How To Turn Your Loop Into A Song #1 - Inspiration and Production

[@inthemix]

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[@mahiramvevo]

i neen your help do u have fb ?

[@bigmack6112]

What version are you using? and which do you prefer?? Fruity,Producer or Signature? I am new and considering purchasing it...I currently use Logic Pro X..

[@akiramenai4973]

I'm certainly not him, but I started with Producer, and a month later went to Signature for all the extra plugins. Signature gets you Newtone (like Autotune) and GrossBeat (similar to Stutter Edit, but basic), and DirectWave, the sampler with full functionality, among other things.

[@inthemix]

I started on Producer but I got an upgrade to signature. Producer had 99% of what I needed :)

[@bigmack6112]

In The Mix I just bought Producer. Have been watching all of your For New user videos trying to learn my way around the Daw... wish me luck...lol

[@metalgeartac8186]

I found that if I get stuck in a loop, I'll try and take a half hour or an hour break or work on another project so when I come back, I'll have a new perspective. It really does help a lot.

[@inthemix]

Metalgear Tac sometimes there is nothing more valuable for forward progress than taking a break from doing any work. Fresh perspective is so important :)

[@GuyGamer1]

if you had ideas then you would have made them and be able to come back later to them.

[@JGHFunRun]

Plus that let’s you get a better idea of how good your loop really is. For the same reasons.

[@ProducerGio]

@@CarefulHowYouStep same

[@EmpiricalMind]

Lost count of how many unfinished tracks I have saved, I can't stay invested long enough to get anything finished.

[@EmpiricalMind]

I don't think we're alone brother, it's frustrating as hell but you just have to keep trying new ideas, something will come together, it's part of music creation I guess.

[@djgank8268]

True dat. lol but I've found that sometimes I'm just feeling good and thats when I get a full track laid out. I used to spend so much more time just making loops and not getting anything done even though I wanted to. I feel like now I've gotten a grasp of when to work on a song and when not to. which is HUUUGE to me! Like have fun in the DAW yo!

[@EmpiricalMind]

Cheers, ya key is to know when to leave something and start a fresh.

[@ShoryYTP]

EmpiricalMind Same here. Yeah there are a buch of us

[@EmpiricalMind]

I guess not finishing many tracks doesn't matter, as long as the process is still fun, and you're learning new stuff.

[@wilberforce95]

this is so cool, what a solid track.

[@inthemix]

Thanks Will

[@santoshpss]

This is the power of music, we can experiment so much and decide to take the next step, we can *create* anything.

[@charliesimon7595]

I subcribed right at 10:06. That chord progreession with the strings was totally brilliant

[@Bassboy0415]

Even though I've had this strategies in my toolbox for years, sometimes they get hidden behind the constantly stacking knowledge of DAW's and music production. I love coming to your videos forr critical reminders, a fresh mindset, and often brand new ideas. Thank you Michael!

[@ternitamas]

This is my favorite in the album, the build up is amazing. The synergy of the all little elements is fascinating

[@anhejo2913]

I love how detailed you show your songwriting process! Thank you a lot!

[@Table-Top]

Another great video with some golden advice. I often have a great idea thats 8 bars long but am frustrated and can't expand on it. I actually save it in my "ideas" folder and come back to it a few weeks later. But you've inspired me to try a few of you tricks to get it going. Appreciate you passing on what you know.

[@93prince11]

tabletop581 ahh I need an ideas folder so my main won't be so cluttered, thank you!

[@inthemix]

tabletop581 me too! I have a folder called "experiments" where I'm not afraid to try anything and see where it goes

[@scroez]

lol I've Idea & inspiration folders for my Artwork & my DAW (Logic) that are filling my Hard drives, I'm so fussy it's disabling my work flow. Though I got what you were doing, even though I use logic & not used FL. Cheers man nice one...

[@andromedadelux]

I really need to organize my project folders, before my next song is called, Fuck these 5ths its 8ths.

[@cococorino5767]

oh my gosh this is really what I needed

[@vlle.2567]

me too! really useful, I ALWAYS have this loop-problem!

