Blow me away…

[ragani]

I just got back from a studio session last Friday, where I will be shadowing the production specialists on Fridays... WOW!! I'm Absolutely blown away by what they are doing with instrumental songs. The man who founded this studio was a panelist on TAXI several years ago, and I'm sitting in (like a stunned deer in the headlights!) with one of his production specialists. It's just unbelievable what I'm witnessing. Really, for me (who never went to school for music production), this is really something to be able to watch! And I'm not just talking about keyboard shortcuts and speed of software use-- watching these tracks be developed (in the course of three hours, with mixing and effects being added along the way) is just blowing me away. I expect this is probably what many of you are already doing in your studios, but to me this is something that is not in my repertoire of mastery just yet. It would have taken me several days (no, weeks… err, years?) to do what he did in just a few minutes. Wow. BIG wow.I remember feeling like this many years ago when I first saw audio waves being created in ProTools—watching sound becoming a visual form was an incredible concept and shifted my paradigm of how things could be created. And now it’s happening again. Sitting in that production studio, watching everything all happening in a matter of a few minutes. And it was sounding more and more incredible as he went along. Well, that experience just took my thoughts to a whole new level. I know I want to learn how to do this, and it’s so far beyond me at this point that I’m like a deer in the headlights. I’m just in awe. Can I do it too? It would be so insanely delicious to know that in a few years I could look back on this post and find myself doing just what I now stand in awe of… So here’s to taking those first few steps… Raags

[steveha2865]

Watching somebody who is really proficient at what they're doing can truly be inspirational! Half the battle in these efforts is figuring out where you're going. If you know where you're going you can learn how to get there. I'm sure the person that you were watching wasn't born with those editing and production chops. They are acquired skills and can be developed by us mere mortals. Keep after it and you'll get there too.Steve

[milfus]

Yeah I remember the first time I saw a real tech run a board, he looked like he-man or superman to me. I actually dedicated the next 6 years of my life to becoming just like him, that is so awesome that you can take that level of inspiration from it, and of course you can do it too!I believe in ya at least.

[jchitty]

Hey, Raags. I'm always amazed by the people who do the production of a song. I can barely strum my guitar....let alone do something like that. I'm that kind of songwriter who comes up with melodies in my head, sings it into a tape recorder, and then I throw of dash of lyrics in. Then I take the song and play it out on my little Alvarez with what limited chords I know. We challenged types depend on the producers, hehe.I have many great producers....I'll put in a plug for Squids, she did one of my songs and she did a fantastic job. Steve Davis, another TAXI member, has done an excellent job with my stuff as well. Another co-writer, Rob Gannon, did some amazing work too. I also use Beaird Music Group in Nashville......they turn out some top notch work!

[ragani]

You guys are so sweet for your encouragement! Thank you! I'm certainly no beginner in the area of production, as I've done two commercial albums from start to finish, each with a band of musicians and a full chorus, each recorded acoustically and mixed in ProTools. I'm pretty good at that. But to see an entirely new world of sampling, midi, splashed with live playing is like moving from a ranch home in the country to a three-story condo in the city. The lights went on. Not that I want to live full time in that city condo, but I'd like to at least have it as a second home!So now I'm dreaming up the next 3 years of my life, as I'll have to decide what to focus on, something to provide structure for the end goal. Clearly these guys play just about "everything" (guitar, piano, drums, etc.) at least a little bit, and I might not want to go that far... But I'm going to start down that path. The combination of samples and live recording always seemed like smart option for song production. And I'll have to think smartly about what new "toys" will help me get to my goal... Here's to going for it! Raags

[milfus]

well hey, im certified on like.....7 DAWS and Im proficient with most of the toys, so if you ever have any questions, shoot me a line

[mazz]

Raags,I'm confident that you'll catch on pretty quickly to this. You have one of the main qualities that it takes to do it: You want to!!Since you've already worked on productions doing acoustic recording and mixing and arranging, you have a lot of skills that are directly transferrable to working in the virtual world. One thing I think it's important to remember is that the music should drive the gear, not the other way around. While a cool loop or synth patch can inspire a piece, it's really what one does with those sounds in a MUSICAL context that counts. Learning keystrokes and technical tricks and tips should always be in service to your musical vision.While these guys can play everything just a little bit, even if you play keyboards just a little bit, if you learn the libraries and how to wrangle them with MIDI, you can play pretty much any instrument on the planet. You have what it takes, you're just adding more chops to your musical palette.Enjoy!!Mazz

[milfus]

"One thing I think it's important to remember is that the music should drive the gear, not the other way around. While a cool loop or synth patch can inspire a piece, it's really what one does with those sounds in a MUSICAL context that counts. Learning keystrokes and technical tricks and tips should always be in service to your musical vision.While these guys can play everything just a little bit, even if you play keyboards just a little bit, if you learn the libraries and how to wrangle them with MIDI, you can play pretty much any instrument on the planet. "if there was a music bible, that should be in itsome of the wisest words ive ever heard where "well the computers with the daws and the consoles, they are all just another instrument, and you gotta play em like the rest of the instruments in the song"which is pretty much a vague version of what mazz just said, but yeah, just remember, help files are your friends, most of these help files with these arent like the old ones, they are extensive and cover TONS, just taking the time to read them (or atleast reference them while you are working) puts you in the top 50% of people using them.

[tedsingingfox]

Raags,I am certain you have the smarts and the drive to take yourself anywhere you want to go. And this sounds like a VERY cool place to be. Just keep chanting to yourself, "I am a sponge...I am a sponge...I am a sponge," and SOAK IT UP, baby. Ted

[squids]

Go for it, dude!! Production is fun, fun, fun!! Whee! And matto's right....it ain't how many you can't play, it's what you do with the ones you can. Learn the right programs and it's like bein' an expert in all that stuff. Take it from someone who bothered to learn all the band instruments and now watches people blow by her every 10 minutes!