Midi files

[Steven Stewart]

Anybody use them from another song to get basslines?

[ebot9000]

nah, personally i like to make everything myself...

someone played me a track once (won't name names) said the piano solo was made from a midi file downloaded off the internet.. i was like, oh, so that's why it's fucked up and outta key?

i feel like if i make everything myself it means it takes longer and i have a higher failure rate, but i end up learning more and becoming a better producer.

if playing your own basslines is too much, try shelling out some cash to hire a keyboardist or a bassist. learning how to work with musicians is a good skill to have and it'll bring more life and personality to your tracks. i started as a musician playing on producers / bands tracks and it's interesting, over the past few years flipping it and learning how to direct as a producer. it's tough, balancing clear instructions with the musician's sound/abilities, and not saying the words that "spook" them into a bad space.

Like telling a singer she's singing flat will fuck the rest of the session every time... you gotta ask her to push more instead.. & you don't wanna tell a bassist or a percussionist he's rushing either, cuz that's like telling them they can't groove - bad idea. instead you gotta ask them to lay back more.

the midi file thing is weird to me. i wanna control every part even though i spend half my life editing audio...