Last fall I had the privilege of checking out the @crowderband on their Church Music tour. It was one of the most fun, and most technologically advanced concerts I’ve been to. Thanks to a good friend of mine, I was able to sit down with the Infamous Bwack (@thebwack), and chat about all things music, Crowderband and Ableton Live. It’s partially because of the music of the Crowderband and the electronic elements Bwack brings to the table that have encouraged me to get involved in electronic music, and especially how electronic music can natuarlly be integrated into a Worship Setting.
In the process of moving to a new state, and starting a new job, the editing and posting of the interview fail to the wayside. Thanks to a recent vacation and plane ride, I finally got the interview typed up and edited. I’ve split the interview into 3 different parts, that will be posting Today, Thursday and Friday. It’s full of behind the scenes info on how Crowder Band created their new record, and gives us a little bit of insight into the brain of the guy who literally created a drum-playing robot!
How did you start playing music?
I had a neighbor growing up who was a drummer. When I was in 5th grade she offered my mom a drumset and I started playing and taking drum lessons. I did 3 years of private lessons learning basic beats and rock and roll stuff. I joined the band in High School and played in the marching band, jazz band and the Orchestra program. All my friends were playing in funk and ska bands-It was one of those “band of the week” things were you’d play in a band for a week then you’d break up and a few more guys would come in. There were probably 30 musicians in my high school that were all really close and so at any given time there were probably 5 or 6 bands.
So because of all the different bands you were in, did you end up playing alot of different styles of music?
Yeah quite a few. I went to college for Jazz for about a year, and then I transferred to Baylor, which is were I met Crowder. I did music there for a few semesters as well. While I was there I was listening to Peter Gabriel. He was doing a lot of loop stuff, and Alanis was getting popular and she did alot of the electronic stuff as well. I was really getting into the idea of using loops. It allowed the drummer to do less-but more at the same time. Basically-you don’t feel like you’ve got to lay down Kick on 1 and snare on 2 and 4 all the time. Alot of those drummers were getting away from just the typical drum beat, because there was something else going on that was allowing them to experiment more with what groove is. Its almost like having 2 or 3 drummers in the band, I loved it.
How did you get into using loops and doing programming stuff?
There was always this desire to play with loops, but it was this far off distant, mysterious thing. How do you do that? I kinda knew what a loop was… you know it sounded like a distorted drum kit, it was drums that had been effected someway to sound less like drums. This was actually right about the time I was getting involved at UBC with the Crowder band and through some conversations with David we decided…yeah lets give it a shot. So we picked the song, “Waves of Mercy” (Every move I make)-you know old school 90’s worship song and we decided to make a loop for it. So I set up in the back room of our church and I’ve got Dave’s Korg M-1 Keyboard -which was like the standard of early 90’s Keyboard workstations, and I’ve got the drumkit pulled up on it. It was going through Jack’s Pedalboard into a Roland 202 sampler. So… I’m gonna make the first Crowder band loop ever. I programmed this regular rock beat and got a few pedals going and found a sound I liked. With the sp 202 you’ve basically got to hit record and stop at exactly the right time to get it to loop correctly. So I go get Crowder and said, “Hey I’m close to getting it where I need it, I just need someone to move the Wah.” So Crowder comes up and does the Wah. We figure out a cool wah pattern and I’m trying to get the 202 to record it just right. We got it figured out and we actually ended up using it for about 5 or 6 years.
What are you listening to these days musically?
Thats a good question. I haven’t bought a lot of records recently. I’m trying to think of what I’ve bought. There’s this Prog Metal band “Coheed and Cambria” I’ve been listening to their first two records a lot. I started with their first record and I’m reading the comics. If you don’t know, their singer Claudio Sanchez writes comics that all their lyrics of all the band’s albums are centered around. So its kinda like Sci-fi space trilogy stuff. I read the comic books and loved them, and so I bought the first record and spent some time with it, and right now I’m in the middle of the second record. It’s cool though cause they think of their music as a soundtrack to this epic comic work that the singer has done. Thats been my most recent music purchase.
And the Owl City stuff is just so pleasant to listen to and so great. Its kinda like “Thanks Owl City for making the second and third postal service records we never got”. I was a huge Postal Service fan, and I think i’m an even bigger owl city fan, because I think its more natural for him. I’m big into the Owl city stuff.
Thanks for checking out Part 1 of my Interview with Bwack! Make sure to check out Part 2 tomorrow @ 10 AM EST
I‘ve been working hard on trying to eliminate a phrase from my vocabulary, “It’s pretty good for Christian_______”. How many times as Worship Leaders do we say, “The album’s pretty good for Christian music”? Put that music in the light of whats popular or even “Mainstream” music and it falls apart. If what they are saying is that important, why does it often get presented in a less than flattering music and lyrical context? Thats why most of the “Music you Should be Listening to” posts you see around here aren’t for CCM. I still try to listen to Worship Music to find new songs to use in church, but its hard to remember the last Worship Album that I found that I legitimately enjoyed musically.I don’t say that to be a negative nancy, or to try to discredit people’s expressions of Worship, but to simply provide you with a bit of context that I judge the music I listen to.
I was excited when I heard about Lecrae. I had heard his name for a few months, but didn’t really check his music out. I heard about the incredible version of “Our God” on the new Pasison album. I checked it out and didn’t really care for it. I liked that he rapped during the song, but it felt forced. It didn’t seem like a natural fit. I’m a huge supporter of using something other than acoustic driven, white-guy music in Worship services, but this attempt didn’t go over well with me. Lecrae’s Rehab album was a different story though.
I really like Rap music. Yes I’m white. I’m not pasty white, but not far from it. I like James Taylor and Starbucks, but I love rap music. What’s great about Lecrae’s album is that it isn’t good for Christian Rap. It’s good for Rap. The music is great, you want to crank it, and the lyrics are deep and honest. It’s catchy but full of truth. It’s full of honesty. I mean..like David in the Psalms honest. Check out this section of “Just like You”:
” I was created by God but I ain’t wanna be like Him, I wanna be Him. The Jack Sparrow of my Carribean. I remember the first created bein’, and how he shifted the blame on his dane for foolish in the eatin’. And I look at us all out of Eden. Wearing designer fig leaves by Louie Vuitton make believin’. But God sees through my foolish pride, an how I’m weak like Adam, another victim of lucifer’s lies. Then in steps Jesus. All men were created to lead, but we needed somebody to lead us. More than a teacher, but somebody to buy us back from the darkness, you can say He redeemed us. Taught us that real leaders follow God, finish the work cause we on our job. Taught us not to rob, but give life. Love a wife like He loved the Church, without seein’ how many hearts we can break first. I wanna be like you in every way. So if I gotta die every day, unworthy sacrifice, but the least I can do is give the most to me. Cause bein’ just ike you is what I’m supposed to be. They say you came for the lame, I’m the lamest. I made a mess, but you say you’ll erase it. I’ll take it. They say you came for the lame, I’m the lamest. I broke my life, but you say you’ll replace it. I’ll take it.”
