How do you get organized?

[needle ninja]

In a DAW you end up having 100s of effects...

Mix-and-match randomly for sounds that are unique - lol.

I also have a collection of folders with hundreds of cool sounds I've collected over the years from various sampler DVDs.

AND - with my new Tascam recorder I can get a 24bit wave of something if I come across a cool sound somewhere.

[Goa Travellers]

Hey, here's a new one: When you play special effect sounds here and there on your tune, do you actually send the notes to a synth in real time (MiDi) or are you just playing a sample of a SFX sound that you recorded earlier with your synth (audio)?

[Panoptes]

I always have at least two hardware synths triggering midi in realtime until I have the section perfected, after which mix it down. You can apply effect before or after the mixdown. Use effects freely and mind what order they are in the signal chain. Your only limiting factor is cpu and # of line inputs

[Goa Travellers]

I'm watching these live acts (Boom festival, Ozora, Fullmoon), and I'm trying to understand the point turning some knobs, when there is really no need at all, based on the music currently playing...I mean, there's this hysteric musician turning up and down the cutoff knob of his Nord Wave, but you don't hear anything that may sound close to it...Even if the rhythm is here and kicking. I can't believe these musicians are performing live, using MiDi instruments and a DAW. And the music is so perfectly mixed with no error or mistake that would obviously happen during a 1-hour mix. How do you think they organize themselves to provide a nice mix? Are they "cheating"? Seriously...

[CoLoUr DoTZ]

I'm watching these live acts (Boom festival, Ozora, Fullmoon), and I'm trying to understand the point turning some knobs, when there is really no need at all, based on the music currently playing...I mean, there's this hysteric musician turning up and down the cutoff knob of his Nord Wave, but you don't hear anything that may sound close to it...Even if the rhythm is here and kicking. I can't believe these musicians are performing live, using MiDi instruments and a DAW. And the music is so perfectly mixed with no error or mistake that would obviously happen during a 1-hour mix. How do you think they organize themselves to provide a nice mix? Are they "cheating"? Seriously...

 

Playback.

 

 

On the other hand, have you already some working method?? I'd love to hear how you approach music making.... thanks for sharing!!!

[needle ninja]

I'm watching these live acts (Boom festival, Ozora, Fullmoon), and I'm trying to understand the point turning some knobs, when there is really no need at all, based on the music currently playing...I mean, there's this hysteric musician turning up and down the cutoff knob of his Nord Wave, but you don't hear anything that may sound close to it...Even if the rhythm is here and kicking. I can't believe these musicians are performing live, using MiDi instruments and a DAW. And the music is so perfectly mixed with no error or mistake that would obviously happen during a 1-hour mix. How do you think they organize themselves to provide a nice mix? Are they "cheating"? Seriously...

 

My Moog little phatty can be potmapped any way you want and I'm sure Nord Wave can be as well.

However, the midi output is most likely going to a VST synth. Midi learn to any parameter is what I look for in a softsynth before I buy.

So, just because it my say 'cutoff' on the knob doesn't necessarily mean it is controlling a cutoff.

[Padmapani]

I'm watching these live acts (Boom festival, Ozora, Fullmoon), and I'm trying to understand the point turning some knobs, when there is really no need at all, based on the music currently playing...I mean, there's this hysteric musician turning up and down the cutoff knob of his Nord Wave, but you don't hear anything that may sound close to it...Even if the rhythm is here and kicking. I can't believe these musicians are performing live, using MiDi instruments and a DAW. And the music is so perfectly mixed with no error or mistake that would obviously happen during a 1-hour mix. How do you think they organize themselves to provide a nice mix? Are they "cheating"? Seriously...

 

have you checked if the device actually has cables connected to it? most of the time it's fake: press play and act cool...

