How ambitious is too ambitious?

[MockingQuantum]

I'm starting to think about what my first attempt at a remix might be, and I was wondering if I could get some advice from experienced OCR people.

Mainly, how ambitious is too ambitious for a first try at a remix? Is there any benefit or drawback to going with either a musically complex song or a musically simple song? Am I overthinking it, and should I just stick with whatever song inspires me?

[DusK]

Start well within your comfort zone. Stick with a source tune you know well, and do it in a style you know well.

With experience will come two obvious truths: That there's plenty of room for improvement -- and there always will be -- and that you'll have an easier time branching out into different styles and unknown sources later on.

[Skrypnyk]

I think you're over thinking it. Just do something with whatever is inspiring you. If you're anything like the rest of us, your first remix isn't going to re-invent anything. It'll be good practice for you and as long as you have the inspiration you should run with it.

[Darangen]

Have fun. Seriously. Because it's probably not going to be that good, unless you have composition and recording experience already. Pick something you enjoy and do it in a style you enjoy.

I've found that the tracks I just sit down and have fun with are usually the best sounding ones, and the ones I sit and try hard on usually end up sounding over-cooked.

[timaeus222]

If you're feeling like it's too ambitious, it probably is. I am on the same page as DusK and Skrypnyk mainly. Try a source tune you know well that also inspires you, in a style you find yourself comfortable trying and have fun with. But don't expect too much since this is your first. Not being hard on you, but I don't think many of us were good on our first anything musical.

Edited January 8, 2015 by timaeus222

[Wiesty]

Write what you know

[MockingQuantum]

If you're feeling like it's too ambitious, it probably is. I am on the same page as DusK and Skrypnyk mainly. Try a source tune you know well that also inspires you, in a style you find yourself comfortable trying and have fun with. But don't expect too much since this is your first. Not being hard on you, but I don't think many of us were good on our first anything musical.

Oh, I by no means expect to be good, I'm just trying to not set myself up for failure and utter heartbreak right out of the gate. But yes, everything everyone is saying makes sense, so I'll stop agonizing and get started.

[Jakos]

I'm starting to think about what my first attempt at a remix might be, and I was wondering if I could get some advice from experienced OCR people.

Mainly, how ambitious is too ambitious for a first try at a remix? Is there any benefit or drawback to going with either a musically complex song or a musically simple song? Am I overthinking it, and should I just stick with whatever song inspires me?

I feel like you right now. Sooner or later I'll have to post my first attempt and probably (almost without doubt) it won't be good like Timaeus said.

So like they told you, don't be hard on yourself, we learn from feedback and by practice, and try to learn and have fun doing it.

[Nabeel Ansari]

"complex or simple?"

You shouldn't plan out your arrangements unless you're experienced enough to have a confident command of things like musical movement and musical density. Just write what comes to you and get feedback. If it ends up being complex, cool. If it ends up being simple, also cool.

Simpler music is easier to criticize and easier to fix, though.

[MockingQuantum]

"complex or simple?"

You shouldn't plan out your arrangements unless you're experienced enough to have a confident command of things like musical movement and musical density. Just write what comes to you and get feedback. If it ends up being complex, cool. If it ends up being simple, also cool.

Simpler music is easier to criticize and easier to fix, though.

Thank you for this, it clarified a question I didn't really know how to articulate.

[timaeus222]

"complex or simple?"

You shouldn't plan out your arrangements unless you're experienced enough to have a confident command of things like musical movement and musical density. Just write what comes to you and get feedback. If it ends up being complex, cool. If it ends up being simple, also cool.

Simpler music is easier to criticize and easier to fix, though.

On the flip side, you (someone in general, or MockingQuantum) might want to try to NOT plan an arrangement at all for a change. i.e. go with the flow. But that's generally more feasible for further down the road. Sometimes I just write something and it flows out naturally, and if it doesn't quite work, it still connects nicely after I adjust a previous transition. You might still want to try it anyway. See what happens; the best part is that you may never have done it before, so you might not expect anything in particular.

Edited January 8, 2015 by timaeus222

[Chimpazilla]

It is also good practice to spend time making little 8 bar loops or 30 second "idea pieces" or just to practice a technique, something you have heard of and might want to try, or if you just want to play around with some samples or plugins. Often I get inspired to write a whole track if some idea I wanted to just mess with ends up working and sounding good.

[timaeus222]

It is also good practice to spend time making little 8 bar loops or 30 second "idea pieces" or just to practice a technique, something you have heard of and might want to try, or if you just want to play around with some samples or plugins. Often I get inspired to write a whole track if some idea I wanted to just mess with ends up working and sounding good.

Oh yes, definitely! This sounds like it resembles a recycling mentality, both great. Keep ideas you write out, even if they are not finished; you might like them more later.

[MockingQuantum]

It is also good practice to spend time making little 8 bar loops or 30 second "idea pieces" or just to practice a technique, something you have heard of and might want to try, or if you just want to play around with some samples or plugins. Often I get inspired to write a whole track if some idea I wanted to just mess with ends up working and sounding good.

Yeah, this is what I'll probably end up doing for a little while at least. When I was first trying to get into writing music and had a decent job, I made the mistake of buying a bunch of synths and softsynths that I only sort of know how to use. I'll spend some quality time with them, and I'll roll with the punches if anything strikes me.

[Nabeel Ansari]

On the flip side, you (someone in general, or MockingQuantum) might want to try to NOT plan an arrangement at all for a change. i.e. go with the flow. But that's generally more feasible for further down the road. Sometimes I just write something and it flows out naturally, and if it doesn't quite work, it still connects nicely after I adjust a previous transition. You might still want to try it anyway. See what happens; the best part is that you may never have done it before, so you might not expect anything in particular.

