I write songs and would love to produce them as well.Anytime i try to add instruments to my music production, I can't go beyond the drums and on rare occasions that am able to they just don't "flow" with the song or accompany it well. I would like to know how it's done. If there a formula or methodology for adding piano, synths, pads, bass, leads etc. It would be a dream come true. Thank You

 

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I think what you're looking for is Music Theory. It's not something you can master overnight, nor do you have to know everything, but the more you know the more it will help you turn your musical ideas into songs.

To dive right into the action, you could try a website like https://autochords.com/ to generate a "Progression" of chords that you can build your song around.

These video tutorials are fantastic for learning music theory that you can apply to modern styles of music.

http://www.dancemusicproduction.com/index.php/tutorials#fundamentals

Btw what DAW do you use?

 

@ Plame,

Yes, a lot !!! Here you have some...

If as you say it, you can't go beyond the 'Drums', why don't try to play/record the other(s) Instrument(s) first, then add the 'Drums' afterwards.

Not exactly a 'Methodology', rather several...

Some Composers/Musicians like to have a ready made 'Beat', 'Groove',.. , then probably add a 'Bass Line', then the other(s) Instruments one by one depending their inspiration or needs.

Some Composers/Musicians would rather prefer to first compose with a specific Instrument, preferably a 'Polyphonic' Instrument as, for instance, a 'Keyboard/Piano', 'Guitar',... , to be able to create the 'backbone' of their music piece(s), mainly because with these 'Polyphonic' Instruments you can create both 'Chord Progressions' as well as 'Melodies' , then maybe they add the 'Rhythm Section' ('Drums', 'Percussions',... ) afterwards.

The choices offer to you are (almost) unlimited, the most important is that you feel confident with the chosen 'Methodoly'...
"Experiment is the Key !!!" ...and Good Luck to you in your quest !

 

Last edited: Jan 26, 2016

do you use a mac? ;) why cant you add chords to drums? i dont get it. just add chords. whatever feels good

 

exactly what studio 555 says, most of the time when I don't know what direction to go
I start with some random chord on a polyphonic instrument, acoustic or a synth.

if that does not get you started, one could try to double that with a arpeggiator style melody that uses (kinda)the same notes.
maybe with some slight delay/verb/fx and you have a decent atmosphere what tells u where to go.

 

There's really no recipe.

Usually, a song is formed by four elements, which are lyrics(1), melody(2), harmony(3) and rhythm(4).

You can start composing a song by any of these elements. There's no correct sequence.

It could be 1234, 1342, 1432, 2341, 2431, 2143, 3421, 3241, 3142, 4321, 4231, 4123, etc...

Since you are already familiar with rhythm, you need to get acquainted with melody and harmony.

I recommended you to take at least a year of piano or guitar lessons. You don't need to become a virtuoso. You just need to understand the basic theory behind scales, chords and harmony. Then you're ready to go.

Just my two cents.

 

hum a melody/chords with the drum beat you should... the daw put it in you should...

 

On the software front, something like Band In A Box gives you a lot of styles to work with, then you type chords into a grid.
The resulting track is usually awful, but it's a quick and easy way to find what works and what don't.
I think it lets you export MIDI files, so yo can just use the bass or piano etc and edit in your DAW.
This kind of software won't give you the finished item but it may get you rolling.
Just keep at it, the more you do, the more you learn.

 

Sorry but you say that you write songs! In which way? Do you have them in your mind or maybe you play some guitar or keys and sing? In this case play as you can on a metronome track and then refine your work!

 

he hasnt even posted an example and you are full of advice. @ pflame post an example of your work and maybe we can help.

 

pick a note and either build a chord or develop a melody by adding another note forward in time then assign values of how long each note is to play/ sustain and add more notes either of sound or silence as needed, Continue to add more notes one at a time and try to stay in a set key to start with so it is diatonic unless your playing chords that are the same interval off of a root like on guitar then use the instances of outside notes to create tension for a future creation of resolution. Experiment by modulating one note to be an outside note to see if it produces a sound you like. there are 7 notes in a key and 5 notes left out of the 12 that exist so try adding in one outside note at a time to get a feel for which might suggest other useful colors. Try hexatonic scales minors harmonic minors backwards harmonic minor blues and pentatonic scales. Lots of scales to choose from, try various harmony systems standard and quartal. Look for some books on the topic under education. Schillingers books are missing I noticed. we need those around here guys. I am new here somewhat and do not recall how to request it. The title is The Schillinger system of musical composition. author Joseph Schillinger.

