How do you start making a song?
I am not a classically trained music theorist so my process is rather unorthodox. My method usually starts with building a drum beat I want to try out. Sometimes it starts with a bass line or a chord progression. I just start with what pops into my head at the moment. I'll build a few bars of that along with the drums, bass or melody or whatever parts seem to go with it. Then it gets weird. What I started with often gets moved around into other parts of the song and a new start replaces it. It's just what sounds good to me at the time rather than rules.
I then start making variations of the different small phrases and patterns and arrange them to create interest and motion. I strip down some phrases and patterns and use them for breaks or change up beats. I just keep doing what seems interesting and I will often change my synthesizer sounds out as I decide what the feel of the song is. That's always a difficult process because different sounds can totally change the mood of the song without changing its structure.
Once I have enough variety and interesting parts in there, I'll see if I can add a little more oomph by adding in sound effects or voice overs or other interesting sounds. Sometimes I don't add any at all. It's just by feel at that point. When I'm happy with it, then I record each instrument one by one starting with drums. When all instruments are done recording, the sound mixing begins. Adjusting levels and frequencies, adding effects like reverb and doing some general sound crafting makes a big difference from the raw stuff.
Mastering is the hard part. That's where you spend a lot of time listening to the song over and over to finely tune the sound to your headphones, you monitor speakers, you computer speakers, you cell phone, etc. to make it sound good and not be too bass-y or muddy or ear piercing. I'm still learning that process because it is complex and you need good ears for it. Mine are just okay so I have to get other people to tell me if the mix is good or not, but the software helps get close to good enough quickly.
I never really know what a song is going to be until the end. My creative path is more like discovery rather than crafting. The song was already there, I just had to find it. I find some unusual stuff apparently, but I like it. Ultimately I make music for myself. If other enjoy it too, well then that's awesome. I would still make music even if no one else liked it. It's just a part of who I am.
That is the exact same way I write a poem.
First, I pick out a letter I like, for example, 'Q'.
Solid letter, I am off to a good start. Then I try to add another letter, like 'Z'. Then I will go to the dictionary, and check what words start with Q and Z.
Hmmm, not many. So then I will try another letter with 'Q', like 'F'.
Occassionally I have to repeat this process twenty-some times until I find a combination that will eventually spell out a word. After 45 minutes or so, I will have a word spelled out.
It is time consuming, but that is the creative process.
That is the exact same way I write a poem.
First, I pick out a letter I like, for example, 'Q'.
Solid letter, I am off to a good start. Then I try to add another letter, like 'Z'. Then I will go to the dictionary, and check what words start with Q and Z.
Hmmm, not many. So then I will try another letter with 'Q', like 'F'.
Occassionally I have to repeat this process twenty-some times until I find a combination that will eventually spell out a word. After 45 minutes or so, I will have a word spelled out.
It is time consuming, but that is the creative process.
You, you understand! You really and truly understand!
Some call it insanity but we call it creativity. They're just jealous because they don't understand.
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