New tune...



MunkyHeed said:
Nah. Just for fun. Far too old to be looking for music fame!
...unless someone wants to drop me a mill to travel the world and get noshed by groupies of course.
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:lol:

music has no age, pal, you should look into it at least. I think it's good enough to give it a shot. Just do it for the fuck of it without any expectations and see where it goes. Just saying.
 
The Lonious Monk said:
:lol:

music has no age, pal, you should look into it at least. I think it's good enough to give it a shot. Just do it for the fuck of it without any expectations and see where it goes. Just saying.
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Well, there was an attempt to make something of it years ago. So much more to it than just writing tunes tho. You need to have a big social media presence & be willing to tour and sell yourself for very little reward initially (if ever). Also helps to have a big core network of followers in the early days too... i.e. university or town with a popular gig venue.

Then you need an angle.. whether it's a specific image or sound. Something 'different' that will stick in peoples minds and keep them coming back.
It also helps to have an understanding label that backs you no matter what, or someone who knows someone in the business to get that foot in the door.

Once you get into the grind of all of the above, it's very easy to veer away from the sound or image you initally wanted to portray, and selling-out becomes more acceptable. It can become less fun and you REALLY have to want to make fame/money from it all. For me, it's just something to do in my spare time now, and still fun.
 
MunkyHeed said:
Well, there was an attempt to make something of it years ago. So much more to it than just writing tunes tho. You need to have a big social media presence & be willing to tour and sell yourself for very little reward initially (if ever). Also helps to have a big core network of followers in the early days too... i.e. university or town with a popular gig venue.

Then you need an angle.. whether it's a specific image or sound. Something 'different' that will stick in peoples minds and keep them coming back.
It also helps to have an understanding label that backs you no matter what, or someone who knows someone in the business to get that foot in the door.

Once you get into the grind of all of the above, it's very easy to veer away from the sound or image you initally wanted to portray, and selling-out becomes more acceptable. It can become less fun and you REALLY have to want to make fame/money from it all. For me, it's just something to do in my spare time now, and still fun.
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I didn't realize it was so involved. I know nothing about this at all so forgive my ignorance about the process. Your stuff is really good. Let me know whenever you have something new as I would love to listen to it.

Keep doing what you're doing, pal. Great stuff!
 
Lester Ballard said:
Sounds great mate. What software do you use? Do you play the instruments or are they sample/midi based?
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Cheers pal. Main DAW is Ableton. I’ve got hundreds of plugins in total. The melodica in this is from Kontakt. This tune is a mixture of samples & midi. The hi pitched theremin sound is a sample fx’d to buggery. The melodica lines I wrote myself.
 
MunkyHeed said:
Cheers pal. Main DAW is Ableton. I’ve got hundreds of plugins in total. The melodica in this is from Kontakt. This tune is a mixture of samples & midi. The hi pitched theremin sound is a sample fx’d to buggery. The melodica lines I wrote myself.
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Really enjoyed it mate. Good stuff. I use Logic Pro X. Mainly play the instruments myself and record them. I’ve started using some midi instruments, but they don’t always sound natural... piano for example. Any tips for making them sound and bit more ‘organic’?
 
Lester Ballard said:
Really enjoyed it mate. Good stuff. I use Logic Pro X. Mainly play the instruments myself and record them. I’ve started using some midi instruments, but they don’t always sound natural... piano for example. Any tips for making them sound and bit more ‘organic’?
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Ah I never used Logic... it was either that or Cubase when I first started and I got a hooky copy of Cubase when I bought my Atari ST, so just learned that all the way up to Cubase Artist 6 a few years ago. Ditched it as I found it quicker to get the same results in Ableton.
Don't be tempted to quantize everything. Having everything bang-on the note can make lines sound robotic... a wee bit off-point can make it sound more natural I think.
Play with the volume or expression MIDI controls (although some VSTi's don't have these as a feature)..Raise them at more 'exciting' parts of the piano piece, and lower when there's less going on.... assign one to the mod wheel if you have a MIDI keyboard... makes it easier and a more natural way to record into Logic, rather than just drawing it in with the mouse.
A touch of reverb and/or delay can help bed it in the mix too. A really slow filter sweep will change the tone of the piece over time too..
Also, its really easy to have lead parts too loud... Once you've written something, lower the volume of that track to zero and play back the song... raise the vol. of the piano slowly until it's just hearable in the mix. You're in the right ballpark then.
Hope this helps - hoy a link up if you've got stuff to share!
 
MunkyHeed said:
Ah I never used Logic... it was either that or Cubase when I first started and I got a hooky copy of Cubase when I bought my Atari ST, so just learned that all the way up to Cubase Artist 6 a few years ago. Ditched it as I found it quicker to get the same results in Ableton.
Don't be tempted to quantize everything. Having everything bang-on the note can make lines sound robotic... a wee bit off-point can make it sound more natural I think.
Play with the volume or expression MIDI controls (although some VSTi's don't have these as a feature)..Raise them at more 'exciting' parts of the piano piece, and lower when there's less going on.... assign one to the mod wheel if you have a MIDI keyboard... makes it easier and a more natural way to record into Logic, rather than just drawing it in with the mouse.
A touch of reverb and/or delay can help bed it in the mix too. A really slow filter sweep will change the tone of the piece over time too..
Also, its really easy to have lead parts too loud... Once you've written something, lower the volume of that track to zero and play back the song... raise the vol. of the piano slowly until it's just hearable in the mix. You're in the right ballpark then.
Hope this helps - hoy a link up if you've got stuff to share!
Click to expand...
Thanks mate, that sounds like some good advice. Yeah, I play with the swing a bit so that it’s not too perfect, and I do use a keyboard - so it tends not to be too perfect anyway!!
I’ll play about with the delay and reverb though and filter as you say.
I’ve been working on a 10 song album for over a year now... I’m on to the final mix now, so will send you a PM when it’s done with a link and you can let me know what you think. Cheers mate.
 

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