If you’re looking for something other than the typical white-guy CCM music we’re used to hearing, check it out. As I was writing this article I found out he had a newer CD, Rehab: The Overdose. I’m downloading it now. If it’s half as good as Rehab, I’m gonna love it. After that I’ll probably listen to some more JT, watch some Grey’s and pick up a brew at Starbucks. Just another day as a white guy.. “You mean I’m gonna stay this color?”
I get asked a lot about what gear I suggest, and what gear I currently use. Here’s the gear I’m currently using. If you have any questions about gear that would best suit you drop me an email and let’s chat!
Ableton Live Suite 8- I mentioned the other day that I’ve simplified my setup to using Ableton Live as my sole DAW. It’s working great. The instruments and sounds that come with Ableton Live Suite 8 are incredible. I use Operator for all my pads, and use the uniques features of Instrument Racks to create custom patches, that are really fun to play. Sampler is great when I’m re-sampiling material to use again, and I can convert it into a simpler patch so I can share with friends that don’t have Suite 8.
TouchOSC for iPhone-I’ve recently decided to check out TouchOSC (iphone/iPad) again, now that they support Core MIDI. Before I was using Automap by Novation when I would Remote Control Ableton using my iPhone. I was some what pleased with the results, but my patience has been tested recently. It seemed to disconnect frequently, and wasn’t working as smoothly as it once was. I’ve been using TouchOSC recenly and I’m really liking it. I love that I can use the Editor software to create a custom patch that suits my needs. The connect seems to be really stable, and I don’t seem to be having any issues. I’m very seriously even considering just using TouchOSC as my main controller instead of the APC 40, because of the visual real-time feedback. More on that later!
Macbook Pro 13″- Just a generic Macbook Pro 13″. I thought going from a 15-13 I’d be disapointed but the smaller size is easier to carry, and the speed is great. I just got my RAM upgrade in the mail so I’ll be going from 4-8 GB’s of RAM this week.
KMI Softstep- I bought this controller to upgrade from my Behringer FCB-1010. So far I’m very happy with the results. It’s incredible what a controller that is bus-powered and fits in my backpack can do. It’s incredibly lightweight and durable. I can use the editing software to customize each pad and send exactly the data I want to send to Ableton Live. And each Pad can send multiple commands. A multi-touch controller for my feet! Pretty cool. Again.. more on this later!
Akai APC 40- This thing is way more then just a DJ Controller. If you use Ableton Live frequently I’d suggest checking this guy out. Every command you use frequently, to record or playback your audio/MIDI is really easily accessed here. It’s great for Mixing audio, for controlling clips, and oh yeah.. it’s not too shabby for performing either! Like I mentioned above the main thing I’m missing from it is visual/real-time feedback (I control Ableton from my computer and the controller reflects the changes, or seeing what clip is what, by the name). Even if I do convert to an iPad running TouchOSC as my main controller I’ll still use this in the studio and while creating tracks.
Akai MPK 61- I love this keyboard! The keys respond great. If you’re a legit piano player, you’ll probably want to stick with something that’s weighted but for me mainly playing Pads it works great. The controls are easy to get to, and comes with plenty of faders, knobs, and pads to control Live to the Max!
Digidesign Mbox 2- I’m not in love with this box. I’m still in the hunt for another bus-powered multi-output interface. The main advantage this interface has for me is there are quite a few around me, so I always have backups. And honestly it’s been very stable. I’ve had issues with every other interface I own recently ( M-Audio Firewire 410, and Presonus Firepod, and a few others I’ve auditioned..). This one seems to hold up well, but I need more then 2 outs.
Sennheiser Ew 300 IEM- I always thought wireless in-ears was a bit of Diva thing. Especially when using them with an Aviom. For me they’ve become an essential part of my setup. They’re incredibly easy to get around the menu and get setup exactly the way you want. If you’re a Worship Leader and you need to get around easily (to listen to the mix, work with the band, etc..) you should pick up a set of these ears. If I had to give them up now, I’d be greatly disappointed, they work like a charm.
Mono 365 DJ Case- I’m in love with this backpack. Yes.. a backpack. I’ve gotten comments from people that it looks like a Rocketpack and a few other fun ones, but I have every piece of equipment and every cable, every document I need at all times. Oh yeah.. and I have backups as well. I do alot of different types of things, to teaching Ableton classes, playing keys, playing guitar, coaching bands, to writing, etc.. So I have to be able to quickly switch gears, and have to have the materials I need on hand. With this case I have all that and more. I’ll be doing a more indepth review on the site soon.
ToneHammer Emotional Piano - I love the darkness and warmth of this piano. I’m not sold on it’s stability though. I’m not sure if it’s Kontakt Player (from Native Instruments) or if its the Piano Samples themselves. Because of the stability issues I’m having I can’t perform with this piano, but it sounds great when I’m creating tracks. It’s been on every track I’ve created since I got it.
Sample Logic Acoustix- This is a great Partner Instrument from Sample Logic and Ableton Live. It loads up really easily within Ableton Live. The presets are pretty incredible sounding. It gives you the incredible sounds Sample Logic is know for without the price tag, and while working comfortable with the Ableton Interface you’re used to seeing. Not all the sounds could be easily used in a Live Worship Service, but they work great for sound effects, hits and creating tracks.
Iomega eGo Mac Edition 500 GB Harddrive - This is a great little harddrive for transferring files back and forth between computers, and for backup. I’ve become a backup obsessed man. I try to keep all my files in a few places just to be safe. This harddrive is fast, portable and has enough various connections that it works on various computers.
This is the main gear I’m currently using. This tends to be a continually evolving list. I’m looking at a new Interface. I’ll most likely be getting some non-free (here’s some great free) plugins soon. I’ll be switching to running all my tracks and loops off Glyph drives for stability and the extra speed. You can see with the gear I have, I’m not completely pleased with all of it in all situations. That’s the funny thing about gear. What’s great for me, isn’t nesseasily great for you and your situation. I’d love to help you and your church decide on what gear is best for you. Drop me an drop me an email so we chat about it.
Lately I’ve converted to using Ableton Live as my SOLE source of audio playback, recording, and creation. That’s right. No Reason, No Protools.. only Ableton Live. There’s some things I don’t have from Pro Tools, some sounds I don’t have from Reason… but I’m not missing them. My workflow is refined, my sounds are improved, and they are all generated from Live.
