How To Turn A Loop Into A Song: *1. Learn Song Structure.* This varies from genre to genre, but Pop Music has maybe the most standard song structure. Intro (4 bars) Verse (8-16) Chorus (8) Verse (8-16) Chorus (8) Bridge (4-8) Chorus + Outro (8-16+ bars) If you have a loop: Figure out where in the song you want the loop. If in CHORUS, then it must be lush, and you also now know that each VERSE must be a “stripped down chorus.” If the loop is going in the VERSE, then you know that you have to EXPAND the instrumentation to create a CHORUS. Simple and basic, something you can build on. 🤷🏿♂️👍🏿
I do similar but in reverse, I generally spend time first building up my 8 bar loop with all instruments etc. When ready make multiple copies along the timeline, then delete parts in 8 bar segments to create my arrangement. Finish off with automation and transitions.
I do it both your way and his way. Some days i find that progressively adding stuff as i go works better, other times going all in with the chorus and take stuff out in the intro, verse, etc works better. Its an awesome tip.
Yeah, was gonna say the same thing. I start with an 8 or 16 bar thing. Jam pack it full of everything, then start deleting and arranging when I know where I want it to go. For me, it's kind of like mixing the loudest part of the track first, then working to the parts that are quieter or less full.
8 bar loops are very handy indeed. Recently learned a technique of adding two bars (or more) at the end of an 8 bar phrase to just let the chords or solo notes ring out and breathe. Almost like a fermata held by a conductor for an orchestra. Then the original or new phrase begins. It opens things up and gives the listener a more unpredictable experience.
@@growingoaks To a degree, yes we usually want things predictable and accessible. But little surprises still tickle our ears and expectations and overall can make things more interesting.
Make your grid a bit bigger, I've noticed you're spending a lot of time fiddling around with a small grid and having to re-drag to select or when duplicating you can't just select first time. Alex you've helped us, let us help you lol :) x
THIS is FIRE !! This method is gonna help a lots of producers who have got tons of "Unfinished Beats" in their library . ( Writer's Block ) is something that i suffer because of so often , most of the times i bulid a verse and stop producing because i don't know what to make next ..... A PRO TIP that i learned by time was that ( Using a 4 bars , simple , repetitive melody is much better than using a 64 bars long melody that got tohusands of variations , a simple melody can be easily remembered which can make get stuck in the listener's head ) Yo Alex , Thanks for the tutorial .
I really appreciate the work you put into your channel, it's cool to see someone taking the time to help people unlock their creativity. Cheers man. Keep it up!
DUDE THANK YOU, I'm a visual learner and tho there's material in text that explains it doesent really sink in until I see it done so I can understand the concept and the steps to understand the transition, thanks again subbed
An 8 bar phrase has been the building block of EDM for as long as I can remember. This is so that a DJ can start the track their mixing at the beginning of a phrase so elements in each track begin and end at the same time. Your mix sounds off if you miss it and you have random percussion/hats and periods of no bass.
Nice one, Alex..a simple technique that somehow seems to be overlooked by many, yet with this alone, a person can build a pretty solid track..as you just demonstrated in a clear and easy-to-follow way. Kudos..this video is pure gold..advice that could save folks a hell of a lot of time and money.
I feel like sticking to it too much will make your songs feel mathematic and generic. I think the mixing community has forgot a bit that music is firstly art and you shouldn’t stick too much to guidelines because it won’t make you evolve. I still think it’s great for drafts tho
This is something which I figured out in Ableton Live loops section, start simple as a beginnner if you have this problem...I started with a launchkey, and loops which came with it from Loopmasters...Start doing the same....
i don’t know, maybe i’m different and special, but i don’t have problems with ideas of beat progression, bc every time, when i start doing a new song, the song comes to my head previously (melody, drums, base line - whatever) i stocked there in the very beginning (i started creating music in may of last year), but now i do my beats the way i said before. and i wish everyone get those feelings, too! that’s wonderful.
Thank you so much on showing what Automation does!!! I had a lot of trouble changing the melody, but with Automation, I can fade it out and bring it back in ❤️
I'm not saying I am amused by the joke, (amusing me with a written/typed joke is basically impossible after all), but it is indeed somewhat relatable to me. You basically just explained my entire mentality when doing literally anything.
I’m not saying I am amused by the joke (I am a skeleton), but I can confirm that your statement has some factual content. As a skeleton, I never go to nine bars in a day. That is my number one rule in life.
It's verry important to know that this method can help, but totally doesn't have to be aplied to every song you make, for example ambient and atmospheric tracks don't need to change that much because they feel like they play in the backgound, and feel less active. High bpm tracks also don't need to change every 8 bars, because you have less time per bar, it therefore becomes less boring (after 8 bars).
