Huge Huge Drum and Bass Production Tip
Okay, over the last couple of months I’ve been formulating some cool new drum and bass production techniques and song writing techniques. Some haven’t worked as well as I wanted but some have proved to be “outstanding!” This one technique below is absolutely smashing my productivity meter through the roof!
SET A TIME LIMIT
Yep, I’ll say it again… “set a time limit”. This one killer technique has improved productivity a million% and I’ve written more stuff in the last month than I have all year!
Here’s the steps I go through:
1. 2 hour time limit. (yep, 2 hours is all you/I get! )
2. Find your samples, drums, bass, atmos, vocals, etc…
3. Fire up Ableton Live 8
4. Put down the atmos to get a vibe.
5. Work out the Bass line.
6. Drums go next.
7. Fx goes in about now.
8. Arrange the thing out to about 240 bars.
9. Freak out about the lack of time!
10. Allow 15 minutes for quick mixdown.
11. Done.
Now, before people freak out about the 2 hour time limit. DONT! Its only a time limit. I just made the damn thing up. It helps me work quickly. Which is the point. Also it ain’t going to be no Noisia, Current Value mega production standard tune. No, its just a technique to fire up the tune making juices and get some finished tracks under your belt!
Now, I don’t go back and do the tune when the 2 hours is up. I MOVE onto the next track. I’ll revisit the tune in a few days. This lets me be critical and judgmental later. Which is when you want to be, not when you’re trying to be creative!
So to sum every thing up. SET A TIME LIMIT! I can’t say that enough. Oh and be really strict with it as well, no distractions, no emails, no Facebook etc. When 2 hours is up, your done! Put down the mouse. Take a break. Have a coffee. Go for a walk blah blah blah. You get the point.
Most importantly. Give it a whirl. See how you go. Even if you write a tune in 4 hours 19 minutes 34 secs you ain’t doing too badly are you?
Anyways, enough yacking from me.
If you have a bunch of questions about this technique or any others just write them below or shoot me an email.
Speak to you soon.
Dauntless
Tagged with: Ableton Live • bass production • Drum & Bass • Drum n Bass Production • Drum n Bass Production Techniques
Filed under: Drum & Bass Production Tutorial • Drum n Bass Production • Drum n Bass Production Techniques
Good tip bro, but need more. One per month aint enough.
ever tried the Album in a Day Challenge? http://crapart.spacebar.org/aad/
I’ve only managed to do it twice but its helped me so much each time. Two hours per song might be a goer for me now I’m a dad. Its about the amount of time a baby sleeps for…
Really an album in a day? Wow…
I have to admit that has blown me away…
You can do it. 2 hours a track for 20 hours straight will do it but boy you’ll be buggered after that effort!
Maybe in the future after I get good with the 2 hour thing.
thanks for the comment, oh and congrats on the kid!
Dauntless
thanks man!
Hey really good info, just to get everything in order. I especially like the comment on leaving tune for a couple of days, this really gives you nothing to concentrate on but vibes and making music.
These blogs are really helpful to me as a confused producer
Thanks Dauntless, Keep them comming
You spend 2 hours on a track it will sound like shit. Same as if you spend 10 mins baking a cake, it will look like shit, taste like shit. An evening making and refining a track (4-6 hours) then you will have something to be proud of and able to listen to without hearing a ton of things you want to change.
4-6 hours to do the first mix, another 4-6 the next day to refine. The process can go on and on until your own personal preference tells you its 100% finished.
Dauntless, you had any releases?
Yes Crazy, if you do spend 2 hours on a track in the beginning its going to sound like crap. I’ll admit that my first attempts were pretty bad! But hey, that’s ok because you get BETTER.
Also, its OK to miss your target and write a track in 4 hours or so. At least you’re preparing and training your brain to finish tunes. (which was the exercise)
If you have a process to finish your tunes than that’s fine with me. I was just offering up a suggestion to the people (like myself) who don’t finish tunes because of perfectionism etc.
No, i haven’t had any releases yet but I’m sure my time will come soon enough. I’ve finally been finishing tunes that I think measure up to my high standards.
thanks for the comment
dauntless
Dauntless’ tracks are fucking on point. He coulda been having that shit released a long while ago if he wasn’t such a perfectionist. And yes he has had interest from labels, even if he is too shy to admit it here himself.
It’s not all about sound… it’s as much about finishing your tracks and getting them heard as well as them being dope. No use having your production on point if you only end up with a stack of half finished tracks, or if you’re the only one to hear it.