Need advise. -ACID Product Family - MAGIX Community Forums Archive

Subject:Need advise. Posted by: Vincenzo Date:3/14/2006 6:23:08 PM Ok I always wanted to make some good music, so I bought Acid Pro and studied music theory. I still have not mastered Acid Pro. Music theory deals mostly with harmonics and what notes sound good together, but their is alot more to composing music. I also read that one should first laydown the rythm with percussions first. I was wondering if someone could give me additional pointers or references about combining musical elements (bars) into a musical composition? Thanks Vincenzo
Subject:RE: Need advise. Reply by: JohnnyRoy Date:3/15/2006 6:11:05 AM > I always wanted to make some good music Define “good”. ;-) How you approach music composition will change somewhat with the style of music you are trying to make. If you are trying to write a Pop tune, then “rhythm with percussion” does form the basis for the song. If you are trying to write a ballad, then the main instrument, (piano, guitar, orchestra, etc) is probably the important thing to lay down first. Hip hop may require a different approach, although a strong funky beat is probably high on the list of things to get right first (do people still use the word “funky” or am I dating myself?). In general, you should go with what pops into your head first. Do you have a melody? Do you only have a hook? Are there a series of chords that you thought might make a good song? Or are you forcing yourself to compose something from nothing? Each of those scenarios will determine a different approach to composing the song. If you are forcing yourself to write pop song, I would lay down the percussion and bass guitar first to form the rhythm section. Then I would add any other rhythm instruments. At that point, I would shift to modeling the song structure (i.e., verse, chorus, bridge, etc.) then I would finish off with lead instruments, vocals, etc. But that’s just my approach. It’s what works for me. You have to find what works for you. It’s a very personal thing. ~jr
Subject:RE: Need advise. Reply by: Iacobus Date:3/15/2006 11:27:04 AM As JohnnyRoy mentioned, it's all a personal thing. Sometimes I come up with a hook while I'm away from my DAW. (This usually produces funny looks from strangers.) Sometimes I lay down a basic beat first and jam along with it, usually coming up with something interesting in the process. It's pretty subjective. You may have noticed that you can harmonize tracks. For example, if you duplicate a track and then pitch shift it a few semitones up or down, you effectively harmonize those two tracks together. e.g., If your project is in A and you shift a duplicated track +7 (to E), you've just tuned the duplicated track a perfect 5th above the root. (Take note that not all material stretches well; you may end up with something funky-sounding depending on the material.) You could also simply record original material over a particular track using the corresponding interval. Iacobus ------- RodelWorks - Original Music for the Unafraid Buy Instant ACID by JohnnyRoy and mD! mD at ACIDplanet
Subject:RE: Need advise. Reply by: Cheameup Date:3/15/2006 5:10:17 PM Just remember to make music you like. If you like the way something sounds it stays, if your not sure about it it goes . You have to trust your own judgement and creativity . And you will make alot of crap,that's part of the process,but there will be gems amongst the crap I have two folders in acid the good idea's and the average /bad idea's in the other . I have about 30 files in the good and 100-120 in the bad . And the really bad ones I dont keep or delete the next day . Just have fun , this is a great time to make music. We can all do things in seconds in our homes that were once what musicans dreamed of being able to do and took alot of cash to acheive

Subject:Need advise.

Posted by: Vincenzo

Date:3/14/2006 6:23:08 PM

Ok I always wanted to make some good music, so I bought Acid Pro and studied music theory. I still have not mastered Acid Pro. Music theory deals mostly with harmonics and what notes sound good together, but their is alot more to composing music. I also read that one should first laydown the rythm with percussions first. I was wondering if someone could give me additional pointers or references about combining musical elements (bars) into a musical composition?

Thanks Vincenzo

Subject:RE: Need advise.

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:3/15/2006 6:11:05 AM

> I always wanted to make some good music

Define “good”. ;-)

How you approach music composition will change somewhat with the style of music you are trying to make. If you are trying to write a Pop tune, then “rhythm with percussion” does form the basis for the song. If you are trying to write a ballad, then the main instrument, (piano, guitar, orchestra, etc) is probably the important thing to lay down first. Hip hop may require a different approach, although a strong funky beat is probably high on the list of things to get right first (do people still use the word “funky” or am I dating myself?).

In general, you should go with what pops into your head first. Do you have a melody? Do you only have a hook? Are there a series of chords that you thought might make a good song? Or are you forcing yourself to compose something from nothing? Each of those scenarios will determine a different approach to composing the song.

If you are forcing yourself to write pop song, I would lay down the percussion and bass guitar first to form the rhythm section. Then I would add any other rhythm instruments. At that point, I would shift to modeling the song structure (i.e., verse, chorus, bridge, etc.) then I would finish off with lead instruments, vocals, etc. But that’s just my approach. It’s what works for me. You have to find what works for you. It’s a very personal thing.

~jr

Subject:RE: Need advise.

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:3/15/2006 11:27:04 AM

As JohnnyRoy mentioned, it's all a personal thing.

Sometimes I come up with a hook while I'm away from my DAW. (This usually produces funny looks from strangers.) Sometimes I lay down a basic beat first and jam along with it, usually coming up with something interesting in the process. It's pretty subjective.

You may have noticed that you can harmonize tracks. For example, if you duplicate a track and then pitch shift it a few semitones up or down, you effectively harmonize those two tracks together.

e.g., If your project is in A and you shift a duplicated track +7 (to E), you've just tuned the duplicated track a perfect 5th above the root. (Take note that not all material stretches well; you may end up with something funky-sounding depending on the material.)

You could also simply record original material over a particular track using the corresponding interval.

Iacobus
-------
RodelWorks - Original Music for the Unafraid
Buy Instant ACID by JohnnyRoy and mD!
mD at ACIDplanet

Subject:RE: Need advise.

Reply by: Cheameup

Date:3/15/2006 5:10:17 PM

Just remember to make music you like. If you like the way something sounds it stays, if your not sure about it it goes . You have to trust your own judgement and creativity .
And you will make alot of crap,that's part of the process,but there will be gems amongst the crap
I have two folders in acid the good idea's and the average /bad idea's in the other . I have about 30 files in the good and 100-120 in the bad . And the really bad ones I dont keep or delete the next day .

Just have fun , this is a great time to make music. We can all do things in seconds in our homes that were once what musicans dreamed of being able to do and took alot of cash to acheive