It's kind of fascinating: I can even write a song on my own using acoustic instruments faster and easier than I can take a loop and build on it. This "rule" of yours makes total sense, thanks!
This is a great video. Lots of videos out there on plug-ins/mixing etc...., but not enough that actually talk about composition and arrangement, which is the most important thing; a great song with mediocre plug-ins and mixing can still sound good, but there's no amount of mixing or plug-ins that can help a poorly constructed song.
As always, another video of yours really helped me. I'm just learning all this stuff and have 0 musical experience so it's difficult but your content is always easy to understand and explains things perfectly.
Glad I found your channel. Most of the subject matters seems basic on its face, but basics are where all the magic happens. Good to be reminded of this from time to time. Cheers!
Great info and ideas, Ive been struggling a little with arrangements lately. I get really excited about making a cool intro/drop that I lose sight of the rest of the song..
Very well done! I STILL sometimes forget all the ways to transition (been producing for quite a while, now). Thinking about it as "front and back" will definitely help when I'm writing a transition and it isn't quite working. I also hadn't thought (consciously) about the fact that you need a mix of subtle and not-so-subtle transitions. Thanks!
Hey Alex! Nice to meet you. I am amazing by the audio you just created in this video. It's my request that can you please make a complete version of this song. It's just amazing 👍
You've made a lot of helpful videos over the years, but this one is definitely one of my favorites. I need to make a poster for the wall next to my keyboard that is a compilation of all the different tips I've learned from your channel. It all seems so simple, but it's easy to forget some of it when in the middle of stressing out because I'm stuck on something. Also, did you ever finish the track you were making in this video? Really like the groove it had going.
How To Turn A Loop Into A Song:
*1. Learn Song Structure.*
This varies from genre to genre, but Pop Music has maybe the most standard song structure.
Intro (4 bars)
Verse (8-16)
Chorus (8)
Verse (8-16)
Chorus (8)
Bridge (4-8)
Chorus + Outro (8-16+ bars)
If you have a loop:
Figure out where in the song you want the loop. If in CHORUS, then it must be lush, and you also now know that each VERSE must be a “stripped down chorus.”
If the loop is going in the VERSE, then you know that you have to EXPAND the instrumentation to create a CHORUS.
Simple and basic, something you can build on.
🤷🏿♂️👍🏿
This was helpful to me. Thank you for that.
Thanks this actually really helped especially the part about the loop, and verse being a stripped down version of the chorus.
Great advice to add into the bag of tricks
Simple and effective 🙏🏻
I see, I see, lots of good information here, thank you
With these headphones I think you’ll be able to spy on your whole neighborhood
😂😂😂😂
Be careful what you wish for, he might be the russian KGB... 👍
😂😂😂😂😂😂🔥
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Hahahaha
I do similar but in reverse, I generally spend time first building up my 8 bar loop with all instruments etc. When ready make multiple copies along the timeline, then delete parts in 8 bar segments to create my arrangement. Finish off with automation and transitions.
Same. I also like 8 bar progressions because you can easily make a bridge by just dropping it an octave and make a new melody over it
I do it both your way and his way. Some days i find that progressively adding stuff as i go works better, other times going all in with the chorus and take stuff out in the intro, verse, etc works better. Its an awesome tip.
Yeah, was gonna say the same thing. I start with an 8 or 16 bar thing. Jam pack it full of everything, then start deleting and arranging when I know where I want it to go. For me, it's kind of like mixing the loudest part of the track first, then working to the parts that are quieter or less full.
@@DarrenCurtisMusic Yep.
This
ngl just by watching this man i've learnt basically everything i use when producing, this man is a blessing from above
8 bar loops are very handy indeed. Recently learned a technique of adding two bars (or more) at the end of an 8 bar phrase to just let the chords or solo notes ring out and breathe. Almost like a fermata held by a conductor for an orchestra. Then the original or new phrase begins. It opens things up and gives the listener a more unpredictable experience.
Dont people prefer predictability in music?
@@growingoaks To a degree, yes we usually want things predictable and accessible. But little surprises still tickle our ears and expectations and overall can make things more interesting.
@@kiyoshi67 thats fair. I just dont know how to do it in a way that sounds good every time lol
Familiar > Predictable
no
@@growingoaks
What a teaching skill you've got 🙌
It was so fun reading the comments section for this video. All the cool ideas others are using, it's so cool!
shift+up or down when in your midi window to shift selected notes up or down an octave
Make your grid a bit bigger, I've noticed you're spending a lot of time fiddling around with a small grid and having to re-drag to select or when duplicating you can't just select first time. Alex you've helped us, let us help you lol :) x
I've been doing this rule a lot. And I say the song sounds like it progresses more in a more interesting and smooth way.
This melody is stuck in my head now. Can't wait to hear the full song from it!
This guy helps upcoming producers when he’s not working for Lando in Cloud City.
