Making The Most Of Your Ideas?

I am getting increasingly annoyed with myself. I have been listening to a lot of my old stuff as well as new, and have come to the conclusion that I just don't make the most of my ideas. There are a lot of scruffy bits and unfinished bits and unrealised bits and melodies which are married to runt patches - arghhhhh.

If anyone has any suggestions how to maximise the impact of melodies and patterns and even patches - then pleeeeeeese help!!!

[James Oakwood]

It's a hard slog dude but stick at it. The most important thing I keep in mind is that when i create a mix, all the individual trax in the mix sound decent when played on their own and that they are balanced to each of the other tracks. DnB is important to get right together first tho.

[TonyMiller]

Originally Posted by Steven Silverthorn

I am getting increasingly annoyed with myself. I have been listening to a lot of my old stuff as well as new, and have come to the conclusion that I just don't make the most of my ideas. There are a lot of scruffy bits and unfinished bits and unrealised bits and melodies which are married to runt patches - arghhhhh.

If anyone has any suggestions how to maximise the impact of melodies and patterns and even patches - then pleeeeeeese help!!!

This is standard practice with me. Write a song, usually happens very fast, rush it out. Listen again in a month and think wtf?

The way I think is this: If I were a big live act, would I write a song and perform it live the same night? WIF! Even in terms of vocals, I only just wrote it, I don't even know the tune properly yet! But still I rush them out!

When I'm rehearsing a song for live work, I flog it to death before doing it live, and even then I'll sing it at a rubbish gig first.

So, what I'm getting at, and what I am trying to do, is queueing up my songs for release. I have about 5 or 6 currently ready for release but they won't be for a while yet. In the meantime I go back to them and listen with a 'new ear', one that is not so biased. Then I get the scalpel out!

I still make mistakes - I rushed out Furnace for instance.

This is just me, but I never put a song in the WIP section. If it's WIP it's not ready for people to listen to. And I don't understand the need for getting others involved in the creation process (unless it's a collab of course) because you'll get mixed preferences which just confuse you. I like my songs to be undiluted me, whether that's a good thing or bad, I don't know!

So that's my take on it. Others will have different views and I can't say it's worked for me, cos here I still am, unsigned!

[KtA]

It's definitely a good idea to leave a track alone for a couple of days (normally when you start scratching your head in confusion) then come back and listen to it.Any problems will stick out a mile...I get rid of anything I don't like straight away then concentrate on one tiny section that's ok (maybe 8-16 bars),trying to home in on the sound I want...then move on to the next,rather than working on the track as a whole.
Not sure what you mean by maximising melodies...?

Your problem is that you produce Trance,which in my opinion is one of the most difficult genres to master.
Not much help,I know...sorry

[Steven Silverthorn]

Originally Posted by KtA

It's definitely a good idea to leave a track alone for a couple of days (normally when you start scratching your head in confusion) then come back and listen to it.Any problems will stick out a mile...I get rid of anything I don't like straight away then concentrate on one tiny section that's ok (maybe 8-16 bars),trying to home in on the sound I want...then move on to the next,rather than working on the track as a whole.
Not sure what you mean by maximising melodies...?

Your problem is that you produce Trance,which in my opinion is one of the most difficult genres to master.
Not much help,I know...sorry

Thanks Tony Mart and Andy for your advice - much appreciated.

What I meant about maximising melodic impact - is getting the placement and timing right - not rhythmic timing, but how long to let it run, when to introduce it etc.

Too much and it gets boring - too little and it is selling the idea short. Also I am fairly good at writing counter melodies, but this can over complicate and thicken up the mix and do more harm than good. I guess I need to analyse pro trance with this in mind.

Also you guys are so right about rushing a song out when it isn't ready - but it often seems ready after I have slaved for days on it - but it is wise to go away from it for a while. I have done that with Kicking Sand and my remix actually sucks so far -it has potential, but I am not making the most of it I feel. Also, I get tired of working on the same tune for too long. I think I will try a different approach -like work out the chords but write the complete song with drums and perx and bass - and only then build the song - cos that is how painters paint - they get rid of white canvas by blocking in, getting an idea of light and shade, before the details are worked on. In a sense if the whole song is blocked in, there should be less stress in theory!???

[Fluid Breaks]

I have got 1000's of "starts" - i wish i could finish them too

[geiger167]

I'm in the same boat as Fluid. loads of starters for song, ideas are not the problem. I have actually tried to do something this past few weeks though, actually finish some stuff lol. I'm currently working on a new track in a very methodical way (following some very good guides in Future Music) where I'm thinking very carefully about the arrangement, builds, breaks etc, and paying a lot more attention to the effects side of the track, and using sidechaining in a much more creative way. It is a very odd way of working for me, but the track is sounding very polished I must say. I'm paying very careful attention to the mix side of it (something I never do to be honest lol) and I am finding these tips from the pros very helpful, particularly the Ableton tips as I have been very slack with trying to get the most out of the effects in it. I wouldn't really bother dwelling on past tracks to much, just try to get a little better aquanted with the stuff you already have and use all of these guides all of the net to improve.

[DaveRave]

Originally Posted by KtA

I get rid of anything I don't like straight away

Blimey, if I did that I'd have bugger all left......hehehehehe