How I make my jams (pt.1) // behind the scenes // Roland MC-707

I get asked quite often, how do you make these jams?
How do you start?
What is your process?
This is a raw version (behind the scenes) of what comes before the actual recording of the jam.
A lot of time, trying out ideas, making clips, recording, correcting, erasing and starting all over.
A short version (26 minutes) that was recorded in one take (apart from my camera stopping at 10 minutes).
It is all about having fun in the process, because that process takes a lot of time!
I'm using the Roland MC-707, but this could apply to any groovebox I guess.
Chapters :
00:00 Starting a hihat pattern.
00:19 The first clip.
01:13 Second clip (granular string)
02:15 Fixing timing
02:55 Adding a bassline
05:13 Time for some drums.
05:57 More melody
06:41 Extra drums.
07:54 Trying a new melody.
09:00 Taking it down to make room for something new
10:35 Bass time.
12:34 Changing drums.
13:10 Selecting a new sound.
15:40 A new beginning.
16:16 New granular synth clip.
17:00 Adding a new track.
19:12 Not satisfied, try something else.
20:08 Bass time
21:46 More drums
22:22 New melody
23:13 Conclusion how I make these jams
Gear used :
➔ Roland MC-707 (all sounds)
➔ Source Audio Collider (reverb on most tracks)
➔ Behringer XR18
➔ Nikon D750 + 85mm lens.
Recorded into Reason for some compression and EQ.
Support me :
If you like this kind of content and want to support me even more (apart from watching this stuff), you can buy me a coffee to make me work harder in the mornings 😁 via www.buymeacoffee.com/montfrooij
Thanks on forehand!
Tags :
#dawless #rolandmc707 #jamming

[@LuisTorres-qz5kr]

Thanks for sharing your process. Grabbed several tips 👍

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man! Glad it was helpful!

[@tricks-and-tips]

PS, I'm thinking about doing a second part where I structure all the ideas into something that is more ready for recording :)

[@LuisTorres-qz5kr]

@@tricks-and-tips That would be great!

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@LuisTorres-qz5kr If I remember, I will mention you. Otherwise, I hope you hit that subscribe button + the bell so you get a notification 😁

[@LuisTorres-qz5kr]

@@tricks-and-tips Button & subbed!

[@palindromial]

Wow, I did NOT know that you can place 100/80/60 velocity beats like that. Thank you! 5:45

[@tricks-and-tips]

Learning all the time :)

[@kenb7540]

Love watching you work ! 👏👏🎶👍

[@tricks-and-tips]

Nice to hear! Appreciate the comments a lot 😊

[@dracul74]

Great stuff. Always fun to see ppls workflow. For me, my first step is to assign chords to the chord pads… I then build 2+ song sections (clips for verse, chorus, etc)… then I jam.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah, that sounds good! I sometimes struggle to find A and B sections. But for this jam I think it will be Allright. I think I have enough for that now. Next video will be about trying to create some scenes for the final jam. And it is very well possible that I record new clips during that process 🤣 Just where the inspiration takes me

[@tricks-and-tips]

Part 2 has just been uploaded and here I try to structure my 'free' jam! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHy3dGCde6-Wec0

[@krazywabbit]

This is legitimately inspiring and resonates with me on every level from the sounds to the process. Jam is life. Next to coffee. Cheers. 🎉

[@tricks-and-tips]

Hahahahahahahah! Next to coffee indeed. Thanks a ton. I really wappreciate it!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Part 2 has just been uploaded and here I try to structure my 'free' jam! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHy3dGCde6-Wec0

[@johnm.5913]

What a quote!

[@patakijanos4112]

Amazing music, I have just get mine 2 day ago love mc707.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man! And congratulations. Take it slow and have fun! There is a lot to learn! I'm currently at project 59 and still learning new things about the 707!

[@bigbeatnut]

This has been really helpful, thank you. Either I'm going to find a way to adapt this for the MC-101 or else there's a 707 in my near future.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks for the comment! I have never owned a 101, but went for a 707 since I needed a 'master brain' for my setup, but this will work on the 101 too (just with some limitations) If I ever get another brain (sequencer), I will probably sell the 707 and get a 101 instead for the beautiful sounds. I seldomly use more than 4 707 'internal' tracks, so a 101 should be sufficient if I ever replace the 707 with another sequencer / brain.

[@rayderrich]

I do find myself questioning how to jam live like you do, Peter, so thank you for making behind-the-scenes videos. I will make sure to watch others you made. I more or less 'program' music in a DAW but want to have more control during playing, pretending I am playing for a small audience. I hope this change in workflow can happen for me, as I want to have more fun.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks. Before I started with the 707, I had the same workflow in the DAW. (and I still have that for when I use the DAW). But I wanted to have a second place to make music. When I started out, my goal was to make tracks on the hardware setup too, but that did not work well. I got quite frustrated when I could not do with hardware what I normally did (in the DAW), but after a lot of pushing through and many hours just fiddling around, I developed a different workflow. One that is much more fun and instant. It's really like performing your jam. And the 707 works very well for me in this way.

[@rayderrich]

@@tricks-and-tips I love the fact that you found your new flow, and would love to see more about this way.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@rayderrich I have been thinking about a way to show my workflow in an interesting way. But it is still not super clear how I can prevent this from becoming a very long and boring video with me trying out ideas consciously trying to make something interesting for the viewer.