“Yeah then we go into some cool drop that I didn’t make yet” 8:25.
I’m with you on that; I heard (felt) it too!! Thanks for a great video.
Really glad Alex switched to Ableton. I haven't watched his channel in some time, but now will be watching again.
This Man Can Make EPIC JAMS every time he makes a video
THIS is FIRE !!
This method is gonna help a lots of producers who have got tons of "Unfinished Beats" in their library .
( Writer's Block ) is something that i suffer because of so often , most of the times i bulid a verse and stop producing because i don't know what to make next ..... A PRO TIP that i learned by time was that ( Using a 4 bars , simple , repetitive melody is much better than using a 64 bars long melody that got tohusands of variations , a simple melody can be easily remembered which can make get stuck in the listener's head )
Yo Alex , Thanks for the tutorial .
I really appreciate the work you put into your channel, it's cool to see someone taking the time to help people unlock their creativity. Cheers man. Keep it up!
8 bars is how I mostly work, but depends on tempo too. Key message right here!
I’ve taken your lessons like this and applied them to the music I write and it’s been really helpful man thank you. And I write death metal 😂
DUDE THANK YOU, I'm a visual learner and tho there's material in text that explains it doesent really sink in until I see it done so I can understand the concept and the steps to understand the transition, thanks again subbed
An 8 bar phrase has been the building block of EDM for as long as I can remember. This is so that a DJ can start the track their mixing at the beginning of a phrase so elements in each track begin and end at the same time. Your mix sounds off if you miss it and you have random percussion/hats and periods of no bass.
Alex Rome, never stop making tutorials. You rock man!
Nice one, Alex..a simple technique that somehow seems to be overlooked by many, yet with this alone, a person can build a pretty solid track..as you just demonstrated in a clear and easy-to-follow way. Kudos..this video is pure gold..advice that could save folks a hell of a lot of time and money.
I feel like sticking to it too much will make your songs feel mathematic and generic. I think the mixing community has forgot a bit that music is firstly art and you shouldn’t stick too much to guidelines because it won’t make you evolve. I still think it’s great for drafts tho
This is something which I figured out in Ableton Live loops section, start simple as a beginnner if you have this problem...I started with a launchkey, and loops which came with it from Loopmasters...Start doing the same....
Thanks Alex 👍 even although I've done a beginner course, I struggle with what elements to bring in next !! This will definitely help 🙌
This was one of my favorite tutorials I’ve ever seen fr
i don’t know, maybe i’m different and special, but i don’t have problems with ideas of beat progression, bc every time, when i start doing a new song, the song comes to my head previously (melody, drums, base line - whatever)
i stocked there in the very beginning (i started creating music in may of last year), but now i do my beats the way i said before. and i wish everyone get those feelings, too! that’s wonderful.
Thank you for this great tip. God bless 🙂🙏🏼❤️
Great tips, love the 8 bar rule.. especially for trance and use automation & layered leads with mid leads to make it sound amazing..
Been kinda watching your stuff in passing for a year. THIS TIP THO is bellworthy.
I like to work in 16 and 32 bar segments personally, but 8 bar segments are good too. I never use 4 bar segments.
I really enjoy the way you describe your process. You keep the video interesting like the song!
Thank you so much on showing what Automation does!!! I had a lot of trouble changing the melody, but with Automation, I can fade it out and bring it back in ❤️
Oh wow. Wow. That really removed all of my writer's block! That is good to know. Thank you so much!!!
Thanks, i've been struggling with arrangements recently. This will help me a lot.
thanks for the tips brody
peace love and light
You are a great teacher. Appreciate all the lessons!
Refreshing.
I have over 10 years experience I fall sometimes in arrangement trap.
Thanks for sharing
Great explanation, this is 32 beat phrasing. If you listen, it's in just about every track ever.
went through when I first started video editing, now it's taking a whole new switch and learning soft will only boost my courage for the
Looking at those headphones makes my neck hurt. Excellent tutorial.
been watching you for years now , you keep getting better Alex. Thank you
You are a amazing teacher bro. Respect!
The eight bar rule says that if you don’t pick up any chicks after visiting eight bars, don’t bother going to a ninth bar. Am I right?
I'm not saying I am amused by the joke, (amusing me with a written/typed joke is basically impossible after all), but it is indeed somewhat relatable to me. You basically just explained my entire mentality when doing literally anything.
I’m not saying I am amused by the joke (I am a skeleton), but I can confirm that your statement has some factual content. As a skeleton, I never go to nine bars in a day. That is my number one rule in life.
Good job bro, thank you very much!
Wow, what a simple but effective idea, gonna try this out. Thanks.
This tutorial got an INSTANT subscribe. Incredibly helpful. You seem like a great teacher. Thank you 🙏
This is seriously good advice, been doing this for a while and it rarely fails to make every piece of a track shine.