[@cococorino5767]

ikr! this is like, my biggest problem in trying to make music

[@its_ndru]

oh man it's a cow

[@cococorino5767]

he's here

[@dannykomjathy5611]

Woah I appreciated the end of this. Where you spoke on the conversation that everyone is different; but, no matter what don't sit on a loop/beat for too long and also not giving up. Really nice hearing this from you! (:

[@xoener]

Nice song! A bigger problem for me is not being able to break out of a specific chord progression. I can keep building on a loop and adding melodies / pads / effects, but at some point I want to have variety but it's hard because I keep hearing the same progression in my head -- it becomes the foundation so anything new I try to hear in my head still plays on top of the same progression.

[@akramelmansouri6752]

you probably forgot you ever wrote this comment, but were you able to get through this? i'm kind of in the same spot

[@xoener]

​@@akramelmansouri6752 Wow yes I don't remember writing this comment at all, haha. Five years later I still continue to write more incomplete songs and have the issue breaking out of the same chord progression, so I guess the journey continues. Just an idea that popped up in my head, but I wonder if I randomly pick a different set of chords in the same key or even a different key, essentially forcing myself out of a chord progression and trying until I find one that works with the previous one? I'm kind of curious so I might go try that out now!

[@luce1914]

​@@xoener i think i got some ideas for ya: look up some songs and their chords, steal the progression so you kinda can see and feel what other people do with music. Usually a verse will have different chords than the chorus The easiest way to change the verse from chorus is if the verse has 4 chords, just remove one so the chorus has 3 chords. (Verses generally have more chords than the chorus) Sometimes a verse will have all major chords and the chorus will have all minor chords You can also change things by having the verse start on the root, but having the chorus end on the root (and just random chords from the scale for the rest) Goodluck!

[@xoener]

@@luce1914 Appreciate the advice, so I think I was generally going the right direction using chords within the scale. So another idea popped up now that we all have the power of AI on our fingertips -- I asked ChatGPT about a chord variation based on my existing chords and it actually gave me a set of new chords that I started playing around with and so far seems to be giving me something new to move forward with for one of my songs. Definitely not something I could've done 5 years ago lol

[@andromedadelux]

Step 1. Break your resolve. Step 2. Lead your movement when there is none. Step 3. Give your construct movement and be inspired by this movement. Step 4. Be inspired by automation to create movement. Step 5. Arrangement. I will say, breaking resolving chords, melodies, or even simple arpeggios may be difficult for the less musically inclined. But its essential to any transition.

[@BassF1sh1nCat]

Thank you so very much. I will be watching your videos as courses to make the music I want to make. I'm a 60 year old retired gent and my journey is beginning, thank you for being my guide.

[@coolben1310]

Amazing tutorial, the way you explain that as loop breaking the loop concept it's exactly right. You won a sub, best regards.

[@wardka]

Keep it simple. I need that advice! That's why I rarely ever finish anything. My projects get too complicated too quickly.

[@inthemix]

We've all been there, 100 tracks of competing stuff for no reason! Good luck with your productions :)

[@Otchengazoom]

This os the most useful production tutorial I've ever seen because you explain not only WHAT do you do, but WHY you do that. You explain where the ideas came from, which is usually hidden at others tutorials. Thank you very much. Hope you will continue use that point at your videos in future. 😊

[@nabilmohdeb5647]

Just wanted to say thank you michael for the effeorts you keep making for these videos, the way you explain things makes it so easy thank you from the bottom of my heart man ❤❤❤ we truly appreciate the tips and advices you keep providing with that positive energy much appreciated 🙏🖤

[@DrVilest]

thanks for covering this topic💥

[@raajmattu]

your Bollywood remakes and instrumentals are amazing! keep it up!

[@AnymMusic]

I usually make the drop first, and then with all elements, I see what I like and can modify a bit for other parts. After that I add more stuff, like pads or arps

[@gennadiichelak]

I can't stress enough to say how useful are your videos! I'm kinda stuck and don't know how to move on, this has definitely helped me!

[@j0dgers]

I use Reaper, and used to use FL, but I find that your videos are fairly universal for most DAWs, and I appreciate that. Especially with FL's pipeline being different from most other DAWs. I must say, FL's UI does lend itself to the tutorial/explaining format of videos imo.

