Emotional effect: What sound (instrument) do YOU use for what purpose?
Hey everyone,
for a music production beginner it can be really confusing sometimes when looking at all the different instruments available in modern audio software.
I'm not talking gear here...I'm talking categories like:
There are SO MANY different sounds and sometimes you just don't know what to do with them or how to use them so the whole beat will benefit.
I would like you to share some stories about what instrument sound you will use for what purpose.
Example:
If your beat doesn't sound "full" enough you might want to add a simple pad sound to it, so the over all sound won't be changed too drastically but the whole beat will sound slightly "fuller".
Or if you wan't your hook part to sound "bigger" then you might add some brass layers to the melody etc...
Which emotional effect are you looking for when creating a beat and what sound do you use to get it?
Note: I know that you can use any sound for any purpose as in being creative. But I wanna know the "usual" ways first.
Minor modes(for the most part)....emotional music writing. Authentic emotion, nothing worse than trying to create something for the sake of it and not feeling it IMO. What ever emotion you want to display make the music when your in that mode, and it doesn't matter what instrument you use, that's how it will sound.
The right snares, in the right pattern, make girls shake their hind parts on the dance floor.
Kick drums get them ummmm excited.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdsowa
What it sounds like is Rick Rubin is sorta like The Dude from Big Lebowski. He's just this harmless large stoner who happens to kind of wander into certain places where important shit is going on, and he unwittingly gets tagged with all the responsibility for it. And now all of a sudden these other labels and bands are chasing after him and meanwhile all he's looking to do is find a nice comfy place to lay down and snack.
I like to double the bass up with an lead instrument. Have one of them playing earlier in the song then put them both in to really bring some power to it. Also with strings it's fun to double up sustained strings with plucked strings.
specific distortion, bold eq (on instrument and/or reverb), isotope vinyl, reamping (even ITB), for a vintage feel.
(the "instrument" I would use here is for instance a melody that I would play then rechop myself)
I think any instrument can play any emotional feeling. It's more about the notes, chords changes, dynamics and rhythm that show the emotion in a song.
Descriptions like "full" don't really have anything to do with emotion.
Maybe just the wording of your question is throwing me off a bit.
This is a very good question but its like a 2 in 1 which i believe you only meant regarding instruments ?
With instruments i guess it ranges from what kinda song your going for,
It could be a simple beat based around mainly a piano melody and the uplift of the beat evolves around what gets your interest whether it be a sax, pad etc.
Their is no rules but its gotta make sense musically!
Eg:(An orchestra is not known to have 808s with vinyl scratching going on)
In terms of effects most people don' t see using them in a way of expressing emotions because they get caught up in the learning curve based around it and quickly find they use em in a generic way of every sound should have saturation, compression and eq.
Every beat should tell a story based on the effects you use!
With expression and feeling the tricks that come to mind is velocity changes to simulate realistic drum performances, automation in instruments being raised
to create a feeling of overwhelming or intensity, tempo changes to emphasize a particular feeling maybe during the chorus and so on.
I specifically like to take 30 minutes a day, go outside with my recorder, sit or stand quietly and listen to nature. It could be the birds chirping, the rustling of leaves blowing in the wind or simply the calm quiet that this wonderful world can bring and full fill you. I would take a second, take in a deep breathe of fresh air, feel the glamorous sunshine beam down on my face, and capture the essence of the refreshing breeze blowing threw my dark colored beautiful hair and ask my self, "How am I feeling?". That's right, I'm feeling fantastic, marvelous, relaxed. After my endeavors with nature, I venture back into my facility of audio experimentation and proceed to play back my experience. There are no words to describe this feeling. The emotion that gently rushes through my body. A sense of euphoria begins to dwell to every part of my body. My hands, my feet, my genitalia, my elbows, it is simply wonderful, like laying on distant sands, surrounded by the most beautiful ocean and listening to an enigma mix. Then I proceed to take this energy and release myself in recording. This my friend is emotion.
I'd say the emotion or feel of a song should be at the forefront of any producer's mind.
Any instrument can be used for any emotion. It's really in how it's played. With soft synths its a bit tricky because you have to observe how things are being generated tonally.
So for example, when I'm working with my sax guy, I can just say to him - give me those fiery overtones, or mellow it out a bit. And he just plays it for the emotion needed.
With a soft synth, you have to go through and find the tonality that the sax player would go for.
I specifically like to take 30 minutes a day, go outside with my recorder, sit or stand quietly and listen to nature. It could be the birds chirping, the rustling of leaves blowing in the wind or simply the calm quiet that this wonderful world can bring and full fill you. I would take a second, take in a deep breathe of fresh air, feel the glamorous sunshine beam down on my face, and capture the essence of the refreshing breeze blowing threw my dark colored beautiful hair and ask my self, "How am I feeling?". That's right, I'm feeling fantastic, marvelous, relaxed. After my endeavors with nature, I venture back into my facility of audio experimentation and proceed to play back my experience. There are no words to describe this feeling. The emotion that gently rushes through my body. A sense of euphoria begins to dwell to every part of my body. My hands, my feet, my genitalia, my elbows, it is simply wonderful, like laying on distant sands, surrounded by the most beautiful ocean and listening to an enigma mix. Then I proceed to take this energy and release myself in recording. This my friend is emotion.
I specifically like to take 30 minutes a day, go outside with my recorder, sit or stand quietly and listen to nature. It could be the birds chirping, the rustling of leaves blowing in the wind or simply the calm quiet that this wonderful world can bring and full fill you. I would take a second, take in a deep breathe of fresh air, feel the glamorous sunshine beam down on my face, and capture the essence of the refreshing breeze blowing threw my dark colored beautiful hair and ask my self, "How am I feeling?". That's right, I'm feeling fantastic, marvelous, relaxed. After my endeavors with nature, I venture back into my facility of audio experimentation and proceed to play back my experience. There are no words to describe this feeling. The emotion that gently rushes through my body. A sense of euphoria begins to dwell to every part of my body. My hands, my feet, my genitalia, my elbows, it is simply wonderful, like laying on distant sands, surrounded by the most beautiful ocean and listening to an enigma mix. Then I proceed to take this energy and release myself in recording. This my friend is emotion.
That's music lust more than emotion lol... suits you well, gearslut !
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hell it works on anything, bass, guitar, piano, horns (ok maybe it would sound a little silly on strings).
almost hipster style... duh
