| Congratulations! Your singing has become amazing, | | | | slightly different rhythm, and fill in where the melody |
| and it's time the world knew. You've also written | | | | has breaks. A great example is in the song "The |
| some songs that are just kick you-know-what. They | | | | Winner Takes It All," by Abba. Listen to the theme |
| need to be recorded, MP3ed and put on the net | | | | that is always playing underneath the melody - it |
| ASAP. But you've got two problems. First, you can't | | | | really drives the song.Another thing you can do to |
| afford a studio, let alone a band for all this stuff. | | | | put life into your tracks is to customize the style. |
| Second, you don't play all, or any, of the | | | | Depending on how good you are with your software |
| instruments.Well there is good news. With a deft | | | | and its capabilities, you can create your own riffs and |
| combination of the internet and today's software, | | | | mix them into the song. Also, vary similar styles |
| you can do wonders. While it's never going to be the | | | | throughout the song to break the monotony. And, |
| same as a true band in a real studio, which you had | | | | again, don't underestimate drum fills!Creative use of |
| better hire for that big record company showcase, | | | | layering is a very effective technique. When all the |
| you can still create great backing tracks.First, repeat | | | | tracks play all the time, it can be very boring. Wait to |
| after me. "I love MIDI." Thank you.MIDI, to refresh | | | | bring in some instruments till later in the song. That |
| your memory, is like sheet music for a pianist. The | | | | creates a "building" feel. Then, at some point towards |
| paper itself makes no noises, but the pianist gets all | | | | the end, take them out again briefly to create a |
| the information he needs from it to let us hear | | | | "break" or "bridge". When you bring them back, it is |
| Beethoven (especially if the music is also Beethoven!). | | | | very powerful.Finally, don't allow any perfection. Yes, |
| In your computer set up, the MIDI file is the sheet | | | | you read that correctly. If your music is perfectly |
| music, the MIDI sequencer or playback program is | | | | aligned rhythmically, it will sound artificial. Live |
| the pianist, and your computer's sound card and | | | | musicians are never precisely on the beat. Almost all |
| synthesizer are the piano. That's all you need!Before | | | | programs have a "humanize" function which corrects |
| we get started, I'll mention the ultimate cover song | | | | this automatically. Otherwise, take the time and slide |
| shortcut - the Internet! There are tons of great MIDI | | | | some notes in the piano roll editor window. If you |
| files of almost every piece of popular music out | | | | need quantize (rhythm correction) on the recorded |
| there. All you have to do is find them. If you can't, or | | | | tracks, set it to less than 100%.When you've got |
| you've got your own material, read on. Be legal, | | | | your MIDI file, there are two ways to convert it to |
| though!If You Play Keyboard or Guitar WellFirst, | | | | audio (wav, mp3) for CD burning. The quicker way is |
| thank your parents for the lessons. Then, get your | | | | with a dedicated program that renders wave files |
| hands on a sequencer program and record your | | | | from MIDI files directly. Most software synthesizer |
| tracks. Using MIDI, you can choose the instrument | | | | programs that have a stand-alone playback feature |
| sound for everything - all you need to do is input the | | | | can do this. Otherwise, open an audio recording |
| notes. For drums, you can either record them from | | | | program, play the MIDI file, and simultaneously record |
| your keyboard or use a plug-in drum machine. If you | | | | the output. Make sure your audio recorder is set to |
| choose to record them, a quick way to do it is to | | | | receive from the correct input.If You Play Nothing, |
| record a couple of measures and then copy/paste to | | | | and Don't Know Chords or Theory or Anything |
| fill out the song. But don't forget to put in some | | | | Guess what? You are the one who should hire a |
| drum fills!If Your Playing Is Limited to Little or Not at | | | | musician. Yes, I know that some programs will offer |
| AllFor you there are wonderful programs, like Band in | | | | both a chord progression composer and even a |
| a Box and Jammer, to create backing tracks. They | | | | melody composer. All you would need to do is |
| are very stylish, meaning, they function in styles. You | | | | choose the style. If you are considering going this |
| must, at the very least, know the chords for your | | | | route, I have one request for you.PLEASE |
| song. You simply enter the chords, choose the | | | | DON'T!Sorry to yell, but think about this. The melody |
| appropriate musical style, and click a button called | | | | is composed by a computer, the chords are |
| "compose" (or some reasonable facsimile). Before | | | | composed by a computer, the band is composed by |
| you can say "Holy guacamole, Batman," your music is | | | | a computer. It is music that is completely composed |
| playing. The drawback here is that your band will | | | | by a computer. Oh my gosh! How revolting is |
| sound canned. And well it should, for it is! But, have | | | | that?No, my friend, hire a qualified musician. You sing |
| no fear, there are ways to mitigate that quite | | | | the song to them, they create the magic. Do not sell |
| well.Making it Human Best thing? Play what you can, | | | | yourself short. Your song is important -- it's part of |
| at least the melody. That, in and of itself, will help | | | | you! Show it the greatest respect and make it as |
| tremendously, as it's no longer just a band style | | | | beautiful as you can.Seth Lutnick is a singer, |
| playing chord progressions.Next up, record a | | | | songwriter and arranger. Visit his website, for more |
| counterpoint. Counterpoints make ordinary songs | | | | on creating and using a home recording studio, and |
| exciting. They are secondary melodies that | | | | personal action planning. |
| complement the main melody. They usually have a | | | | |