Eventhough I use Ableton Live for everything now, it’s nice from time to time to venture into other areas, and new sounds. It helps keep you on the cutting edge of technology and keeps you grounded. (Still use your software of choice and create a kicking workflow-but don’t forget there’s more sounds and software out there!)
One way to explore sounds is through the use of Plugins. Plugins are generally in 3 formats, VST, AU, and RTAS. We can use both VST’s and AU’s in Ableton Live, so there’s no need to mention RTAS in this article.
Here’s a few of my favorite plugins that money CAN’T buy. That’s right these are completely free, and they are great!
It’s hard to describe the fun you can have with this synth. The bass lines and leads are killer. It can function both as a mono and poly synth, but leave it in mono mode and crank out some nasty leads and bass lines.. Too much fun!
This plugin is almost as fun as actually playing my Juno 60. The basses are super thick and the strings and pads lead to great areas of 80′s epicness! you’ll have tons of fun.
LIve cut is a plugin that functions similarly to Live’s Beat Repeat. It seems to take beat repeat and glichted beats to a whole new level. One of my favorite things to do is drop it on a drum track, then route that audio to a new track, and let it run for a few minutes. Record the results then go back and find your favorite glitches and build a beat around them.
What are your favorite free plugins? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
A few weeks ago we talked about a few ways to speed up your Loop Production Process . One of the suggestions was to create your own Presets. What do you do after you create those presets in Ableton Live? What if you find a few sounds you really like, where do you store them? Learn how to create a Custom Presets Folder in Ableton Live, so that you can store your favorite sounds and custom presets to use across all your favorite Live Projects. You can view the small version below. If you want to see it in HD, or if you’re having trouble with the video below, check it out on Youtube.
I‘ve got to admit, I’ve uttered those words before. It gives you a sense of satisfaction, a sense of exclusivity. “Oh, you like my pad sound, I made it. You can’t just buy it”. There’s lot’s of validity to the thought. You create sounds that are custom tailored to your needs. They respond to how YOU play. They fill out the space in your band. It’s a great idea.
A few weeks ago I was spending sometime rummaging through the Live Suite Library for a project. I was listening to the included sounds and trying to discover the sounds that work well, and those that don’t. I discovered theres alot of great great sounds in the library. I went through and saved a few presets into my Custom Presets folder to remember for later.
Here’s the point: When it comes down to it, It doesn’t matter if I’m using a preset I created and designed, or one thats part of the Ableton Library. The congregation isn’t going to worship more or less because of my preset. God isn’t going to be honored more because I created my own sounds.
The truth is…It doesn’t matter how or even IF you use loops. I’ve always felt there are good, better, and best, ways to use loops. But if you’re running loops of an iPod, your congregation probably won’t know if you start running loops out of Ableton Live. If you’re using Fruity Loops to create your loops, will your church membership double when you start using Reason?
Here’s the take-away. If you feel called to use loops, if you feel its something God has put on your heart to pursue-then do it. Now. Don’t wait till you can afford Ableton Live. Start using an iPod. Do what you have to do, but start. You and your band will notice as you upgrade to Ableton and become more flexible and less time consuming, but the point is.. start doing it now, with what you have.
If you’ve been around the blog for a while, you’ll probably remember this post a few months ago about the Tron Soundtrack. It’s been one of my favorites for the past few months. I noticed this morning to much delight that there’s now a remix album of the Tron soundtrack. And it’s an offical remix. If you’ve wondered what the Tron soundtrack would of sounded like if The Glitch Mob, Moby, Kaskade, and The Crystal Method worked with Daft Punk, then here’s your chance. And that list of people is only the beginning. If you were a fan of the movie, the soundtrack, electronic music, or you’re just looking for something new and upbeat to listen to, then this album may be it for you. Check it out Today!
If I started off this post by saying this artist is inspired by watching “Grey’s Anatomy” you may not give her the time of day. So I’m not going to, but I will say this is an artist I wish I had caught wind of a long time ago. The artist is, Kate Havnevik, and the CD is “Melankton”. The CD first came out in 2007, but still 4 years later it’s more fresh sounding and creative then most things I’ve heard recently.
The thing that made me check her out was the song “New Day” that I first heard on an episode of Grey’s. It had the most intense, emotional intro to a song I’ve ever heard. I had to hit rewind on Netflix a few times, to listen to what I just heard. A quick tap on my iphone, and a few seconds later thanks to Soundhound I discovered who this hidden gem was.
What’s so great about this CD, is how well orchestral, and stringed instruments blend with the electronic elements. The song writing is great, the melodies are catchy, the programming is great, and the mix is pretty awesome. Since I got the CD, I can’t stop listening to it. It makes you want to start writing great string arrangements and then chop them up in Ableton Live and put some great beats to them.
The track that I can’t seem to get over is “New Day”. Thankfully its one of the last tracks on the album, so I can get through the entire album, and only take a detour to re-listen a few times, before the album restarts. “Unlike Me” is such a great start to the CD, with it’s sidechaining, breaks, and incredible string parts. “Not Fair” has a great groove, a huge chorus, and enough glitchyness to satisfy even the biggest electronic music connoisseurs.
It would be unfair to mention her resemblance to Bjork. But what’s great is it’s like getting the talent and uniqueness of Bjork, without all the crazy. The album has moments that you can chill out and drink a latte to, and moments that you’ll be rewinding, trying to figure out how the heck they got that sound. Be forewarned.. it will be addictive, and may cause an re-birth of interest in good music and creativity.
At least once a week I hear a horror story of someone who just lost their files because their computer or hard drive just crashed. It happens way too often, and way too many people are unprepared when it happens. If you use your computer for your job, or in our case for music (that is also our job!), then it’s important to make sure we back up all our files properly. It’s not the most entertaining subject ever, but it’s worth chatting about. Here’s a few thoughts to get us started on the discussion:
Start now!
Whatever your doing right now, start backing up. It doesn’t matter how you do it, just start backing up your info now. Grab a harddrive and start copying your data to your hard drive. Murphy is a reliable guy. If you’ve got a computer it will fail. If you’ve got a external harddrive, it will fail. It may not be today, it may not be this month, but it will fail. What are you doing to prepare for that moment? I can’t begin to tell you the amount of times I’ve seen people mention their computer failed and when asked if they backed it up, the answer tends to always be no. Instead of hoping for the best and when your computer crashes blaming Satan, and claiming it’s Spiritual Warfare, take steps now so that when that does happen you’re prepared. Instead of all your hard work and effort being ruined, simply say.. Oh crap, my computer crashed, I’ll just grab that file from my backup drive.
