How do you come up with your songs?

Hawbon · Post by **Hawbon** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:20 pm

I've hit a dead spot, I haven't made anything in about 4 months, the stuff that I have made have been terrible (No practice, Sorta gave up) I was just wondering because most if not all of you make masterpieces that are original and just awesome, How do you do it? Do you get an idea in your head adn try to replicate it? Do you get inspired and use those influences from other songs into yours?
Also, on average how long does it take you guys to finish something? I think my problem is that I try to rush stuff, Trying to finish in a couple hours, I guess Im still learning to fundamentals and don't quite understand the mixing, fillers, bass, ect that are used to make the song pop and not so bland,
Anyways, sorry for the long post, but I'm trying to learn and get back to it, wasnt sure if I should have posted in here or in general discussion so sorry if its in the wrong forum.

skins345669 · Post by **skins345669** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:23 pm

yeah this should probably be in general discussion

my process on a normal day:

open DAW
hope
attempt
fail
repeat
give up

my process on a good day:
open DAW
hope
attempt
fail
work with what i've made until it's okay
struggle for hours/days to make it sound how i want
fail
give up

ChadDub · Post by **ChadDub** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:58 pm

Good day:

Randomly get inspired by either a new idea or a new technique I want to try or w/e
Open DAW
Everything goes ok
I die from how good it is

Bad day:

Say "I wanna make a beat"
Open DAW
Get something half decent but I personally am not feeling it, it's nothing special
Work on it for a week then delete it
Get sad

LilWUB · Post by **LilWUB** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 12:07 am

Solid dance music production usually isn't complete in a couple of hours work if you want all the bells and whistles. Experimentation alone takes up a fair chunk time. If I spend a month on a track, it's worth it if when it's all said and done - I don't hate it.

This is how I start a song.

1) Play with a fun synth or sample until you get a pattern down. Determine if it will be pre or post drop - respectively.

2) Roughly form the song with scratch drums (even scratch synths, samples, etc.) and determine the style and roughly how long the song will end up being. Map it all out in your DAW - you can change up the plan anytime.

3) Start filling it in with new stuff and/or replacing the scratch stuff.

4) Peter away at that shit.

If you ain't feeling a part don't think you'll start liking it again later - you won't. I had a whole song mapped out revolving around a synth (pre and post drop) and I ended up not digging it. It was painful to get rid of it because everything revolved around it. But I tossed it and now I have something that I like much better in it's place and still kept the general initial map of the song.

kudos · Post by **kudos** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 1:11 am

I tend to listen to music for a bit before i feel to make any. Mostly Virus Recs and No U Turn Recs get me in the studio mood.

I make raw and abused sounds on my Virus C or do the same in an instrument plug. I'll make a load of sounds and record them into the session. This will mostly be a session in itself and i will happily spend a day just doing this.

The next time i switch on the DAW (assuming the first session was not a total fail) i will make the drums. Over time i have made enough drums to just draw for them and get cracking. I will work with a sketch beat just to get something down, then chuck in sounds. It gets messy. I then move stuff about to make a groove, mostly going off grid with the snares and hats. Add some fx and think about making a bassline. Its a process that at times can take 1 session and at other times can take months of on and off work.

Hawbon · Post by **Hawbon** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 1:19 am

I'm more into the remixy dubstep I wouldnt know how to put a name on it, Example, Unlimited Gravity, Synchronize, ect, the dubstep that focuses more on the synth and beat rather than heavy drops, If you know what i'm talking about, sorry, I'm not very good at descriptions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbqOhWYT0wI The drop in this is the kind of synth im looking for, Is this even a synth or is it a stab bass? And would I be able to replicate a type of sound like this on massive/fm8?
Thank you guys for the replies too its encouraging

zosomagik · Post by **zosomagik** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 1:22 am

skins345669 wrote:
hope
attempt
fail
repeat
give up

Amen. One bit of advice that's been working for me is keep a notebook. I write down allllllll the little ideas I have. When you're stuck for inspiration or ideas, you can turn to your handy dandy notebook.

As for the bass thing, you could definitely do that in massive or fm8. It just sounds like some resonant saw waves sidechained to the kick.

Hashkey · Post by **Hashkey** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 1:41 am

I've Got a little advice for you....Put a pic on your Desk and watch it.
Ok now produce

Shum · Post by **Shum** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 2:35 am

Hashkey wrote:I've Got a little advice for you....Put a pic on your Desk and watch it.
Ok now produce

Hashkey · Post by **Hashkey** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 2:44 am

I Usually get inspired looking photos of wild nature. I pretend I'm doing a score for that particular image.
Got it?

fragments · Post by **fragments** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 3:16 am

I project Shum's avatar onto the wall behind my setup and watch that while jamming on the ol' midi keys.

Hashkey · Post by **Hashkey** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 3:46 am

Good Idea

Gurnumsbug · Post by **Gurnumsbug** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 7:57 am

steal melody samples.. ha jokes.. umm usually it's a sound..chord..a picture, or a feeling that will inspire me.. comes and goes.. just don't give up!

Onyxcloud · Post by **Onyxcloud** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 8:28 am

the biggest part of music production for me is to not ever doubt yourself!!! just go on thinking you can do everything and stuff just comes naturally from practice. it takes time to learn things, mistakes to become better. I know I can make musical masterpieces, I have many unwritten songs I know will blow peoples minds. For i will never give up, I am obsessed.

Sure_Fire · Post by **Sure_Fire** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 3:04 pm

My typical workflow

1) Make weird sounds in mershiev

2) Mash together, insert drums and sub

3) Call it dubstep and hope people will listen

But seriously, most of my stuff comes from a pretty simple idea that I fuck with until it sounds good. Most of it will be abandoned for being utter crap, but that 10% that makes it through will sound alright. It's all about making heaps of stuff, even if you never use most of it.

blinx · Post by **blinx** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 3:28 pm

Open ableton, pick BPM, sketch Skeleton Drums (8 bars atleast) sketch Drums variant (more hit hats/shuffled hats/groove). Then i either latch onto a sample or a synth im inspired by and the rest is history. The other week i turned a remix around in 6 days. I have spent way too much time in the last few years getting a decent workflow and produciton tempalte built, so when i get time to sit down and do music... i DO MUSIC. I also like to sketch molodies and basslines too, its super easy to slam in different preset/patch later... when you feel inspired you better milk that moment for all its worth, add lifters/sweeps/bells/AccentSamples and everythin else later, frist find dat groove!

I usually write drums > bassline/melody/drop > intro/outro > breakdown

Hawbon · Post by **Hawbon** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 4:03 pm

Alright guys, so i was watching the exorcist last night and It gave me some inspiration, So I've been working all morning on this project, I'll post a link of what I have so far just as soon as soundcloud finishes, Note, its still in its super early stage, I havent even got drums in but I want you guys' opinion on it, If you do remember my previous posts which you probably dont, You know i have a very different style of music I do.

Hawbon · Post by **Hawbon** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 4:35 pm

Soundcloud
And here it is, Hope you enjoy my garbage, You can always follow me on soundcloud too and ill return the favor.

Hex047 · Post by **Hex047** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 5:16 am

On a normal day:
Switch On PC
Dig through crateas
look for samples
switch off PC
Pass out.

ehbes · Post by **ehbes** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:03 am

Get an idea, try to replicate, sounds different, go off on tangent, 4 days of playing back to myself, and finish it a week later

How do you come up with your songs?

How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Re: How do you come up with your songs?

Who is online