It is essential to enjoy the process and get a result that we are proud of.
Our Workflow is often the biggest obstacle to creative, new ideas.
Sometimes, you have to surprise the system; add some spice to the dish to discover unexpected results.
Over my more than ten years of music production experience, I have discovered or developed many ways to improve my traditional Workflow to make it more fun and to get inspired.
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Scribble on a piano roll
Although it may sound stupid at first, I assure you that it is not.
While music theory and songwriting skills can be useful, sometimes you just need to get out there and start to paint.
This is easy: Simply load an instrument ( a keyboard works best for this), then open the piano roll and choose one of these options:
Be aware that the end result may sound horrendously bad.
It is important to look through trash in order to find small miracle moments that can be extrapolated into an idea.
These MIDI notes can be copied to a clip and used there. If this fails, you can always bounce the clip to audio, cut out any magical audio bits, and then process them in that format.
You’ll be amazed at the variety of ideas that you can create.
Listen to music while you make it
This idea was introduced to me by Andre, aka COPICATT, a producer friend of mine. It completely transformed my view on music production.
Producers often imagine a studio that is quiet and free from distractions. This is usually a good thing.
Sometimes, producers can benefit from something a little different. Having music playing in the background while we create music is just that.
You can listen to music subconsciously, but you have to pay attention.
This is a good thing because music can be judged as it appears, not as if it were produced.
You can therefore hear the missing pieces in your productions based on background music.
“Oh, it’s something I wouldn’t have thought of adding a vocal sample to this song.” It might work!
Moments like these can be just what we need, especially if we get too involved in insignificant details.
These are some practical tips for doing it:
Play the background music from your phone or another device
If you want to get new ideas, try listening to songs outside your genre. If you are writing trap music, listen to some indie rock.
You don’t need to pay much attention to other music. Just let it do its thing.
This will initially be strange and distracting. It doesn’t always work.
Drag random samples from your library into your browser
Sometimes we choose us presets and effects before we even start arranging ideas or tunes.
You might start with a good kick, a complementary snare, and a nice low bass.
These are often both calculated and deliberate decisions. You want high-quality, suitable material.
Sometimes, you need a new perspective. This means that your current Workflow needs to be thrown out the window.
Simply put, you will want to drag in random sounds and samples into your projects. Then, work from the ‘pool’ you have chosen.
Because you don’t know the material before, it can inspire creative ideas.
There is no right or wrong way, but these are some tips to help you get started.
Search for random keywords from your sample library. They don’t have to all musical terms (i.e. Search for egg
Spend a few minutes making the sounds you have chosen to work.
Sing, beatbox, or mumble
Also, use your voice.
We will be exploring in our new course Breakthrough Sound Design how using your voice can be one the most powerful tools for generating ideas.
We often avoid it because we don’t want to sound to cringe.
Do not stress, the point is not to use your voice (necessarily), but to use it as an idea generator.
Simply change the microphone input to your DAW to the best available mic (studio mic or poor built-in mic), and then turn on the metronome. You can start creating ideas.
Once you have an idea, drums, or a bass sound, replace it with elements that are more effective.
Once you have a basic sketch, you can finally delete the original recording.
It shows us how we can be missing creative opportunities based on our choices.
We might rely on visual tools like spectrum analyzers too much, and producing silent might bring this to light (especially when your result is not good).
It’s a great way for you to get out of your rut and create music.
Don’t be discouraged if the information is not perfect. There’s always a chance that you will find some hidden gems.
Get a strange plugin
Although it can be useful to download new VSTs or plugins, it is often a way to avoid finishing your music.
In this instance, however, the goal is not to download what you think you need.
The goal is to download something that you may find strange, terrible-sounding, or totally ineffective.
You can achieve amazing results by accepting limitations and using tools that may not be right for you.
Try it yourself
Perhaps you have an old idea or a song that is already out there. You might have an old idea or a song that you like.
Although it might seem strange to try something yourself, you may be surprised by the results.
This applies to remixes, VIPs, and edits of your tunes. One I did was for a DNB-mix older tune called ‘Big Mood.
Maybe you take a good breakdown and turn it into a hook that drives a new song. You might also make vocal cuts to the main vocal.
You can work with the master file or the stems. It’s up to your preference.
Avoid sampling musical elements from drum-heavy regions – they can be hard to work with (unless you’re taking drum one-shots and drum loops).
Sometimes this works well with ideas that are 90% complete but not good enough. It gives them a new context.