Create Redundant Backups
Readers that work in the IT world are already familiar with the term redundant backups. It’s essentially the process of backing up multiple times and using multiple sources. This way if your backup fails, it’s okay because you’ve got another backup source that you can go to as well. Here’s a really practical redundant solution:
1) Use an “In-house” backup solution. Pickup a terabyte hard drive. They are incredibly affordable. Plug in your harddrive and start backing up your files. Having an harddrive that you can quickly backup to is crucial. If something fails on your computer, just plug your drive in, and you’ll be able to get any files you need, just like that.
2) Use a “cloud” based solution. A cloud based backup solution usually consist of a small program that runs on your computer and automatically backups new files to a server over the internet. If your initial harddrive fails then you can grab your files from your “cloud” drive.
Having a redundant in-house and cloud based system is great. But that’s not enough. Once you have your system in place, you’ve got to make sure you’re actually doing the process of backing up. If backing up your files relies on you remembering to transfer files or click okay, then odds are they aren’t going to actually backup. Make sure whatever solutions you use, they are on a scheduled backup system. Make sure every night your computer is set to backup, or every time you plug your harddrive in, have it back up for you. Don’t leave the process of backing up to your memory. Put it on autopilot!
Save your Samples
When working with music files, make sure you’re saving all your samples in the proper place. Keep track where all your files are. If you’ve worked with software like Ableton Live or Photoshop you know that your Live files, or Photoshop files, use reference files. This are either audio files ( in Live’s case) or photos (in photoshop’s case) that are “referenced” in your original file. If you give someone a Live file, but don’t include the samples needed or used in the file, they won’t be able to hear what you were doing. So make sure you use Live’s “Collect All and Save” command to always collect your files into your Project Folder. There’s nothing worse then thinking you’ve backed up your Live files, to find you didn’t backup the samples needed as well, and now you’ve got a Live file sitting around without the samples your file used.
Whatever you do..start backing up your files now!
Want some more tips on backing up your files? Or just want to stay “in the loop” with what’s happening with Loops in Worship? Join our Mailing List today !
I‘ve been using and creating loops for the past 9 years. I’ve created 100′s of loops and learned alot about the production process along the way. This Christmas I had to create a loop for an arrangement of “What Child is this”. The arrangement was finished Wednesday night and I had to have the loop created for our Thursday service. I had a few meetings and a class to teach so I wasn’t going to be able to start it till about 3:00 and practice starts at 6:00. I asked our Worship Leader if he was okay with me not starting it till then, but assured him it would be ready. The loop was created in an hour, and it turned out great. Without the tricks and tips I’ve learned along the way, I never would be able to successfully create on demand like that. Here’s a few of the things that have helped me speed up my loop production process:
Don’t get stuck
As you’re creating you’re bound to get stuck. Whether it’s with the drum part or the Pad sound for the bridge..don’t get stuck. Do what you can, do what you know. Get a pad sound that you know may work, and move on to the drum part that you know will work. Or start with just a simple beat. Odds are once you move past what you’re hung up on, and create a few more parts, something will dawn on you. After a couple more parts, take a look at it again, you’ll have a lot more clarity this time.
Create and save your own Presets
This has become one of the biggest time savers ever. I’ve now moved my music production/creation process almost exclusively to Ableton Live. I spent time creating presets for Operator, trying to create the thickest, smoothest sounding pads you’ve ever heard. They’re wrapped in Instrument Racks and carefully routed through a few effects, and located conveniently in Live’s browser. When I need a sound, I hop over there and dial up exactly what I need. I’ve got enough sounds created that at the least I always have a good sound/place to start from.
Be okay with Beta
Beta is a term used in the computer programming world. It essentially means the application being released is still under development. If you download a beta release of software there’s bound to be bugs, and mistakes, there’s no guarantee for it to be perfect but there’s enough to work with that it’s ready to ship. Treat your music creation as if it’s in a beta testing stage. Be okay to release/create something while it’s still in beta. We’re often afraid to do this because we’re searching after perfection, we really want to do our best, but in turn end up getting stuck, and never creating. Don’t create crap, but create something, and then “test” it. Export your loop and start listening for a few days. Test and tweak your mix, change some sounds, but start somewhere. Even after you use your loop for the first time, go back and make changes. Treat all your work as a work in progress, or in the Beta stage and constantly look on how to improve it.
Keep your parts in MIDI
Whenever possible keep your parts as MIDI. If you create a keyboard part, leave the original MIDI notes there. If you want to go ahead and print your sound (record your MIDI parts with your desired sound to an audio track) do so, but keep your original MIDI track with the sounds and notes intact. If you do so you’ll always be able to go back after the fact and tweak your sounds. If you leave your material in the beta stage, then leaving your sounds as MIDI will allow you to always go back and tweak. You won’t have to worry about getting the perfect sound, start with a Preset you created that you gets you close but come back after the fact to tweak if you need to.
Create more Frequently
This is probably the most important loop creation technique I’ve learned over the past few years. The more I create the faster I can create. I’ve found that Creativity tends to be a more a byproduct of perspiration then of inspiration. We often create only when we feel “inspired” or catch the creative bug. If you schedule a time to create music everyday, your music will get better. You’ll be able to capture ideas quicker and your playing and composition skills will improve, you’ll be a better musician, creating better music!
Here’s two freebies:
Listen to more Electronic Music- Grow your ear. Listen to music that’s heavily influced by computer production. Learn the techniques they use. Learn how to do 3 things, Filter Sweeps, Builds/Drops and Side-Chain Compression. Master those techniques and your production toolkit will grow immensely. Here’s two of my Electronic Music Favorites: BT and Deadmau5.
Get more loops- The same way you need to create more Presets, make more loops. Spend time creating a few loops everyday or every week and build a stockpile. Sort them by style or tempo, or vibe. If you don’t have the time or ability to create your own, check out Subscription service, 30 loops every month delivered to your inbox. Puremagnetik and LoopMasters are pretty great as well.
What tips and resources have you used to speed up your loop creation process?
Blog
Interview with @theBwack (part. 1)
Posted by Will on May 18, 2011 in Chatter | 0 comments
Last fall I had the privilege of checking out the @crowderband on their Church Music tour. It was one of the most fun, and most technologically advanced concerts I’ve been to. Thanks to a good friend of mine, I was able to sit down with the Infamous Bwack (@thebwack), and chat about all things music, Crowderband and Ableton Live. It’s partially because of the music of the Crowderband and the electronic elements Bwack brings to the table that have encouraged me to get involved in electronic music, and especially how electronic music can natuarlly be integrated into a Worship Setting.
