Random Production Tips Thread™

[3za]

-Parallel expansion
-Sidechained reverb (Reverb gets compressed when drums hit)

Parallel expansion? Is that like the opposite of new york (parallel) compression? So you have it massively expanded on a send and mix that into the master? Rad.

i aint heard of this parallel expansion before. it should be good because, every thing is better in parallel. now that is not true but it is most of the time

[5-0-what]

build a synth patch re sample it chop it down and make a whole tunr out of one sound

[3za]

build a synth patch re sample it chop it down and make a whole tunr out of one sound

yeah i done a few things like that in the past. like using just one vst or, just a sine wave or, picking a random vinly and, dropping the neddle on at a random spot or, record for a few seconds or, just use presets. i love doing this sort of stuff makes you have to work hard and, think outside the box, and is the best killer of writers block.

[back2onett]

- Resample, layer then automate sweeping notch filters for that extra big bass
- Add noise to high end on low/bassy pads

and recently I've been remixing midi files to improve on my songwriting

[Basic A]

reverse n timestretch the fuck shit out of everything...

Put a distortion unit on a send before a delay, bring signal in from drums, trigger when bored as fuck.

reverse n timestretch the fuck shit out of everything...

send a resonant signal from a square wave powering an lp flter, into a feedback loop, and then put a super fast lfo on the out to feedback so it vibrates then ring backs, envelope n shit from therechainsaw caligraphy patch with a bit taken out fuck you dont tell wobble thread kids

[xaviergray]

Make at least some compositional judgements of your tracks outside of the studio. The aesthetic impact of your workspace around how you hear a track is actually quite significant, hearing it in different contexts will help you make better calls on how it sounds.

WORK FAST. Nothing worse than getting sick of your main beat and settling into loopitis, where nothing you add seems to work.

Take breaks. Listen to different styles of music from what you're making. Don't let your song get stuck in your head until it's finished.

Your songs are never as bad as you think they are. You will tell yourself this, and you'll still feel your songs are bad. Try to ignore the feeling, because it's probably wrong. (And if your song actually does suck... well that's subjective )

By the way, I'm new here. How's it going?

[Sharmaji]

^ that's a badass post for #1 welcome.

got a good song but not great? replace your drums.

use ableton to either get grooves to sit right together, or really fuck shit up.

[Isturite]

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

that one actually works very well! happens a lot when I'm at festivals... I come home with tons of new ideas... I was frying listening to the crazy thwomping bass drums that Freq Nasty was layin down on this huge Funktion One system... then all of a sudden i got that light bulb feeling and i understood compressors finally... and now I'm very good with them lol

[crytek]

"The advice I'd give to people just starting out is: they need to decide whether they want to really go for it and be totally serious about achieving some goals, and if they are then they need to put in a massive amount of hours in the studio and sacrifice time that they could be spending doing other things. You need to be making tunes even when you can't be arsed making tunes. Graft, graft, graft. Because lot's of people can make a good tune, but if you really want to make it then you have to be really prolific, backing up tune after tune after tune. You need to show that you're capable of more than just one good track- you need to show that you can constantly come up with new stuff, that you're a good artist" - Calyx

[futures_untold]

Do what you think is right.

[Hazed]

Kind of a continuation on that ^^^


"If it feels right, It is"

[Sirius]

"Dance music is structured in groups of 16 bars."

dont be scared to break the rules... constantly experiment & dont be afraid to change your vision!
try different time signatures... not everything needs to be in 4/4
!!chea

[nowaysj]

i understood compressors finally... and now I'm very good with them lol

Wish you could transfer this knowledge.

[hasezwei]

i understood compressors finally... and now I'm very good with them lol

Wish you could transfer this knowledge.

2nded, the only thing i understand about compressors is how they theoretically work and how they fuck up the sound on youtube

[JemGrover]

i understood compressors finally... and now I'm very good with them lol

Wish you could transfer this knowledge.

2nded, the only thing i understand about compressors is how they theoretically work and how they fuck up the sound on youtube

Different type of compression with youtube. (ie, not dynamic compression?) I think.

[JBE]

"Dance music is structured in groups of 16 bars."

I have to disagree with this, to a certain extent. Yes using a 8-16 bar structure helps keep dance music interesting, and makes it easier to DJ but you don't have to stick to this structure entirely. I think it's good to try to stick to that for an intro, but I think once you transition into your first, "Drop", you can go outside the 8-16 bar structure as this is where your track has gained it's energy and that's where people are going to start getting into it. Generally the 8-16 bar rule is really more of a DJ inspired rule to help make it easier for them to play your tracks in a set, but any dj worth their weight will find a way to work your song into a set if it's good enough. As for outros, well, show me a DJ that actually plays outros of tracks, aside from the final track in the set, and I'll show you a goose that lays genuine golden eggs.

[th@-pu$$y]

Finish every track ya start. Even if ya hate it. When I first got in the game I was like I'll just focus on getting good at drums and if the synth and bass blows i'll delete it and just keep re writing till it sounds good. Someone pointed out that if I kept down that path....my drums would always be a step ahead of the rest of my skillz. But if ya stick every tune out from start to finish, they will progress as a single entity without someone hearing it and being like, wow this part is sick but the rest sucks.

[Promise One]

"if you can steal it, steal it"- picasso

Talent borrows, genius steals... Oscar Wilde

[macc]

"The advice I'd give to people just starting out is: they need to decide whether they want to really go for it and be totally serious about achieving some goals, and if they are then they need to put in a massive amount of hours in the studio and sacrifice time that they could be spending doing other things. You need to be making tunes even when you can't be arsed making tunes. Graft, graft, graft. Because lot's of people can make a good tune, but if you really want to make it then you have to be really prolific, backing up tune after tune after tune. You need to show that you're capable of more than just one good track- you need to show that you can constantly come up with new stuff, that you're a good artist" - Calyx

I quote this because it is the same advice my Grandad gave to me;

"It doesn't all fall from the sky"

[Basic A]

'IDK dude good chillin, stop back, figure out how this shit works or somethin... idk... fuckin learn somethin man...'

-DJ RM.