How do you begin a song?

[tpantano]

I asked this forever ago, but I think it's fitting to ask again now as we all have new ideas, including those brought by new members to the forum

At the moment, I have composers block, which sucks as tomorrow I have my digital comp class at uhart, and I've run dry of ideas. Usually I start with a drum beat and things go from there, but this week it's just not been working for me.

How do you usually begin a song?

[Synthoid]

Yeah, drum beats can help... but I often start with a catchy arpeggio rhythm on either the M3 or Triton and go from there.

Or I'll get a basic melody in my head, start up the sequencer, lay down a basic track and build a song from that.

[pillbug]

I'm a huge Hawkwind fan so I usually start a song with swirling effects, like UFOs taking off into the wind.

But seriously, depending on the style/mood of the song, it may develop from a drum beat, a melody, or a chord progression. I usually record my improvisations and see what sounds good later, taking bits and just adding on to them, really.

[billbaker]

T -

If you need to break writers block, move away from music for a minute.

I generally have luck with a "rule of three" approach.

3 words - try reading one of these crazy chinese posts - they make no sense, but sometimes there may be a random set of three words that catch your eye. Write 'em down.

3 lines - use them in a sentence. Try to think of a way they could relate. Do they bring up a memory of a time place or person?

3 emotions - take one of the lines try and cast it in a certain emotional context. So the plain "I put out my cigarette" becomes a symbol of love or despair or sadness or beauty; "My numb fingers dropped the stub of my last coffin nail" or "Cigarettes like ground bound shooting stars, dropped into neon mirrors from passing cars" or "I lay crushed like a lipstick stained butt in her ashtray."

3 notes - get some dungeons and dragons dice - the 5 sided work well, 12 if you're into Schoenberg - and roll random groups of three (or more) dice and play the numbers as chords, melodies, or riffs. Randomize the length - end on 1 if you can!

BB

[pillbug]

get some dungeons and dragons dice -

BB

This of course would yield a D&D Math Rock crossover concept... maybe not for everyone, but I love it!

[Ultimate Dj]

For me, I have so many ideas and inspiration that I have to shut off a lot of ideas and focus/concentrate on one or I'll just start so many new tracks.
When I'm working on a track and I get kinda tired of doing the meticulous work of it, cleaning, editing, shortening...etc I usually open up Beat Designer and that starts new inspiration for me and its a blast making your own beats. Especially when you got some great samples.

Thats what I would suggest. Go to Looperman.com or Freesound.org or freeloops.com or such and find some sounds/samples you really like. New stuff/sounds always inspires a musician.

best of luck mate


Dj

[Aciphecs]

Go to Looperman.com or Freesound.org or freeloops.com or such and find some sounds/samples you really like. New stuff/sounds always inspires a musician.

That's funny, I frequent these sites too! Even if you don't use any of the sample, hearing others work (even if it's a 13 sec sample) can inspire creativity

[Rosen Sound]

T -

If you need to break writers block, move away from music for a minute.

I generally have luck with a "rule of three" approach.

3 words - try reading one of these crazy chinese posts - they make no sense, but sometimes there may be a random set of three words that catch your eye. Write 'em down.

3 lines - use them in a sentence. Try to think of a way they could relate. Do they bring up a memory of a time place or person?

3 emotions - take one of the lines try and cast it in a certain emotional context. So the plain "I put out my cigarette" becomes a symbol of love or despair or sadness or beauty; "My numb fingers dropped the stub of my last coffin nail" or "Cigarettes like ground bound shooting stars, dropped into neon mirrors from passing cars" or "I lay crushed like a lipstick stained butt in her ashtray."

3 notes - get some dungeons and dragons dice - the 5 sided work well, 12 if you're into Schoenberg - and roll random groups of three (or more) dice and play the numbers as chords, melodies, or riffs. Randomize the length - end on 1 if you can!

BB

Bill... you the man

[bassman60]

I like to start a jam by fading in a single note from silence. Alternately, I like a slow descending arpreggio.

[bassman60]

Ronok, I think you're onto something. UltimateDj, you could learn something from this guy.

[tpantano]

For me, I love so umpteen ideas and inspiration that I feature to unopen off a lot of ideas and focus/concentrate on one or I'll vindicatory begin so more new tracks.
When I'm working on a trail and I get kinda drawn of doing the meticulous convert of it, improvement, editing, shortening...etc I ordinarily give up Rate Planner and that starts new rousing for me and its a wind making your own beatniks. Especially when you got whatsoever majuscule samples.

*blank stare*

...what?

[Aciphecs]

For me, I love so umpteen ideas and inspiration that I feature to unopen off a lot of ideas and focus/concentrate on one or I'll vindicatory begin so more new tracks.
When I'm working on a trail and I get kinda drawn of doing the meticulous convert of it, improvement, editing, shortening...etc I ordinarily give up Rate Planner and that starts new rousing for me and its a wind making your own beatniks. Especially when you got whatsoever majuscule samples.

*blank stare*

...what?

This is SPAM, notice the unrelated link in the signature.

[billbaker]

I know the Turing test is for machines intended to gauge how good artificial intelligence is (think Dekker's questions in Bladerunner). Maybe we need to qualify posters for coherent human thought before being allowed on....


naaahhhh!

[we'd all have DQ'd at some point.]


BB

[madbeatzyo111]

For me, I love so umpteen ideas and inspiration that I feature to unopen off a lot of ideas and focus/concentrate on one or I'll vindicatory begin so more new tracks.
When I'm working on a trail and I get kinda drawn of doing the meticulous convert of it, improvement, editing, shortening...etc I ordinarily give up Rate Planner and that starts new rousing for me and its a wind making your own beatniks. Especially when you got whatsoever majuscule samples.

*blank stare*

...what?

Bizarre, it looks like UltimateDJ's post was translated into another language and back again?

[X-Trade]

For me, I love so umpteen ideas and inspiration that I feature to unopen off a lot of ideas and focus/concentrate on one or I'll vindicatory begin so more new tracks.
When I'm working on a trail and I get kinda drawn of doing the meticulous convert of it, improvement, editing, shortening...etc I ordinarily give up Rate Planner and that starts new rousing for me and its a wind making your own beatniks. Especially when you got whatsoever majuscule samples.

*blank stare*

...what?

Bizarre, it looks like UltimateDJ's post was translated into another language and back again?

Interesting, hadn't considered that before.

Often it just looks like they've farmed a post from somewhere else on the web. For instance the microKorg forum is often spammed by questions about microphones, which are then later edited to include spam links...