Random Production Tips Thread™

[chrissmith92]

you dont have a backup unless you have a backup of a backup!

Haha exactly m8

[youthful_implants]

Bounce everything to audio and mix as you go.

[stereotactic]

Loads of good advice and tips agwan... I'm new here and haven't been producing that long in the grand scheme of things, but thought I would throw my two pennies worth in...

Have to say best advice I ever got was 'finish tracks'. I spent ages just making drum break after drum break after drum break, and it's so easy to get stuck tweaking one particular thing. Don't forget you are making music, in it's entirity, and you will learn a lot more following things through to conclusion.

Also, don't stress! Again, I spent a lot of time trying to get my tunes sounding like my favourite producers after only producing a very short while, and when it doesn't come correct then you kind of lose sight of why you are doing what you are doing. It takes a lot of practice, a lot of patience, and you need to enjoy what you are doing whilst you are doing it, otherwise what's the point? Since I chilled out and started having fun with it, my productivity has increased, and I have literally just hit that first threshold... I'm currently working on a tune I really like the sound of. That feeling has me absolutely buzzing.

Still got miles to go, but looking forward to the journey

[Sinus Sawtooth]

Dont look at the music when listening back:)

[psylent]

Dont look at the music when listening back:)

Haha so its not only me who gets put off by the tune because I'm looking at it in Ableton's arrangement view

[vazt]

Wolfgang gartner said.. “I know guys who have loads more tech knowledge than me that can’t write a good track to save their lives. It’s about knowing what works and what doesn’t,” says Youngman. “It’s about knowing what kind of sounds do it for people and what sounds don’t. Even though my previous style was a night-and-day difference, it’s still the same set of principles. It is the same with all music actually. And that is the sort of thing that comes more from your gut and your heart, than your mind. It’s something you just feel, and you either feel it or you don’t. I don’t know if that part can be learned or not.”

[Jah Billah]

-cut your own samples,save as .wav
adds instant originality to your sound

-take your sound where you want to take it and don't follow the set path

[rfk]

Get the phrase "I can't be bothered" out of your mind. You get alot more done

[48k]

Good advice on here, Don't give up and Finish the tune are def top tips!
Expanding on the end marker/finish the tune thing, I've found sketching out a template with markers can help - so have an intro at bar1, first section @ bar32, breakdown @bar??, etc etc. Then you can go crazy with loops, breaks and ideas but you know when you hit a marker it's time to shift the tune into the next section...

[bdw]

by wub » Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:06 pm
Try some reverse reverb;

Reverse Reverb Effect is the effect that you hear before a vocal or riff starts in a tune that sounds like a sucking sound. This effect is easy to create using your current sequencer and audio editor.

First, you need to open your sequencer, and write your catchy riff or record your vocal sample. You can listen to your riff/vocal with Reverb and Delay whilst writing it if you like, but make sure it isn't applied permanently. Once you are happy with it, export the riff/vocals without the effects into a wave file.

Next, you need to load the sample you have created into an audio editor, then using the tools available, reverse the sample so that it is playing backwards. Save this sample with a new name, such as vocalbackwards.wav. Load this sample into your sequencer, then load up your delay and reverb plugins and choose the settings you will be using in the track. Turn the knob in the reverb plugin so that its 100% wet. Now, save the reversed riff/vocals WITH the effects and make sure that the trailing echo is also saved into the wave file, save the file as something like vocalbackwardseffect.

Now, load the new sample into your audio editor, and flip it so that its playing the correct way again. Now you can hear the sucking reverse reverb sound at the beginning. But you don't want the rest of the riff/vocal as there is too much effects on it. So, snip of the rest of the track using the tools available, making sure that you have the sucking sound without the rest of the riff/vocals. Now save it as something like reversereverbvocal.wav.

Now you can load it into your sequencer and place it into your track before your vocal/riff to give your track that extra something.

