Using Your Recording Computer As A Writing Tool

[brandondrury]

This is mostly directed to Richiebee, but others feel fee to chime in.

I was curious about your writing approach.? Do you sit down with an acoustic guitar on the back porch and just go for it?? Do you sit down in front of your recording computer, record the acoustic on one track and the vocal on another track, and go for it??

I'm just curious to your approach.?

With the band I'm currently producing, many times I'll hit record and they'll just improvise.? Almost everytime there is an accent of some kind whether it be a great melody, a weird vocal timing thing, or whatever that we end up going back to and using as our base for the song.?

In my situation, it's nice being the 3rd party sitting in? I know when I hear something I like and I always make a note of it on my recording software.? I do occassionaly get active in the songwriting, but 80% of the time, I'm just listening for something that strikes me as good.

What is your approach?

Brandon

[James Gillice]

My songs usually come about in one of two ways.

The first way is that I will just sit down with an acoustic and work out all the chord structures and lyrics and write them down in a notebook that I have. Sometimes I get a complete song in one sitting, usually I have to keep coming back and reworking them. When I write in this way I usually get the best songs because I am focusing on the core of what the song is. I then go and create the other parts of the song on the computer to more fully accomplish what the song can be.

The second way that I sometimes come up with songs is I will randomly come up with a melody in my head. It may be a guitar riff or a keyboard line or a vocal melody. (This can be frustrating because it can happen anytime, anywhere, and then I have to keep it in my head until I can get home and play it or record it.) I then go and construct a song around this melody. I often end up at the last minute trying to fit some lyrics over the top of the whole thing. This type of song often turns out to be interesting but never as strong as when I focus on lyrics and structure first.

As far as "using my computer as a writing tool", I don't ever record improvisations, but I will playback my completed tracks and just play over the the top of them until I get something that sounds good, then I go and record it.

I hope that answers your question.

[richiebee]

I write entirely in a sequencer. I don't play any instrument very well (with the debatable exception of the trumpet) and that means relying on something else to allow me to input in my own slow way. I'll generally get a basic feel down in the bass and drums, then just loop and add... I'll eventually replace both bass and drum lines to reflect what actually ends up as. I can play the keyboard, but not well enough to get stuff down live. Most of my stuff needs to be quantized... at least to a groove. I'm better at writing backing arrangements than good melodies with a hook.

I've written numerous entries for KVR Audio's monthly competition. Some of them come together within an hour... others take days before I'm even relatively happy with them. I always submit them before I'm totally happy...

Everyone in my band writes... and they all do it alone. When songs come to the band, they're pretty much ready to go - all arranged. The rhythm guys have either chords and a good guide on CD of style, or fully written parts (which thanks to the fact that they all graduated from music school means they can actually read them!). Horn arrangements aren't always great first time round, but work with some tweaking.

I have recently bought my first guitar (electric) and hope that at some point I will be able to play it.

R.

[dach]

We write until there's something to lay down... but we always lay that down right then and there...I don't care if its to a microcassette, tape or the computer. Part of what makes it work is the delivery. The little stuff counts... inflections, accents, pauses, timing/groove, etc all can take an average cut and make it special. It's impossible to remember that that particular thing you did after you've written 40 cuts since then and been tracking/mixing other stuff... We always lay down everything and document everything- sometimes even insence, alcohol consumed etc... so we can go back to it and hopefully recreate the mood/atmosphere if necessary

[brandondrury]

We always lay down everything and document everything- sometimes even insence, alcohol consumed etc... so we can go back to it and hopefully recreate the mood/atmosphere if necessary

Awesome idea. Does it work?

I'd love to try to recreate the exact drunkeness I felt when writing an given song.

Brandon

[Ronan Chris Murphy]

I find people with acoustic guitars and a microcassette get a lot more writing done than guys working with computers.

[dach]

I agree. I have an older PT TDM rig and as well as a Nuendo Rig, not to mention a ton of analog decks... sometimes setting stuff up feels like a pain or you just don't want to be in the studio. Microcassettes sound like shit but certainly record well enough to document the idea. Better to document than not.

We don't go back and consume the same amount of alcohol or anything, it's just more of an approximation of where we were "head-wise" IF we can't match the vibe at the time....

[brandondrury]

I find people with acoustic guitars and a microcassette get a lot more writing done than guys working with computers.

Overall, you are probably right. I guess it depends on how you use the computer though. In reality, they are not all that different. They are just devices that record. As long as you just hit record and then turn the monitor (video monitor, that is) off you can get just as much done with a computer.

Brandon

[H2000]

The microcassette is the tried and true method, but I do a ton of writing on the computer using ACID. It is by far and away the most intuitive and unobtrusive software for getting ideas down quick. Since I play 4 different instruments, I can create parts on the fly as they come to me. And, it's great for programming drums and chopping beats too. It's really a great tool. Then I just take the waves to Vegas to mix.

[brandondrury]

Great idea. I forgot all about ACID being a writing tool.

Brandon