Tips for recording !

[tastypants]

Hello everyone! So after a year of working with ableton, just messing around trying to get the hang of it.. I'm finally ready to record my first piece.

I have a bunch of sounds ranging from drums - synths- vocals.
You may understand what I'm feeling- a bit overwhelmed. Not in a bad way though!

I need some tips on how I should go about recording this. I know everyone is different and there isn't a set way. But what could you share to try and help this lad?

Thanks, much love

Oh yeah! Transitions- how should I go about that?

[minigoat]

I have a bunch of sounds ranging from drums - synths- vocals.
You may understand what I'm feeling- a bit overwhelmed. Not in a bad way though!

Deep breath! Learning can be fun. Just be steady, yet flexible with yourself.
Really, there is no starting point or ending point as long as your learning, which most everyone is. There's just paying attention as you practice. And practice. And practice some more! And while your working at it, you pay attention to what works, and that gets you closer to your vision. You'll find your always going to have new questions which will prompt you to find new solutions. New tools to use, new ideas you want to express. So relax, and try not to feel like it's all or nothing.

I don't know where your starting from so this is fairly basic stuff and I apologize if you know it already.
Regarding getting your sound recorded, it's a different process if your using actual instruments or using virtual instruments and/or pre-made audio files such as samples and loops.
Physical instruments need their signals/sounds brought into your software thru a usb or firewire interface. It has ins/outs that convert the analog signals of your instruments into digital signals your computer can use and then back out for your speakers. Search audio interface and a/d converters. Once you have an interface then there's the fine art of mic'ing your instruments. If your mic'ing a live band, individual amps, or each drum on a drum kit, this will involve different approaches depending on what your needs are.
"in the box" recording involves 'virtual' instruments (vsts or au) called plug-ins, that are placed into midi channels, in your software, Live. It also includes samples and loops, which go into audio tracks, since that is what they are, audio files.

A hybrid sort of blend between these two ways of recording is to use a physical piece of gear to control the virtual instruments that are in your computer. Look up midi controllers.

I figure your all 'in the box' since you say you have been learning Live for a year, so you must have been listening to something this whole time! Unless you have been practicing on physical instruments like a guitar this whole time, writing your song and now want to record it?

So, in case you haven't had a read of the manual, at about the top/middle of Live, there is a black circle next to a black square. Hit the black circle at it turns red. Each track you make has a black circle. Click that. It turns red. Red means ready to record. Hit your space bar. Practice!

Really, you need to be more specific!

Oh yeah! Transitions- how should I go about that?

Again, way too broad a thought without enough context to give any helpful advice.
Hope this little bit helps.

[infernal.machine]

Keep things simple. There is a tendency to want to make things as cluttered and complex as possible... but try to stay away from this. Start with a drum beat or a melody (which ever you're more comfortable with) and just go from there.

And don't worry about your shit sounding "professional" for now. Just have fun with it.