Post by The Ocean on Sept 29, 2020 18:57:18 GMT
Creating music without being able to practice or write with my band has been absolutely worthless to me. Granted, I'm very busy with other stuff, but usually we come up with ideas at home, bring them to the whole group, and if there is a quorum we workshop them together (I'm kidding; we are NOT that formal). But seriously, we tend to bring our own songs to the group and we each point out points of improvement, and that has worked for us for a very long time. But now, we have no way to work on each other's songs instead of sending each other recordings along with a written list of chords, notes, rhythms, etc. And it really has killed the creative spirit.
So, working on my own, I've actually been spending one hour each day writing. It usually takes me one week to come up with a song and then record a version of it via programming. I add guitar and bass to the recordings after creating a decent backing track I can play along too (since I am not to be trusted keeping a tempo on my own).
ESSENTIAL in this process has been the use of free DSW's and VST's, because after buying my synthesizer (and preordering a bunch of colored vinyl albums) I am tapped out as far as discretionary spending goes.
I downloaded and have used the following free VSTs and they have been CRITICAL in allowing me to finish my backing tracks:
Dexed (based on the Yamaha DX7)
OB-Xd
BBC Symphony Orchestra (free version)
Steven Slate Drums 5 (free version)
Upright Piano
I cannot recommend them enough. Although the free versions of the BBC orchestra and Steven Slate drums are relatively limited compared to the paid version, they are FANTASTIC for making basic demos while in lockdown. Even at an hour a day, I've already completed one demo track this last week with 10 tracks (piano, string quartet, three horn tracks, a glockenspiel, and drums). It sounds programmed if you listen closely to how little variation there is in the "performances" of the different parts, but it has given me a SUPER solid demo to work with.
So, working on my own, I've actually been spending one hour each day writing. It usually takes me one week to come up with a song and then record a version of it via programming. I add guitar and bass to the recordings after creating a decent backing track I can play along too (since I am not to be trusted keeping a tempo on my own).
ESSENTIAL in this process has been the use of free DSW's and VST's, because after buying my synthesizer (and preordering a bunch of colored vinyl albums) I am tapped out as far as discretionary spending goes.
I downloaded and have used the following free VSTs and they have been CRITICAL in allowing me to finish my backing tracks:
Dexed (based on the Yamaha DX7)
OB-Xd
BBC Symphony Orchestra (free version)
Steven Slate Drums 5 (free version)
Upright Piano
I cannot recommend them enough. Although the free versions of the BBC orchestra and Steven Slate drums are relatively limited compared to the paid version, they are FANTASTIC for making basic demos while in lockdown. Even at an hour a day, I've already completed one demo track this last week with 10 tracks (piano, string quartet, three horn tracks, a glockenspiel, and drums). It sounds programmed if you listen closely to how little variation there is in the "performances" of the different parts, but it has given me a SUPER solid demo to work with.