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Looking for advice in studying composition
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jsrobinson
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
29
Posts :
85
Posted : Mar 19, 2012 10:47:28
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Hi all,
So I'm coming to realize one of my weakest areas on top of everything technical, is composition. I've studied a lot of music theory over the last few months, and need some help putting it into composition perspective.
I'm mainly focusing on Psytrance. Instead of more block chords, it's an interplay between phrases and instruments.
Can anyone recommend a good place to start? I've seen it mentioned to study classical, which makes perfect sense. Is there anything I should be doing in addition to just listening in regards to study?
I suppose I'm just not sure what to focus on to most efficiently use my study time while trying to become more skilled. Thanks for any advice guys. |
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the five assed monkey
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
22
Posts :
145
Posted : Mar 19, 2012 11:18
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About composition u can study it by exploring tracks of artists that you like or that r in your style more or less. analyze each part maybe write your thoughts on paper. example:
Intro - 8 bars - low pad enter with lp filter, percussion's enter with slowly volume envelope, some Fx's in backround..
Some artist build the whole track on a main melody, some on just crazy fx's and atmos.. it depends.
I suggest you to try making a very simple track just focusing the arrangement and composition forget about sound and all that. use like "general midi" sounds 
oh and its always better to play some instrument like guitar, keys or something. just that u can improvise stuff (scales, chords. arpeggios..) better.
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psyviz
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
16
Posts :
159
Posted : Mar 21, 2012 16:44
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check out (www.minddoctorsmakeacid.com for a full tut on making a psytrance track ) and Andi vax the anwsers on youtube or check the forum.... best wishes and light
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Ampersand
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
92
Posted : Mar 21, 2012 20:47
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Studying composition is a great thing to do and you will benefit greatly from it.
What DAW do you use? Really, most any DAW should do to analyze waveforms but if you have access to Ableton Live, it's warp feature is particularly great for analyzing tracks. If you warp a track out and place it into arrangement view you can analyze the waveform and even place locators to mark transitions and phrases. Sometimes seeing it visually can do wonders for translating information.
Another option that I find myself doing more often than that is just simply getting blazed and listening to some of your favorite tunes. Get lost in them and dig your way through them by separating each track and following them through their phrases. Sometimes I just need that extra detail to my ears I can get off a joint or a bowl and then it hits me with that a-ha moment! Of course, you should do what works best for you but these two ideas have worked quite well for me. It also just takes time, constantly analyzing music around you, but I find it enormously fun and rewarding.
Another thing to mention about psytrance is that I feel the tracks that adhere strictly to a "psytrance" pattern CAN have a very similar structure to some degree but that also, it is inherent in this style of music that structure should be creative and in that sense I think following a set of rules will only box you in. Freedom to express yourself if a huge building block of this genre and to take that away would take something very important away from this style.
Just my 2 cents, good luck!
edit: Oh and if you decide to warp out some tracks and mark them with locators, another interesting way of handling composition is to either use the locators from one of your favorite tracks and follow that structure with your track OR create an ideal structure before you start the track and try to fit your track to that structure, but it should be a structure that you feel is strong, not something that will rob the track of it's impact. |
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Nomad Moon
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
134
Posts :
1516
Posted : Mar 22, 2012 19:19
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