So, Ive been meaning to post about this for ages..

I'm sure like me, most of you have an external HD, or two of sample libraries, and construction kits..

What I want to know is.. how do you use them?

My situation...In our two man 'group' for the last 15 years, I have been lead vocal along with doing most of the composition, mixing, taking care of the software end.. basally, I am always the one, when we are together.. at the PC.. loading up the Instruments, effects etc... and in general computer maintenance, obtaining, installing software instruments, effects plugs, DAWS etc.

What Fred has been in charge of is.. music.. playing the guitar, and altho, I do play simple stuff on the keyboards, he came up with melodies, harmonies, basically did most of the music thinking\theory.

My understanding of Music theory, is the basics.. Major chords, Minor Chords and if I do, do any keyboarding, It's usually step recording, or penciling in notes.

In short, although I am musically inclined and have been around it my whole life.. I was always the vocalist, and always had someone else to come up with the music, then I would take it.. and put it all together in a DAW.


ANYway... after about 15 years of doing music together.. Fred has.. gotten into other things.. we may get back to playing together, we may not..

So.. Here I am.. pretty much alone.. as far as making music goes.. still with a burning desire to write songs.. but.. missing a huge part of the process.

My question to you all is.. how do you make the best use of sampled loops, and construction kits..?


Example... Guitar loop libraries.. Some have the Key of the loops labeled.. some don't.. some libraries have loops in every key.. except the key I am writing in... but I may like the lick, or the progression of the loop... how do I incorporate into my song If I don't know.. what the chord progression of the loops is??

Same with construction kits.. Sure.. you can drag all the tracks over into ur daw.. and played all together, they sound great.. but after that.. where does the creative process come in with regards to taking a set of matching loops.. and making something more out of them.. or.. making them your own.

Is working with loops, pretty much up to transposing the audio, or midi to match another loop?

Another question... most sample packs, kits.. are all in either Major or Minor keys...

How do you take say.. an Am and make it a Dsus4?

If I transpose say.. a C chord guitar power hit..down 7 semitones... what does it become?

Is there some kind of formula somewhere that explains transposing audio as it relates to chords, notes, keys?


I know a lot of you will say.. just learn theory, just learn how to play the Keyboard better....

well, Ive been trying for 30 years... for 1. I have ZERO left\right coordination, cant play with two hands.. and 2. I have fairly bad arthritis and carpal tunel in both my hands and wrists, its very difficult for me play even a simple chord, let alone anything complex in any kind of progression. and 3. There just isn't enough hours in the day, after working, life in general and family for me to find time to start to seriously learn music theory.

What I would like to do is find new and easier shortcuts to compose music, chord progressions, arrangements, simple matching melodies whether it may be using samples, kits, or anything else any of you can suggest to make this easier for me..

Then be able to compose lyrics, and vocalize to the music.. (what I am good at)

One big stumbling block is not knowing.. what chords can be used next, in a progression.. and what will sound... off.

So any comments about how you accomplish this, or how any of you use samples, kits, or any suggestions at all will all be appreciated.

Merry Christmas.

 

Hm, I think you'll just have to learn... I don't mean playing the piano, as far as I understand you tried but failed to play it good enough. So you have to learn making music with loops, and I'm not sure what kind of help you need... Maybe you have to use Melodyne, it will analyse a loop and show you the note values, so maybe that will help you. But I think what you have to do now is playing around. That maybe sounds a little bit sensless, but when you play with your loops and construction kits you will learn how to use them. You could also find a ROMpler like Nexus, and Nexus for example has a guitar library, and then use midis. In your piano roll (Im sure you have one *yes*) you can edit the melody / bassline / riff / whatever. There are also some good free VST Instruments with realistic sounds, check out DSK Plugins for example.
I'm not sure if I helped you, because all I could say is learn...
But I hope Fred will come back, or maybe you'll find another one who make music with you.
Anyway, good luck with your music and everything else

 

To change key in samples if they are midi, I use Sibelius. If its audio and I love it, then I just working with original key. Is not worth to change pitch in my opinion. Always you can try play similar melody with the key you working on and see how it works, maybe you'll like it :dancing:

About chord progression: this one is better if you search for some books, there many out there *yes* Also is very helpful software Chord Pulse and Harmony Improvisator, you can make your own progression and see how it sound if sounds great then voila :D You made it !

