Ableton Forum

A while ago, walking home from the pub, I had an idea for a tune running around in my head.

I decided to 'sing' it into the voice recorder on my mobile phone.

When i eventualy found it a week or so later, I threw the audio file into live and converted the basic sketch into a fully fledged tune.

Since then I have applied this method to my composing structure and have found my tunes are pouring out.

Is a great way to avoid getting stuck in 8 bar loops though you do come accross as a little mad singing breakbeats into your nokia in busy shopping centres.

This method has in fact helped my workflow so much in the past year that i was a little reluctant to share it at first.

Anyone else do this

I actually draw beats on a bit of paper while I'm at work, basslines as well. The beats most musicians would probably be able to work out from my sketches, the basslines I think would confuse anyone but me - hard to describe, but I understand what they mean.

Low Frequency Obstinator wrote:A while ago, walking home from the pub, I had an idea for a tune running around in my head.

I decided to 'sing' it into the voice recorder on my mobile phone.

When i eventualy found it a week or so later, I threw the audio file into live and converted the basic sketch into a fully fledged tune.

Since then I have applied this method to my composing structure and have found my tunes are pouring out.

Is a great way to avoid getting stuck in 8 bar loops though you do come accross as a little mad singing breakbeats into your nokia in busy shopping centres.

This method has in fact helped my workflow so much in the past year that i was a little reluctant to share it at first.

Anyone else do this

I actually think this is a great way to capture your musical thoughts. I can't tell you how many times a tune has popped into my skull when I'm stuck on the highway in rush-hour traffic. When I get home, it's gone. I totally need a micro recorder or something.

@ LFO, You gotta share man!!!




I actually have done this before, but sadly, my last phone lacked the feature, and I hate carrying around a bunch of stuff... But yeah, that's a great idea, and also, if you ever think of a lyric, or a title, or whatever that is writeable, you should definitely write it down.

I have a book bag full of scrap paper with notes, lyrics, titles, etc... I;ve written on receipts, napkins, thru text messages that I later wrote down, on my hands, arms, wherever...

You could think of one great thing now, but easily could forget it with anything else that might jump in your head...

also if you mix the recording under the new stuff it can really add character!

i spent years years ago singing into voicemail, easiest way to record song ideas. so makes good sense to me.

pixelbox wrote:

Low Frequency Obstinator wrote:A while ago, walking home from the pub, I had an idea for a tune running around in my head.

I decided to 'sing' it into the voice recorder on my mobile phone.

When i eventualy found it a week or so later, I threw the audio file into live and converted the basic sketch into a fully fledged tune.

Since then I have applied this method to my composing structure and have found my tunes are pouring out.

Is a great way to avoid getting stuck in 8 bar loops though you do come accross as a little mad singing breakbeats into your nokia in busy shopping centres.

This method has in fact helped my workflow so much in the past year that i was a little reluctant to share it at first.

Anyone else do this

I actually think this is a great way to capture your musical thoughts. I can't tell you how many times a tune has popped into my skull when I'm stuck on the highway in rush-hour traffic. When I get home, it's gone. I totally need a micro recorder or something.

I'm guilty of banging out ideas in the car also, I have a shortcut to the audio recorder on my phone, for easy access.