I cant write anymore, all I work on is tone/settings?!

Metaltastic said:
Personally, I can't write without recording, cuz I need to be able to play and mess around with an idea without having to endure typing it in in GP or any other MIDI tabbing program. However, I do use GP when I'm writing a super-fast lick that I can't even play :D (the best way to challenge oneself IMO!)
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+666 to that:heh:
 
-J- said:
a nylon string classical works great (with a pick or not). I need to get a cheapy again. I made up some sick riffs on a classical in the past! good tip - really makes you concentrate on the timing and actual melody. plus you can sit about anywhere and goof with it.
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I use one of these to write songs too. I get really more focused on the melodies than in the "fucking mighty power sound" that holding a guitar makes you feel... :headbang:
 
And one way to make it way easier to separate the writing and tweaking stages is to do the "record the clean DI while monitoring with ampsims" route, so you know you're not comitting to any tone so you don't have to worry about it possibly sucking ass!
 
I really got this problem when I was heavily using amp modelers. I was never satisfied and was constantly rerecording ideas. At some point I came to my senses and just put a nice clean amp in my living room with some pedals for distortion, fuzz and delay. I just sit there jamming (sometimes while watching movies or the news) and if I come up with anything I'll just write it down on old school paper. Only when I have a couple of ideas that really seem to work together do I return to the computer to either GP or recording guitars in the DAW and the rest is in most cases just simple midi tracks. Not untill I'm really satisfied with the song flow do I go into different sounds and recording actual bass, piano and multitracking distorted guitars and that kind of stuff.

For me it's much less frustrating this way and you focus much more on the actual song. Only doing GP however does not work for me, even if I really would like it too. I need at least a somewhat natural sound to judge whether I like a song and listening to midi playback from GP doesn't cut it.
 
devouredremains said:
I got away from tweaking while writing by saving presets of my signal chains that get me in the ballpark right away. I just call up a Superior 2 preset, TSS/Wagner/Impulse preset and away I go.
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Same here... I've saved a "basic heavy guitar chain" and just load it when i want to record something... but I still record it DI, so i can do some tone tweaking (testing other amps etc.) later...:)
 
devouredremains said:
I got away from tweaking while writing by saving presets of my signal chains that get me in the ballpark right away. I just call up a Superior 2 preset, TSS/Wagner/Impulse preset and away I go.
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+1. a DAW template is even better. thats all you need when you want to write music. more realistic than on GP if you can control yourself not tweaking away all the time :D

btw, please use Power tab, way better than Guitar pro imho. and free.
 
Torniojaws said:
Not if you also tab out the drums, bass and synths ;)
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Indeed. I always write at least a sketch of the drums (meaning I usually don't bother doing any complicated fills) along with the guitars. I also play drums so many of my ideas are formed around drum beats that constantly seem to play in my head.

I need to try Tuxguitar too though, haven't tried it yet.
 
I use my mobile to record melodies and ideas. Sometimes I'm driving and whistling and a melody come to my mind, then I record it on the mobile phone.
Afterwards at home I play and writte the rythms.
But most of the time I write in Cubase with some basic drums and have the same problem, I start tweaking and doing experiments to find the perfect tone.
I think I have wasted many hours, days, weeks of my life seaching for good guitar/bass tone in my homestudio.
 
the solution is simple... mic an amp! :p

but seriously, ive been fooling around with impulses pods and wagner/alternatives for a long time. for the last few months ive been tracking with impulses and then reamping everything... i cant believe what ive been missing. the impulse sticks out like a sore thumb when a/bing between the impulse and miced tracks.
 
I always practice and write stuff with my POD hooked up to my normal PC (not the recording PC).
If I come upon an idea worth being remembered, I quickly fire up the good ol' Cool Edit Pro and record it. I just don't get the desire to tweak the tone on there... :D

If I record a whole finished song as a rough demo for the band, I plug into the recording PC via DI->Saffire->Wagner and use the POD to monitor. Then it's worth it to tweak.
 
When an idea for a very/chorus comes to my mind, this is usually my approach:
1. Record straight away on mobile phone
2.
microbr.l.jpg

Use my trusty old 4-track MBR (studio in a pocket) to jam it out with drums + extra guitar melodies + vocals. See how it sounds, change arrangements (in my head) then re-record on a new song, add lead sections, add extra vocals. Keep creating anew and re-recording until it takes a proper shape. Song is now 90% written. Try and solidify all the vocal melodies and guitar riffs as much as possible. Impro guitar leads and decide on a definite lead structure so to cut down on wated messing later on. Experiment with different guitar layers, and lead sounds. Note: this can all be done very quickly, and easily on the MBR, and you can fit this thing in your pocket :)

3. Pre-production (give yourself plenty of time for this stage!!): mess around with DAW. Take a few weeks to get away from songwriting, and just look into the technologies, software synths, revalver tones, impulses. Lots of messing around/research, tone tests + post on the Sneap forum to get tips on my tone, and readjust where necessary. Get correct drum tones and best drum software. Learn how to use everything, familiarise with various software. Read tips on forums. Learn more about EQ and mixing. Read, read, read. Cut down on wasted time later on.

4. Only at this stage will I go to my DAW to actually do the song for real. When on my DAW I will do drums, then guitars, then bass, then keys. Go to a proper studio for vocals and mastering+help with mix. Tweak guitar tone and drum tone/production as I go depending on how it sounds in the mix. Small song arrangement changes and creative ideas are still allowed, and changes may occur on some of the melodies.

This is just my own way of doing it, and I'm not very experienced but I try and schedule a place and time for everything (has anyone read the post by "yep" on the reaper forum?
 
I do this constantly, except without even trying to write songs in the first place... with anything you do, you have to keep your main goals in mind at any cost. This is just a warning that you're losing focus (or questioning your focus) and trying to hide yourself behind a mix or a sound or a shiny frame or something like that. It's really a matter of figuring out what you're trying to put across... do you want to be known for what you said (songs!) or how you said it? If you're worried about the first one, pick a random tone and deal with it... if not, go into politics or law.

As much as I love to annoy everyone around me with an acoustic, I find it hard to be really moved to play things without an UGLY tone - I don't like getting the perfect tape sound, I want the nastiest, stupidest shit imaginable and then I feel like goofing off until something nice comes out... try that just to see what happens.

Jeff
 
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