[@inthemix]

James Rodgers - Composer Reaper is an amazing daw, I'd have to agree about the tutorial UI layout. It's very easy on the eyes and brain with the way it's layed out.

[@Utubesuxmycock]

go FL 20 baby you wont regret it

[@GoldBass]

I use LMMS (Linux Multimedia Studio) which is based on FL's workflow and UI. 80%-95% of any FL-based tutorial translates well.

[@itryen7632]

I got recommended part 2 first, and it took me MONTHS to find part 1. This is why you should put links in the description, folks.

[@benjoseph8131]

Home Depot type beat. (All in good fun, love your work, and thanks!)

[@teogorqui7061]

When I find myself stuck and I need inspiration I watch this video, thank you so much you are the best🙏

[@rotasjon8578]

amazing how the song turned out! you inspired me

[@inthemix]

Jonas Rotabakk Thank you Jonas!

[@nightmare_core_]

👍🎧🎶📎,I was working on a loop this week , but this is just on time.

[@RavinSingh81]

This is so cool. As someone who can write lyrics, but has less than no knowledge about music, it just blows my mind.

[@Pnkfloid49]

Thanks for this video I was stuck in a loop and changing the last couple of notes worked for me to transition into a new phrase

[@spearjrmusic9703]

my 2nd year in your tuts bro and i just get better and better...shouting out all the way from Republic of South Africa

[@inthemix]

Spear Jr Music greetings from Scotland! Thank you so much :)

[@RmaNYouTube]

Sorry, but you just added layers on top of your loops and made a richer loop. this is not the main problem for producers, the difficult point is to how to extend it for 3-4 minutes and make a good Song structure.

[@inthemix]

RmaN Yes that's sort of right. I need to make a follow up where I show more arrangement etc but I guess I was trying to take it from a basic loop to something that I felt really inspired by. Thanks for the feedback :)

[@SeleckPlays]

@@inthemix To be fair, you did say that IN this video though. The way I understood you was that with adding the strings you felt the pallet was complete and you just needed to get those parts arranged on the "canvas" but that's just the "'mid-game" of song creation. You still have all the vocals, mixing, mastering to do. (As you know)

[@mrbeastly3444]

RmaN Yes, and you might of noticed, but he did upload 2 more videos that explain these parts too.. e.g. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIbUaoh7apqJhNU In The Mix Thanks for following up with these! :)

[@ArbleezyGaming]

how to extend your song? maybe you should make your song structure first, like intro-breakdown-buildup-drop-bridge-2nd breakdown- 2nd buildup-2nd drop-outro but in this video is actually how to make theme/how to make the elements of the song

[@repomanband]

very helpful video - as a songwriter it's always fun to see how that process happens for others.

[@romanglinnik8073]

Omg, only by watching this video put me and my track on a new level. Thanks I was really stuck.

[@marc.lepage]

Moon soundtrack is incredible. Good call.

[@bpetersson5024]

this series of loop to song videos are just amazing! big thanks to you!

[@kylehaggard7465]

Great video! Extra points for referencing Moon, one of my favorite soundtracks and movies

[@persona83]

Very cool and inspiring. Now, back to my 200 unfinished 4-bar loops. =)

[@inthemix]

Haha, me too man!

[@JohanDaniel]

This is the right video i was searching for a long time! great work bro!

[@maxy4609]

I def like how you arrange the other loop to song vids. This first one was a lot to take in and my mind was everywhere bc there was so much on the screen. It’s still a good reference though, keep it up!

[@bubblegum7489]

This guy knows exactly what's going on in my head

[@luckydoo369]

Dude im 5 years late but you made a glorious GTA 6 vice city loading screen song! I would love to hear Rockstar use this

[@XRXONE]

Levels by Avicii was nothing but a loop, and it was amazing !

[@Endermanso]

The whole movement of progressive house is a loop. You can hear it in Fade into Darkness, Blessed, Bromance, Penguin...

[@neo7462]

Agree with other comments... I would love if you did a follow up video covering arrangement ideas from an 8 bar loop. I have had many tracks that have a great 8 bar melody and I tend to add multiple parts to that same 8 bar loop (pads, bass, extra synth, etc). My biggest struggle is TRANSITIONS from verse to chorus to bridge to outro, etc. Transitions and contrast (along with good melody / chord progression) is what makes a song great.

