Questions About Intros, Transitions, Etc

[AnotherLostKing]

Hey there. I just have a few quick questions about composition.

 

Intros:

I always get stuck on the beginning of my songs! I will usually try to start with a simple riff/melody fade-in that becomes more complex later in the song.

Any tips on how to get a dynamic and audibly pleasing intro?

 

Outros:

I usually just start decomposing (funny pun) the song by making the various sounds fade out until it is a simple melody again, which I then fade out slowly.

I feel like there is a better way to end my tracks other than just systematically removing sounds/instruments until it is the main melody.

I don't know how else to end my songs without making it sound uncomfortably abrupt.

 

Transitions:

This is the worst! I have two melodies that I want to smoothly transition between but I end up with a less-than-acceptable mess of changes in the flow of the piece.

I usually use a drum solo accompanied by an extended note in order to transition between melodies, but it never sounds that great.

How do I get a clean transition without ruining the flow of the song?

 

Mastering:

This one is simple.
What effects (reverb, lo-fi, delay, etc.) do you think should generally be applied to specific instruments for the best quality overall?

 

Sorry if this post is in the wrong place. I'm new!

I'm really only looking for tips and tricks that more experienced producers would use.

 

As a side note: I have a wide variety of VSTs, but I mainly use soundfonts for basic instruments and drums. Should I not use soundfonts?

[uncle808us]

Rus Garcia once said about the intro: I quote loosely. 

 "You have to know someone before you introduce them, so add the intro later after you know the piece."

[AnotherLostKing]

Hi, A.L.K.

 

I don't think there are specific answers to your general questions, because, in my opinion, no one size fits all, and any suggestions worth anything would need to be based on a specific composition and recording.  My advice would be to post your recordings of songs in the Song and Recording Critique Forum here for the kind of feedback you're looking for.   BTW, though I could be wrong, I think what you indicate as "mastering" may technically be mixing, because true mastering is of the final stereo two tracks that have been mixed down, and is a specialty unto itself.

 

Welcome Aboard!

 

 

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction! I will definitely post there soon.

 

Rus Garcia once said about the intro: I quote loosely. 

 "You have to know someone before you introduce them, so add the intro later after you know the piece."

 

I've never thought of it like that. Thanks for the tip.

[AnotherLostKing]

-snip-

 

Thank you so much. This gave me a new outlook on song structure.

As a side-note: my favorite genres to produce for myself are midieval/dark classical with modern elements (low synths, electronic backing synths, etc.).

I think song structure is really based on what genre you are producing.

[Zson]

Another good post Ryan,

 

To chime in my oh two.

 

Yeah I always find the intros and outros last.....

 

I focus on my main riff, and or melody. Then the changes in the melody structure, the main riff groves,  I like to set up expectation...what comes next....I'll work on making interest around that and then either meet the prediction or use it to give a pleasant change or twist  . Now I've got something to go from. From that point on I then kinda listen and think , is it cool? is it rock or is it boring.

 

Melody > create good changes > a bit of unpredictable > back to grove > a change of pace feeling > back to main grove (yer old friend by now)

 

That's one chain of thought I use.

 

Sometimes the main theme is the intro, its not a bad way to go.

 

I think the best way to learn these structures is to learn to play the cover songs you really like. Start using those songs to help give you ideas of how you want to be creative.

 

Sometimes the hardest problem in your song becomes the best moment in it.

 

I had a problem in a song called TODAY, I couldn't transition into the sections of chorus. Everything I tried...crap.  I kept going, I did not give up and now it's a happy transition. it really stands out as the 'wow' moment in the song, you can hear it at this link if you want to give it a listen.

 

https://soundcloud.com/radarpirates

 

So Tom really nailed that, every problem in your songs can be a great opportunity to do something very different.

 

 

Hang in there brother,

 

 

James