Some beginner issues

[kqmtb2006]

Hey I'm really new to this but I had a couple questions.

First, what part of a track would you recommend? I would think it would be preference but do lots prefer to start with drums, etc?

Second, once I start adding the first basic synths I get a bit stuck. My track sounds flat and boring with no depth to it. I go and listen to something like a Nero track and it blows me away. What I'm trying to say is, I have no idea how to start giving the track space and making it sound less like some synths and drums and more like a real production.

Im just looking for some suggestions and insight into these topics really. Again, I'm really new at this so anything helps.

Thanks

[wub]

Hey I'm really new to this but I had a couple questions.

Welcome

First, what part of a track would you recommend? I would think it would be preference but do lots prefer to start with drums, etc?

This is a good discussion thread to get you thinking;

Personal Workflows - http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=246490

Second, once I start adding the first basic synths I get a bit stuck. My track sounds flat and boring with no depth to it. I go and listen to something like a Nero track and it blows me away. What I'm trying to say is, I have no idea how to start giving the track space and making it sound less like some synths and drums and more like a real production.

Flat & boring is a bit of a vague term, especially with nothing to referenced again. That being said, you could be refering to either layering (where you have multiple instances of different instruments i.e. synths that are layered and blended together to create a fuller sound, subtractive EQing where each element if given it's own 'space' within the frequency range of the tune so that it doesn't bleed over into other elements, or for the 'real production' comment you could be referring to the space around the main elements, in which case maybe adding some soft pads or other elements for the background of the tune may make it feel less empty.

Again, if you could provide an example to A/B reference against, that would help in answering this point.

Im just looking for some suggestions and insight into these topics really. Again, I'm really new at this so anything helps.

Everything I've mentioned above has been covered on here at length, so feel free to have a route around in the Advanced Search for some further reading. Set the options to only search in the Production sub forum to narrow your results a little, and if it's a common word (for example, 'layering') then consider ticking the box that says "Topic titles only" to further streamline your results.

[Monowan]

Welcome ! First of all, what's your DAW ?

[Electric_Head]

Welcome ! First of all, what's your DAW ?

None of his questions are DAW specific.

[wub]

Welcome ! First of all, what's your DAW ?

None of his questions are DAW specific.

Agreed - asking what DAW they're using is both pointless & irrelevant.

[Monowan]

Jesus Christ I'm sure there are a lot of people on this board who will answer to his general questions far better than me, I just wanted to know if I can help him with the actual knobs and stuff because those questions will inevitably pop up since he just started. Sorry I guess.

[wub]

Jesus Christ I'm sure there are a lot of people on this board who will answer to his general questions far better than me, I just wanted to know if I can help him with the actual knobs and stuff because those questions will inevitably pop up since he just started. Sorry I guess.

Fair enough, but answering a question that has yet to be asked is a guaranteed way to confuse someone, especially a new user. The OP contained no mentions of knobs etc...it was more theoretical based...and to prevent confusion answers may be better suited if they answered based on that.

Not meaning to have a go, but if an OP has a largely whimsical feel to it without any technical specifics, asking about software in's and out's is largely redundant.

[jrisreal]

Hey I'm really new to this but I had a couple questions.

Hello

First, what part of a track would you recommend? I would think it would be preference but do lots prefer to start with drums, etc?

It varies from person to person. I just start with whatever I feel like starting with at the time.

Second, once I start adding the first basic synths I get a bit stuck. My track sounds flat and boring with no depth to it. I go and listen to something like a Nero track and it blows me away. What I'm trying to say is, I have no idea how to start giving the track space and making it sound less like some synths and drums and more like a real production.

Making tracks sound full is really something every part contributes to. As you practice and get better, you'll get better at this. No worries, you'll get there. One thing to try is some reverb...reverb can help space things up in a sense that it actually makes it sound like your sounds are being played in an echoey room.

Good luck

[Skrew]

#1: Stop trying to be Nero.
#2: Start by reading up on EQ & compression.
#3: You can start with whatever fits your workflow the best.


One thing I notice on this forum is the lack of panning and sound sound FX. I love hearing random sounds every now and then and sounds that "wrap around my head".

