putting together the pieces

[bradt]

I have loads of bits and pieces rhat I've recorded over the past year. Most are just a few bars long, and are there to just preserve the idea.

The other day I decided to try my hand at making something out of it, so I grabbed a clip and began working it out. It started out well, but after getting the first 20 or so seconds into it I'm stuck. So I thought I'd ask a few questions.

How do you guys tie things together? I suppose once I figure out some drums that would help. Should i just carry the bassline through the whole thing for now to give it a temporary structure. Should I go in now and start working on drums?

I'm not a singer, so i have no lyrics yet. How much does that change things? Same with drums. Is it better to find someone to work with on that?

These are probably basic questions with no single answer, but it would be good to hear what your experience has been.

[digger72]

Hi Bradt,

I found getting a bass has made things much easier, though you could use your guitar to play a temporary bass line to start with when you get stuck. If you've got a piece you're quite happy with try playing your bass line through it and carry it on afterwards. This should hopefully mean it will flow pretty well. Always have in mind where you're going to though. So, if you have a verse you will probably want to come back to that after your pre-chorus, chorus, or whatever. You could perhaps put the second verse in your Daw ready - say 8 bars further along or so - then try to play a bass line that gets you from A to B. You'll find you will probably modify this as you go along, but i find it helps to work to some sort of basic idea of structure.

Drums - definitely try and play along to them. I always start with a simple kick and snare beat just looped over and over keeping time whilst i map out what i'm trying to do. You can fancy them up later.

Vocals if you're using them can bring it all together. Try and get some down as early as possible as they may help you shape the music - where you are going to use fills or bits of lead work, etc.

I just try to get a decent rhythm based backing track down, add some vocals, then tart it up with lead lines or whatever.

There's no rules. Just do whatever gets you to where you want to be.

Good luck.

Digger

[PattheBunny]

Have you thought about seeing if any of the pieces would work together as verse, chorus, bridge or whatever?   A small melodic line or series of changes can be added to something else sometimes.  Think in terms of making a song collage  in other words.
Pat