In the process of moving to a new state, and starting a new job, the editing and posting of the interview fail to the wayside. Thanks to a recent vacation and plane ride, I finally got the interview typed up and edited. I’ve split the interview into 3 different parts, that will be posting Today, Thursday and Friday. It’s full of behind the scenes info on how Crowder Band created their new record, and gives us a little bit of insight into the brain of the guy who literally created a drum-playing robot!
How did you start playing music?
I had a neighbor growing up who was a drummer. When I was in 5th grade she offered my mom a drumset and I started playing and taking drum lessons. I did 3 years of private lessons learning basic beats and rock and roll stuff. I joined the band in High School and played in the marching band, jazz band and the Orchestra program. All my friends were playing in funk and ska bands-It was one of those “band of the week” things were you’d play in a band for a week then you’d break up and a few more guys would come in. There were probably 30 musicians in my high school that were all really close and so at any given time there were probably 5 or 6 bands.
So because of all the different bands you were in, did you end up playing alot of different styles of music?
Yeah quite a few. I went to college for Jazz for about a year, and then I transferred to Baylor, which is were I met Crowder. I did music there for a few semesters as well. While I was there I was listening to Peter Gabriel. He was doing a lot of loop stuff, and Alanis was getting popular and she did alot of the electronic stuff as well. I was really getting into the idea of using loops. It allowed the drummer to do less-but more at the same time. Basically-you don’t feel like you’ve got to lay down Kick on 1 and snare on 2 and 4 all the time. Alot of those drummers were getting away from just the typical drum beat, because there was something else going on that was allowing them to experiment more with what groove is. Its almost like having 2 or 3 drummers in the band, I loved it.
How did you get into using loops and doing programming stuff?
There was always this desire to play with loops, but it was this far off distant, mysterious thing. How do you do that? I kinda knew what a loop was… you know it sounded like a distorted drum kit, it was drums that had been effected someway to sound less like drums. This was actually right about the time I was getting involved at UBC with the Crowder band and through some conversations with David we decided…yeah lets give it a shot. So we picked the song, “Waves of Mercy” (Every move I make)-you know old school 90’s worship song and we decided to make a loop for it. So I set up in the back room of our church and I’ve got Dave’s Korg M-1 Keyboard -which was like the standard of early 90’s Keyboard workstations, and I’ve got the drumkit pulled up on it. It was going through Jack’s Pedalboard into a Roland 202 sampler. So… I’m gonna make the first Crowder band loop ever. I programmed this regular rock beat and got a few pedals going and found a sound I liked. With the sp 202 you’ve basically got to hit record and stop at exactly the right time to get it to loop correctly. So I go get Crowder and said, “Hey I’m close to getting it where I need it, I just need someone to move the Wah.” So Crowder comes up and does the Wah. We figure out a cool wah pattern and I’m trying to get the 202 to record it just right. We got it figured out and we actually ended up using it for about 5 or 6 years.
What are you listening to these days musically?
Thats a good question. I haven’t bought a lot of records recently. I’m trying to think of what I’ve bought. There’s this Prog Metal band “Coheed and Cambria” I’ve been listening to their first two records a lot. I started with their first record and I’m reading the comics. If you don’t know, their singer Claudio Sanchez writes comics that all their lyrics of all the band’s albums are centered around. So its kinda like Sci-fi space trilogy stuff. I read the comic books and loved them, and so I bought the first record and spent some time with it, and right now I’m in the middle of the second record. It’s cool though cause they think of their music as a soundtrack to this epic comic work that the singer has done. Thats been my most recent music purchase.
And the Owl City stuff is just so pleasant to listen to and so great. Its kinda like “Thanks Owl City for making the second and third postal service records we never got”. I was a huge Postal Service fan, and I think i’m an even bigger owl city fan, because I think its more natural for him. I’m big into the Owl city stuff.
Thanks for checking out Part 1 of my Interview with Bwack! Make sure to check out Part 2 tomorrow @ 10 AM EST
Music you Should be Listening: 5/17/2011 Edition
Posted by Will on May 17, 2011 in Music you Should be Listening to | 0 comments
I was excited when I heard about Lecrae. I had heard his name for a few months, but didn’t really check his music out. I heard about the incredible version of “Our God” on the new Pasison album. I checked it out and didn’t really care for it. I liked that he rapped during the song, but it felt forced. It didn’t seem like a natural fit. I’m a huge supporter of using something other than acoustic driven, white-guy music in Worship services, but this attempt didn’t go over well with me. Lecrae’s Rehab album was a different story though.
I really like Rap music. Yes I’m white. I’m not pasty white, but not far from it. I like James Taylor and Starbucks, but I love rap music. What’s great about Lecrae’s album is that it isn’t good for Christian Rap. It’s good for Rap. The music is great, you want to crank it, and the lyrics are deep and honest. It’s catchy but full of truth. It’s full of honesty. I mean..like David in the Psalms honest. Check out this section of “Just like You”:
” I was created by God but I ain’t wanna be like Him, I wanna be Him. The Jack Sparrow of my Carribean. I remember the first created bein’, and how he shifted the blame on his dane for foolish in the eatin’. And I look at us all out of Eden. Wearing designer fig leaves by Louie Vuitton make believin’. But God sees through my foolish pride, an how I’m weak like Adam, another victim of lucifer’s lies. Then in steps Jesus. All men were created to lead, but we needed somebody to lead us. More than a teacher, but somebody to buy us back from the darkness, you can say He redeemed us. Taught us that real leaders follow God, finish the work cause we on our job. Taught us not to rob, but give life. Love a wife like He loved the Church, without seein’ how many hearts we can break first. I wanna be like you in every way. So if I gotta die every day, unworthy sacrifice, but the least I can do is give the most to me. Cause bein’ just ike you is what I’m supposed to be. They say you came for the lame, I’m the lamest. I made a mess, but you say you’ll erase it. I’ll take it. They say you came for the lame, I’m the lamest. I broke my life, but you say you’ll replace it. I’ll take it.”
If you’re looking for something other than the typical white-guy CCM music we’re used to hearing, check it out. As I was writing this article I found out he had a newer CD, Rehab: The Overdose. I’m downloading it now. If it’s half as good as Rehab, I’m gonna love it. After that I’ll probably listen to some more JT, watch some Grey’s and pick up a brew at Starbucks. Just another day as a white guy.. “You mean I’m gonna stay this color?”
Pick up Rehab on iTunes
Pick up Rehab on Amazon
Pick up Rehab:Overdose on iTunes
Pick up Rehab: Overdose on Amazon
What are you currently listening to?
My Current Setup
Posted by Will on May 16, 2011 in Gear | 12 comments
I get asked a lot about what gear I suggest, and what gear I currently use. Here’s the gear I’m currently using. If you have any questions about gear that would best suit you drop me an email and let’s chat!
