I’ve got EZ this and EZ that… but now what!?

[Richard Page]

First… I’m not a musician and I’ve not been in a band for 50 years.

Second… I’m an old guy, profoundly deaf and unable to get out anymore and just wanting to make music; something to play along to, write songs with and sing along in my final years.

So, Toontracks got my interest and I started buying, but then I realised the tutorials that came along, were not intended for me!

When you start listening to them, it becomes obvious, they know what they are talking about, but, and it’s a big but, they have no understanding of the person listening that has no idea what you’re saying! It’s like those that sit behind a learner driver, forever sounding their horn, too soon they forget what it was like to be there!

1. Where do I start to write a simple melody? Not ZZTop or Led Zeplin! Is that showing my age!?

2. What do I start with, EZ Keys, Drums, Mix?

3. How do I start… basic drums, simple melody to follow? I don’t want an all dancing all singing piece of music that would require the complete production grew of Abbey Road.

4. Who can give me a simple explanation, using a simple basic chord structure, to build a simple song from start to finish? Basic drums, chord pattern, bass and melody!

I’m in no competition to outdo anyone else or prove I know best.

I want to learn how to create, using so-called EZ stuff, a very simple basic song structure and with that, I can go as deep and as far as I want.

Without a good, solid basic foundation there is nothing to build on!

So, is there anyone that thinks they can teach the basics, simply, clearly from start to finish?

Please help!

PS. I’m a retired teacher and that’s why tutorials always grab my interest!

Richard   toolate.blog   OneDementedMan

• This topic was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Richard Page.
• This topic was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Richard Page.

Topic

[Bear-Faced Cow]

If you are looking for a set formula to writing a song, there isn’t one. You simply start with some thing and build on it. It really doesn’t matter what you start with. Just open it up and if you find something that inspires you, run with it. Otherwise, keep playing with something until you find an idea.

Jord

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Jordan L. Chilcott

Web Site: https://jordanchilcottmusic.com/

• This post was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Bear-Faced Cow.

[Weegobossum]

This feels vaguely like a troll post but, if not:

If you’re looking for in-depth tutorials on how to work each of the products, I’d suggest google-fu-ing your way around Youtube.  The interface can’t be much more intuitive.  Take the bits you like and assemble them in the order you like in the bar along the bottom.  Then you can drag that assembled midi into your DAW for more editing.

Think of the EZ products like musical instruments.  Just because you bought a really nice saxophone, you haven’t bypassed your obligation to learn how to play the saxophone.   You bought EZ drummer/keys.  So essentially you own a very talented, mindless drummer/keyboard player with fantastic gear.   They can play almost anything you want, but YOU have to have some sense of what you want.  They’ll show you what they can do: browse through the included midi.  What style do you want a song in?  Is it a rock song?  Is it a country song?  Is it a prog metal song?  The more you know about playing drums/keys the easier this is.  If you can tap out the groove you want, EZ drummer will try to match similar grooves.  If you don’t know squat about squat, you’re pretty much down to auditioning the individual midi files until you hear what you like under broad genre umbrellas then assembling them into something that works for you.

At the very least you should be generally competent in playing one instrument, probably have a midi keyboard/controller, know how to work your DAW, perhaps having a DAW in the first place… If things like DAW don’t meant anything to you, you should probably check out something like digital audio recording for dummies (i don’t mean that as a dig; I own it) so you can learn the basics.  Also, a general working knowledge of straight, shuffle, and swing feel and different time signatures will serve you well.  Again, Youtube is your friend.

I’m not sure how you work, but usually I have some sort of basic song idea before I start messing with any of the EZ products;  I’m primarily a guitar player so, some chord changes and scratch lyrics (nothing in the tank? just sing about what my dog is doing) for me.  If you don’t have anything, perhaps open up EZdrummer in your DAW and browse through the provided midi grooves until you find something that inspires you.  If you can’t come up with a chord progression that works with it (there’s always I IV V (you know: E A B or A D E or G C D or C F G)), open up EZ keys on a separate track in your DAW and browse through the provided midi included until you find some changes that you want to work with.  At some point, you’ll need to bring something to process and you’ll have a sense of what your “song” is.  At the very least you’ll have a verse. maybe 3 verses and a chorus.  Maybe and intro, a verse, a chorus, another verse, a pre chorus into a repeated chorus another verse and then an ending.  Anyway, go back to EZ drummer and set up your song so the structure is correct and you have a workable rhythm from start to finish.  Then I’d go into EZ Keys and set up the structure there, with the chord changes.  When you have your structure in the bar, you can audition the various midi styles and instruments that you have.

I haven’t messed with EZmix much, so I can’t help you there.  Read up about Insert Effects, and Effects and Master Bussess and how to work your DAW.  Most of the EZmix stuff seems like tools for mixing and mastering in your DAW and some insert effects and amp sims.  Again I recommend a general digital recording guide.

Also, depending on where you’re at in your musical journey, read the music theory document that comes with EZkeys and work your way through the examples.  Lot of good stuff there that a self taught guitarist (like me) never got exposed to.

I hope that’s helpful-ish.

-jeff

• This post was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Weegobossum.

[Richard Page]

Many thanks for your time.. I’m starting my journey and just having fun!

Stay safe, keep well and have great and peaceful Christmas!

[Author]

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