Hey there..I,m at a point where I need to "bounce it off Boomer" so if you have any working concepts to share....
I am new to song writing,arranging,recording,tracking,overdubbing,singing,(ugh)engineering,mixing,mastering(I can hardly wait),but I am giving it a go...At this stage I have a song which consists of an acoustic rhythm,percussion,vocal,and some backing vocal tracks....no bass yet (I need more friends or I may have to do that too)...it is "okay" but still raw, but coming together slowly...My question to all of you is... How do you go about adding a lead...I think I`m looking for ideas and options on HOW to work and how that relates to making a decision..I think I need a format to follow, so as not to end up with countless tracks of unformulated material......either I am as slow as a melting glacier or as dumb as a box of rocks....thx cooker
You can sleep when you`re dead!
"and baby all you need...is just a little more love"
Start with somthing SIMPLE :D No more than 4 tracks. Don't worry about a big production, just KEEP IT SIMPLE 8) Track1-basic drum track, 2-bass or 2nd guitar , 3-guitar, 4- vocal. Then you practice mixing it . Get it to sound as full as you can. after you get that done go on to 6 tracks and so on. The point is to start with just a few tracks or you will just get overwhelmed :wink: --the dog
BTW feel free to post your progress in "Hear Here"
Investing in a quality pair of monitors is going to be a must for you. You will need to hear what it will truely sound like every step of the way.
Try and use a metronome, that way your tracks will line up.
So you know too, we have a section called "In The Studio". I think this thread would be more fitting in that section, as there are some great people that know what they are doing and can help you if you get in a bind.
I hope everything works out for you!
Mike
I'm not real sure what your asking but I can convey to you how I might approach it.
I'd hot box a couple of cigarettes & smash a double shot exsressio... set down with the rhythm track and just improvise...arpeggios are usually a nice approach to start with. While doing this... you should notice that certain phrasings will begin to emerge. Tinker with octaves and try to introduce some subtle details. like they say sometimes "less is more." Once your totally into it...start your recording. Take several takes. Take the best of 'em and go from there. Software is all Greek to me... dont know what you can or can't do with it!! Also, don't be afraid to experiment with clean, dirty or any other EFX. pickup combinations or even different picks. And if for some reason your not feeling it... walk away from it and pick it up later. Music is art and theory... approach it artistically.
I'm not sure if this is any help or not...but let me Know how it turns out regardless.
"You can drive a song or you can make it sit still."
Hey All thx for the replies..first, "dog" and 'mike" you give good advice regarding simplicity and accuracy and I appreciate it! I have recently adopted the "kiss" method (Keep It Simple Stupid) while recording/writing, but as you must know all to well it can get crazy at times when you are doing it all yourself.....Dog, I have some tracks(more than one project at one time naturally)and I do practice some mixing..just havn`t "bounced" anything yet..will be callin` on you guys when the time comes...Hey mike...when the cash and more cash becomes availible I will be investing in monitors to mix with..,unfortunatley it is not possible in the near future...as for lining up tracks with a metronome, I never gave that a thought...I just use the led counters and move tracs into posistions that way on the digital recorder....unless you are refering to something else?..
I will definatley check out the sites you guys suggested for more info...thx cooker
You can sleep when you`re dead!
"and baby all you need...is just a little more love"
Hey MM...it`s amazing...I always seem to have "two burning" at the same time,right next to the bourbon and water! After reading your reply I guess I`m not crazy cuz that`s exactly how I do it.....right up to the point of "take the best of `em and go from there"..if dog and mike are reading this maybe you guys thought I was at the point of knowing what it was I wanted to lay down...I,m not...I know I am the only one who can ultimitley decide that...I just wondered how you go about it "objectivley",while the material is "subjective"......for instance.. are there some "rules" to follow regarding leads as far as structure of the song is concerned? Any comments on that aspect?
I think I am on the right track( no pun intended) after reading your reply,I suppose I was looking for some affirmation.
As I "play" I see/hear the phrases developing and "I" think it sounds okay by itself, just wasn`t sure if the "arrangement" was "sound"(no pun) together...perhaps I,m not giving myself enough time to let the lead develop....
One other question ...I have been "playing" all thru the whole song...introing..adlibing,accenting,leading and outroing so to speak, so as not to lose the "flow" ...do you try to "play' the finished product on a track like this or do you actually "mix" it from sections...is it easier that way...
You can sleep when you`re dead!
"and baby all you need...is just a little more love"
No..cooker your not crazy. It's a tried and true method.
I'd lay down the lead track..... then come with the solo, outros & fills on another. I've herd people say in the past that the only rule is if it sounds good to you its ok. I'm personally not that extreme on the issue. I do however like to throw in a change of key once in a great while during a
solo. it'll give the solo a little twist... but I don't really recommend it.
"You can drive a song or you can make it sit still."
MM thx for the insight...think I will give the different parts on different tracs methods a try...as for changing key,(I,m not always sure I,m in the right one anyway) I,ll reserve that for experimentation...although I did have a "missed note' the other day,but the more I listen to the playback it is growing on me...probabally cuz it gives just enough variance to make an interesting contrast..ramble, ramble...thx again...cooker
You can sleep when you`re dead!
"and baby all you need...is just a little more love"
