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