Creating LIFE:

Occasionally, some times i will make a track, and technically its good. I have good drum sounds, Nice note arrangement, good sample, I get the drums to bounce right, etc. But then some how it just seems flat to me. Like there is no life to it. LIke i get 80% there, and I just cant get it to come alive.

What is it that its missing? I mean I think everybody pretty much knows what im talking about. Sort of like when you make a hot track, and the next day it sucks. And i know for everyone else something differant is missing. But how do you figure that out? Is it as simple as experience and practice? or what.

Can you all, maybe give some examples where you found the answer?(maybe not directly) as in, you just made a hot track and realized something about it that made it hot?

I guess, then THE QUESTION IS: define to you what a nice track is to you; in terms of what a producer would think about. What do you like about your own tracks?

here is my answer to get things going:

well, some times I realize that when i make a super hot track...it took no effort; i made it in like 5 minutes. As if something was really out of my hands, and it just flowed through me.

I also notice when i make nice tracks, its built around the bassline; even when i make the bassline, and i dont realize that the bassline will knock. Sometimes even i will start with some other instrument, then work on the bassline...it will turn into a differant track, and i will even scratch what i started with.

I also like the snares that end up in my nice tracks.

peace

Depends on what samples I'm browsing through as to what sparks my interest in a creating a songs out of it. If it's a clean bass then I'll start with a bassline. If it's hard drums, I'll start with the drums sequence. I can start anywhere and don't really have a starting prefference..

I think a little random experimentation is what takes a track to another level. Throw some weird sht in there and just experiment. If you play keys, add some solo lines or if you scratch do that. Try using sounds that you might not think would go together. Sometimes I get surprised by a sound that I just used by accident and it makes something fresh. I believe in inspiration. Don't get stuckk on one idea. If it sounds good then go with it. You might discover something you never thought of. Also don't be too attached to a sample. You have to be honest about something that just doesn't work. Be true to the song and use that sample for somethng else. Just my two sensemilias

^^yeah, thats true. Being honest with yourself. Sometimes when you work with something alot, you dont wanna give it up.

if it dont move u or it sounds wack the next day delete the parts that u dont like and try something else.

sounds like u sit down for like 4 hours making a track, and u get attached to the amount of effort u put into the track.

i think the best thing is work on a number of ideas simultaneously based around the same samples and which ever one sticks, keep that and delete the bland shit.

keeping the ear interested is the key... subtle variations can make a track come alive in a matter of minutes... you don't have to complicate things...
one good tip is to start with say two bars, then copy that to make four bars and add something in that second part, then copy that to make 8 bars and add or take away say one or two hits, or replace ONE note with a different sound to keep the ear interested.... you'll see you can go a long way with this technique

CYRUS I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WELL IT IS NOT A PROBLEM, WHEN YOU START ON A TRACK AND IT TURNS INTO SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU WERE NOT REALLY LOOKING FOR. KEEP THOSE TRACKS. IT MAY TURN INTO A TOOL YOU CAN USE FOR FUTURE TRACKS OR A FORMULA THAT CAN HELP YOU. THOSE TRACKS THAT YOU CAN COME UP IN FIVE MINUTES, I GET THOSE TOO. SOMETIMES I GET NOTHING AT ALL IN WHICH I HATE THOSE DAYS BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS WANT TO COME UP WITH PHAT AS HELL. JUST KEEP ON WORKING ON IT. AND THAT GOES TO EVERYONE THAT IS IN THIS GROUP. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM EVERYONE THAT ADDS SOME TYPE OF ADVISE TO THESE FORUMS.

you dont have to scream.

sorry about screaming!

double post "ignore this one"

two things I have recently learned and will share: Try panning some of your instruments if you havent already and secondly try making your different sequences have slightly different tempos just try a few of these things out if you havent already.

Hope this helps.

[quote="cyrus"]Occasionally, some times i will make a track, and technically its good. I have good drum sounds, Nice note arrangement, good sample, I get the drums to bounce right, etc. But then some how it just seems flat to me. Like there is no life to it. LIke i get 80% there, and I just cant get it to come alive.

What is it that its missing? I mean I think everybody pretty much knows what im talking about. Sort of like when you make a hot track, and the next day it sucks. And i know for everyone else something differant is missing. But how do you figure that out? Is it as simple as experience and practice? or what.

damn, you really did have 2 things to say

thanks everyone for the good ideas. Lets keep this thread going. As i think we all will learn from it some how.

peace

Man I thought I was all alone in this world seems like I'm not
afterall I always go through this syndrome too.

create some new drums fam, this tends to help alot for me. they also have to be placed correctly to maintain that knock effect. Thats just my two cents