One love for this one.i give you 5 stars
Great Tut' Alex , Going back to Basic's !!!
Mother of God those headphones are gigantic!
Man, u re so good. Thanks for your videos💯💯
This was great. More videos on arrangement would be awesome. 👍
It's verry important to know that this method can help, but totally doesn't have to be aplied to every song you make, for example ambient and atmospheric tracks don't need to change that much because they feel like they play in the backgound, and feel less active. High bpm tracks also don't need to change every 8 bars, because you have less time per bar, it therefore becomes less boring (after 8 bars).
It's kind of fascinating: I can even write a song on my own using acoustic instruments faster and easier than I can take a loop and build on it. This "rule" of yours makes total sense, thanks!
This is a great video. Lots of videos out there on plug-ins/mixing etc...., but not enough that actually talk about composition and arrangement, which is the most important thing; a great song with mediocre plug-ins and mixing can still sound good, but there's no amount of mixing or plug-ins that can help a poorly constructed song.
5:00 i'm done soooooooo angelic 〽️
I think this is very cool I'm watching ur tutorial and start learning
As always, another video of yours really helped me. I'm just learning all this stuff and have 0 musical experience so it's difficult but your content is always easy to understand and explains things perfectly.
Glad I found your channel. Most of the subject matters seems basic on its face, but basics are where all the magic happens. Good to be reminded of this from time to time. Cheers!
Great info and ideas, Ive been struggling a little with arrangements lately. I get really excited about making a cool intro/drop that I lose sight of the rest of the song..
I'm a beginner, you just saved me. I subscribe🙃
Very well done! I STILL sometimes forget all the ways to transition (been producing for quite a while, now). Thinking about it as "front and back" will definitely help when I'm writing a transition and it isn't quite working. I also hadn't thought (consciously) about the fact that you need a mix of subtle and not-so-subtle transitions. Thanks!
This is great, clear, simple and instantly useable advice, maestro. Well done!
Thank you so much! Thank you.
BEST DUDE ON EXPLAINING IT HE HELPED ME ALOT THANKS SUPER TECH G!!
Wow never saw someone pencil everything in. Super helpful tips!
For me your explaination is simple and best so far. As a newbie to produce music !
It is.. v' easy to understand and learn from you.
🤟 thanks bro
Hey Alex! Nice to meet you. I am amazing by the audio you just created in this video. It's my request that can you please make a complete version of this song. It's just amazing 👍
this channel is Gold
I want the full version so bad for the demo song he makes every time
Thank you so much this was right on time for!!! Subbing for sure
Really helpful stuff… Thank you!!
followed the tutorial exactly right, but still different. Using trial version. Thank you*
This was so helpful!! Thank you
Man I really love your videos so chill yet still a little funny! Such good stuff brother thank you! 🙏
Alex big tnx for all your video 💜Its amazing 💫You are the best 🤗
My favorite part of this channel is just watching you enjoy the process, its hard not to smile too 🤣 5:50
sounding really good! IMO, something cool to use in transitions is silence too. ... just love it. Builds tension like nothing else
Your beard is the core of your wisdom. Guys with beard are always the smartest from my experience. Really good tutorial, very useful to me
This is *SO AMAZING* ! I'm a beginner in composing music and this is such a great tip. Definitely I will use it! Thank you so much!!!🔥🔥🔥
Thanks Dude this helped me out a lot , will be applying this ASAP.
This is incredible!
First time seeing your channel...great approach and nice progression...subbed!
Great lesson thank you, had a sound of Gareth Emery about it, loved it!
Excellent ! Useful and very good explained !
I love seeing deep melodic theory like this I agree with everything you said sir 🔥🔥
@2:10 pro tip: Just highlight the section you want duplicated and hit cmd+d.
Glad to see you are back and working in Ableton!
That is some huge headphones... nice little tutorial.
Love the videos, such solid lessons! They me want to keep practicing!
All good things! This is great. I'm just getting into sound design and producing at a very beginner level so this was awesome. Subscribing. Peace.
Alex is the Bob Ross of music production
Many many thanks.
Great video! It would be a nice idea to do a follow up video showing how to finish this (type of) song in a proper way. Your tutorials are gems!
You've made a lot of helpful videos over the years, but this one is definitely one of my favorites. I need to make a poster for the wall next to my keyboard that is a compilation of all the different tips I've learned from your channel. It all seems so simple, but it's easy to forget some of it when in the middle of stressing out because I'm stuck on something. Also, did you ever finish the track you were making in this video? Really like the groove it had going.
thank you
Fantastic tutorial! Thanks!
Thanks to you, you gave me some of song ideas that i used for my songs on youtube! Thanks a lot!
I learned that by ear. Nice.