EM Studio

So much automation!!!

Currently on remix duty for local electro disco slinger Dr Hitchcock. Loving getting into the subtleties of progressing the sound through automation.

Adding some random factors alongside well considered curves is heaps of fun.

You want to get into the studio but you feel the pressure of having to write a whole track or being stuck in there for hours.
Sometimes it’s best to limit your time. Ask yourself what can I do with one hour?
How many samples can i make in 30 minutes.
By setting yourself a time limit or a smaller goal you can get something done without feeling like it isn’t enough.

Returning to the socials after almost three weeks of solid music-making.
So much fun to take a production holiday which I'd been working towards after moving to Melbourne last September.

It’s a real reminder that producing is a journey. Staying humble and willing to learn alongside not worrying about the outcome can create the right environment to have fun and grow your art form.

Let’s go!

Taking bookings now for private training sessions over June and July.

It’s ok to be uninspired or to not know what to do. Often we go into the studio without any ideas or feeling like we want to make music.
In this case looking for devices, instruments, or parts of our DAW we don’t explore often can help us to find new stuff.

Have a go at finding something you don’t use often. It could be a synth, an instrument sitting on your desk, or in your closet. Set out to experiment with no real intention. You can hit record and timebox your experimentation. Using the Pomodoro technique here can help a lot.

The main thing is simply to make with no expectations. If something cool happens great but if not that’s ok too. Exploring and having fun is the main aim of the game as it reminds us of why we got into making music.

Using audio to midi can be a great way to get inspiration.

Using existing samples, loops, or presets for many artists feels like cheating and a discussion around where your legitimacy as an artist exists if you are using elements created by others.

More avant-garde artists such as minimal and techno producers often throw away presets and instead choose to use unconventional sonic palettes, whereas other artists will use existing chord structures, familiar samples and elements, and their ingenuity will lie in how the songs are arranged.

To find a middle ground consider using your presets as a starting point to find something close to what you imagine. Get making and come back to your preset later to develop and tweak it more towards your style.

The overall idea here is to develop your own sound design skills, but not let it stop you from making. Don't worry if you start with something existing, it's a sketch you can adapt later.

These posts are distilled chapters from Making Music by Dennis DeSantis.
The book can be downloaded for free from www.ableton.com

Jamming on the OP-1 today, so much fun.

It’s quite common that well-established producers tend to avoid using lots of plug-ins or having excessive amounts of hardware. It is usually recommended to get to know your DAW and synths really well before buying more gear. We can mistake trying new devices for making music.

However, when you’re making music, you can sometimes fall into creating the same types of tracks because you are using the same tools. Be it your own patches, presets or effects.

To get making something new, change it up. Purposefully choose tools you don’t use as often, find a new device, grab a random effect or type in an odd word in your browser and see what comes up. This is a good way to refresh your approach and switch up your thinking, while still being productive.

Ableton has tonnes of free and well-priced devices at Maxforlive.com that can get you started.

Get making music today with EM Studio, jump on the website to book a session.

Playing on Bengal today, who's used this synth?

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Thinking of writing the whole track can be daunting.
Sometimes it’s easier to focus on one part at a time, aiming to complete that section as fully as possible.

You can do this in two ways, during your production session or in a separate session, so you have parts you can use straight away when it comes to writing.

Try listening to the section on loop. If it sounds good on its own, it’s likely to sound good as a whole track.

Mastering this week for Pianika and testing out a few new plug-ins. Some exciting new tracks on the way.

Get your tracks analyzed and mastered with EM Studio