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Good thread ^^
Try something you've never tried before

babylonjunkies wrote:go for a piss, but leave the bathroom door open to hear your track from there.

ALLL THE TIME

Vocals (no not shitty movie quotes).

Use your kick like a tom; pitching it up and down.

legend4ry wrote:Vocals (no not shitty movie quotes).

THIS
I was really struggling to come up with songs for a while, so I sent a little 16 bar loop I had kicking around to a friend. She wrote lyrics and stuff for it and recorded a couple verses. I took them, arranged them a little, built the rest of the song around that, it ended up being probably my favorite song on my upcoming ep.

Legend4ry...that tom suggestion is awesome. Never thought of that!

Spend more time on your percussion

In the context of synthesis/sample selection, fx/processing, and of course arranging. As a new producer, I have found that drums are the MOST important element for laying out your track. For the longest time, I would create drum loops that were so static. I'm sure it came from the desire to want to learn trance/prog house at first. Take care constructing your kit. When you get to arranging, for myself, working in smaller 1 and 2 bar sections worked much better for constructing a groove. Don't be in a rush to get to bass and leads. You'll be glad you took the time on your drums.

The concept of call and response will become more clear.

When in doubt, mix your bass like a pad, then grab a mic and spit some bars.
Wipe your hard drive.
(I really hate to say this, but I have no other way. . .) MOAR 808 COWBELLZ!!
Are you writing a tune or a diary entry?
Listen to your music until you like it, then keep listening until you absolutely think your shit sucks.
Take the track that is your pride and joy, and delete it.
Three double shots of vodka back to back and a guitar will make you rethink the way you make music.

I am not responsible for anything that happens to anyone who actually tries ANY of these ideas, and half of them don't work anyways.

hudson wrote:

legend4ry wrote:Vocals (no not shitty movie quotes).

THIS
I was really struggling to come up with songs for a while, so I sent a little 16 bar loop I had kicking around to a friend. She wrote lyrics and stuff for it and recorded a couple verses. I took them, arranged them a little, built the rest of the song around that, it ended up being probably my favorite song on my upcoming ep.

"Simple" is the best way

Bass are essencial but overrated, get some killer drum beat in there

That's what I tell myself haha

Only add sounds you're really loving the sound of.

Even if its little bits at a time..

If you're happy with each step along the way, you'll be even happier with the product

edit: double post.

put gloves on your feet and socks on your hands

Audition your entire sample library. I guarantee, if you have a reasonable sized library, that you will get about halfway through before having that spark of inspiration that triggers an entire track.

Take your MIDI drum file and plug it into an instrument channel or vice versa (plug a MIDI file of a lead or bass line into a drum channel):

use MIDI files of complicated melodic runs to play a single sample like a hi-hat.

^ awesome idea

Thanks. It's something I discovered accidentally when I was using FL years ago - sometimes the results are crap, but when it works - WHOA.

export what u have so far and listen to it in reverse. you'd be suprised how some things will sound better, and how other times you will hear different incorporatable rhythms

Take a fucking break, you need it whether you realize it or not.