song structure - Noob - How to make a song "kick in"

Performance & Techniques Music Production
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song structure - Noob - How to make a song “kick in”

Hi everybody -

I really am a noob at music production but have been fiddling with ableton for while now. I have followed some tutorials but I still cant get my songs to “kick in”

They all end up sounding like “minimal songs”

I have a few ideas of what i need to do - but im just really confused - Like do I need more synths or change the beat or another layer of drums ?

Here is something I made quickly by sampling an old song and putting a drum loop over it - (daft punk style-ish)

http://www63.zippyshare.com/v/71808704/file.html

Its only the first 26 seconds because i dont know how to make it kick in ? Just looking for some opinions really :slight_smile:

im such a noob but I really want to get into making music - thanks :slight_smile:

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I guess the main question is how I can keep it interesting throughout ? change the loop completely?

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you can build a song around one loop. take fatboy slim for example, or the (sadly deceased, great talent IMO) nujabes. it takes a lot of hard practice and effort though. just don’t be discouraged and continue. no one has become a great producer overnight.

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Thank you :smiley:

Yeah I have noticed actually how well the one loop thing works ( high life by daft punk for example)

And I love fatboy slim.

It does seem stressful learning but im gonna keep plodding on in my spare time and eventually I will find the perfect loop :slight_smile:

thanks

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it took me almost 7 years to get my productions right. It takes time. just keep at it

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Yeah Im in it for the long run :slight_smile: cannot wait to finish my first song lol

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calgarc did you teach yourself ?? Do most people teach themselves off videos and stuff?

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Hell yes nujabes…I loved his stuff when I was yonger. Gonna go find it on my 6 year old ipod

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i taught myself everything, i started with software, i found out about more audio apps, found out about vst’s and just spent alot of time on google.

i eventually found and stuck with ableton and just messed around with every aspect of it until i learned. a great resource to use is artists house music

also a great dj/producier airbase has loads of ableton tutorials

i went from this [ame=“Amazon.com”]Amazon.com: In The Begining: Calgar C: MP3 Downloads@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HwE9tk8CL.@@AMEPARAM@@51HwE9tk8CL[/ame] (really bad music)

to this

https://soundcloud.com/calgar_c/foundations

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Wow thanks for the links - them tutorials look good -

I can see a massive improvement in your songs - your first one was pretty good though :slight_smile: How long after starting learning did you make that ?

Your latest one is absolutely amazing!!! (your new biggest fan haha) :smiley: Its so good -

are you on beatport by any chance ? would love that song in my collection :slight_smile:

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on beatport but that song is brand new… gonna be in a new EP working with another artist.

and that is a 5 year difference. i don’t really have my very first stuff online anymore, but thats pretty close

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ah right cool :slight_smile: I shall look forward to it

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do you have any demos samples online of your first work??

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i need to spend a lot more time tbh before i upload anything properly. haha ones I have made so far are shocking lol

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haha i hear ya :smiley:

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a few things that will probably change when a song “kicks in” (or “drops”) (or when the “hook” starts)

  • the track will be/sound louder
  • drums might change
  • new/more elements so the track feel more full
  • the “catchy” bit (called the ‘hook’) starts

different genres tend to build tension and release tension (the drop) in different ways, so unless you have you own ideas, or give an example of a specific genre, I can’t give any really specific tips.

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Thanks for the help :slight_smile: im really getting into it now! Been analysing songs when i listen to them and listening out for all the small bits that come together.

Gonna keep on practising and im sure I will be asking many questions along the way :slight_smile:

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I agree, and there’s often a reduction of the above elements just before the addition so the listener is like…

  1. grooving grooving along and building…
  2. oh.. hey.. it stripped down a little… something’s happening..
  3. oh snap!!! it happened!!! it got EVEN BETTAR!!

!!! AWESOMER !!!

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Filters can really help you scale back a sound, then slowly bring it up, during a build up. Same with tasteful reverb and delay…gives it that “this sound is far away and slowly coming to blow my face off” feel.

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Try these tips:

http://tarekith.com/assets/arranging.html

http://tarekith.com/assets/transitions.html