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I'm running at wits end. I think my production is fine, my mixdown is alright, hell, I'm even starting to get an idea of how mastering is supposed to work... but for the life of me I can't make a dancable song

I just have absolutely no idea how to do it. I even sit down and think "alright, I'm going to copy excision/downlink/whoever", and the end result... although filthy... doesn't really lead to anything!

Anyone have any production ideas/suggestions on how to make a song "bumpin" or "bangin" or even "head-nodding"?

I have some stuff here: http://soundcloud.com/resykle
in case you wanted to take a look at what I've been trying at.

That is kind of a tough question because there really isn't an answer for it. There really isn't one tried and true formula that is guaranteed to work every time and nor should there be. You aren't going to want to hear this answer but, trial and error. Some people can just start straight off making bangers others it takes years and yet others never really get it. I am no help I know lol

that has to do with the less is more principle...

strong rythmics...

and emotions... really...

my best advice would be.. learn to dance... and im not even kidding...

resykle wrote: I even sit down and think "alright, I'm going to copy excision/downlink/whoever"

fuckin lol'd

I'm pretty sure the answer is I don't.

chronicrecords wrote:

resykle wrote: I even sit down and think "alright, I'm going to copy excision/downlink/whoever"

fuckin lol'd

well they do make sum bumpin choonz, and that's the dubstep I got into when i started mixing, so it made sense for me to try to mimic the style . Plus i listened to tons of metal and industrial so it wasn't too far of a jump

it's gotta have swagga mang

Having never made a danceable track in my life I can't really say how to do it, but as somebody who doesn't write danceable music I have a lot of experience in failing to make people dance.

As such I've provided a handy list of things not to do if you want people to dance:

Overload the listener with too many musical ideas. A song which has three melodies in three different time signatures at once, while very interesting from an intellectual point of view, is probably not conductive to dancing.

Have a long intro and a short lived drop. Self-explanatory.

Put weird ass instruments like sarangis and dizus in your songs, the dizu while a lovely instrument is probably not conductive to making people dance, except in rare circumstance.

Open your song with a Cmb6add11 chord. Makes people freak the fuck out. Freaking the fuck out is not conductive to dancing...

Write an atonal dubstep wobble-fest influenced by the works of Salvador Dali. Being pretentious is not conductive to dancing.... Neither is atonality... Nor Dali...

Write your song in 23/16. It should be noted that 23/16 is not conductive to dancing. Venetian Snares is the only exception to this rule. Although you don't so much dance as you do spaz the fuck out to Venetian Snares tunes, so I guess writing in 23/16 and opening with a Cmb6add11 might actually help in a backwards kind of way... But only if you're opening for Venetian Snares.

Include a sample of William Shatner performing a vocal rendition of 'The Jabberwocky' pre-drop. Neither the Jabberwocky, William Shatner nor silly sample usage are conductive to dancing.

If your song requires lyrics then it should be noted that writing lyrics about anything other than the following is not conductive to dancing:
1., Being single and loving it because of all the hot women who want to suck your cock
2., Being a VIP and as such far too cool for the club to handle just how cool you are
3., Doing a girl in the middle of the dance floor

It should also be noted that being anything other than vulgar and gratuitous in your expression of this lyrical content is not conductive to dancing.

kaiori breathe wrote:Write an atonal dubstep wobble-fest influenced by the works of Salvador Dali. Being pretentious is not conductive to dancing.... Neither is atonality... Nor Dali...

This is where I hit the floor.

Just do like this guy.

How do I make my songs dancable?

I don't


some may yearn for the days when people danced to weird shit, and not bangers.


P.S. at OP, what track is it that you've sampled in "you're a jerk"? damn that is funky!

grooki wrote:
P.S. at OP, what track is it that you've sampled in "you're a jerk"? damn that is funky!

Other than the original I made everything myself

Listen to this. Start dancing. Create. Repeat.

Syncopate stuff properly...

Don't forget to add percussive elements in your tunes... ( i find many of todays "brobrobrob" producers are using just kick, one boring hihat and a snare... that's boring...)

And yes, less is for sure, more...

baaan wrote:

Listen to this. Start dancing. Create. Repeat.

I like my oatmeal lumpy

honestly I think it's the groove, I learned this watching the rusko masterclass episode from way back then haha :p

http://www.vimeo.com/3595144

kaiori breathe wrote: 1., Being single and loving it because of all the hot women who want to suck your cock
2., Being a VIP and as such far too cool for the club to handle just how cool you are
3., Doing a girl in the middle of the dance floor

hmm yes... well i see where you're coming from... honestly i think lyrics about love/heart/etc. are the best for the dance floor.. if tinged with one of the above attitudes (#1 is my current favorite) then yes, combined with hard groove then you will have an unstoppable banger and def see some shit happen on the floor.. oh my yes..

oh and plenty of practice.. listen to what makes you move and take influence from the rhythms...

oh btw.... that's IF you are doing vocal songs at all.. i definitely have to be in the mood for them myself..

Maybe you could teach me how to dance to dubstep first?

IMO you can't make real dance-able music if you yourself haven't just forgot the world and danced your ass off. Try just nodding your head, put imaginary kicks on the ups and downs. Jam out. Notice spaces, fill them.

its all about the fucking groove man

so much dubstep seems to forget about this... listen to some techno or something and check out how they shuffle their percussion. all about that pushing feeling so the track has energy and drive.