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Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:09 am
by Genophonics
I don't know why but it's always the absolute hardest part for me...once i get started I can breeze through and create some pretty interesting stuff but the starting point is what always tough for me...I never know how stuff should start with drums or pads or bass or everything at once. Anybody else find this is somewhat true or just me? haha
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:12 am
by Kes-Es
Yes
I usually have to get inspired by an accapella or summat, or nuffing comes out of me head.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:18 am
by Genophonics
Also quick question along side of this thread..how do you know what refills are used with what? some I go into and they have a subtractor folder so i know those ones are opened with that or thor ext...but some don't say what they're for...like i went into this refill and the folder says "song starters" how would i go about opening that in reason. I'm guessing it's a template of some sort? Sorry for the extremely stupid question.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:24 am
by Kes-Es
I know positively nothing about Reason. SOMEBODY HELP THIS KID.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:38 am
by Genophonics
I actually quite like reason, I like the whole press tab and it goes into a realistic routing screen.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:44 am
by sixth sense
It doesn't matter what you start with usually its something different every time. Most people will say go with the drums first though try and build up a rhythm you can groove to then work from there.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 1:06 am
by glottis5
Don't just start with drums/pads/whatever, start with whatever the main idea of the track is.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 1:10 am
by mks
Starting a song is always the easiest for me... Finishing it is something else though.

Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 1:17 am
by Sinisterbeats
Im the opposite, I find finishing a tune a lot more difficult than starting. As for the question about refills, it tells you what device it will open in and has a little icon for each of the synth/samplers. Not sure what these 'song starters' are but I would guess they are ready made Rex loops or wavs which you can open in the
NN-XT, or the rex files in whichever rex player you have depending on which version of reason your using.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 1:25 am
by therook
I usually just think of a theme in my head. Since the mind is a powerful tool, once an idea is introduced to the brain, it almost develops itself (inception fans lol)
but seriously.. I really never listen to dubstep anymore unless I'm working out or smoking or whatever. Its all about listening to other genres, watching movies, going off your current emotional state, etc.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 1:33 am
by abZ
Haha that's the easiest part for me. If you are good at finishing them off I am sure I could send you some good stuff to start with.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 2:07 am
by Genophonics
Yeah i guess it's all getting familiar with what does what...which I am not familiar with anything yet haha. TheRook I absolutely love the sound of that track you did called 'always'. I was actually trying to make some kind of nice smooth sound like that earlier and have no idea where to even start. Is that a pad and some kind of piano that is tweaked to get the intro for that? I really wanna know how to make those easy on the ear sounds like that.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 2:32 am
by marshy
The 20+ folders of 8 bar loops and soundcloud full of WIP's shows it's different on my part

Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 2:46 am
by Genophonics
or even that sound you have marshy that nice smooth sound. Is that pads? or just sub bass. haha music production can be kind of overwhelming at first but it fascinates me for some reason haha.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:02 am
by ninjadog
I also find starting the hardest, especially when I am stoned. I usually get inspired to write a song after I smoke a joint. It's a vicious circle. Once I get going and I'm really feeling it I have no troubles letting the song write itself so to speak. But I usually get bored of my 8 bar loop and scrap it.
I havent fired up Reason for a coons age and have begun to forget stuff, but can't you browse sounds in the browser and then have it create the proper instrument one you select the sound? Or are you on 2.5 or some shit.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:03 am
by marshy
Genophonics wrote:or even that sound you have marshy that nice smooth sound. Is that pads? or just sub bass. haha music production can be kind of overwhelming at first but it fascinates me for some reason haha.
What do you mean, i'm assuming you mean the track in my sig? The swelling pad sound that's in the intro and carries on throughout the track is actually the Evok vocoder synth inside logic

Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:04 am
by ninjadog
abZ wrote:Haha that's the easiest part for me. If you are good at finishing them off I am sure I could send you some good stuff to start with.
What do you use, I wouldn't mind trying to finish something. I use Logic 8 and Reason 3.0
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:52 am
by Genophonics
yeah i wouldn't mind either. I use reason 5 btw. I think I'm going to try logic though...i hear it's harder to get the hang of than reason but you can make some pretty amazing stuff with it.
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 9:22 am
by Rekah
ninjadog wrote:I also find starting the hardest, especially when I am stoned. I usually get inspired to write a song after I smoke a joint. It's a vicious circle. Once I get going and I'm really feeling it I have no troubles letting the song write itself so to speak. But I usually get bored of my 8 bar loop and scrap it.
I havent fired up Reason for a coons age and have begun to forget stuff, but can't you browse sounds in the browser and then have it create the proper instrument one you select the sound? Or are you on 2.5 or some shit.
This, i do the same all the time
Re: Starting a song is always the hardest part...
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 9:45 am
by legend4ry
Starting a tune is the easiest thing - its finding an idea worth going with whats the hardest... I think theres a 20 minute time period where if the track still isn't working, you should just close your daw and go do something else.