums or melody it depends. Then I add my own stuff of course.
 
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