[Goa Travellers]

LOL...Thanks for your input. Yeah, and cheating, you are less prone to mistakes

[Ov3rdos3]

• Do you use only hard synths and drum kits, or only soft ones, or a mixture? I only use softsynths, also I tend to build all my own sounds from scratch using native oscillators and effects. I use samples for my drums, but I tweak and layer them in a way that makes them mine and unique.
• Do you use the PC sequencer for both live performance and at the studio? I only make music. I dont play live (dont know how)
• When you perform live, do you basically play your tunes one after the other, or do you have your own large tune specifically made for this purpose? If I have to play for people, its just a standard DJ set, wicky-wicky-woo etc.
• If you perform live, how do you manage transitions from one tune to another (if you use actual synths)? Dont
• When performing live, do you simulate that you're playing, and use an MP3 playlist while turning the knobs? No, this would mean that a part of me was trying to "look cool" or trying to impress people. This is not what music is about.
• Do you assign a MiDi channel per drummer kit instrument (e.g. One MiDi channel dedicated to bass drum, another one for snare drum, etc.) Yes, because it gives you more control over the single channels. Different EQ for drums / snares etc. Reverb on only snare etc. Although I tend to use manually places WAVS instead of using Midi for drums. Just a personal preference.
• How do you manage/remember all positions of pots on analog vintage synths when going from one tune to another, in order to always have the expected sound? I dont understand this question, sorry.
• Do you separate all audio outputs of all possible instruments, for left/right? (e.g. L/R for kick drum, L/R for lead, L/R/ for pad, L/R for synth 1, L/R for bass line, etc.) That would be n instruments × 2 audio channels = twice the number of instruments for the whole number of audio channels...Depends. Not for drums or bass obviously, they should almost always be mono. Hats and snares yeah. I layer usually about 3 or 4 snares under each other and sometimes pan each one from left to right very quickly through automations, so it sounds like the snare sweeps accross.
• Do you gather audio outputs on the mixing console by logical groups? (e.g. two slide pots for L/R of all drummer kit, two slide pots for all special effects, two slide pots for basses, etc...) Nah.
• Do you use an MPC? If so how do you manage the limitations? (lack of tracks, only 16 pads, arguably not convenient...) No, I dont have one...
• Do you record all MiDi events such as turning pots, selecting the instrument? Eventually when I am happy with the sound, yes.
• Did you split your MiDi channels according to your instruments? (e.g. channels 1 to 10 for drummer kit ; channels 11 to 20 for synths, etc.)No, but I very clearly colourcode and label them so as to not get lost. I also group them. 4 snares get grouped into 1 snare group etc.
• How do you gather your MiDi channels in your PC sequencer interface? In Ableton, this is easy. I just group them and colourcode them.
• When composing, do you first compose the main instrument from the beginning to the end, then on top, add the rhythm from the beginning to the end, then the bass, then the pad, then create transitions, then add effects. Or, do you compose at a slower pace but you compose all instruments at the same time, and you even add and fine-tune all effects as you move on? Drums first. Then bassline, then melody, then intro, then the rest. Finally I touch it up with the details and funky tricks and effects. It is INCREDIBLY important to sit down and get the melody written in one session. Fuck sound quality, just get the midi down. When you interrupt your creative flow, its fucked and you have to start over. You want a bare-bones midi of everything when you done with your first session basically. Then spend weeks touching it up obviously.
• Did you find a way to simulate slide pot motions using MiDi on your analog synths with a CV/Gate to MiDi interface? Or isn't there a way? What is this pot you keep talking about?
• If you mix MP3s, how to you keep kick drums in sync from one tune to the other? Is there an automatic procedure, or only the hard way? By ear. Also if you are playing your own stuff, you are fully aware of the BPM differences (if any). Otherwise this is just mixing 101. Do it by ear and beat matching.

Thanks for sharing

[Goa Travellers]

 

Drums first. Then bassline, then melody, then intro, then the rest. Finally I touch it up with the details and funky tricks and effects. It is INCREDIBLY important to sit down and get the melody written in one session. Fuck sound quality, just get the midi down. When you interrupt your creative flow, its fucked and you have to start over. You want a bare-bones midi of everything when you done with your first session basically. Then spend weeks touching it up obviously.

 

Interesting. Makes sense.

