Production & Mixing Notes - Sharing what I've learned

[tkofaith]

Thanks Greeny!  I'm gonna print this and keep it with my manual.

[Super 8]

Thanks Greeny - I haven't even read yer post yet but I'm gonna print it out anyway for a bit of late night reading 'cos I know it will be good as I dig your muzak!  PS:  If you think Barretts' 'Octopus' is good you should check out a track I heard recently entitled 'Octopus & I'!  Cool as!

[Greeny]

Thanks Greeny - I haven't even read yer post yet but I'm gonna print it out anyway for a bit of late night reading 'cos I know it will be good as I dig your muzak!  PS:  If you think Barretts' 'Octopus' is good you should check out a track I heard recently entitled 'Octopus & I'!  Cool as!

It's purely coincidental I tell you!!!!

[beleg]

Thanks, this is great advice.
 
When I am writing a song I tend to find two drum patterns, one for the verse parts and one for the chorus (sometimes a third for a solo) . Then I record a rhythm guitar parts or bass parts for each and use the cut and paste feature to scope out the structure of the song, editing the rhythm as I go. This usually takes up the first few V spots of track1 and 2.  Then I explore some ideas with other instruments on the first few virtual spots of tracks 3 and 4.  Once I have a good idea of where I am going with the song , I go back and re record everything and put the best take (even if this is cut together from different takes) on V8 of that track. I always leave V7 empty so I can turn on and off a track easily throughout a song. This way I can isolate  a track without having to turn the volume down on all the others. This is particularly usefully if I just want to hear what one measure sounds like without the bass part since I can switch to v7 while the song is playing.

$0.02
Beleg

[The Reverend 48]

Great Post Greeny this will really help a plank like me

[upsetminded]

I like your Syd Barrett quote - 'Octopus' is one of my favourite songs 

Thanks Greeny,
Part of my fascination with this song is that I just can't figure out how to play it.  Besides his constant weird strumming and timing I can't pick up what chords he's playing (most tabs I've found are wrong....Any help?

[Tony]

Just a note regarding the drum patterns.  Normally I work like beleg and find two patterns (verse and chorus) and then put fills in between them but recently I've been playing with just one pattern and then recording live percussion (tambourines or whatever) to do the job of the fills in marking out the song structure.  I think it gives the song a better feel but that's because it suits what I'm doing.

Just my two Australian cents and, believe me, they're not worth a lot these days.

[Greeny]

I like your Syd Barrett quote - 'Octopus' is one of my favourite songs 

Thanks Greeny,
Part of my fascination with this song is that I just can't figure out how to play it.  Besides his constant weird strumming and timing I can't pick up what chords he's playing (most tabs I've found are wrong....Any help?

Same here... I'd love to play it, but can't work out what the hell he's doing! 

[Pedro]

I really enjoyed reading this guide. Good work!

[Oldrottenhead]

i find .................hic