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When you decide to create a new track, do you plan everything in your head before making it? or do you just mess around and create it there and then?

I usually "make" the song in my head, and then make it exactly as i was thinking in my head
But this time, im STUCK. I want to create a new dubstep track, at first i was planning to make a song called "Halloween Horror" but then i found out a popular dubstep guy had already made a track JUST like i was planning to make it. -_- so yeah, guess i just need to listen to some tracks and get inspiration.

Should i just start making and testing things out, or should i think about what to make it about?
And one more thing, do you name the song before or after creating it?

- Andrix

I never open up ableton with the intent to make a song. It always just happens because I'll be screwing around in a synth, and make a cool sound, or I'll make an interesting drum beat. For me, songs always spring out of 1 sound, then I base the tune around that.


I always have to start with the intro though. My thought process is very linear I suppose, so if I try to start a tune at the drop, everything goes to hell.


And naming tunes is a huge fucking hassle for me. I usually just say "New Dubstep WIP" and call it a day. I'm terrible at naming tunes

For me, all the work for a piece is really done before I touch the computer (well not quite, I usually write in Sibelius), it's all crystal clear before I go fiddling about with synths, DAWs and all that.

Naming songs: that is something I do at no time in particular, I have a few untitled tracks around the place but more often than not they get named.

As for your other question, you should try various approaches to composition/production and see what works. I'm sure a few good ideas will pop up in this thread.

I'm sure some people plan out the way they want a track to sound but you don't always need to. Most times I choose a key i wanna work in and just go with the flow of it, make stuff that sounds pleasing to the ear.

i never plan anything

Just go with the flow.

For me it usually stems from "wow I love that sound" or "okay this melody needs to become something".
Basically I experiment and play around and eventually something smacks me in the face that I want to use.

After that I'll think of things that will compliment what I'm going for and the rest is putting it all together!

Don't think I've ever planned a track tbh. Most of my productions come about from sound design sessions where I end up with a loop that makes me go "Oh, that sounds nice!", at which point I'll try and construct a drum beat around the core sample.

always comes to me in different ways. so sometimes, I plan it ahead, but usually not.

I draw them out. Not technically but just as impressions of the song I want.
It doesn't work that well.
Halloween horror.

So for those who don't plan a song, do you just mess around to make a nice synth, then you make a melody out of it and then add a intro?
in which order do you do create the song in? kinda confused lol

I just do stuff by accident, nearly everything is done by a random choice and sometimes I might draw something wrong or copy something in the wrong lane and then listen and think oh wow that sounds good. I usually have a rough theme for a track but it never ends up how its planned

Yea, I plan most of my work, sometimes a track comes out kinda randomly mind you, but for the most part they are pretty well planned in advance. Usually draw out a sort of diagrammed of what I want it to sound like on paper then jot down details like what key signature and instrumentation i'll use.

my personality type prevents me from planning anything out. i have ideas, but they almost always evolve into something completely different after a few hours.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I don't think it's healthy for the creative process if you believe there is one effective way to do things. If I do plan, it's something either very specific or very general. I'll either be like "ok I'm gonna make a house track" or "I want to do something with this sample" or "I'm gonna make this very melodic/noisy" or "I want all the patches/samples in this track to sound analog/digital". Of course, nothing ever goes according to plan, and through the creative process you'll always end up with something you didn't quite expect. At least for me.

I would be in the sometimes yes/no group, always got ideas floating around in my head. Sometimes I'll be able to get it down into Ableton and then get on working on it and changing it till I get it to how it either sounds in my head or its just a cool sound that I like.

Usually it starts with an idea..from there experimentation and randomness takes it's hold

Alright thanks for your opinions guys, helps alot!
I just made a sick melody from just messing around with notes, so i'll think ill make something out of it, hopefully it will turn out pretty good!

Andrix wrote:When you decide to create a new track, do you plan everything in your head before making it? or do you just mess around and create it there and then?

I usually "make" the song in my head, and then make it exactly as i was thinking in my head
But this time, im STUCK. I want to create a new dubstep track, at first i was planning to make a song called "Halloween Horror" but then i found out a popular dubstep guy had already made a track JUST like i was planning to make it. -_- so yeah, guess i just need to listen to some tracks and get inspiration.

Should i just start making and testing things out, or should i think about what to make it about?
And one more thing, do you name the song before or after creating it?

- Andrix

Usually when I have an idea in my head - it ends up something totally different than what I was expecting. Usually maybe only 1 or 2 sounds that were in my head end up in my ears. And who cares if someone has written something similar to yours? With your own creative flair it'll be very different. Just play with whatever it is you want to make - but don't stick to a regimented idea - let the music take you wherever it needs to go. Writing from your brain will only limit you, artistically.

If I get an idea for a tune before bed I grab a note pad and draw out some graphic score.. no joke.