 

You could still produce it by getting your music programmed or played live by another musician or musicians.This way you could concentrate on writing your songs full time.Just a thought.

 

Some of the most cogent advice given (along with some others). There's so much involved in the music-writing process; no quick and easy courses will or can suffice, in most cases. There is good news (perhaps). Many successful song-writers cannot read a note of music, or for that matter, have a decent grasp of aligning the intricacies of a passable bass and drum accompaniment. (You can conduct a Google search if you're so inclined). Here's the thing (IMHO) try and learn the "basics" (scales, etc.). Jump on that piano or keyboard, and just play a series of notes, triads, or (9ths, 11ths and 13ths) whatever, at random. Just make sure that you have a way to record or remember them. Then, you fire up your favorite DAW (whichever one) and try and envision where you would like to take your song (vibrant, melancholy, free-flowing)? Reading this thread, it's not clear as to what your 'instrumental' skill level is. Regardless, it has to come from a place in your "soul", man. The "rhythmic" parts will flow as long as the "core" is there. Very interesting question, that's why I decided to toss in my few coins.

 

Appreciate the members here that were willing to help out @pflame, without jumping and bashing him out of the gate. Respect to you guys.

We need more behavior like this on the forum to help newbies with questions.

 

Good Luck! Yes, you need to start learning music theory, and practice composing.. At the begining the melodies or the music you write will suck, but practicing it more and more, you will eventually start creating something you start to like.. Don't compare to other people work.. Just practice, this is no different than practicing an instrument, you should develop yourself as a creator, so start writing the music that you listen in your head.. Sometimes you will find yourself blocked.. but keep trying eventually the music will arise and you will be amazed! Good Luck my friend!

 

The answer is: talent. Some people just have it, others don't. Otherwise the world would be full of musicians and nobody would make bread, computers, wine, pizza, paint, build houses, make furniture, rob people [bankers, corporations, and politicians] etc. Also, it is not something you can master overnight. You have to be tenacious and practice a lot. Practice makes perfect! From personal experience.

A personal tip: you have to have the song in your head first before you put it down in a DAW. Makes it much easier to write music. I always compose in my head when I go for walks and when I come back home I start the DAW and try to replicate what's in my head. It saves a lot of time tinkering with plugins to find inspiration.

 

Last edited: Jan 27, 2016

Id have to agree with sinewave about talent .....i think its very different to have talent than it is to just be able to program....Having said that the two can coincide and ability can turn into talent if you know what i mean.....I dont know any theory or chords n stuff but personally these days i dont think its necessary....With all the tech at our disposal ,and again it comes down to Talent......At the moment im experiencing writers block so i dont think id be much use but as others have said,There is no right or wrong way to create a track in whatever genre.......Ive started tracks of with just a hat sound with a large gated verb and just slowly experimented with different atmos etc for the intro at which point then ill try to lay the track down ,and a bit later on ive a dnb roller goin on......But ive also done it backwards in that respect,or just with a hook..............what id probably say is whatever genre you wrte just lay a simple drum section down and loop it over ,then start adding your pads/basses/mids/atmos etc and just see what gels together and what sounds like tripe..
Sure that way is trial and error,but isnt that the case for us programmers? we cant always get it right can we.....But just make sure to carry on even when your so frustrated that you wanna throw all your studio outta the damn window "DONT"...jUST PERSEVERE AND IT WILL COME TO YOU............sorry i cant be of more help but my heads not quite with it as ive just woken up...........Jnx

 

@Tim stop disliking everyone who is trying to help.. that is just plain dumb

 

The real battle is finding the right sounds. Quite often, if you can get some chords, etc... quickly onto your sequencer view, then you can go in and manipulate and fine-tune the sequences with your mouse. You will have to 95% of the time, refine your melodies etc... with your mouse using piano roll view, or staff. In other words : Throw a big block of clay on the table, then mold it, then sculpt it with a scalpel.

When you get a melody going, double it - in unison, octave up, or down, with another voice/sound.

When I've got something going and move on to another 'instrument/sound', the next sounds that I add will be compressed and turned down (more than normal) so that the new voice 'fits' in the mix better while I compose, and so that the 'sound' doesn't stick out in front of the mix - makes it easier to fit instrumentation and parts into the mix. When I'm satisfied, then I'll get rid of the compression, or just adjust it to a more suitable setting for 'tracking/mixing' as I move forward.

Also, use reference tracks for instrumentation & composition (arrangement too) ideas, and for mixing, and sonic guidance. Pull up about 3 or 4 into your session. Try it.