That's really cool, thanks for sharing! On Sunday, November 10, 2013, Michael Render wrote:
> I use Cubase for just about everything. > > Here is an example of what I am talking about: > https://soundcloud.com/michael-render/arpeggio-sample > > This is the same 4-chord arepeggio played in 4 different ways. The first 8 > bars is just at a fixed volume. For the other 3 phrases I just altered the > dynamics. > > >Should I create a melody before I make the chord progression? > Purely a personal choice. People work equally well doing melody first or > chords first. > > Michael Render > > On 11/10/2013 12:55 PM, Ben Lippincott wrote: > > I was in a music theory class, so I know a few things. (I'm also a > percussionist/drummer) Are you saying I should vary dynamics more? I'm not > really sure how I can do that without wrecking my mixes. I just need > experience. Should I create a melody before I make the chord progression? > > On Sunday, November 10, 2013, Michael Render wrote: > > Listen at about 35 secs in on Happy WubDub. The lower harmony and the > arpeggios are pulsing on 16th notes, making them very hard to > differentiate. And it makes a solid wall that competes with the melody for > your attention. You could change things so that not every part is going > full bore all the time. Thin out some rhythms and use dynamics to emphasize > parts in others. I am guessing that if we looked at the source of those > arpeggios, they are all the same volume. Just by varying that, you could > create far more interesting runs. > > Michael Render > > On 11/10/2013 10:40 AM, Ben Lippincott wrote: > > What do you mean by competing rhythms? > > > On Sun, Nov 10, 2013 at 9:18 AM, Michael Render <[email protected] > > wrote: > > I don't think your melodies suck. I think you just straightjacket yourself > with your chord structures. > > Take for example Mole Day 2 and Quirkiness. They both use a simple C minor > pattern of root, minor third and fourth. Almost an arpeggio instead of > chords. That leaves you almost no wiggle room to move about. You are stuck > in a very claustrophobic box. Everything has to fit within a C minor chord > with a D major passing, resolving back to C minor. > > In Happy WubDub you do use a more complex chord scheme. But you arpeggiate > the chords very tightly. No inversions. This competes with any melodic > phrase and again straightjackets where you can go with the melody. Your > rhythms also compete. > > We also need surprise and tension/release. Even the most repetitive > techno/dubstep stuff adds change, whether just bringing tracks in and out, > dramatic filter sweeps or stopping to drone on a beat or phrase. > > My challenge to you would be: > Build richer chord structures with thought to tension/release and use > inversions to give yourself breathing room. > Let parts of you melody/harmony/chords have dramatically different rhythms. > Don't constantly repeat small patterns. Mix it up and surprise us. > > I think you will find that if you give yourself enough room, better > melodies will flow. > > Oh, and don't stop. Experience is the absolute best teacher. > > Michael Render > > > Michael Render On 11/9/2013 10:48 PM, Ben Lippincott wrote: > > Well, first off, I would like some tips. Here's my soundcloud: > http://www.soundcloud.com/ben-lippincott/ > > I use FL Studio and Logic Pro X. > > I really suck at writing melodies. :P > > > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > <https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss> > > -- Thanks! Ben Lippincott
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