NFX
Bomb Droppa
Here's something I do occasionally when I'm not in a groove creatively..
Set your tempo for whatever.. I like to go around 100
Create a simple kick snare pattern kick-snare-kick-snare (maybe hats on the 8ths) or if you have a metronome use it instead.
Decide on a key to play in. Cmaj or Am are good if you just wanna do all white keys on a keyboard.
next pick a sound that you like any sound and start recording 8 bars or so of it with just the simple drums or metronome.
stop recording.. mute the track you just recorded... find a new sound that you like don't worry if it fits with the previous sound or not
..record 8 bars or so of whatever in the chosen key...
repeat this process until you have 8 different sounds and 8 different parts recorded. do try to get a variety bass, synth, pads, strings, chromatic, guitar etc.. mix it up like gumbo
now go back and start trying to fit the pieces together... build a bassline and fill in your drums.. find that slow pad and place just under everything, get that fill on the lead synth and use just that part etc...
I find that often my subconcious seems to help me make parts that fit well this way. I think it's becuase I'm not pre-occupied with a previous section I've done.
I know some people can hear music in their heads and its just a matter of translating it into their sequencer but my brain is not wired that way. I know what sounds good to me but I rarely hear a melody or anything until the moment it's ready to be born, and even then I must have some spark of inspiration to urge it on.
The method I described doesn't always work, but it may be helpful when you're in a dull period.
Set your tempo for whatever.. I like to go around 100
Create a simple kick snare pattern kick-snare-kick-snare (maybe hats on the 8ths) or if you have a metronome use it instead.
Decide on a key to play in. Cmaj or Am are good if you just wanna do all white keys on a keyboard.
next pick a sound that you like any sound and start recording 8 bars or so of it with just the simple drums or metronome.
stop recording.. mute the track you just recorded... find a new sound that you like don't worry if it fits with the previous sound or not
..record 8 bars or so of whatever in the chosen key...
repeat this process until you have 8 different sounds and 8 different parts recorded. do try to get a variety bass, synth, pads, strings, chromatic, guitar etc.. mix it up like gumbo
now go back and start trying to fit the pieces together... build a bassline and fill in your drums.. find that slow pad and place just under everything, get that fill on the lead synth and use just that part etc...
I find that often my subconcious seems to help me make parts that fit well this way. I think it's becuase I'm not pre-occupied with a previous section I've done.
I know some people can hear music in their heads and its just a matter of translating it into their sequencer but my brain is not wired that way. I know what sounds good to me but I rarely hear a melody or anything until the moment it's ready to be born, and even then I must have some spark of inspiration to urge it on.
The method I described doesn't always work, but it may be helpful when you're in a dull period.