Also read this book "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Music Theory".

I am newbie in this stuff too ! But I learn a lot reading articles, books, watching vids on YT and practice.

 

Well, I guess it depends on the kind of music you're making. E.g. I play the piano, but frankly I do not need this for my music, because my melodic elements are small (mostly 2 bars, sometimes 4), I often prefer drawing them in instead of playing (with my laggy computer). Modern electronic music is, regarding harmonics, incredible simple.

Then there's experimenting. I know about chord theory, but as I said before, most of my music does not need complex progressions, I do not even use major chords normally, and I write most of my stuff in c minor and its variations. So just start from one chord an experiment by drawing in variations, there's loads of Youtube tutorials about that.

I collected incredible amounts of samples and construction kits over the years, but I almost never use them for production, just for inspiration and learning ("what does a typical genre sound like"). I always end up with the same kicks, claps and hats from Vengeance or Goldbay...

 

maybe you post some ideas of yours and we all collaborate and make it a track?

 

try and take inspiration from musicians who have been successful and yet can not read (or write) music, Paul McCartney springs to mind. I'm sure there are plenty more. EZkeys is a good VST to have and have a look for Music Chord Circles (circle of fifths) as a visual aid for chords, see below as a quick example.

http://visualcomposing.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/its-set-in-key.html

Creativity comes from the heart.

 

Hey Brother,


I know exactly what you mean ... Some thoughts:

Regarding chords and chord progressions - there are some great tools available that can keep (constrain) your fingerings within harmonic 'range' --- 'Native Instruments - The Mouth' for example. Ableton Live has similar features built-in as well. EZKeys (as recommended earlier) looks pretty cool tool.

I know you're a Reaper user -- but, Live 9 has some ground breaking new features (I can't wait to get my hands on that one) that allow you to hum a tune and turn the audio into midi notes -- so in effect, whatever sound 'ideas' you have bouncing around in your head -- getting them laid to track (w/o hours of practice) will be much easier (works w/ drums as well) -- you can import samples and turn them into MIDI notes that you can re-assign to your own instrumentation, and manipulate the MIDI notes further -- to change the 'riff' to your specification -- amazing. Watch the video:

I don't understand 'construction packs' really -- seems pointless -- I've grabbed these thinking that they were 'one shots and loops', only to find out that they are deconstructed royalty free 'songs' essentially -- WTF ?!

Loops are a great way to get a groove started, but (in my opinion) are a bit limiting (unless you get creative and deconstruct them so that they are indistinguishable or otherwise altered) This deconstruction is essential in my opinion -- I get demos sent to me all the time -- nothing worse than listening to a track, and identifying the software package that was used to create the 'masterpiece' (Reason, FL, or any number of these prefab sample libraries) So again -- loops are great reference (groove template) -- and can be great for actual use (w/ adequate manipulation) Again, with Live 8 (what I currently use) you can take a loop and chop it up (by transients, bar, or note time) to a new MIDI track -- this allows you to reconstruct and play the looped pattern as you see fit

Anyway, I'm sure you'll get it all squared away and start bang'n em out soon -- stay creative !

 

Thanks everyone for some great input.. some of this stuff I already do\ use.. some stuff, I will look at...

Anyone else feel free to chime in... Im sure most of this stuff would be of interest to others too.

Pyrus.. after a brief love affair with reaper, ran into some dealbreakers, havent used it since... Live 8 is my Main DAW and Im slowly but surely coming to terms with Studio One 2.5 as well.

Honestly, I'm hoping Live 9 will spark something.. if it ever comes along... Heres hoping..

Might have to Trade my APC 40 in for a PUSH.. who knows..

Thanks everyone.

 

Was thinking the same thing --- love the built-in enhanced capabilities (step sequencer, velocity sensitive pads, etc) -- and still an AKAI product at its core

Looking forward to Live 9 -- hope she surfaces in our network soon
Anyway -- best to you !