I think this topic could help people out to improve and work faster in the idea building stage of the melodies. Share your approach on this so we can learn from each other. Example, could be starting of in the piano roll with a normal piano which later translates to etc sylenth1 with init preset to see if it works with a synth. Anyway, I will start. FYI Im pretty much working in the genres of electro house/ big room / progressive with more of an aggressive style.
Obviously I start with the main idea thats inside my head, could be a melody for a break or a drop(mostly drops). It could be the main melody(top lead), chords or bassline but mainly its the main melody that pops up in my head.
When I am working with a top melody, chords and bassline(tracks that are chord and bassline heavy and focussed) I often use FL keys which is just a normal piano. Why I am using a piano is so I can play and hear fast everything as one unit as it later on will play as one. When the basic idea is inside the piano roll I am searching for sounds for each part, but the important part here is that I just search fast for sounds(preset searching) that I kind of want to have it like. Its just so I can see that the main elements will work with each other when they are played inside synths. The reason for this is so I dont waste time for etc layering and mixing a lead for several hours and end up not using it because I couldnt make the other elements fit.
When working towards a more top melody heavy track(etc lots of big room / electro house tracks) where the main focus is for the main lead I just start inside a synth right away. I pretty much only using sylenth1 and spire. I often use a basic saw preset to just get the ideas rolling as I later on will go all in for sound choosing. Tho, if I pretty much already have both the melody and sound I am aiming for, then I go a little bit deeper trying to find a similar sounding preset. After the melody is built I often know if its enough or if it needs support from a bassline/chords. These ones are easily built and are here to fill up empty spaces. Before you start building them you should try to choose if you are going for a kick with short or long tail. If you have a big room kick with a long tail you will be having a hard time fitting a bassline into it. (A good example is the drop of the track How many - W&W), its a bassline pumping underneath the main lead to glue the drop together as the kick doesnt have a long tail.
This is pretty much my workflow whne it comes to building ideas, its all about working fast for me so I dont get bored of it by listening to it 1000 times before even starting to mixing it.
Share your approach/workflow/opinions about this!
Submitted February 27, 2017 at 10:41AM by flowerpowderlol https://www.reddit.com/r/edmproduction/comments/5wgrt8/discussionhow_do_you_guys_approach_building_your/?utm_source=ifttt
Javier Rodriguez
Monday, February 27, 2017