[bassinine]

be the way, you've just asked us: How do I become a top-level producer?

practice - a lot. start with trying out different waveforms with synths - and get an idea of what each waveform sounds like (sine, square, saw, etc).

next, once you have that down. start experimenting with different filters (low, high, band pass/reject, comb). again, listen to the sounds critically while you are turning knobs, and try to hear what each one does to the sound.

once you have waveforms and filters down, start working on effects. Learn what each effect does - ONE VST AT A TIME. spend a day reading how compressors work, and play with one in your daw until you think you understand it. then move onto other effects (eq, saturation, chorus, phaser, gate, delay, reverb).

learn one step at a time - and it will seem easy.

[Rymphony]

If you think your tunes sound boring/empty, try adding all kinds of white noise, wooshes(those are awesome) and lot of cymbals (remember panning). and you should listen to professional producers and try to listen to things you normally wouldn't. there is alot of weird stuff you kinda won't hear, but you still hear it, you know?
your tunes will always be sounding better and better over time. mixdown is always improving, pro mixdown is what really makes a tune sound professional.

[bassbum]

Work flow changes from track to track, I work around ideas.

This is how I do it when I dont have a idear.

A good way to start is to make a few midrange bass sounds. Theres no point in moving on until you have some fat and nice sound. I might make one sound out of about 10 massive instances.

I work on the drop first because that the most important part.
Get a kick and snare going, Kick on 1 snare on 3, keep things that simple for now. I wont proses the drums at this point, there just there so I have something to work around.

Then I will stat adding the bass sounds I made before, I will keep trying different notes and rhythms until it flows right and sounds cool. Its normally a good idea to have the heaviest and fattest sound first so when it drops it drops hard.

Then I will add more kick drums. I do it this way so I can put the kick drums in places that sound good with the bass parts and get things really syncopated, thats why I keep it simple before. Sometimes if I make a complex kick drum patten before I make the bass part I will find it hard to get notes and rhythms that go with the drums.

Then I will add 2 or 3 different hihats. Getting some shuffle going before a snare drum normally sounds good.

At this point I might move a few things around to make sure you can dance to it.

Once thats done I will fatten up the drums with layering, eq and compression. I add a few claps to the snare and put them out of time with each other by a few milliseconds.

Then I will work on the into and build up to the drop.

[outdropt]

I didnt get this welcoming wagon when i joined ='[

But anyways welcome!

With starting off a song its ether one of these few things that gets me going..

If im sitting and have no clue where to start, ill make the drum beat just to have a structure and move to the melody/chords.

If i have a melody already thought up ill start with a saw or fairly simplistic lead, get down the melody, then work on sound design, then drums, then build from that foundation.

If i am amped up i might take an existing drum preset i developed make a a simple pattern. Then get right on the bass and sweeps. (i only do this if im pumped otherwise i try to focus on other elements to my track and develop the bassline around that)

Thats pretty much it for me, unless a vocal sample "catches my eyes", then i might take a simple synth and figure out what chords sound good with the vocals and base my track around that.

[bassbum]

Second, once I start adding the first basic synths I get a bit stuck. My track sounds flat and boring with no depth to it.

Other than adding reverb ,flange and chorus to add movement and fatness to sounds you want to fill up the whole frequency range.

Every sound is different but here are some of the standard (ones I can remember with out opening my daw) frequencys.

30-70hz is your bass sub

50- 120hz is your kick sub

120- 240hz is your snare bass

200 - 500hz is the weight to your synths, ofen makes bass sounds sound full.

1000- 2000hz is the brightness to your leads, pads, snare and midrange bass sounds, also the botom of your hats

15000-18000hz is the fuzz/shimmer on your hats, leads, snare and midrange bass sounds.

[safeandsound]

I would hazard a guess that you need some quality synth patches to get you started, most softsynths come with presets that have more than their fair share of depth. If you need some more depth try working with some delay based effects as others have mentioned. It is going to take you a while to sound like a top electronic music producer. Rome was not built in a day, have fun and ask plenty of questions.