 

What is this pot you keep talking about?

Knob, potentiometer, slider...When you go from one sound to another on an analog synth, you have to reset all your knobs using a note pad maybe... Can't remember all knob positions for a specific sound.

[Goa Travellers]

Hey guys, I was wondering...How do you manage with all your cables if you have hardware gear? My home studio is a real mess with all these cables (power, midi, audio, USB, firewire), and so many transformers and power strips...It's daunting, and my wife doesn't like that mess either! I'm thinking about creating single cables that would encompass midi in, midi out, and audio. Power cable has to be separate. For power cables, I'm thinking about putting all these power strips and transformers in a box somehow. Not sure how yet, though...Any suggestions?

[Veracohr]

I don't manage. It's a godawful mess of cables behind and under my computer desk and around to the side where my keyboard is.

 

There are various cable organizing products out there, like velcro straps or sleeves to bunch cables together.

[Goa Travellers]

Thanks, yeah, I already cable ties...

[Goa Travellers]

What about arpeggios? Most synths provide nice built-in arpeggiators...Do you use them only to play around or do you use them for your final mixdown? If so, do you send the fixed notes from your DAW to your synth that forwards them to its own arpeggiator, that in return generates the arpeggio and renders the melodies? Of you you create the arpeggio strictly from inside your DAW, not making use of the synth built-in arpeggiator?

[Veracohr]

I don't use arpeggios. Seems to me like letting someone at a synth maker write part of your song. Plus I don't think any of mine have arpeggios. Maybe a couple of the software ones, but I haven't looked.

[Imba]

I don't use arpeggios. Seems to me like letting someone at a synth maker write part of your song. Plus I don't think any of mine have arpeggios. Maybe a couple of the software ones, but I haven't looked.

 

 

Not bad if you don't use only one note. I use arps sometimes, make midis like melodies and put some longer notes here and there, can make nice drive

[Padmapani]

i use arpeggiators extremely rarely. when i use them, it's usually for inspiration for how to draw the midi notes of the arpeggio i'm gonna do. but sometimes in arpeggiator mode those notes sound nicer than in mono mode (or whatever), so instead of fiddling with note lengths or something, i just switch the arpeggiator on again afterwards

[Goa Travellers]

sometimes in arpeggiator mode those notes sound nicer than in mono mode

 

Hum...Doesn't an arpeggiator work in mono mode?...I'm puzzled

[Padmapani]

 

Hum...Doesn't an arpeggiator work in mono mode?...I'm puzzled

 

well, yes. but don't most synths have the choice between mono, legato, poly and arp modes? my go-to-synth, zebra, at least does

[Goa Travellers]

Oh, now I see what you mean in your previous post

[Goa Travellers]

Before composing a tune for real, do you take, say, a 16-step score range in your DAW, and add, say, 10 MIDI tracks with different instruments playing different patterns? This, used as a basis for the rest of the tune, and that can be played as a loop with some of the tracks mute or not, as time goes. What do you think? Do you use a similar technique?

[Veracohr]

I'm not sure I follow you, but I don't base a song around a single loop if that's what you're asking. I may make one section a variation on the section that came before it, but only if it seems like the best thing to do in that instance.

 

Of course, some artists' songs are indeed based around a single loop, but doing that never appealed to me. Even though I like many of those songs.

[Goa Travellers]

I mean, do you have most of your combinations of sounds and patterns ready before actually starting your tune in your DAW?

[Veracohr]

I personally make everything new for every song. I don't rely on previosly created patterns, and only occasionally reuse previously created sounds.

[Padmapani]

I mean, do you have most of your combinations of sounds and patterns ready before actually starting your tune in your DAW?

 

i first experiement with sounds and patterns/loops (in the daw of course. how would i do that without the daw?) until i have much more than i could use in a single track and a vision for the whole thing emerges. then i select the best parts that fit together nicely sequence the whole thing. in theory at least. in practice i need to addlots of extra sounds/patterns and throw a lot of things out to make the whole thing flow nicely.