Thread: Help with production

I'm mainly looking toward people like RenegadeGenius et al here....I'm keen to have a bash at producing some Old Skool-sounding Hardcore. I have some samples, some breaks, drum loops, stabs etc.....what I need to know now is what software is best or at least easy-ish to use; where can I get it...will it cost me, etc. What else do I need to put the stuff together. How do I write/compose chords with my one-note stabs etc......anything & everything that anyone has the patience to espouse....in complete layman's terms please!!!!!

To start with I would get FL Studio. I'm not sure of the cost but it can be obtained for free if you know where to look *cough* Google *cough*.

FL Studio has a really good automatic chord feature that can help you making chords very quickly. It's really hard to sit here and type "how to make a song" because the best way to learn is to do it yourself and then ask the questions you need to when they come up. I'm more than willing to help out where/when ever I can.

Renoise!!!!!!

Will try to put some details / tips up etc later on (probably tomorrow to be honest as won't be in til late).

I've tried various progs - inc FL - easiest by far to actually getting stuff done is Renoise - looks complex, but after you've been shown a few things, it's pretty easy - Gaffer popped round my the other day for a couple of hrs and has already started his first tune.

thanks Mr.Genius! I have downloaded Renoise and I have (sort of) figured out how to use it...I've managed to get my samples on it and I've figured out how to change notes on the keypad....I've already been messing with riffs and they sound excellent...in terms of general melody. Where I seem to suck (big arse..) is fitting in my breakbeats. Even when I alter the BPM to match the breakbeats it's all a bit Pete Pong! I would definitely benefit from a R/G How-to Hardcore vid me thinks. I can easily wait til tomorrow mate.....I've sort of gone a chill tip now; let the bugger have a rest!

And thanx to Mortis for his advice too!

Beats - ok, very quickly (as there are a few ways) - firstly make sure it's a clean loop (that has no gaps / bits at the end as is a complete full loop).
Instrument Settings Area : Tick the sync bit & change that number to either 8 / 16 / 32 / 64 or 128 - this is to do with the bpm & how many beats are on the loop.
One of those settings will sound correct - every key on the keyboard will replay the loop at the same speed & keep it perfectly in tempo.

Very basic, but might give u a quick chance to play with that before some proper tinkering.

LOVE RENOISE!!!!!


This is using Version 2.7.2 of renoise here: Renoise Demo | Renoise

So using this crap nuskool break here: Nu-Skool Drums loop7.wav

If you listen to the break you will hear it is "one bar" of a break and it has a bit at the end of it we don't need. Highlighted in the first picture below.

Go to sample editor (bottom right) Zoom in at the end of the sample and cut the bit we dont want. (the highlighted bit in picture a)

Then set the bpm to say 150 (see picture a)
Then in instrument setting tab bottom left set the sync to 16 (its a one bar break so 16, if it was 2 bars 32 etc etc) (see picture a)


Then in picture b I have put the sample at 0, then 16 then at 22 to give it a bit of variety and then a simple drum roll with the E03 command try changing the number for a different roll.
Then at 32, then at 48.



renoisea.jpgrenoiseb.jpg


Really you should be cutting the break beat up into lots of small parts but this is a good starter to give you an idea.

Anything else you wanna know let me know.....

What's the E03? - quick repeat command or something? I usually just use the snare from the beat played a few times, but if this does the same thing...

Retrigger note. Its much easier than what you're saying to do.

e0x

x being retrigger note every x ticks. Normally 3 or 6 sounds best to me!!

Try it !!!

Originally Posted by harrrrrrry

Retrigger note. Its much easier than what you're saying to do.

e0x

x being retrigger note every x ticks. Normally 3 or 6 sounds best to me!!

Try it !!!

Re-trigger - that's the one
Used it a couple of times - usually on more jungly stuff.