Ableton Forum

Hey guys.

So I have this intense first track writer's block. I don't know where to start. I feel like I don't have enough drums/sounds/vocal samples etc. I've bought Sylenth1 as a base synthesizer to work with. Also, I can't seem to pick a genre (stupid I know.) I'm deciding between electro house, dubstep, and trap or some mixture of the few if that helps. Thanks for the help.

Your goal should be to learn a bit about production and Live in your first song. I'd recommend at least a couple samples and a couple MIDI tracks. Try to create your own sound or two from synthesizers, or at least tweak the heck out of a preset or two. Modify some of the parameters of your samples in Simpler/Sampler. Automate some things. Use different effects on different tracks to learn the effects available. Don't worry about genre or limit yourself to genre - just make something you think sounds cool.

My tip is to write your second track while you wait for the first track.

yur2die4 wrote:My tip is to write your second track while you wait for the first track.

Yes! Haha

Basically don't put so much pressure on yourself. Just start writing and assembling (ImNotDedYet has some nice suggestions) and see what comes out. You should have enough tools with Live and Sylenth to build many tracks.

Just have fun, make some noise and don't stress over it. If you feel you don't have enough of certain elements, add more!

I write down some basics for my track before I get started:

What kind of track, dance, house, hip hop, or whatever
What's the bpm
How many bars per section
What instruments, kick, snare, hi hat, shakers, Rhodes, etc.

If I can at least stay within some general guideline like that, things flow a lot better for Me....

Thanks for all the tips and ideas guys, I'll let you know how it goes

cmreal04 wrote:I write down some basics for my track before I get started:

What kind of track, dance, house, hip hop, or whatever
What's the bpm
How many bars per section
What instruments, kick, snare, hi hat, shakers, Rhodes, etc.

If I can at least stay within some general guideline like that, things flow a lot better for Me....

I do the absolute opposite.
I start by making a b line or thump - crack - tik rhythm that I like listening to on a loop for ages whilst I mess around with fx or filters or envelopes and then I add stuff to it and mutate things.
Starting out with a plan is great if you're making music to order - 5 house tracks by next Wednesday; but if no one's waiting for a genre bound track then why not just make something that sounds good and find out where it goes?
music isn't like writing - it doesn't have to make sense, it just has to feel good. Few people would write "asssaaaasssaauuuudduddddhddhddddd", but the musical equivalent happens all the time.