C
CBXweb
New member
I try everytime to lay down the melody first, but I love to play with drums so after about 15 minutes, I got 15 diff drum patterns that are HOT, but then I cant make a melody.
U
user name: none
Guest
me personally, i do both. depends. if i gotta hot drum pattern, id lay that down 1st or if i gotta melody id go with that. it used to be the melody then the drums all the time, but now i find myself layin down a drum pattern down 1st.
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konsickwence
New member
depends on the track.
sometimes I do the drums first but it is usually in a basic pattern so I can build more later.
I prefer to do melody first and harmony with it. and most of the isntrumentation besides bass.
then I lay the drums to the rhythmic feel of the music. It makes it come to life in my eyes. then I will add bass to add the real strong pull between the drums and music.
I have tried other ways but usually I will do this way. unless the drum track is to hot to put on the shelf.
sometimes I do the drums first but it is usually in a basic pattern so I can build more later.
I prefer to do melody first and harmony with it. and most of the isntrumentation besides bass.
then I lay the drums to the rhythmic feel of the music. It makes it come to life in my eyes. then I will add bass to add the real strong pull between the drums and music.
I have tried other ways but usually I will do this way. unless the drum track is to hot to put on the shelf.
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Port Royale
New member
There is no true or false to this. Personally I almost always start working with an idea that has prompted me to sit down and knock out something new. This is usually a melody and in that case I'll just play that melody and then come up with a chord progression that works with the melody. After that I find it's good to put down a basic beat to get a feel for how the bassline will have to be laid out to work with the rythm section. When this is done its time to get more into detail with each part. If I sit down without an idea its basically random and I could start with anything from beat to bass to vocals. I do find that I get best results if I have a proper idea before sitting down though.
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Anders
Guest
Well...
maybe you should put out a thread for somebody who has the same...
with melody's!
maybe you should put out a thread for somebody who has the same...
with melody's!
C
cybernetica
Guest
Like the others said, it depends...
I usually start off with a very basic beat and then I play with synths until it fits to the basic beat... then comes a bass line and some drum refinement.
I usually start off with a very basic beat and then I play with synths until it fits to the basic beat... then comes a bass line and some drum refinement.
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theblue1
New member
Sometimes a musical piece will start on the guitar or noodling a keyboard.
But I virtually always start recordings with drums. Maybe it's my training in the pre-MIDI voltage-controlled synth and analog tape era, when you couldn't munge things around in time (without some serious razor blade work). Nonetheless, I remember a kid I was tutoring coming up with a hot, bumping bass line he laid to tape bare and then went back and dropped drums against it. But he was one of those naturals... Me, I laid down the foundation before trying to build the house.
That said, it's a rare song these days that I don't record a handful of different ways. Sometimes it'll come out trip hop, sometimes straight country. Haven't been doing much mutant house lately but I had a phase. And that pretty much all flows out of the beats.
But I virtually always start recordings with drums. Maybe it's my training in the pre-MIDI voltage-controlled synth and analog tape era, when you couldn't munge things around in time (without some serious razor blade work). Nonetheless, I remember a kid I was tutoring coming up with a hot, bumping bass line he laid to tape bare and then went back and dropped drums against it. But he was one of those naturals... Me, I laid down the foundation before trying to build the house.
That said, it's a rare song these days that I don't record a handful of different ways. Sometimes it'll come out trip hop, sometimes straight country. Haven't been doing much mutant house lately but I had a phase. And that pretty much all flows out of the beats.
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P
Port Royale
New member
Anders said:Well...
maybe you should put out a thread for somebody who has the same...
with melody's!
???
gballin123
New member
Melody
CubaseRox
Status: Producer Mode
It all depends on the situation at hand.
I sometimes think of a melody in my head and then play it out. Once I get that established then I add drums.
Then on the other hand I would think of a specific drum pattern and then try to lay a melody on top of that.
I sometimes think of a melody in my head and then play it out. Once I get that established then I add drums.
