Arrangement Techniques

[ashhole]

i can create great 8 or 16 bar loops but falter when it comes time to arrange into a full track

[bandcoach]

Block Mode in Reason . Since this mode i was never arranging beats.
I have template with drawed blocks: Intro,Verse,Chorus,Verse,Chorus,Break,Verse.
I make intro,8 bar Verse loop and 8 bar Chorus/Break.
Reason is doing everything for me

Reason does nothing for you except to regurgitate those sections at the points you choose.

This is old news - using blocks or patterns, as this idea was the easiest way to create large scale works on computers with 512kb or 1mb of ram back in the 80's. write your various patterns/blocks for each section, create some alternate endings as patterns/blocks as well, then link them together in the pattern/block editor to create your meisterwerk......

The fact that you can do that scares me a little bit, but to each their own! All I can say is you get out what you put into it.

Shouldn't scare you, as it is how some of your most favourite tracks from the 80's were no doubt created.

i can create great 8 or 16 bar loops but falter when it comes time to arrange into a full track

understanding formal structures should help you master that beast

see this

Bandcoach ~ Beginning Theory 3: Song Structures

[Orion Atlantai]

My process is similar, but whenever I'm ready to add a bridge, or break I make a new pattern and fill it up. One of the posters made a good point. After a while, It can make your track sound 'formatted'. But that's only if you have a boring pattern to begin with.

When I try to work outside of this format, my brain gets overloaded and I quit whatever I am working on before I get any potentials.