3 answers
Leonardo
Student
El Monte, California
3
Questions
Asked
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Do you mostly rehearse with musicians, compose alone, or work with technology/software?
This question applies to Music Directors & Composers.
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3 answers
John Graham
Music Producer
92
Answers
Bremerton, Washington
Updated
John’s Answer
Hi Leonardo!
It's great that you're interested in a music career. While it can be challenging to break in, if you love it - it's so personally satisfying.
To answer your question, it's really all three for me:
Rehearsing: I have a home studio and local singers come to rehearse and record with me there. While I've played percussion and guitar, I'm primariliy a keyboard guy and have a stage piano in my studio as well as a MIDI keyboard for recording other virtual instruments. If you're interested in getting your music out there, it's important to never let a recording opportunity go by - so I try to record everything I play whether it's alone or with other musicians - because you never know when a particularly compelling session might happen, and once your done it's gone unless you've got it "in the box."
Composing: For me songwriting for myself is a mostly solitary process, usually with a keyboard and my Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) (I use Reaper these days). As for lyrics, my notebooks are my primary tool. Never depend on your memory for lyrics; they'll be gone before you know it. Some people use their phone recorders, but I've never gotten the hang of that - and prefer paper and pencil. Keep a notebook in your car for when you get ideas on the fly and then you can transfer them to your master notebook so everything is one place when you're ready to put words with music. When I'm collaborating with someone else on songwriting - it can be in person or (more often) virtually. People send me their song ideas and I flesh them out for them, sometimes on my own but most times with other songwriters. I've collaborated with other composers from Nigeria, Italy, France, and Argentina who freelance online.
Producing: I so a lot of cover songs, so I collaborate with other musicians (primarily singers and session players) from around the world - who I find on the freelance services online (Soundbetter, Airgigs, Fiverr, etc.). First I put together an arrangement outline, charts (sheet music), lyric sheets, and extracts of instrumentals and vocals from the original we're covering. Then I send requests to other musicians for their parts and put them together when I get them back. We work back and forth together to get the sound I'm hearing in my head. Once everything is recorded, then it's comping, editing, mixing, and mastering - which as an audio engineer I also do myself. Sometimes I collaborate with other engineers if I want need new ideas or am not 100% satisfied with how it's sounding. Then when everything's as good as I can make it, we send it to distribution on the streaming services and social media sites. Technically, I've tried different DAWs including Cakewalk, FL Studio, Mixcraft, Pro Tools, Reaper, and some others - but settled on Reaper as the best value for me. I run it on Windows 11, and it's compatible with pretty much all the various DAWs and plug-in software except those that are exclusive to Apple, notably Logic Pro - which I would probably use if I was a Mac user.
So, overall it's a combination of working on my own and with others depending on the project. The main thing is to spend some time trying everything and then narrowing in on what gives you the best solutions for your budget and the most joy in the process.
Good luck on your journey - you're going to do great!
It's great that you're interested in a music career. While it can be challenging to break in, if you love it - it's so personally satisfying.
To answer your question, it's really all three for me:
Rehearsing: I have a home studio and local singers come to rehearse and record with me there. While I've played percussion and guitar, I'm primariliy a keyboard guy and have a stage piano in my studio as well as a MIDI keyboard for recording other virtual instruments. If you're interested in getting your music out there, it's important to never let a recording opportunity go by - so I try to record everything I play whether it's alone or with other musicians - because you never know when a particularly compelling session might happen, and once your done it's gone unless you've got it "in the box."
Composing: For me songwriting for myself is a mostly solitary process, usually with a keyboard and my Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) (I use Reaper these days). As for lyrics, my notebooks are my primary tool. Never depend on your memory for lyrics; they'll be gone before you know it. Some people use their phone recorders, but I've never gotten the hang of that - and prefer paper and pencil. Keep a notebook in your car for when you get ideas on the fly and then you can transfer them to your master notebook so everything is one place when you're ready to put words with music. When I'm collaborating with someone else on songwriting - it can be in person or (more often) virtually. People send me their song ideas and I flesh them out for them, sometimes on my own but most times with other songwriters. I've collaborated with other composers from Nigeria, Italy, France, and Argentina who freelance online.
Producing: I so a lot of cover songs, so I collaborate with other musicians (primarily singers and session players) from around the world - who I find on the freelance services online (Soundbetter, Airgigs, Fiverr, etc.). First I put together an arrangement outline, charts (sheet music), lyric sheets, and extracts of instrumentals and vocals from the original we're covering. Then I send requests to other musicians for their parts and put them together when I get them back. We work back and forth together to get the sound I'm hearing in my head. Once everything is recorded, then it's comping, editing, mixing, and mastering - which as an audio engineer I also do myself. Sometimes I collaborate with other engineers if I want need new ideas or am not 100% satisfied with how it's sounding. Then when everything's as good as I can make it, we send it to distribution on the streaming services and social media sites. Technically, I've tried different DAWs including Cakewalk, FL Studio, Mixcraft, Pro Tools, Reaper, and some others - but settled on Reaper as the best value for me. I run it on Windows 11, and it's compatible with pretty much all the various DAWs and plug-in software except those that are exclusive to Apple, notably Logic Pro - which I would probably use if I was a Mac user.
So, overall it's a combination of working on my own and with others depending on the project. The main thing is to spend some time trying everything and then narrowing in on what gives you the best solutions for your budget and the most joy in the process.
Good luck on your journey - you're going to do great!
Tim Larkin
Sound design/composer
1
Answer
Spokane, Washington
Updated
Tim’s Answer
Most, if not all of my composing is done alone with technology and software. Fortunately in some cases when the compositions are compete I'm lucky enough to be able to perform those compositions in a concert setting where I'm able to rehearse the musicians before the performance. Quite a different animal when you finally have live players interpreting your music. It's sometimes more rewarding and sometimes frustrating if you're married to your production tracks. Often times if you can communicate the phrasing and emotion you're trying to create, the results are so much better with the live players. But other times you may find that what you've written doesn't always translate well and depending on how much sweetening you've done in a mock up. Over time you learn how to set your expectations and write accordingly.
I use Digital Performer and Protools for my DAW. Protools seems to be the industry standard for the most part when transferring sessions for mixing or editing.
I use Digital Performer and Protools for my DAW. Protools seems to be the industry standard for the most part when transferring sessions for mixing or editing.
Dany Oghia
Inside Account Executive
9
Answers
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Dany’s Answer
Hi there!
Cubase is your DAW of choice.
I have over 20 years of experience and have used all of the market DAWs. All of the above and Cubase is great at be versatile.
Use it.
Best
Dany
Cubase is your DAW of choice.
I have over 20 years of experience and have used all of the market DAWs. All of the above and Cubase is great at be versatile.
Use it.
Best
Dany