Ableton Forum

Hi guys I'm hoping you can help, has anyone on here ever wrote a song, instrumental, or with vocal, lyrics to a loved one, I'm looking to do this but if possible would like some help

ideas on starting the track, I loovvvvvvve catching tunes, songs, and lyrics u know that make you feel good when u listen, this is what I want but easier said than done, for me anyway coming up with lyrics, I have a terrible voice lol

any help advice would be brilliant,

also is there some kind of community where people can do vocals for free or is that asking too much

thanks

If you can't do this by yourself then clearly you don't love the person as much as you think you do.



"Hey, honey. I love you so much I crowd sourced a bunch of people to craft that into a song for you."

Hey ive recently come back from serious illness, and cos shes been there every minute its something I wanna TRY and do at least so I was only asking a simple question

I've never done it, but that doesn't stop me from having opinions on it.


I would say keep it simple in instrumentation and arrangement, and although I don't know what your natural styles are - perhaps avoid a heartfelt Dubstep / Happy Hardcore effort and go instead for "singer songwriter" . Rip off of things like Yesterday or the other sacharine McCartney tracks (Blackbird), anything by Leonard Cohen, etc. Simple instrumentation, intimate tone, close sounding recording (no hall reverbs!)

The recipient will want to hear you, and that will be the bit they value and cherish, over and above any side-chained kickdrum / beatrepeat effects you might usually add in. So be direct and heartfelt in aproach, if perhaps a bit more poetic and obtuse in the actual lyric.

My Guide to romantic poetry: Allude to shit, like nice trees and stuff, and then drop their name in.

So, keep it simple, make it personal, make it honest and don't be afraid of the schmaltz.
It's like a valentines card.

I have opinions on many subjects for which I am not qualified.
Anyone have an Airbus 380 they need repairs advice on?

Maybe add one little touch of gentle sweet humour.

Phil

try these sites:

http://homerecording.com/bbs/general-di ... 5a4d178966

http://www.futureproducers.com/forums/p ... ecfc1a7821

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/songwriting/

Personally, I can't write lyrics for quids ... I've been re-writing the lyrics to the same song for over 20 years and i still can't get it right... I wrote the music just like that and hardly changed a note ... but words??? ... not my strong point at all.

Okay, let me wade into this because I am a hopeless romantic, and I have done this a few times.

Start with deciding on a key. Keys with flats sound more soulful and romantic, but too many flats and it starts to sound like a funeral dirge. I know this doesn't make sense, but go to Wikipedia and look up the various keys and you'll see all kinds of classical and modern composers who felt the same way.

Minor keys have a little more sadness to them, whereas major keys are a bit happier. Flats are soft and emotional, sharps are hard and aggressive. Some part of the human brain knows why.

Once you've settled on a key, the next step is to come up with a chord progression that resonates with what you're feeling. So just sit down at the MIDI keyboard, load up a virtual piano, and start playing chords in your chosen key until you find a progression that sounds "right". There's no science to this that I know of, but if you have studied the classical composers, particularly Beethoven's piano sonatas (a la "music appreciation" not piano lessons), you'll be that much farther ahead. There are some great online (and free) courses on this.

And you don't have to be a piano player--I'm certainly not. Live's MIDI effect, Scale, will help you here if you don't know how to play chords in a given key, but learning to play chords in the various keys will make this flow more naturally. Depends on your time and talent.

Once you have the chord progression you like, use the MIDI data from that progression to start picking out a melody that flows with your chords. Most of the notes in your melody are going to match the notes in the chord for that part of the song. Again, it's all by feel, but if you've studied a little music theory or composition, this part will be easier. If you know something about motifs, apply that here--you are way ahead of the curve.

Once you have the MIDI data for your melody and chords, decide on your instruments (piano for the melody and strings for the chords are an easy pick), lay on more reverb than you really need, and viola!! You are a romantic hero with a heart filled with music!

Richie Witch wrote:Okay, let me wade into this because I am a hopeless romantic, and I have done this a few times.

Start with deciding on a key. Keys with flats sound more soulful and romantic,

Remember that D minor is the saddest of all keys

Tekhed66 wrote:

Richie Witch wrote:Okay, let me wade into this because I am a hopeless romantic, and I have done this a few times.

Start with deciding on a key. Keys with flats sound more soulful and romantic,

Remember that D minor is the saddest of all keys

LOL, yeah--the romantic song I just finished was in G minor, just one step away from D minor. but that was because my main instrument was a Native American flute in the key of G. I played the melody live and then added violins and cello for the chords. The piano piece I'm working on now is in C minor. I liked the moodiness of 3 flats.

Thannks guys great help as always

Richie Witch wrote:

Tekhed66 wrote:

Richie Witch wrote:Okay, let me wade into this because I am a hopeless romantic, and I have done this a few times.

Start with deciding on a key. Keys with flats sound more soulful and romantic,

Remember that D minor is the saddest of all keys

LOL, yeah--the romantic song I just finished was in G minor, just one step away from D minor. but that was because my main instrument was a Native American flute in the key of G. I played the melody live and then added violins and cello for the chords. The piano piece I'm working on now is in C minor. I liked the moodiness of 3 flats.

ummm... I'm not sure you got the joke ... maybe you did ... I HOPE you did

Tekhed66 wrote:

Tekhed66 wrote:Remember that D minor is the saddest of all keys

ummm... I'm not sure you got the joke ... maybe you did ... I HOPE you did

LOL, I'm too lame. I had to look it up.

Phil@40 listen to Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys about 100 times (if you haven't already).