DP-24: Recording - ARRANGING - Mixing & Mastering

[Old No7]

Well folks, I just got my brand new DP-24 yesterday (great service & support, plus extended warranty from Sweetwater) and laid down my first ever multi-track last night; just a 1.5 minute 10-track segment of an original song that I last played live with a band back in 1982...

As was noted in my DAW-less Recording & Mixing... posting on the Model 24/16/12 forum; without a live band beside me, all of the new or old musical ideas I've had have been "trapped inside my head" for years or decades and I've only been able to play live what the Mojo pedals and 2 hands would allow.

All that has changed with the DP-24 at my fingertips!

And now I find that instead of jumping right into "Recording, Mixing & Mastering" -- I need to insert ARRANGING into the mix. After I laid down the drum, bass and Hammond (Mojo 61) tracks, I played around with adding some piano and also some string pads, and later in the song, there could be a place for some guitar too. Cool!

So I'm thinking this is not at all uncommon and that's a hidden feature of the DP-24 or any multi-track recorder in that it unlocks the future potential of a song and opens up so many more sonic opportunities?

With one caveat, I think: To "edit and listen very carefully critically" and not to overdo it...

I'd be really interested in others' thoughts... Am I on the right track? (pun intended)

Old No7

 

[-mjk-]

@Old No7 you are on the right track for sure. The DP is a big scratchpad. One thing that helps is to remember that it erases as well as it records and there is nothing stopping you from doing crazy "what-ifs" and doing really off the wall stuff.

1. Unless one is Mozart, no one sits down and writes a finished piece of music.
2. No one records a a finished record of single takes.
3. Not every recording is a masterpiece.
4. Not every recording is a final version.
5. Not every recording is intended to be released.
6. You cannot always hear what works. But you can always hear what doesn't work. So you have to record several different permutations of what's in your head.
7. Being a perfectionist leads nowhere.
8. Inflexibility destroys creativity.
9. Virtually all hit records have some kind of "happy accident" going on. Take risks and see what happens.
10. Have fun!

 

[Old No7]

Thank you!

#10 is happening, and I will review this list again, but I will keep #s 6 - 7 - 8 in mind for sure.

Old No7

 

[David Porter]

@Old No7 you are on the right track for sure. The DP is a big scratchpad. One thing that helps is to remember that it erases as well as it records and there is nothing stopping you from doing crazy "what-ifs" and doing really off the wall stuff.

1. Unless one is Mozart, no one sits down and writes a finished piece of music.
2. No one records a a finished record of single takes.
3. Not every recording is a masterpiece.
4. Not every recording is a final version.
5. Not every recording is intended to be released.
6. You cannot always hear what works. But you can always hear what doesn't work. So you have to record several different permutations of what's in your head.
7. Being a perfectionist leads nowhere.
8. Inflexibility destroys creativity.
9. Virtually all hit records have some kind of "happy accident" going on. Take risks and see what happens.
10. Have fun!

I love this list. Words of wisdom. Thank you for that.

All of it - but I really needed to hear #7, in particular.

I hope you don't me sharing that.

 

[mijama]

I'd encourage you to learn the virtual track system as well. That really opens up your track count for you to experiment with. And make or download a track sheet so you can keep track(!) of where everything is! It's an easy way to compare and contrast your arrangement ideas. Watch Phil Tipping's videos - it's time extremely well spent to really learn the machine. Glad you're enjoying the unit!

 

[BazzBass]

these machines are as much about CREATING music as recording music.

You lay down a drum track. Add bass. Add guitars. And you realise the original drumtrack now doesn't quite fit with the new guitar ideas. So you redo the drums. Now you get new bassline ideas from the different drumming,so......redo the bass, and so on as the song evolves. And, being digital,you can keep all the original tracks and go back to them if you want.

 

[-mjk-]

I love this list. Words of wisdom. Thank you for that.

All of it - but I really needed to hear #7, in particular.

I hope you don't me sharing that.

Share as you like!

 

[-mjk-]

I always do drums last. Its different if you have a band and you can work with the drummer and hear how things mesh with all the parts. But, as a solo artist, I'm laying down tracks and then vocals later on. So I have to work the drum parts to support those elements (and not interfere with them) so the only way to accomplish that is to record the drums after everything else is finished.