flow problems ... any suggestions?

[Jesse_mtl]

this being for the seasoned producers out there.. i started my attempts at production of minimal and other types of techno about a year ago, after dj'ing on my won for 3 years. my problem is, maybe i need more practice.. .or experimentation, but i find its really hard after making a fdew good drum loops to make transitions and progressions in my tracks.. for that reason ive started many loops and ended because once they are " perfect " i cant really find out what the next steps will be.. and when i try adding bass to my drum tracks, the problem is even worse, always sounds like the bass is out of place and doesnt fit in well.. im sure some people here can relate, or have overcome the problem,
any suggestions ?

[[ññP]]

well there are ways...
if you say you made "perfect" drum loops...then adding something would made them "unperfect"...but, hey..."perfect" doesn't exist...
but, perhaps the problem is here:
you want to generate a certain rithm and a certain swing...so you create a drum loop to achieve that...ok, the mistake is that you should create that swing from the combination of all sounds...not just the drums. If you do that only with drums, then the added sounds will be bluring the idea that you first wanted to express...
so when you are sequencing...try to go alternating drums with wathever other sounds you think are adequate...so you place one drum, then..instead of another drum you place a sample...then a bass note...and all that...
try it

[Jesse_mtl]

thanks man, that definitely seems like the approach i should take, ill try it out tonite, too bad i have to go t o one more class and then work after lol

[mlexicon]

maybe make the kick and snare pattern and then do the main bassline

after that take the samples and whatever you want to work with the bassline and work around it...

i think its easier making the bassline first and then adding the other touches...

too often you can add so many things...so when its time for a bassline...its too crowded or theres always something off key and youre not sure what it because its so cluttered

so you end up taking thngs out and in and its so frustrating...

so yeah

bassline first

id try that

[harass]

From my limited experience, I’ve found it easier to start with percussion/chords, and then focus on the baseline and once they’re working together, I add the highs and kicks. I haven’t been producing for long and have limited musical knowledge. I spend a lot of time trying to copy existing sounds and when it comes to flow, I just work on two loops, and then blend them. I’m happy with the results so far, I’ve found that organisation is the most important factor.

[emsley]

Ya man...mlexicon said it...try starting with a simple kick/snare layout....then work on the bassline. One thing I do that you might like to try is to expand on that literally. Once you get your kick/snare and bassline figured out....finish up your drum loop with some high-end (hats, etc...) and then lay out your drums and bassline into what could function as a song...i.e. 5 min or so w changes/reductions/etc...throughout to build and release tension....be patient and try to focus on the percussive elements first. Of course this layout will probably change when you start adding all of the other content, but try it this way b/c in this case you have some scope of what you have to accomplish. I realize it's very formulaic, and takes a lot of the "jamming" element out of it...but try to think of yourself taking the role in each segment as a different member of the band...as cheezy as that sounds. Then build off that. Hopefully all that makes sense...but that's what seems to work for me...but don't jump around b/c you'll end up wasting a lot of time and can lose your main "idea" really quickly.

Emsley

[harass]

sif take out the jamming element!