General Help

[Vooh]

[Excuse me if this is in the wrong forum topic]

Hey all…

I’ll start off by saying that I purchased FL Studio a few months ago after screwing around with the Demo for a bit. I use it perhaps an hour a day or so…
I’ve been doing a lot of “fiddling around”, learning what knobs do what and making lots of melodies and really simple songs. (Kick + Melody > Effects)
However, when I occasionally tell myself “alright, time to start a song”, I just draw a blank. I have no idea what goes into a Techno (trance, etc) song.

I’ve logged so many hours into just screwing about that I feel ashamed of not knowing the first thing about a song.



I realize that songs vary greatly in technique and instruments etc, but I’m assuming there is a basis (guideline-whatever you want to call it) that all songs follow.
For example, almost every Trance song I’ve listened to uses pads, kicks, melodies… Beyond that, I have absolutely no idea what I should be putting into a song.

So I ask: Is there anything that will particularly help me?


Should I first start learning Basic music theory?


Is there a guide that basically says, typically you have *These*(kick/pad, etc) in a techno song?


Thanks much for reading my post, and I would greatly appreciate any or advice you can offer

[Glassback]

OK, here's my tuppence worth and welcome to KvR.

You mention all trance tracks etc have this that and the other.
Well, imo, that's fine if you want to stay formulaic. But why not experiment and get away from formula's? Regardless of whether they work or not.
But that's by the by.

What I really wanted to say was:
The way I do it is listen carefully to my favourite music and deconstruct it in my head.
One time I'll listen to the beats - how they're put together, rhythm, structure etc.
Another time I'll listen to the bass or the pads or the lead instrument, each one individually and also listen how they interact with one another.
Sometimes I listen and think "hey! That's fairly simple really!" and try to emulate it a little.
It never turns out quite the same as the tune it started out pretending to be but some interesting lessons often come out of it, as well as the odd happy accident.

Anyway that's the way I learn how a tune goes together.
I bet you'll get a lot of different tips here, but the main one is this: whatever works for you.

Also I don't think you necessarily need something like music theory to know how a track should sound but when it comes to actually making it sound the way you want, that's often a different kettle of fish and is where some knowledge may come in handy.

[xoxos]

music is arranged data, helps to have some kind of agenda.. 'dazzle the peeps, make their hearts melt,' et c.

ask a lamp post to come up with three chords. why do lamp posts need to communicate? they're only going to det wee'd on by dogs.

whatever you got to say, say it.. if what you want to say is "i'm some shit hot dude with technology.." no wonder you're plumped, there's a lot of that gonig around.