Initial Experiments :: R2 Unit

This track has been around in one form or another for many years for me.  It has never been properly called "finished" and released.  For me, this is me finally laying this track down for now.  I need to be done with it. 

This started with a sample of a mistake.  I was trying to play something else, made a mistake.  The other song remains in a folder on a hard drive, but I copied the mistake to another thing, and started messing with it.  After awhile the organ line ended up again as a sample on my Maschine, and then finally into Ableton.

Most of the current form of this song, was discovered on the Maschine.  The drums especially were done with this.  These are just stock libraries, but really paired down, then combined with other kits.  Multiple midi parts  were doubled, but as I said, it did end up in Ableton.

For awhile, things were going very well, adn then I started to hit a processor ceiling on the laptop I was using at this time. I bused a ton of midi tracks down to audio, to try and save space. 

Then a new PC, so some new things, try and revert to some older versions to "save" a few things, but at some point, you just have to stop.  I have put too much time into this song probably.  

I can still hear how early this song is in my production learning curve.  There are so many things I would like to redo with new things that I have learned, but time to move on.

Twitter Notes - Basics

Getting Started

Most tweets have a very short lifespan.  This is not a social media for lazy people.  This is one you have to be active on.  Twitter is still a place to engage a community.  Don't be different online to build your community than you would in real life. 

Profile

This is your real estate. This is your presence. This is HOW you are making your first impression.  

Pinned Tweet

A pinned tweet is a great way to introduce your brand to the world. This might be the first tweet that many people see when they visit your site.  In terms of a musician, this is a great way to keep your latest release, tour dates, or merchandise you have available.

Even with the new character limits, these "content rich tweets" need to be focused.  When you are announcing tour dates give the new shows happening, but remind everyone that it is in support of this new album. The new merchandise for the tour, starting on such date.  

The success of the last tour allowed us to record a new album of material. Thanks to fans like you we get to keep doing this!

Click the link for 80% off all the remaining tour merchandise while supplies last!

Now when you are just beginning, don't immediately try and sell something.  You have such a long period of introducing yourself to people and the world, that a sales pitch should not be your first goal.  What interesting thing, brand story, etc. do you have that would interest people. 

Hashtags

I like 1 to 3 at the most per tweet.

Make sure you research what the hashtag might mean before you use it.  Make sure it does not have a second meaning you are not familiar with.  Depending on the size of your market this could include other geographic locations, and cultures.  Words can mean funny things sometimes.

Make sure the hashtags you are using are unique enough that you don't get swallowed up in a large crowd, but is not unique enough that no one will ever see it.

Twitter Lists

These can be useful, to help grow followers.  List are aggregates of data that profiles can follow, and then the users can then follow you.  These new followers, will see that first pinned tweet.

Some Recording Notes

 

Use a single send and return for the drums and apply a short room reverb reverb on the return channel and it'll help make the drums melt into the same room.

 You could add other instruments for the desired effect as heard a fact as well. It would be interesting to play with multiple reverbs on instruments as they are sent to multiple return tracks.

Add a very slight delay to a track and it will act as a reverb.

This can add some space some space to your track.. Probably best used on a single notepad as opposed to full cords

Streaming Documentary

https://youtu.be/c4bSLvwhkI0

krugman

Very important to learn the lessons of the past.  Large focus on knowing your history.  There are many comparisons in his class.  

I liked his explanation of 2008.  His dive into shadow banking was helpful.  

more Rick Barker tips - Community

YouTube is still the number 1 music discovery source.  This is where to put covers and similar.  YouTube is now a search engine.  Make sure the description is filled out so you can drive them to where you need them.

It is not the number of followers.  It is the quality of those followers.  Is there interaction, or just creepy bots.  You need to view it as your real estate. You own this.  You can control how it looks and is presented.  This is your house.

Rude followers, block them. Creepy bots, block them. Just looking for a follow back, block them.  Now each location has its own purpose.

Facebook can not tell between creepy bots and user when you are targeting your ads.  Why waste your money on a follower that will never buy your product.

Come  Up with your social media meal plan Lan. What he means by this, is you need to give something to them for breakfast, something to them for lunch, and something to them for dinner.. What's your snack on during the day can be your normal interactions on social media. Start looking at your social media platforms platforms as your customer support or customer interaction Is black forms.

drum tips in ableton

Thank you to Beat Academy once again.

https://youtu.be/02B3oBje1hA

I use the velocity trick often to try and humanize drums a bit more, but I did not know about the second portion that allows you to dial up the sensitivity of the velocity slider. Awesome!

The drag and drop within the drum rack was very cool.  Then being able to right click and reverse the sample is pretty killer.  I will save myself on so many extra tracks I create for a quick reverse like this. Sweet. 

Send and returns in the drum rack. Excellent. Thank you.