[u b k]

#1: THE SONG. i write the song on one instrument, usually guitar, and develop the lyrics at the same time. i'm not done with this phase until i can play the song, start to finish, on the guitar. then, and only then, do i sit down with a beatbox and flesh out the groove. as a drummer, it's usually in my head already, but oftentimes the moment reveals something better.

#2: THE BASICS: i go to a studio here in town that has a 2" 8track, and i record the drums and my nylon string there. i play along to a click, guide vocals and gtr done at home. at this point, the engineer there usually has some ideas and suggestions for what he hears. last time, we recorded sleigh bells, and more inspiration was born for me.

#3 THE VOICE: back home, i track vocals. i now have a song, start to finish. the rest is...

#4 THE DETAILS: synth parts, buzzes and bleeps, strings, harmony vocals. this is where the full song reveals itself in realtime, as i'm working. sometimes, the arrangement evolves a little, and i gotta edit the basics to stretch a part, or create a breakdown... whatever.

#5 THE MIX: usually takes 1-2 weeks, as little arrangement things still come up, a part gets scrapped, a new one joins the party.


here a few KEY points that i've learned over time, which make the whole process go a lot smoother and faster.

A) notice that, for me, there is no fiddling around on the DAW until step #4, which is late in the game. fiddling on the DAW is the enemy of completion. i don't tweak compressors or eq's, explore synth textures, or do any of the fun and games until the song is written and the bulk of the arrangement has been committed to tape.

keep your process focused.


B) compose in headphones. 7506's work for me. i do this because everything sounds good, always, so i'm not distracted by the engineering shit before it's appropriate. when i'm writing a song, i don't want to be producing it. that way my brain is not wasting energy analyzing the smack of the snare, which frees it up to hear whether a part is adding to a song or just taking up space.

keep your stages of production discrete.


C) when you mix, try this: mute the vocals, start with the fundamentals of the music, and let the song cycle in complete passes. drop in a new part with each pass, and be aware of how the music, as you've written and arranged it, carries the song. use the least amount of elements necessary to generate excitement, carry the dynamics, and support the overall vibe.

just because you've written a part, and just because the part is cool or exciting, does not mean the song needs it. the mute button is your best friend.

keep your ego's interests out of the way of the music's.


also, for me, the occasional checking in with really good herb does wonders. once a week at most, otherwise it loses its magic. seek outside perspective often. never stop checking out new music. last night, while buying jeans, i heard the sweetest riff. i'm adapting the groove for a song that's in the works.

keep your ears open, always. inspiration is everywhere.


gregoire
del ubik