Ableton Live Suite 8 - I mentioned the other day that I’ve simplified my setup to using Ableton Live as my sole DAW. It’s working great. The instruments and sounds that come with Ableton Live Suite 8 are incredible. I use Operator for all my pads, and use the uniques features of Instrument Racks to create custom patches, that are really fun to play. Sampler is great when I’m re-sampiling material to use again, and I can convert it into a simpler patch so I can share with friends that don’t have Suite 8.
TouchOSC for iPhone-I’ve recently decided to check out TouchOSC (iphone/iPad) again, now that they support Core MIDI. Before I was using Automap by Novation when I would Remote Control Ableton using my iPhone. I was some what pleased with the results, but my patience has been tested recently. It seemed to disconnect frequently, and wasn’t working as smoothly as it once was. I’ve been using TouchOSC recenly and I’m really liking it. I love that I can use the Editor software to create a custom patch that suits my needs. The connect seems to be really stable, and I don’t seem to be having any issues. I’m very seriously even considering just using TouchOSC as my main controller instead of the APC 40, because of the visual real-time feedback. More on that later!
Macbook Pro 13″- Just a generic Macbook Pro 13″. I thought going from a 15-13 I’d be disapointed but the smaller size is easier to carry, and the speed is great. I just got my RAM upgrade in the mail so I’ll be going from 4-8 GB’s of RAM this week.
KMI Softstep- I bought this controller to upgrade from my Behringer FCB-1010. So far I’m very happy with the results. It’s incredible what a controller that is bus-powered and fits in my backpack can do. It’s incredibly lightweight and durable. I can use the editing software to customize each pad and send exactly the data I want to send to Ableton Live. And each Pad can send multiple commands. A multi-touch controller for my feet! Pretty cool. Again.. more on this later!
Akai APC 40- This thing is way more then just a DJ Controller. If you use Ableton Live frequently I’d suggest checking this guy out. Every command you use frequently, to record or playback your audio/MIDI is really easily accessed here. It’s great for Mixing audio, for controlling clips, and oh yeah.. it’s not too shabby for performing either! Like I mentioned above the main thing I’m missing from it is visual/real-time feedback (I control Ableton from my computer and the controller reflects the changes, or seeing what clip is what, by the name). Even if I do convert to an iPad running TouchOSC as my main controller I’ll still use this in the studio and while creating tracks.
Akai MPK 61- I love this keyboard! The keys respond great. If you’re a legit piano player, you’ll probably want to stick with something that’s weighted but for me mainly playing Pads it works great. The controls are easy to get to, and comes with plenty of faders, knobs, and pads to control Live to the Max!
Digidesign Mbox 2- I’m not in love with this box. I’m still in the hunt for another bus-powered multi-output interface. The main advantage this interface has for me is there are quite a few around me, so I always have backups. And honestly it’s been very stable. I’ve had issues with every other interface I own recently ( M-Audio Firewire 410, and Presonus Firepod, and a few others I’ve auditioned..). This one seems to hold up well, but I need more then 2 outs.
Sennheiser Ew 300 IEM- I always thought wireless in-ears was a bit of Diva thing. Especially when using them with an Aviom. For me they’ve become an essential part of my setup. They’re incredibly easy to get around the menu and get setup exactly the way you want. If you’re a Worship Leader and you need to get around easily (to listen to the mix, work with the band, etc..) you should pick up a set of these ears. If I had to give them up now, I’d be greatly disappointed, they work like a charm.
Mono 365 DJ Case- I’m in love with this backpack. Yes.. a backpack. I’ve gotten comments from people that it looks like a Rocketpack and a few other fun ones, but I have every piece of equipment and every cable, every document I need at all times. Oh yeah.. and I have backups as well. I do alot of different types of things, to teaching Ableton classes, playing keys, playing guitar, coaching bands, to writing, etc.. So I have to be able to quickly switch gears, and have to have the materials I need on hand. With this case I have all that and more. I’ll be doing a more indepth review on the site soon.
ToneHammer Emotional Piano - I love the darkness and warmth of this piano. I’m not sold on it’s stability though. I’m not sure if it’s Kontakt Player (from Native Instruments) or if its the Piano Samples themselves. Because of the stability issues I’m having I can’t perform with this piano, but it sounds great when I’m creating tracks. It’s been on every track I’ve created since I got it.
Sample Logic Acoustix- This is a great Partner Instrument from Sample Logic and Ableton Live. It loads up really easily within Ableton Live. The presets are pretty incredible sounding. It gives you the incredible sounds Sample Logic is know for without the price tag, and while working comfortable with the Ableton Interface you’re used to seeing. Not all the sounds could be easily used in a Live Worship Service, but they work great for sound effects, hits and creating tracks.
Iomega eGo Mac Edition 500 GB Harddrive - This is a great little harddrive for transferring files back and forth between computers, and for backup. I’ve become a backup obsessed man. I try to keep all my files in a few places just to be safe. This harddrive is fast, portable and has enough various connections that it works on various computers.
This is the main gear I’m currently using. This tends to be a continually evolving list. I’m looking at a new Interface. I’ll most likely be getting some non-free (here’s some great free) plugins soon. I’ll be switching to running all my tracks and loops off Glyph drives for stability and the extra speed. You can see with the gear I have, I’m not completely pleased with all of it in all situations. That’s the funny thing about gear. What’s great for me, isn’t nesseasily great for you and your situation. I’d love to help you and your church decide on what gear is best for you. Drop me an drop me an email so we chat about it.
What gear are you Currently using for Loops?
The best plugins money CAN'T buy!
Posted by Will on May 11, 2011 in Gear | 1 comment
Lately I’ve converted to using Ableton Live as my SOLE source of audio playback, recording, and creation. That’s right. No Reason, No Protools.. only Ableton Live. There’s some things I don’t have from Pro Tools, some sounds I don’t have from Reason… but I’m not missing them. My workflow is refined, my sounds are improved, and they are all generated from Live.
Eventhough I use Ableton Live for everything now, it’s nice from time to time to venture into other areas, and new sounds. It helps keep you on the cutting edge of technology and keeps you grounded. (Still use your software of choice and create a kicking workflow-but don’t forget there’s more sounds and software out there!)
One way to explore sounds is through the use of Plugins. Plugins are generally in 3 formats, VST, AU, and RTAS. We can use both VST’s and AU’s in Ableton Live, so there’s no need to mention RTAS in this article.
Here’s a few of my favorite plugins that money CAN’T buy. That’s right these are completely free, and they are great!
Tal Elek7ro
It’s hard to describe the fun you can have with this synth. The bass lines and leads are killer. It can function both as a mono and poly synth, but leave it in mono mode and crank out some nasty leads and bass lines.. Too much fun!