Barry Walker is owner and webmaster of BDWRekordings.com - Dance Music Netlabel and writes music under the name of "Vibemaster B" and is one part of Hardcore Dance PA "Euphorik Rhythm"

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barry_D_Walker
http://EzineArticles.com/?Reverse-Rever ... id=2403979

[Genevieve]

I learned this before I read it but Aaron Spectre summed it up nicely:

go for heart and technique will take care of itself

Totally true. The most I learned, technique wise, wasn't from reading tons of shit and tons of tutorials on how to do this or that. I learned it by just.. doing it. Doing what felt right at the time. The techniques became second nature that way. I don't think about the Renoise commands anymore, or how to make a snare hit sound like that, I just did shit I felt sounded good.

[djrexsta]

If you are using Logic as well as a good EQ plugin such as apEQ. Set all volume faders to 0db and set the gain for each track through apEQ. Basically put an apEQ on every track. I wouldn't suggest adjusting the volume in Logic with the volume faders, for there is more lag cuz it's 32bit internal as opposed to using an internal 64bit eq plug-in such as apEQ.

[deadly_habit]

best i can give
keep at it music and techniques have no time limit
also work with what you can put ideas down with fastest
mixdowns can be done later
basically have fun

[futures_untold]

Switch off yer computer...




























Now plan your music in your head.

Write down your ideas and memorise every second of your songs.

Only once you can hum the song throughout, and know every sound effect and drop you'd like to make, switch that computer back on

Go make it!

[deadly_habit]

oh pocket notebooks, memo feature on phones, and pocket recorders ideal

[djacroama]

not so much advice ive got from people but advice ive given and that i stick by:

Make music YOU like and want to listen to, not what other people want to listen to.

ive often got 6/7 tracks of mine on my mp3 player at a time at various stages of completion and i actually enjoy listening to them and dont care if other people like them. long as im getting enjoyment from them, thats all that matters to me

[Matt_Damage]

This isn't a dig at any forum in particular but needs to be said. My bit of advice is don't pay much attention to what people say on internet forums. A large majority won't know what they are doing, or will have a good idea of processes,but not enough that they should be teaching other people. Obviously if there's q+a's or tips from producers you respect and are doing well for themselves then of course you should read it and give it a go.

My second bit of advice is read Macc's thread here http://www.dubstepforum.com/this-thread ... 74832.html as he clearly does know what he's on about, and if you get into the good habits he says in the thread your mix downs will benefit massively.

My third bit of advice. Start inquiring how to get into the studio with producers you respect, how much it'l cost etc and save up to do this, especially if they use the same DAW as you. Ideally go for someone that isn't a big name, but you think could be in a year or so ( this is purely because it will be cheaper =)

You will learn no end of shortcuts, time savers, and tips on how to the make music you want to make which is well worth the money, and will be a lot more beneficial than watching a youtube video =) It'll help accelerate your learning process, and you'll also probably get a tune at the end of it as well.

[Ongelegen]

not so much advice ive got from people but advice ive given and that i stick by:

Make music YOU like and want to listen to, not what other people want to listen to.

ive often got 6/7 tracks of mine on my mp3 player at a time at various stages of completion and i actually enjoy listening to them and dont care if other people like them. long as im getting enjoyment from them, thats all that matters to me

I second this!

[knell]

you guys are genius..! some real gems in this thread.

my advice is to draw inspiration from all musical genres, listen to as many different sounds as you can, mixing in a dubstep track now and again to focus yourself.

after listening, hit your DAW and try to replicate any of the sounds/synths you just heard! sounds like stealing, right? well the point is unless you're a master you will only come slightly close to your inspiration. There is your take on that sound. save it, repeat, use dumb dub preset loops to hit the groove then plug in a basic minor pattern. alter to taste. then build a beat under that at the same tempo.

mixing this technique with yours will give a fresh take on your sound... working from a different angle, so to speak.

hope that wasnt a ramble.

[rawali]

little trick I like to do...

I have the output of my DAW plugged in to a mixer... when I'm starting to feel that the mixdown is sounding ok... I mes with the EQs on the mixer to see if turning something up is making something interesting stand out more... if it does I go back to ableton and boost where boosting is needed...

my other tip is... side-chained compression is your friend!