Stonelands
Well-known member
How do you do it? What equipment do you use and how long would you generally spend in one session on working on a song?
For those of you that write music
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Stonelands
Well-known member
I just realized that this part of the forum wasn't really the place to post this thread. My mistake.
Walley
Well-known member
wrong section or not.. i'll try to answer lol
I find that song writing follows no rules. it can be different for everyone, and different each time you try.
I'm talking the entire process.
I have purposely tried different methods of approach, from just sitting staring at a piece of paper, to carrying around a pen and paper in my pocket and writing one line at a time over the course of a month. sometimes I start with a melody, sometimes lyrics, sometimes I have entire musical score before I put words to it. there is no real proper way to do it.
you mentions what kind of equipment? I am assuming you mean software? midi or loops?
I can't answer that part because I am purely an instrument/vocals kinda guy. all my music is generated by my hands or voice and so the only equipment I would use is a guitar or piano.
and of course my mind.
I've also found its the same thing as when you record a song in a way..
I have tried to purposely go about recording songs in totally different methods each time and it helps make them all unique.
for instance, one song I may record a guitar solo line by line. record one phrase then stop, listen back, redo if necessary, then move to the next. but then the next solo I recorded I played it all in one take from start to finish.
another one, I may record completely clean with no effects, then add all textures and effects later, and then the next time reverse that and play the track with the effect I want and do minimal production afterwards.
the moment you start to feel like you need to follow a certain procedure or process, your creative freedom will start to suffer.
I find that song writing follows no rules. it can be different for everyone, and different each time you try.
I'm talking the entire process.
I have purposely tried different methods of approach, from just sitting staring at a piece of paper, to carrying around a pen and paper in my pocket and writing one line at a time over the course of a month. sometimes I start with a melody, sometimes lyrics, sometimes I have entire musical score before I put words to it. there is no real proper way to do it.
you mentions what kind of equipment? I am assuming you mean software? midi or loops?
I can't answer that part because I am purely an instrument/vocals kinda guy. all my music is generated by my hands or voice and so the only equipment I would use is a guitar or piano.
and of course my mind.
I've also found its the same thing as when you record a song in a way..
I have tried to purposely go about recording songs in totally different methods each time and it helps make them all unique.
for instance, one song I may record a guitar solo line by line. record one phrase then stop, listen back, redo if necessary, then move to the next. but then the next solo I recorded I played it all in one take from start to finish.
another one, I may record completely clean with no effects, then add all textures and effects later, and then the next time reverse that and play the track with the effect I want and do minimal production afterwards.
the moment you start to feel like you need to follow a certain procedure or process, your creative freedom will start to suffer.
Stonelands
Well-known member
By 'equipment' I was actually more or less meaning recording software haha. I seem to have had some trouble with recording lately.
Badjedidude
Well-known member
Honestly, I mostly use Audacity... but mostly what I do is record snippets of my own songs/riffs, etc. I like to have them on my ipod and stuff so I can listen to them later, maybe use them when I practice soloing, or just as a general record so I can remember them later. 
So I'm not sure I have much to offer in the way of experience with more professional recording software/gear.
So I'm not sure I have much to offer in the way of experience with more professional recording software/gear.
Walley
Well-known member
I always used Cubase. I found it does pretty much everything I wanted to do including video sound.
the only thing is that since I started using win & 64 bit I found that it was giving me issues with certain drivers and my hardware, so I started using Cakewalk. it seems to work just as well for what I have used it for.
the thing to remember is, don't worry about technical specs or professional recording tools unless you also have professional gear to capture the original sound. if you're recording a USB mic in 16bit 44hz then just go with whatever app has a UI that you feel good with.
if you're using a $1000 mic and proper preamps and things, then you need software that will do it justice. (see pic of my studio below)
if you're just capturing riffs to develop songs.. then a smartphone will do the trick =)
the only thing is that since I started using win & 64 bit I found that it was giving me issues with certain drivers and my hardware, so I started using Cakewalk. it seems to work just as well for what I have used it for.
the thing to remember is, don't worry about technical specs or professional recording tools unless you also have professional gear to capture the original sound. if you're recording a USB mic in 16bit 44hz then just go with whatever app has a UI that you feel good with.
if you're using a $1000 mic and proper preamps and things, then you need software that will do it justice. (see pic of my studio below)
if you're just capturing riffs to develop songs.. then a smartphone will do the trick =)
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