[@rayderrich]

@@tricks-and-tips It will not be for everyone, but what might look boring to you is fresh for someone like me who does not know how to do it yet. And you can always cut some scenes if you feel some parts are just too long. But hey do what you want, it is just a thought, not a must.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@rayderrich That is true! I'll try and find a way to make something interesting.

[@federicogalland]

I like your timbres. Particularly the bass one. I have an MC-707 which I use for it's bread and butter sounds (piano, rhodes, clav), but you make it sound the way it should!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks a lot! Funny, I always struggle to find good piano sounds (like acoustic) on the 707 :)

[@thesesmallboxes]

This is brilliant! And I have several minutes still to watch (and will!) The idea of a a project for favorite tones is simple but powerful! (I do this with songs, telling Siri to add to my “File Later” playlist, to be sorted into a “real” playlist later.) I love my 707 but have been too distracted (life, work, Eurorack, etc) to build a real workflow. This will help tremendously! Yes, MORE OF THESE, PLEASE!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! Glad it was useful. I'm planning on doing a second part where I structure all the various clips and try to come up with something that makes sense as a track. Yeah, that is nice too (having a playlist with songs that inspire you)

[@tricks-and-tips]

Part 2 has just been uploaded and here I try to structure my 'free' jam! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHy3dGCde6-Wec0

[@ben-framat]

Great stuff! What scale are you on here?

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! Em (+4 and Minor)

[@bigbeatnut]

Interested to know how you get to you starting project before the video starts, particularly how there are ‘old’ phrases already in there. Was it based on the last jam you did or something ? Or is your doodle project an always evolving starting point ?

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yes, valid question I think . I thought about adding that in a video too (and I might do that since I now have a camera that can record for longer than 10min straight). I think 60% of my jams it start with a sound that is inspiring and I build on from that. So without any plan, just go with the flow. 15% is really like : I want to make a xxx track and I will try and do that. (usually it ends up as one of the 60% free jams) The rest is starting from previously recorded clips on my 707 (on this noodle project for example). I often sit down with the idea of just selecting sounds and making short clips from those that I can use later

[@tomfoolery4077]

For Note Mode, are you in a scale of some sort, as to why the pads are all lit?

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yes, In this case I used a minor scale. It can be handy when jamming, mainly because you get 2 octaves.

[@ricksnowden2150]

Subbed. Nice work

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks a lot!!

[@colinthekid3746]

Hey how do u set up ur melody key pads to not be like a piano. But access all pads?

[@tricks-and-tips]

Hi! Shift + Note and select a scale (C4 knob) You can transpose your pads up and down too here.

[@thesesmallboxes]

Also, do you feel something like a Keystep 37 would help you in this workflow?

[@tricks-and-tips]

I have a simple 49keys midi keyboard that I use too. But for this project I set the pads to a minor scale, and that way I can come up with patterns that I would not have thought of on a regular keyboard 😁

[@romi2910001]

Wow Great vid btw would you happen know how to save samples on the SD card. Something i haven't been able figure out. Thanks in advance

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thank you! What do you want to do? Save from PC on the SD so you can use them in the 707?

[@romi2910001]

@tricks-and-tips Thanks for getting back, I can't figure out how to save a drum pattern or melody that I sample on the 707 on to the sd card. Do I have to create a file first or something? Thanks

[@tricks-and-tips]

​@@romi2910001 I don't get it, sorry. What do you want to do? You have a drum clip going on the 707 on a drum track and want to save that as a sample on the 707? Why? To use on the 707? I don't get it, I never make samples from the 707 on the 707 itself.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@romi2910001 Maybe UnitE is explaining what you want in this tutorial (second part of the video) He plays a melody on the 707 and records that as a sample kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5Kmd6ecoKaVbKs

[@romi2910001]

@tricks-and-tips Thanks I'll take a look at it.

[@sossomuss]

That'll help me arrange a lot better. Thank you.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! If you have questions, let me know! 2 know more than one 😆

[@tricks-and-tips]

PS, I'm thinking about doing a second part where I structure all the ideas into something that is more ready for recording :)

[@sossomuss]

@@tricks-and-tips That would be great.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@sossomuss If I remember, I will mention you. But otherwise I hope you have hit that subscribe button and clicked the bell to get a notification 😅

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@sossomuss Part 2 has just been uploaded and here I try to structure my 'free' jam! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHy3dGCde6-Wec0

[@chriscrowder3844]

Where are you based I'm in kent

[@tricks-and-tips]

The Netherlands.

[@chriscrowder3844]

@@tricks-and-tips to far to hook up and jam eh

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@chriscrowder3844 Yeah, unfortunately. That would get time consuming and expensive in no time....

[@Arperture]

I sold my Moog Minotaur because Subby Bass was the only sub I’d ever need.

[@tricks-and-tips]

😆What did you get instead?

[@wylatron]

You uh… do know you can just quantize your bad timing instead of fixing it by hand, right?

[@tricks-and-tips]

Hahahahahahaha. Look at the red light on the button. Quantization is ON..... My timing is very bad sometimes ;P

[@wylatron]

@@tricks-and-tips Doh! I didn’t notice haha that’s rough lol Well, we all have our battles. You still make kick-ass videos😊

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@wylatron I can only wonder how it would sound without 😬😬😬😬 Thanks!

[@johnm.5913]

What are good quantization settings for this machine? Or Also in general. I have been trying to figure out good Quantize settings