Reason and PA800

[Sam CA]

Sam, when you sequence your songs for the keyboard, how do you do it? Like I know how to sequence but what is the most efficient way?

do you do the drums, percussion, and bass on the computer and record the rest on the keyboard and finally load it all up on ur comp sequencer to adjust notes that are not time?

If you could let me in on your secret to efficiently sequence that would be great, because I remember you were critiquing the fact that I had taken 30 hours to sequence a song. And it seems to me like there is this whole other way of efficiently sequencing

Lastly, why is it that the Drums go to Track 10? anyway to set it to track 1?

Cheers

It's just part of midi specification. Channel 10 is reserved for drums and percussions (non-pitched perc. ).

I start off with the top solo lines (intro, bridges, ending and of course vocals) ,then add drums, because in most songs drums usually play all the way through. If there are pads, that's next for me , because it gives a chordal quality to the frame. Bass track is next...and then i pick the rest of the tracks in any order...I recommand that you make the frame first, because then you know where you're heading in your song. If there are tempo changes? Time sig. changes? etc.....Or you might find it easier to use a style to record the frame, and then replace the style tracks one by one ....it'be faster if you focus on one track at the time, rather than jumping from one to another every other measure. Also don't forget to add markers for diff. sections, because in most pop songs there are identical repeated sections, so you can just copy and paste the entire section...I always reserve channel 16 for the main vocal melody, so if there's a singer or guitarist who's going to play/sing that line, i know where to look for that track. Try to come up with a pattern and be consistent with it. Just reserve certain channels for certain instruments in general, so you will not be confused later on.

I am very nitpicky with respect to the drums since I've been drumming for a long time. Maybe that's why it takes so long for me hehe. I was basically working on the drum and bass tracks yesterday from about 11AM to 8PM. I was off from work so it was time well spent. Just wondering if that's how much time you guys put on those two, afterall it is the rhythm section.

I am working on "Dooset Daram Kheili Ziyad" by K and H. I'll upload the midi as soon as I am done with it and I want your opinion Sam.

Thanks

look i'm not a drummer at all, but i know it well enough to sequence whatever i hear a lot faster than your timeline!!! You being a drummer should be able to sequence a drum track for a pop song like that in less than an hour, considering how repeatitive their drum tracks are! (and that's id you're super picky about timing, velocities...) Are you trying to make a song-style or a just a midi sequence? A complicated arrangement could take all day, but not K and H songs. I've just heard a few songs from them, so i don't know which song you're talking about. Do you have a youtube link or something for that song?

[jg::]

It's just part of midi specification. Channel 10 is reserved for drums and percussions

It's part of the General MIDI specification. To comply with GM, drums should be on channel 10. But beyond GM, you can put drums anywhere. Even on the Pa-series, Korg goes outside the strict GM protocol by putting percussion on channel 11. You'll find that on other workstations (Triton, M3, etc.) drums do not automatically appear on channel 10.

When seqeuencing from a computer (not using Styles), I have often put drum tracks on other channels on Pa80/Pa800.


To abo59: I meant Sequence mode on Pa800/2x/500. It was called Song mode on Pa80 - They changed the name, but it does much the same thing. I forgot where I was for a moment.


And to musicaviat: I would say, take as much time as you want. There are no rules. If you are happy with the results, it doesn't matter how much time you take.

jg::

[Sam CA]

And to musicaviat: I would say, take as much time as you want. There are no rules. If you are happy with the results, it doesn't matter how much time you take.

jg::

yes, if you're doing those for personal pleasure/hobby..etc...If you're doing this for business, you'll be making around 50 cents an hour, if you spend that much time to put a drum track together. So, it really depends how you're looking at this.
And just as a friendly reminder, there's nothing such as "take as much time you want" attitude in the music business, if you ever plan to get hired in a serious studio or any business of that nature. Always remember that if you can't do a project fast enough, there's 500 people waiting at the door waiting for that position. Like I said, if you're doing this for fun, don't even worry about the time problem.

[abo59]

Thanks jg::, that makes sense.

[musicaviat]

It's just part of midi specification. Channel 10 is reserved for drums and percussions (non-pitched perc. ).

I start off with the top solo lines (intro, bridges, ending and of course vocals) ,then add drums, because in most songs drums usually play all the way through. If there are pads, that's next for me , because it gives a chordal quality to the frame. Bass track is next...and then i pick the rest of the tracks in any order...I recommand that you make the frame first, because then you know where you're heading in your song. If there are tempo changes? Time sig. changes? etc.....Or you might find it easier to use a style to record the frame, and then replace the style tracks one by one ....it'be faster if you focus on one track at the time, rather than jumping from one to another every other measure. Also don't forget to add markers for diff. sections, because in most pop songs there are identical repeated sections, so you can just copy and paste the entire section...I always reserve channel 16 for the main vocal melody, so if there's a singer or guitarist who's going to play/sing that line, i know where to look for that track. Try to come up with a pattern and be consistent with it. Just reserve certain channels for certain instruments in general, so you will not be confused later on.

I am very nitpicky with respect to the drums since I've been drumming for a long time. Maybe that's why it takes so long for me hehe. I was basically working on the drum and bass tracks yesterday from about 11AM to 8PM. I was off from work so it was time well spent. Just wondering if that's how much time you guys put on those two, afterall it is the rhythm section.

I am working on "Dooset Daram Kheili Ziyad" by K and H. I'll upload the midi as soon as I am done with it and I want your opinion Sam.

Thanks

look i'm not a drummer at all, but i know it well enough to sequence whatever i hear a lot faster than your timeline!!! You being a drummer should be able to sequence a drum track for a pop song like that in less than an hour, considering how repeatitive their drum tracks are! (and that's id you're super picky about timing, velocities...) Are you trying to make a song-style or a just a midi sequence? A complicated arrangement could take all day, but not K and H songs. I've just heard a few songs from them, so i don't know which song you're talking about. Do you have a youtube link or something for that song?

No the drum tracks for K/H aren't hard... I just compose new ones to make it sound better.

I try to make all of my sequences as if it is a "live" show. So obviously it will be different than what is on the CD.

Cheers and thanks for your countless help.