[@johnbarbour5258]

Yes! Just found your channel and I love it. It's also great to see another Arturia Minilab Mkii doing real work!

[@electrify..]

Your content is really underrated man. Keep it up

[@srijana6016]

im from india ....u are the main reason for love with fl studio ...u guys are genius with it .....! u should do a worldwide records soon

[@reisaki18]

Its more like a Movie Intro... 😎

[@neilsjmcmahon]

Just started to watch this but the title basically summed up my life for roughly 20 years ;/ Oh crumbs... learned loads & had fun but not so many full songs. By the way I love that Clint Mansell composition as well - I remember the first time I heard it I was in the gym and it just transported me to another world. I'd seen the movie but I didn't connect the two at all until I checked the name later. The movie was more forgettable than the music. Thanks for your work here - keep it up! :)

[@WilliamWonka]

Do you have any suggestions on preventing song burnout when working on a project? Listening to the same track 10,000 times before finishing it dulls my hype on projects and prevents a successful completion. Any suggestions?

[@RichRocketMan]

E x a c t l y! Same here.

[@TryItCZ]

Every now and then, add a sound and draw it in without listening. Also eat a banana

[@TryItCZ]

After 30 minutes stop working on the loop and move to the next measure

[@Mango-dk9wu]

congrats itm, you have shown a well to man dying from thirst. :D

[@andromedadelux]

You should do another video on what happens when your loop of inspiration has too many layers.

[@LuckeySev]

Man this was so helpful. I go through this and you hit the problem on nail. By the way it sounds great.

[@inthemix]

LuckeySev No worries, thank you so much :)

[@andrewtrushinski3848]

Good tips. The synth sounded like I'll Wait by Van Halen for a second there. Sounds really nice.

[@andrewtrushinski3848]

Just want to make an edit for the above comment. It was intended for your other loop to song video, not sure how it ended up on this video. Good video here too though. : )

[@danielmayda680]

your channel is heaven for newbie producers xD thans Mike

[@OlivioSarikas]

One of the Best FL videos i have watched so far - Sub!

[@limito9012]

M8 this is me rn I’m just starting fl XD. Thx for the awesome vid!

[@bulutyesilyurtt]

Dude your videos are golden! Keep up the good work. Huge respect!

[@RobinJustin]

That haunting melody thing sounds exaaactly like an ambulance 😂😷

[@ferencav]

Thanks for sharing! Inspires me to open some old projects and try to finish them.

[@niqulusviii987]

This reminds me that simplicity is key!

[@shreyan1191]

That bass patch is so tasty!

[@bruno5th]

Can you please do a video on Song Arrangement

[@HaharuRecords]

Bruno Kings 🙌

[@reoakiodesu]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKi3gaSAgNR5jZo \(*0*)/

[@Aenkor1982]

First a LIKE. Now watching the Video!

[@arisaragih5396]

BRO I HOPE YOU GET MORE AND MOR SUBSCRIBER. I really appreciate you make all of the videos, because its very easy and simple to understand. i really hope youtube pay you a lot. i will share your channel to my friend. thats what i can do to thanks

[@alimarcafebarley]

Thank youf for this man . You are amazing

[@ahri3887]

This is much better than the other loop to song video, but i really enjoy these arrangement videos and would like more

[@deankumar]

so glad I found this on youtube. I love your channel. keep up the great work!

[@YamiFoxx]

This is a topic I've always struggled with, and never found a solution, so thumbs up to u! Liked and subbed

[@bangladesh6027]

"Have you ever found yourself stuck in a loop?" Only always

[@benstarbeatz]

its Feb 2020 and i begin to follow The mix alwys

[@Will-ei2jz]

Wow zero dislikes... Let’s change that 😂jk good vid

[@ankitaaarya]

Orbital funny in a dark way😂😂

[@sarangsupekar7777]

Bro you helping us a lot ❤️ a video request for Phase issues and how to solve them and also what plugins would be good for it ! Pls thanks 🙏

[@uniqhnd23]

For some reason, when I have a loop, my mind hears ghost sounds that aren't there and I can use those ghosts to make a whole part which is pretty cool. This doesn't help that much for the next part though. Still pretty cool.

