19
Sep
Sep
Video: How to write a song! 1
by Jayme Posted in JaymeGutierrez, Music, Videos | No Comments »O.k, so here is the first video of me writing a song..
Enjoy!
Posts Tagged Writing
12
Aug
Aug
How To Write A Song! 10
by Jayme Posted in JaymeGutierrez, Music | No Comments »I love doing harmonies!
I usually do them in 3 groups of 5 part harmonies; 5 panned left, 5 in the center and 5 panned right.
I often treat them as if they were like people commenting on the lyrics that are being sung.
Depending on the song, I think that 3 sets of 5 part harmonies can be a bit too confusing, especially when there is lots going on. I think that the average listener listens to a song as a whole and doesn’t always home in on any specific instrument, or harmony, other that the main vocal line. So I don’t think that they get to appreciate a complicated harmony part when the rest of the music is quite busy. It’s also down to my mixing not being good enough to get them heard properly! But hey, I’m still learning.. (that’s why I did a bonus version of “cats and rats” that was just the voices!)
So, for this song I have decided to do 2 groups of 3 part harmonies, panned left and right. That way they should be easier to pick out!
When writing the harmonies, I like to sit in front of my computer with the microphone and a keyboard and record them in as I write them. I don’t bother with doing lots of takes because they’re more in the background than the main vocal, so they don’t have to be as perfect. Also, there are so many parts that it would take me ages to process it all!
So, I listen to the track and think of where to put the harmonies and what they should be saying. Then I press record and see if I like the way it sounds, then check to see if it’s correct and goes with the chords of the song and that it doesn’t change the flavour too much. Finally I check to see if the take needs re-singing or is ok enough.
I always try to avoid singing too many different words on top or the main vocal, because it can be too confusing. Also I try to make sure that the vowel sounds are the same. So that I don’t get one voice in a harmony par standing out above the rest, simply because it’s singing an “aaaa” when it should be singing an “ahhh”. ..and yes, it happens.
So..
That’s how I write and record harmonies!
I’d best get to it…
4
Aug
Aug
How To Write A Song! 5
by Jayme Posted in JaymeGutierrez, Music | No Comments »So, before I start, I bounce down the bass and then save the project under a new name, so that I can save on processor!
Now I have the bass, piano and drums all bounced down into individual stereo tracks.
Next stop guitar…
Again, before I start writing the part I need to search for the sound/tone..
I find that it’s much easier to compose a piece of music when I’m playing an instrument that sounds nice, or sounds nice when playing along to the track. I need to be able to appreciate and enjoy the sound. If I’m playing with old guitar strings on an acoustic guitar, it sounds dead and boring. But when I have a new set on, it sounds bright and interesting and suddenly I can hear all the detail in the note, making me realize that the simple song I played before I changed the strings is actually quite nice and doesn’t need to be made any more complicated! It makes me enjoy listening to it and that’s when I get the best ideas!
So, that’s another reason why it’s so important for me to get the right sound, not just to go well with the song, but to appreciate and enjoy listening to it, inspiring me to continue.
For this song I have decided to use electric guitar and no acoustic guitar, so…
Like the bass; I make a mono audio track and patch it through to a stereo group channel track, with GR4 on an insert and then I start messing around with effects!
I can spend a whole day or two, messing around with different amps and effects, just searching for the right sound! Now, in this song, I’m going to use the guitar to give the piano some more guts and at the same time not be too out front on the verses. Obviously I want the guitar intro to stand out because it’s going to start just with guitar, so I’ll make a different patch for the intro and for the verse. I think I’ll go for some heavier distortion for the chorus and some distortion guitar picking as well… ..maybe panned left, not sure.. So that’s another two patches.. Oh.. and one more patch for something that I have just heard in my head, that I think will go well! So, in total; 5 patches to do! …maybe 6..
Well, I’d best get busy…
Stay tuned!
1
Aug
Aug
How To Write A Song! 2
by Jayme Posted in JaymeGutierrez, Music | No Comments »So..
I’ve got the structure; intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, decoder, double chorus. (Pretty standard,I know).
Now it’s time to start getting some tracks down. I usually start off playing in any ideas that I have had for the song on piano. Then I listen to it and think, playing around with different drumbeats to get an idea of what goes best. Once I have an idea of what I’m looking for, I then start thinking of how the song is going to start.
I don’t usually like to do long intros because, seeing as I’ve only got about 3/4 minutes of song tops, I like to get into the song as soon as I can.
For this song in particular, I’ve decided to start with some simple electric guitar, then the beat and piano and then bring everything else in.
Next step is to get the piano track down completely and then the drums. That’s what I have been doing today.
So, tomorrow, I will start with the next step…
…