Tal U_NO_60
This plugin is almost as fun as actually playing my Juno 60. The basses are super thick and the strings and pads lead to great areas of 80′s epicness! you’ll have tons of fun.
TAL U-NO-62
The Juno 60′s big brother (though some still swear the 60 is warmer sounding). It’s just as fun as the 60 to mess with.
TAL-Bass Line
Need phat bass lines? Look no further!
Live Cut
LIve cut is a plugin that functions similarly to Live’s Beat Repeat. It seems to take beat repeat and glichted beats to a whole new level. One of my favorite things to do is drop it on a drum track, then route that audio to a new track, and let it run for a few minutes. Record the results then go back and find your favorite glitches and build a beat around them.
What are your favorite free plugins? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
Video Blog-Creating a Custom Presets Folder in Ableton Live
Posted by Will on Apr 15, 2011 in Transitioning your Band to Using Loops | 0 comments
A few weeks ago we talked about a few ways to speed up your Loop Production Process . One of the suggestions was to create your own Presets. What do you do after you create those presets in Ableton Live? What if you find a few sounds you really like, where do you store them? Learn how to create a Custom Presets Folder in Ableton Live, so that you can store your favorite sounds and custom presets to use across all your favorite Live Projects. You can view the small version below. If you want to see it in HD, or if you’re having trouble with the video below, check it out on Youtube.
"I don't use Presets"… and other non-sense
Posted by Will on Apr 11, 2011 in Transitioning your Band to Using Loops | 1 comment
I‘ve got to admit, I’ve uttered those words before. It gives you a sense of satisfaction, a sense of exclusivity. “Oh, you like my pad sound, I made it. You can’t just buy it”. There’s lot’s of validity to the thought. You create sounds that are custom tailored to your needs. They respond to how YOU play. They fill out the space in your band. It’s a great idea.
A few weeks ago I was spending sometime rummaging through the Live Suite Library for a project. I was listening to the included sounds and trying to discover the sounds that work well, and those that don’t. I discovered theres alot of great great sounds in the library. I went through and saved a few presets into my Custom Presets folder to remember for later.
Here’s the point: When it comes down to it, It doesn’t matter if I’m using a preset I created and designed, or one thats part of the Ableton Library. The congregation isn’t going to worship more or less because of my preset. God isn’t going to be honored more because I created my own sounds.
The truth is…It doesn’t matter how or even IF you use loops. I’ve always felt there are good, better, and best, ways to use loops. But if you’re running loops of an iPod, your congregation probably won’t know if you start running loops out of Ableton Live. If you’re using Fruity Loops to create your loops, will your church membership double when you start using Reason?
Here’s the take-away. If you feel called to use loops, if you feel its something God has put on your heart to pursue-then do it. Now. Don’t wait till you can afford Ableton Live. Start using an iPod. Do what you have to do, but start. You and your band will notice as you upgrade to Ableton and become more flexible and less time consuming, but the point is.. start doing it now, with what you have.
What are you waiting for?
Music you Should be Listening To: Tron Reconfigured
Posted by Will on Apr 5, 2011 in blog, Chatter, Music you Should be Listening to | 0 comments
If you’ve been around the blog for a while, you’ll probably remember this post a few months ago about the Tron Soundtrack. It’s been one of my favorites for the past few months. I noticed this morning to much delight that there’s now a remix album of the Tron soundtrack. And it’s an offical remix. If you’ve wondered what the Tron soundtrack would of sounded like if The Glitch Mob, Moby, Kaskade, and The Crystal Method worked with Daft Punk, then here’s your chance. And that list of people is only the beginning. If you were a fan of the movie, the soundtrack, electronic music, or you’re just looking for something new and upbeat to listen to, then this album may be it for you. Check it out Today!
Purchase Tron : Legacy Reconfigured on Amazon
Purchase Tron: Legacy Reconfigured on iTunes
Music you Should be Listening To: March 21st Edition
Posted by Will on Mar 22, 2011 in blog, Chatter, Music you Should be Listening to | 0 comments
If I started off this post by saying this artist is inspired by watching “Grey’s Anatomy” you may not give her the time of day. So I’m not going to, but I will say this is an artist I wish I had caught wind of a long time ago. The artist is, Kate Havnevik, and the CD is “Melankton”. The CD first came out in 2007, but still 4 years later it’s more fresh sounding and creative then most things I’ve heard recently.
The thing that made me check her out was the song “New Day” that I first heard on an episode of Grey’s. It had the most intense, emotional intro to a song I’ve ever heard. I had to hit rewind on Netflix a few times, to listen to what I just heard. A quick tap on my iphone, and a few seconds later thanks to Soundhound I discovered who this hidden gem was.
What’s so great about this CD, is how well orchestral, and stringed instruments blend with the electronic elements. The song writing is great, the melodies are catchy, the programming is great, and the mix is pretty awesome. Since I got the CD, I can’t stop listening to it. It makes you want to start writing great string arrangements and then chop them up in Ableton Live and put some great beats to them.
The track that I can’t seem to get over is “New Day”. Thankfully its one of the last tracks on the album, so I can get through the entire album, and only take a detour to re-listen a few times, before the album restarts. “Unlike Me” is such a great start to the CD, with it’s sidechaining, breaks, and incredible string parts. “Not Fair” has a great groove, a huge chorus, and enough glitchyness to satisfy even the biggest electronic music connoisseurs.
It would be unfair to mention her resemblance to Bjork. But what’s great is it’s like getting the talent and uniqueness of Bjork, without all the crazy. The album has moments that you can chill out and drink a latte to, and moments that you’ll be rewinding, trying to figure out how the heck they got that sound. Be forewarned.. it will be addictive, and may cause an re-birth of interest in good music and creativity.
Purchase on Amazon
Purchase on iTunes
“New Day” on Youtube:
Back that thing up: How to properly backup your computer and loops
Posted by Will on Mar 1, 2011 in Transitioning your Band to Using Loops | 0 comments
At least once a week I hear a horror story of someone who just lost their files because their computer or hard drive just crashed. It happens way too often, and way too many people are unprepared when it happens. If you use your computer for your job, or in our case for music (that is also our job!), then it’s important to make sure we back up all our files properly. It’s not the most entertaining subject ever, but it’s worth chatting about. Here’s a few thoughts to get us started on the discussion:
Start now!
