Random Production Tips Thread™

author · Post by **author** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:06 pm

Wub. I love the idea of playing a track in reverse. We used to do the same sort of thing in art classes by drawing pictures of animals upside down - it basically unlocks the right side of brain (analytical I think) - the proportions of the animals were nearly always drawn better.

ginsu · Post by **ginsu** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:11 pm

"drawing on the left side of the brain" is the classic book for that sort of advice.

willhave to try the playing the entire track backward tip. typically just backward the usual stuff - fills, snares, melodies, hihats, ambience etc.

i used to pitch shift all my tracks down when i was done but got bored with the mushy sound.

if i want to hear a track through new ear i typically try to play it at a super low volume or try and listen to it from another room - another set of speakers.

one technique i use to change up my beats is to use dif machines and software. each interface creates a dif result. or start with a dif element.

layering sounds can give you a more minimal more powerful effect, but variey is cool too. inerlocking complex grooves can sound really nice.

a cool technique to try is to quantize some elements and play others live - all the way through - no looping whatsoever. it creates a dif energy

test_recordings · Post by **test_recordings** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 3:27 pm

Junglist wrote:Eat ten+ tabs of strong acid with some mates and go on an old school RPG quest round the local area, beware of the trolls!

this has helped me no end before to make my life fulfilled.

O yeah and make sure your ears aren't covered by anything or you'll end with too much treble. Seriously, my mate produces with a big russian hat on that covers his ears...

r · Post by r » Sat Mar 14, 2009 3:52 pm

Just a little thing that might solves lots of problems.

When you're done with your track , bounce it mono and also stereo. Listen the stereo one first and the mono 1 later on. Maybe youll notice stuff that'll get cancelled in your mono track. That's because of the phasing. In big clubs lots of stuff that's played is monitored mono and just panned a little bit.

Hopefully a tip you could use in the future so you wont get surprises in the club when you're playing your own tune.

ginsu · Post by **ginsu** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:17 pm

not just software but interfaces too. 2 octave keyboard controller is going to give you a dif approach than a 5 octave keyboard. each is cool, just dif. also dif style drum triggers will change up your style.

and thats even more tru when you learn to play musical instruments. thats why you should keep taking lessons in various styles. if you take tabla lessons or bamboo flute lessons or banjo lessons or ANYTHING you will learn new approaches. if you learn tango piano or samba guitare or any new style it will give you new options when making new music.

same with learning various dance styles. if you make dance music its worth putting time into being an expert in dance AND music

k_k · Post by **k_k** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:46 pm

Dont try to produce when youre tired -you will get pissed off

sit down and say that you wanna produce - or you will spend hours doin fuck all

If you feel in teh mood to produce or youre just feelin funky and fresh PRODUCE - if youre in teh mood and feeling fresh chas are youll get something good down, when im in a funky mood i get ons of melodies n basslines done that on other days i may not have been able to come up with.

keep your tunes in sight - dont start something ay yuoll get back to it then start hundreds of otehre projects and never see it agan ( always happens to me)

Take time to sort thru youre old projects - youll filter out tuuff you dont want, find projects you may have forgot about, find something early that was an absolute shit production but had a good musical idea behind it with your new imroved skills you can recycle and make a masterpiece outta it

dont matter if it aint clean/perfect - it just dunt

edi_x · Post by **edi_x** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 1:48 pm

If you've managed to nail a sick beat but you're having difficulty finding the right kick/snare/hat/whatever sound then..

1. Load up a sampler of your choice
2. Trawl through your sample collection and assign a selection of different kicks/snares etc to midi notes.
3. Play back the loop and move around your midi event until you find a sample which fits.

This doesn't really apply to people who work with straight audio, but i found it useful when i was first making elecronica and i couldn't quite find the sounds i wanted.

ginsu · Post by **ginsu** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 6:20 pm

music is about mood. if youre depressed in tired, youre track is going to sound depressed and tired. if youre feeling fresh and funky youre track will feel fresh etc.

re the prev post about pitching drums up and down. also consider that your drums have pitch. and you may want to tune them to your track.

shig · Post by **shig** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:18 pm

There's been a bit of an influx of problem threads recently (not to say I'm not guilty of it myself), and it might just me be but I've found there's not been as many threads containing solid production advice above a certain skill level.

So, during your time as a producer, what would you say is one of the most helpful techniques you've learned, or one of the best pieces of advice?

For me it would probably be how to properly use a compressor in conjunction with all the advice macc gave in the sub volume thread because it's definitely breathed life into my previously stale mixes.

As well as that, taking a slow and steady approach to production and not quitting on something until it's the exact sound I want, and not something I'll settle with because I can't get it the way I want

rendr · Post by **rendr** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:22 pm

Listen to lots of different tracks on acid and compare them to your own, it's a real eye opener

djake · Post by **djake** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:28 pm

get to know your headphones/monitors

drokkr · Post by **drokkr** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:32 pm

layer.

listen to your music on different sets of speakers and headphones.

take a break.

futures_untold · Post by **futures_untold** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:21 pm

Eat healthy food, maintain a regular sleep pattern & get outside occassionally for fresh air, real sunlight and excersise.......

The quality of any music produced will improve simply because you will be in a better frame of mind as you make it.

In before the 'only produce on yabba/crack/weed' post

Oh and learn how to EQ and compress correctly......!!!!!

beerz · Post by **beerz** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:30 pm

monitor your levels on the mixer

distro · Post by **distro** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:05 pm

practice practice practice

Stick in there as the hard work does pay off. Even if you take ages to understand the whole technology thing or music thing. If your determined enough IT WILL HAPPEN esp in a genre like dubstep.

Also if you know people who know a bit about production.. Don't expect them to do everything for you. They've put in the hardwork to get where they are.. Don't think they can solve all your problems. At the end of the day the only person to make breakthroughs and understand your music is YOU. So find a good book or magazine about production and put your head down.

feedback is your friend but don't rely soo much on it.. Some labels may diss your sound because it doesn't fit their "niche" style enough. So just go with what YOUR sure about and find labels SUITED to your sound.Otherwise you'll get knocked back time after time.

d+ · Post by d+ » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:12 pm

keep it simple

ketamine · Post by **ketamine** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:13 pm

"Work on your work." --Art & Fear

In other words, to stop analyzing, talking about, worrying about, discussing and obessing about your craft, JUST DO it. Make your music. Paint your paintings. Write your stories. Again and again. One gets better by doing, and doing A LOT. Not obsessing over making one peice "perfect".

Was the most mind-freeing book I've ever read.

ketamine · Post by **ketamine** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:14 pm

distro wrote:practice practice practice

Stick in there as the hard work does pay off. Even if you take ages to understand the whole technology thing or music thing. If your determined enough IT WILL HAPPEN esp in a genre like dubstep.

Also if you know people who know a bit about production.. Don't expect them to do everything for you. They've put in the hardwork to get where they are.. Don't think they can solve all your problems. At the end of the day the only person to make breakthroughs and understand your music is YOU.

Exactly.

Random Production Tips Thread™

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