Then on the other hand I would think of a specific drum pattern and then try to lay a melody on top of that.
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kobal
Guest
I say drums first. That way you have a basic rhythm going. And it dosen't have to be anything fancy. I produce DnB, and I would start out with a simple 2 step beat just to get some foundation, and then I would add the bassline. I would then go back to the beat and enhance it a bit.
Like it was said..
depends on your track. But foundation is critical.
Like it was said..
depends on your track. But foundation is critical.
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theblue1
New member
I can't imagine doing dnb or breakbeat oriented (heavily syncopated) music any other way than laying down drums first.
But, you know, never say never.
But, you know, never say never.
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E30Mill
Guest
basic drums first, it just helps me keep time
CubaseRox
Status: Producer Mode
E30Mill said:
When there are no drums present, thats where the metronome comes in handy.
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Iceberg-Slim
Guest
People with decent rhythm can create melodies with no rhythm laid down
I do whatever sparks my fire, sometimes its drums (lately it has been) but other times Ill get that magic melody then stack the drums over it
Let yourself free, don't confine yourself, obviously if you become reliant on one pattern it may be because you have shortcomming on the other side of the road
I do whatever sparks my fire, sometimes its drums (lately it has been) but other times Ill get that magic melody then stack the drums over it
Let yourself free, don't confine yourself, obviously if you become reliant on one pattern it may be because you have shortcomming on the other side of the road
KomplexBeats
Grindin 24/7
90percent of the time I start with a melody or chord progression and build from there. I get really intricate with my percussion and I like to have it flow seamlessly with my melody and bassline so thats why I like to lay it down afterwards.
Peace
Peace
F
FeldFunker
New member
Most of the time, I started with a drum loop, create a baseline or melody, and then end up revamping the drum loop several times. Tedious. 
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theblue1
New member
CubaseRox said:
Good point, particularly as it fits with the next couple posts.
I often start with a very skeletal drum beat. But even that can lock you in in subtle ways, sometimes without you realizing it.
With a basic metronome, you can noodle around and even change the time signature (alhtough you might have to play tricks to get your sequence [I guess I'm assuming we're 'writing' into a sequencer, here] into the right sig later).
(And then, as I said in a much earlier post, I often begin the writing process with the sequencer turned off, noodling on a guitar or keybaord in 'free time.')
Bezo
Highbrow
I probably need to break this habit, but...
Drums
Bass
Other rhythm parts
Melody
...Every time.
The feel of the drums inspire my bass lines. The bass & drums inspire the other rhythm parts. And the rhythm inspires the melody.
Drums
Bass
Other rhythm parts
Melody
...Every time.
The feel of the drums inspire my bass lines. The bass & drums inspire the other rhythm parts. And the rhythm inspires the melody.
M
Marques 3 x A
New member
Like everyone else said...there is no right or wrong way...just depends how you can imagine a song in your head.
I know some people that don't start with either. They start with their lyrics. Depending on the words they chose a tempo and go from there.
I personally start with chords. It can be with whatever instrument.
But I've found it helpful to chose a tempo before chords. The way I do my tempo is with something that is constant through the song. For example...A snare, high hat, kick, or clap. That way I stay on beat with the tempo i feel like doin.
From there I build a chord arrangement. Off the chords I build a melody. Then i go back to my drums and fill in the gaps with whatever sounds I want to achieve. Then I do the bass.
As a producer/engineer/artist, it's completely up to the imagination.
I know some people that don't start with either. They start with their lyrics. Depending on the words they chose a tempo and go from there.
I personally start with chords. It can be with whatever instrument.
But I've found it helpful to chose a tempo before chords. The way I do my tempo is with something that is constant through the song. For example...A snare, high hat, kick, or clap. That way I stay on beat with the tempo i feel like doin.
From there I build a chord arrangement. Off the chords I build a melody. Then i go back to my drums and fill in the gaps with whatever sounds I want to achieve. Then I do the bass.
As a producer/engineer/artist, it's completely up to the imagination.