Whatever your doing right now, start backing up. It doesn’t matter how you do it, just start backing up your info now. Grab a harddrive and start copying your data to your hard drive. Murphy is a reliable guy. If you’ve got a computer it will fail. If you’ve got a external harddrive, it will fail. It may not be today, it may not be this month, but it will fail. What are you doing to prepare for that moment? I can’t begin to tell you the amount of times I’ve seen people mention their computer failed and when asked if they backed it up, the answer tends to always be no. Instead of hoping for the best and when your computer crashes blaming Satan, and claiming it’s Spiritual Warfare, take steps now so that when that does happen you’re prepared. Instead of all your hard work and effort being ruined, simply say.. Oh crap, my computer crashed, I’ll just grab that file from my backup drive.
Create Redundant Backups
Readers that work in the IT world are already familiar with the term redundant backups. It’s essentially the process of backing up multiple times and using multiple sources. This way if your backup fails, it’s okay because you’ve got another backup source that you can go to as well. Here’s a really practical redundant solution:
1) Use an “In-house” backup solution. Pickup a terabyte hard drive. They are incredibly affordable. Plug in your harddrive and start backing up your files. Having an harddrive that you can quickly backup to is crucial. If something fails on your computer, just plug your drive in, and you’ll be able to get any files you need, just like that.
2) Use a “cloud” based solution. A cloud based backup solution usually consist of a small program that runs on your computer and automatically backups new files to a server over the internet. If your initial harddrive fails then you can grab your files from your “cloud” drive.
Some of our favorite cloud based solutions-
Mozy
Carbonite
Crash Plan
Amazon s3 + Arq app
Schedule Automatic Nightly Backups
Having a redundant in-house and cloud based system is great. But that’s not enough. Once you have your system in place, you’ve got to make sure you’re actually doing the process of backing up. If backing up your files relies on you remembering to transfer files or click okay, then odds are they aren’t going to actually backup. Make sure whatever solutions you use, they are on a scheduled backup system. Make sure every night your computer is set to backup, or every time you plug your harddrive in, have it back up for you. Don’t leave the process of backing up to your memory. Put it on autopilot!
Save your Samples
When working with music files, make sure you’re saving all your samples in the proper place. Keep track where all your files are. If you’ve worked with software like Ableton Live or Photoshop you know that your Live files, or Photoshop files, use reference files. This are either audio files ( in Live’s case) or photos (in photoshop’s case) that are “referenced” in your original file. If you give someone a Live file, but don’t include the samples needed or used in the file, they won’t be able to hear what you were doing. So make sure you use Live’s “Collect All and Save” command to always collect your files into your Project Folder. There’s nothing worse then thinking you’ve backed up your Live files, to find you didn’t backup the samples needed as well, and now you’ve got a Live file sitting around without the samples your file used.
Whatever you do..start backing up your files now!
Want some more tips on backing up your files? Or just want to stay “in the loop” with what’s happening with Loops in Worship? Join our Mailing List today !
5 ways to speed up your Loop Production Process
Posted by Will on Jan 19, 2011 in Transitioning your Band to Using Loops | Comments Off
I‘ve been using and creating loops for the past 9 years. I’ve created 100′s of loops and learned alot about the production process along the way. This Christmas I had to create a loop for an arrangement of “What Child is this”. The arrangement was finished Wednesday night and I had to have the loop created for our Thursday service. I had a few meetings and a class to teach so I wasn’t going to be able to start it till about 3:00 and practice starts at 6:00. I asked our Worship Leader if he was okay with me not starting it till then, but assured him it would be ready. The loop was created in an hour, and it turned out great. Without the tricks and tips I’ve learned along the way, I never would be able to successfully create on demand like that. Here’s a few of the things that have helped me speed up my loop production process:
Don’t get stuck
As you’re creating you’re bound to get stuck. Whether it’s with the drum part or the Pad sound for the bridge..don’t get stuck. Do what you can, do what you know. Get a pad sound that you know may work, and move on to the drum part that you know will work. Or start with just a simple beat. Odds are once you move past what you’re hung up on, and create a few more parts, something will dawn on you. After a couple more parts, take a look at it again, you’ll have a lot more clarity this time.
Create and save your own Presets
This has become one of the biggest time savers ever. I’ve now moved my music production/creation process almost exclusively to Ableton Live. I spent time creating presets for Operator, trying to create the thickest, smoothest sounding pads you’ve ever heard. They’re wrapped in Instrument Racks and carefully routed through a few effects, and located conveniently in Live’s browser. When I need a sound, I hop over there and dial up exactly what I need. I’ve got enough sounds created that at the least I always have a good sound/place to start from.
Be okay with Beta
Beta is a term used in the computer programming world. It essentially means the application being released is still under development. If you download a beta release of software there’s bound to be bugs, and mistakes, there’s no guarantee for it to be perfect but there’s enough to work with that it’s ready to ship. Treat your music creation as if it’s in a beta testing stage. Be okay to release/create something while it’s still in beta. We’re often afraid to do this because we’re searching after perfection, we really want to do our best, but in turn end up getting stuck, and never creating. Don’t create crap, but create something, and then “test” it. Export your loop and start listening for a few days. Test and tweak your mix, change some sounds, but start somewhere. Even after you use your loop for the first time, go back and make changes. Treat all your work as a work in progress, or in the Beta stage and constantly look on how to improve it.
Keep your parts in MIDI
Whenever possible keep your parts as MIDI. If you create a keyboard part, leave the original MIDI notes there. If you want to go ahead and print your sound (record your MIDI parts with your desired sound to an audio track) do so, but keep your original MIDI track with the sounds and notes intact. If you do so you’ll always be able to go back after the fact and tweak your sounds. If you leave your material in the beta stage, then leaving your sounds as MIDI will allow you to always go back and tweak. You won’t have to worry about getting the perfect sound, start with a Preset you created that you gets you close but come back after the fact to tweak if you need to.
Create more Frequently
This is probably the most important loop creation technique I’ve learned over the past few years. The more I create the faster I can create. I’ve found that Creativity tends to be a more a byproduct of perspiration then of inspiration. We often create only when we feel “inspired” or catch the creative bug. If you schedule a time to create music everyday, your music will get better. You’ll be able to capture ideas quicker and your playing and composition skills will improve, you’ll be a better musician, creating better music!
Here’s two freebies:
Listen to more Electronic Music- Grow your ear. Listen to music that’s heavily influced by computer production. Learn the techniques they use. Learn how to do 3 things, Filter Sweeps, Builds/Drops and Side-Chain Compression. Master those techniques and your production toolkit will grow immensely. Here’s two of my Electronic Music Favorites: BT and Deadmau5.
Get more loops- The same way you need to create more Presets, make more loops. Spend time creating a few loops everyday or every week and build a stockpile. Sort them by style or tempo, or vibe. If you don’t have the time or ability to create your own, check out Subscription service, 30 loops every month delivered to your inbox. Puremagnetik and LoopMasters are pretty great as well.
What tips and resources have you used to speed up your loop creation process?