[@DrCouache]

i hear them too

[@Chris_ITGuy]

These tips are so simple but so good! Like just the one about building to go into a new section or adding cutoff. Like just reminding me of different ways to do transitions I think really helped! I’ve got a song in this stage right now and I got a melody, chords and it sounds good, but I need to make it not repetitive and need to figure out some structure and some transitions:) Thanks for the vid! Btw love the FL hoodie!

[@inthemix]

Thank you! I find that it's easy to forget simple things that you once knew or can do to move something forward (risers, impacts etc) Listening to other music helps with that too :)

[@YEAHKINDA]

Ohhh my sweet sweet salvation I'm starting to use my thought meat to do things

[@dallasstorey]

Excellent video thank you.You are clear and concise.More like this one to show idea development, arrangement , vocal placement tips, maybe even a complete start to finish with vocals? Keep up the excellent work..you are a gifted teacher.

[@vlle.2567]

you are so amazing! you keep me motivated! I will find out soon how good these tips work for me :)

[@frankiehs]

holy shit this is really useful man thanks! subbd

[@dcorbe]

Thank you for the sage wisdom, talking skeleton man. You must have been an awesome producer before you joined the ranks of the undead.

[@time2cclear]

cool , im at a higher level now in producing many diff genres and if i dont have a vox then i still struggle with layouts big time . and when i collab with vocalists i struggle so hard to make the layout so i can send them a music track . i guess because i learned production by making remixes and i always threw out the music and just wrote new music around a vocal track LOL . i always love the hear a vocal melody on my tracks when the singers send back the vox . its NEVER anything like i imagined . I LOVE THAT SO MUCH !! GREAT VIDEO THANK YOU!! #SALUTE

[@kushagranagar2463]

Much love from India.

[@girlinagale]

I'm working with a Synthstrom Deluge, get a decent beat and good chords then extend those over more measures, copy chord sequence into a bass synth and remove chord tones. Make beat structured by muting kick and hi hat for intro etc. Overall arrangement might be like this - 117bpm 176 bars makes a six minute track approx. Keep working on arrangement and variations of instruments throughout such as stop the pad chords repeating all through by making a chord riff based on the pad tones, all at 176 bars length. Basic four bar loop to full length arrangement. Come back to it another day and make improvements with a fresh listen.

[@laszlozoltan5021]

good stuff- I like the tip of using midi to learn to play along using that to experiment. I also have been finding a lot of interesting stuff that Ive just packed up and forgotten about, reloading old loops with "newer" ears- can be an exciting place to restart a project

[@cactusdill-dos2579]

Thank you, new subscriber here, I have no idea in FL but the last 2 weeks watching your vids help so much.

[@TheRav3n]

Im a new sub. This is art. I never had too much trouble getting out of a loop.... Until I decided to play it unsafe.. Thank you!

[@thejackphoenix7391]

You are a great record producer bro according to me

[@yugo5632]

Hi, congratulations for the tutorials, they are great! Could you make a video on how to put "Instruments in Key" ..? I have many good ideas but I spend a lot of time finding the Key. Thank you ;-)

[@danecustance2734]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and process on this subject.

[@flutelover8637]

I would love to hear the music playing at the end

[@abdullamalalla9357]

your video make me take the sound step , thanks .

[@hihathamin8078]

Great video bro! Glad I'm not alone haha! T​hanks for the inspiration! If you all haven't checked out that track yet, you're missing out!

[@JoshJoshMusic]

Wow that's what i felt everytime

[@voidwalker3871]

This wad actually the perfect time to upload this

[@Sääftig]

What font are you using for your thumbnails?

[@kyblitz8093]

This man just broke my musicians block

[@inthemix]

That's just made my day, good luck !

[@Canaledialemike86-gf4nq]

Congratulations really great work, thank you,

[@thetree2044]

Enjoying your videos , really helping me

[@TheJagdtiger5]

Man, This was so helpful the way you broke it down I have a ton of loops I started and just sitting waiting for life. My problem is that I am making Halloween music and I avoid trying to sound like the phantom of the opera type. But anyways thanks for the tips,

[@Kostaras4444]

Amazing video, dope track too! really brings a light in this common mucisian problem, also love the "Moon" soundtrack