NOTES FOR 3.17.2010

Todays Session Above

Today started out with a nice regular session, working on a track from last week. Then, I got files from my mastering guy w/ some tech problems. So 2 things happened today.

Lets start with the things I learned mastering. Bad...but good came out of it.

I had put an nice low pass filter effect with alternating LFO speeds and a vocal starting in a breakdown. All these effects were on the master track...stupid me, but what I didnt realize is that when you export each individual track....those master effects wont take place. So I had to go back, and put the same effect in each track, and make sure the envelopes were ok!

BUT, a nice new trick I learned while doing that....if you make an effects rack out of the effects you used on your master track....then click the effects rack. Press COPY (Apple C). Then go to the tracks you want them on and just press paste. (you are pasting the whole rack into the track) Then, the envelopes you have for that effects rack are already put into the track. So each were copied into each track automatically based on the rack. That saved a hell of a lot of time. All I had to do then was change the envelopes for the ON/OFF of that effects rack...and my effects were in there! Nice.

I just just have to remember to be careful as to where it starts and ends, because I cant forget that if its blending the next part, to let the effects rack stay on until the envelopes for the effects are totally finished. I need to look at the longer lasting envelopes from the effects, and then shut off the effects chain then. I made some mistakes, but then realized this. Its hard when you have like 10 envelopes running on the master track, its hard to remember which one is longest without searching all of them. Especially after a week of not working on that track.

Well anyway, exporting now...sending off this afternoon. My stupid error, cost me time and money....gotta be careful in the future.

WELL aside from that, notes on my track making today -

Quick breaks have always been a problem for me....some kind of creative 4 bars before an explosion or new beat hits. Its very easy just to remove some kicks, and put on a crash cymbol or something, but thinking of cool switches can be tough. Found a new technique today....randomness at start. Just decide where you want an off beat change to come in, and delete everything or few things during those bars. Start just copy and pasting snares, or kicks on weird places...and feel something out. Get into your stabs rack, throw in some unique stabs, and then let it explode. It can sound really creative. So, to make a quick break before a new part, when the creative brain cant think of something, just be random, and your creative brain will feel something out of that.

Today I used a nice sub bass hit on 2.3 beats....totally off hit, but sounds super cool to bring it back in with snare rolls.

Using autopan, and using envolopes to control the "off set" can make for some really cool sounds. No one will ever notice unless they have headphones on, but adds some real creativity to your pans. I used it on a commodore 64 sample and sounded totally rad.

Dont be lazy, everytime you put in a sample...think of how you can make it better....with at least 1 or 2 envelopes. Do it on the spot....because once you listen to a track too many times a certain way, your brain starts to want it to be that way. So make your envelope changes ASAP... so you come to like the more unique, artistic sound....UNLESS of course it IS how you want it....but then again, dont be lazy either. Sometimes, a small stab is an opportunity to try out one of the effects you havent been using so much so you can better understand it....

Today, I did that with the grain delay effect. I was using that commodore 64 sample, already enveloping the pans offset....then I used a grain delay to slice it all up using the spray & frequency of it. Turns a rather boring, low bit sound into one of the main artistic parts of a breakdown. Grain delay is a fun little tool with low bit samples. The slices are so clean if you dont have any reverbs or anything on it. Can really crush a sound.



By the way....I FUCKING LOVE all my new racks I made all this week. I have thousands of unique sounds at my disposal right now....and its always a surprise to where the track is going to go when I open up a 8x8 stab rack full of all my favorite sounds...and I have like 50 racks to choose from. I start looking for a sound, and always find something else. That is all the bottom part of my sequence today...so many stabs!

Well thats it for today. Its already Wednesday! Nice!

Peace!

FroBot