Making songs less repetitive

[ephyks]

I'm always told on every single one of my songs that all my synths are intros, even my wobbles are way to repetitive. I really fail to catch it with my ears. I like long build ups because I was a progressive house producer before I started producing dubstep. So when I get some sick chords I'll just keep layering it up every 8 bars with new drum patterns and more sounds until a drop. I hear it in dubstep tunes all the times. Yet I feel like I'm thrown under the bus instantly every time I release even a WIP.

Here's an example tune of mine. only a minute and a half in length but just recently criticized for being repetitive.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22378078/Space% ... 20Bass.mp3

Also sorry for this WIP being super bro-steppy.

[weedcali]

Just keep adding new elements. Little background sweeps, percs, drums, synths etc.

[legend4ry]

boring repetitive nature in Dubstep just comes from the lack of good groove and vibes -



This doesn't drone on you at all, straight up head nodding from start > finish! Its got simple progression, impeccable groove a structure we can all get along with but not once do I think.. "why ain't this track switching up at all?"


Listen to golden era hiphop & dub and you'll get what I mean about not having a lot going on but it working perfectly within its simplicity.

[wormcode]

I think people are too used to tunes where there's a new midrange wobble sound introduced every 2 bars these days. Fucking gets on my nerves tbh, it's like ADHD music or something. Too many sounds going on to get any solid groove going, I much prefer repetitive, hypnotic music, but different strokes and all...

Your link doesn't sound repetitive to me, except for the drums. Another thing is people focus too much on the wobbles and not enough on the percussion. There's not enough groove or variation in your drums IMO, and that really takes away from any tune. Only 1:26 loaded though, was it longer?

Drums > wobble

[ephyks]

I think people are too used to tunes where there's a new midrange wobble sound introduced every 2 bars these days. Fucking gets on my nerves tbh, it's like ADHD music or something. Too many sounds going on to get any solid groove going, I much prefer repetitive, hypnotic music, but different strokes and all...

Your link doesn't sound repetitive to me, except for the drums. Another thing is people focus too much on the wobbles and not enough on the percussion. There's not enough groove or variation in your drums IMO, and that really takes away from any tune. Only 1:26 loaded though, was it longer?

Drums > wobble

Nah that's all I had. I re-did the whole intro today because someone told me my old intro was repetitive and then I get another slam of critique with it. Maybe it's just the other community that I post in. My drums are pretty straight forward generic dubstep regimented beats. Kick-snare-kick-kick-snare-kick-snare-kick-kick-kick-snare. Yeah...

[wormcode]

Try making some interesting or weird drum patterns. Put the snare somewhere else, take grid snap off and move sounds around. Put the snare a little bit late on every few bars etc... just little things like that is what keeps the brain picking up on new stuff. I notice the tearout type dubstep is mostly very simple drum patterns.

[jrisreal]

Try cloning and modifying your patterns and alternating between the different versions. Make three or four variations. And do this for more than one instrument. Drums especially.

[david nicol]

Make the drums interact more with the midrange wobble, I feel this helps a lot, especially when you are changing up the wobble every few bars. You should probably have a strong kick drum or snare on every new variation of the midrange wobble.

Also, try adding some negative space. Having a midrange bass rage solid through 4 bars then repeat is sure to sound "boring" i suppose.

[Teknicyde]

make your tune have a conversation... element a asks a question, element b answers it... you get that down and it can be simple as hell and people will still never get sick of it.

[wub]

I generally work on the rule that my tunes never go more than 8 bars without changing somehow. Techniques I use include;

• Varying my drum programming. I'll generally create a pattern I like, then copy it and make 2-4 variations so I can drop them into playlist as required.
• Introducing a new element, percussion or otherwise.
• Having a short white noise sweep, often used as a precursor to a new element being introduced.
• Short vocal sample. This can either be played up or down through the notes on the piano roll (if you're in FL, use the granulizer as opposed to the sampler as you won't affect pitch).
• Alternatively, have the vocal sample play once with a delay/reverb combo on it so that it floats out gradually over the following bar.
• Sound effects - I use Toad a lot for this.
• Reduction of elements. Take things out of the tune to give other elements space to breath.
• Effect automation. For example, if I've got a hi hat pattern with a bit of flange/distortion on them (as my hats often do), then I'll maybe add a short burst of delay to ratchet up over 4 bars, then drop down again. This gives the percussion an element of movement.

Just experiment really. The above techniques work for me, so try them, see what you like the feel of, then amend/adjust to suit your own tastes.

[Heartless]

You seem to be relying too much on switching up patches and adding layers and effects to reduce the monotony of your tracks. The track in your sig has the same simple, and honestly boring, motif the whole way through. Try taking a break and writing some piano pieces.

[t3h]

Advice about drum patterns is really good.

In my case, I have 4 main drums, 2 build up/intro beats, 4 "main" beats w/o hats and two patterns build by hats for fill. For me, reversed snare sound layered with normal snare can make something like swoosh before hit.
Don't be afraid to use atmospherical pads/samples, cut sounds or noises.

[1point5]

Yeah some tracks can get away with being almost the same all the way through: Cyrus and Tunnidge - Ding Ding and at the other end of the spectrum Trolley Snatcha - The Future. I think it's just that they are well punctuated with slight changes, FX and missing drums every 16 bars or so

[deadly_habit]

live drumming be it midi keyboard mpd or mpc
addss so much

[XavierC]

Change up the drum pattern, push the lead up an octave, add new sweeps etc

[efence]

I generally work on the rule that my tunes never go more than 8 bars without changing somehow.

my method is pretty simple. I get a 4 bar drum loop going rock it through whole track. then i go back when the meat of the track is gone and drum it in my head and add all the interesting variations so it will almost never loop more then 4 bars

[briqu]

I have no dubstep background so I cant give any genre specific tips. I would agree though that its the lack of subtle changes that can create the impression of monotony. When people like the Orb used to create 15 minute long melody loops they would allow the synth to play it for that whole time and allow things from subtle lfos to heavy dub style effects tweaks to interact with the sound over time. This is in contrast to creating perfect x bar loops and adding layers. Playing things live or even creating an imperfect quantize effect over time with the mouse will help. Also, there is always the possibility that someone who likes band music will brand most electronic music as monotonous.

[cloak and dagger]

Honestly I think almost every producer struggles with this, and it really depends on the track more than anything...there's loads of great old techno/electro/etc. tracks that really don't change, but the groove is so solid that you can really get sucked in and not find it monotonous.

So, Rule #1: Take it on a track-by-track basis. Every song is unique.

Rule #2: Look at the structure of your track. I've found lots of times that I have more than enough elements to keep my track interesting all the way through, it's just that the track isn't arranged so as to maximize its interestingness.

Rule #3: MAKE YOUR TRACK SHORTER. I struggle with this one a lot. It's hard for me to write short tunes if there's elements that I really like and want to show off for a longer time or bring them in more than once in the track. I usually have to sit on the track for a week before going back to it and realizing which parts need to be trimmed.

[grooki]

straight up head nodding from start > finish!

[khamiz]

Drum fills, automation.