Generally any good composer writes by intuition, yes. Also, not sure how that's a flipside, you and I both said not to plan the arrangement?

[timaeus222]

Generally any good composer writes by intuition, yes. Also, not sure how that's a flipside, you and I both said not to plan the arrangement?

Flip side with respect to MockingQuantum. I quoted you because I agreed with you.

Edited January 9, 2015 by timaeus222

[Anorax]

Yeah, this is what I'll probably end up doing for a little while at least. When I was first trying to get into writing music and had a decent job, I made the mistake of buying a bunch of synths and softsynths that I only sort of know how to use. I'll spend some quality time with them, and I'll roll with the punches if anything strikes me.

Good idea. One thing I've learned is that it's best if you try to focus on knowing one synth really well before moving onto another. Open your DAW, pick a synth, and tangle with it until you know every single nuance and can make that synth sing however you want it to. Once you've mastered its design, move on and conquer another one! This is something that I've recently embarked upon, and it's incredibly helpful. Just make sure you don't try to master multiple synths at once, as I've found that just makes things messy and just leaves you with partial knowledge.

[MockingQuantum]

Good idea. One thing I've learned is that it's best if you try to focus on knowing one synth really well before moving onto another. Open your DAW, pick a synth, and tangle with it until you know every single nuance and can make that synth sing however you want it to. Once you've mastered its design, move on and conquer another one! This is something that I've recently embarked upon, and it's incredibly helpful. Just make sure you don't try to master multiple synths at once, as I've found that just makes things messy and just leaves you with partial knowledge.

Out of curiosity, how much can you wring out of one synth? I was considering trying to do a song using only Massive or only FM8, that sort of thing. Is it worthwhile to try this, or would it be an execise in frustration?

[timaeus222]

Out of curiosity, how much can you wring out of one synth? I was considering trying to do a song using only Massive or only FM8, that sort of thing. Is it worthwhile to try this, or would it be an execise in frustration?

Depends on the synth, and depends on how much you can stretch its limits. I personally have written some 1:30-ish (but complete) songs with just u-he Zebra2 with some minor percussion additions, so it should be possible to use just Massive or just FM8 to do about the same thing. I think FM8 might be easier though, just because it has more cohesive presets in my opinion (it also has a few percussion patches).

[Anorax]

Out of curiosity, how much can you wring out of one synth? I was considering trying to do a song using only Massive or only FM8, that sort of thing. Is it worthwhile to try this, or would it be an execise in frustration?

Ever decided to go through Massive's presets and listen to them? That's a lot of sound.

Some synths will, invariably, be more complex than others, and have more sounds.

However, even the simplest of synths can be complex when you know how to automate them. The Minimoog, while rather simple in comparison to Massive or FM8 in regards to the interface or controls, can have a large variety of textures. It's always fun to

and seeing what you come up with!

As far as making a song in Massive or FM8, if you feel you've gotten enough knowledge under your belt, you certainly can. Ultimately, it's up to you—would the challenge be worth it, or not? More likely than not, the less you know about how the synth works (through first hand experience, no less), the more frustrating this tends to be, especially if you're focusing on programming your sounds by hand, rather than opening up patches to run with.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Anorax

[Dj Mokram]

what my first attempt at a remix might be

Mainly, how ambitious is too ambitious for a first try at a remix?

Am I overthinking it, and should I just stick with whatever song inspires me?

Assuming it's your very first try at remixing: HAVE FUN! That's the single most important thing to keep in mind, not just when starting out. Whatever you do, don't pressure yourself.

I'd recommend picking a song you really enjoy and can listen to over and over. Because you'll be doing a lot of that while analyzing structure, chord progressions and the like.

Don't overthink things: make your choice and get started! Create, experiment, share your work and receive/give feedback. Even if you don't finish 100% of what you start.

The idea is to get some experience, and through this process get to know your strengths and weaknesses, so you can build up on that knowledge, and get better.

On that subject, compos (short for composition-competition) are a good place to get a feel for things, meet cool folks, and make progress whilst testing your might.

[Nase]

Oh, I by no means expect to be good, I'm just trying to not set myself up for failure and utter heartbreak right out of the gate. But yes, everything everyone is saying makes sense, so I'll stop agonizing and get started.

you don't have to submit it, you know. just do it for yourself.

i used to have serious fear of rejection. i never even submitted anything for 4 years after i started comin here or so!

just got my first 'NO' though, and it really ain't that bad.

so if you wanna do the submission thing, do it when it feels right. don't compromise on your fun by getting all scared of rejection.

i know appreciation is a bitch, but you gotta look for the fun zone. enjoyment is the central part of creation. if you stay in that space, shit is gonna get good sometime!

the funny thing is, when you actually start getting appreciation, you may experience a bump in the road because doing music for music may get harder for a while. so in a way, enjoy the time while no one cares! my first year of sequencing was one of the most creative ones i ever had, even if the results smelled a little funny.

godspeed!

Edited February 8, 2015 by Nase

[SnappleMan]

Protip: Just get more people involved. You can be really foolish when you have others to share the load, and if it flops terribly you have scapegoats.

[MockingQuantum]

Protip: Just get more people involved. You can be really foolish when you have others to share the load, and if it flops terribly you have scapegoats.

I would, but I'm definitely still at the point that I think I'd just embarrass myself if I tried to collaborate with someone. I think I need to fail miserably on my own before I put anyone else in a position where they're relying on me to deliver.