What is your workflow?

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Curtsong
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2012/08/15 01:49:54 (permalink)

What is your workflow?

I'm curious to know how people work on a project.  I have a few workflows that I keep as a routine and it makes my projects breeze along.  I'd like to learn others and possibly adapt to an efficient Work Flow.  

Here's one of my common WFs: 

  1. I start out with sketching out the form of a song.   
  2. I start with the drums, either, Studio Drummer or one of the Abbey Roads Drummer plugins with NI Kontakt 5.  (latest version).   
  3. I then work all the tracks.   I'll have probably 4-9 VSTs for instrument and the rest are live recordings for guitars some percussion and vocals.   
  4. I will spend hours on editing any midi parts to perfection and editing the vocals too.   
  5. Once I get the tracks where I want them.  I'll work on the mix.  
  6. I keep all the VSTs in Freeze mode and unfreeze them when I need to edit them.  Then freeze them again. 
  7. Mix will consist of parallel compression for the drums to a submix into Drums Sub summing to the Master I'll Focus on each instrument working with the ProChannel in each part, including some VSTs ie, the bass or synth that feels like it could use the Gloss EQ or Compression 
  8. When the Mix is sounding great, I will generally re-track Vocals to capture the best feel with the Mix 
  9. Then, if the vocals need some pitch correction (usually slight correction I don't like abusing the AT) I'll treat the vocals with Auto Tune 7 or Evo. 
  10. Sometimes if I just can't nail notes I'll use V-Vocal I'll then Bounce those vocals to new tracks.  (my procedure for this is to clone the vocal tracks, keeping the ProChannels and DSP I've created the same.  
  11. I'll turn off the ProChannels and DSP on the Tracks I'm bouncing from and Only Bounce the Insert FX(Auto Tune or V-Vocal) to the new cloned channels. 
  12. I'll then put the original vocal takes into a folder and archive the folder.  
  13. Then, I'll work the final mix.  Before, I render the project to a Wav file, I'll save the project and exit and re-start Sonar in case of the crashes I've been having that takes place during the render, I'm still have the saved file. 
  14. I'll render the project by highlighting all the tracks including Frozen VST tracks and all audio tracks.  Using File/Export/Audio.  I generally use the 32bit and Pow-r-2 Dithering.   


I may be adjusting this as I learn through this post.  I may have also forgotten something too.  
Cheers!

post edited by Curtsong - 2012/08/15 13:13:40

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    bitflipper
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    Re:What is your workflow? 2012/08/15 11:12:30 (permalink)
    There are probably as many variations on "workflow" as there are DAW users and musical styles. If you've got a methodology that works for you, go with it and don't worry too much about whether there's a better way. Let it organically refine itself over time.

    I, too, have more than one approach, depending on whether I'm composing within the DAW or mixing someone else's material, whether working primarily with synthesizers or real audio, fake versus real drums, instrumentals versus vocals, big productions versus minimal true-to-life captures.

    Regardless of the type of project, the mix process is ongoing throughout the process, starting with tracking right on through the final revisit after mastering. There isn't really a separate "mix" stage, just a gradual shift from coarse to ever-finer adjustments.

    My best tip: save effects for last. Start with track EQ, then compression, delays and reverbs last. Apply track effects first while keeping the busses clear of effects. Get the best mix you can without bus compressors and reverb. Use busses as building blocks, treating each one as its own little sub-mix. Maintain headroom and hold off adding the master bus limiter until the very last. 


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

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    CJaysMusic
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    Re:What is your workflow? 2012/08/15 11:39:54 (permalink)
    Each song always started out with a different workflow and a way way way different signal chain with way way way different effects and effects settings. Each song is unique , so i never used the same workflow, settings, effects and instruments in each song

    Cj

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    southpaw3473
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    Re:What is your workflow? 2012/08/15 11:50:50 (permalink)
    bitflipper

    Regardless of the type of project, the mix process is ongoing throughout the process, starting with tracking right on through the final revisit after mastering. There isn't really a separate "mix" stage, just a gradual shift from coarse to ever-finer adjustments.

    +1. 


    I always try to envision the mix in pre production with some questions. What is the project (single, full length album, quick demo, etc)? Is there a basic sonic blueprint the artist (or me as artist or producer for that matter) wants to achieve? Is each piece of music part of a sonically similar strategy or is each piece treated on its own merit? What is the music style? Vocal heavy? Instrumental heavy? Rhythmically heavy? Primarily acoustic, electric or synth driven? Primarily live recorded or track by track? 


    These questions often will determine workflow and strategy.  


    Usually, I want a solid rhythm section first. Drums and bass down first, then rhythm instruments, lead instruments, backing vox with a junk lead vox track.  


    I like to track lead vox with nearly all major pieces in place so the singer is in context with the whole song.


    As I track I start to mix as Bitflipper said. I do begin to eq, compress and add effects (reverb, delay, etc) during tracking so the mix begins to take shape. Final decisions about processing are made during final mixes.


    Each project has its own unique details so there isn't an iron-clad workflow but I like to keep it as consistent as possible. Each drum piece is always laid out in the same way-kick, snare bottom, snare top, hats, toms, overheads then room, right to left and are always the last tracks to the right in console view. Lead vox are always on track 1, bass is always on track 2, main rhythm instrument is next. This way I always know where my tracks are.


    I used to lay out tracks like this in the good ol' analog days and habits are hard to break! 

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    konradh
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    Re:What is your workflow? 2012/08/15 11:55:41 (permalink)
    In ancient days, it started with drum machine programming because everything synced to that.  Here is DAW workflow.  Keep in mind that I use mostly organic rather than eletronic sounds, even though they are mostly created with synths and plug-ins.

    • Write awesome song
    • Record whichever instrument most defines the feel: usually rhythm guitar, but could be piano.  Almost always one of those.
    • Record melody on electric piano or some other innocuous instrument and type in lyrics.  This is an important guide for the arrangement.  Some people would do scratch vocal.  I don't lately but don't know why.
    • Add bass, drums, rhythm guitar, piano, and other rhythm section instruments that were not added in the second step (define feel).  Whether I do drums or bass first depends on which has more personality and is more key to the character of the song.  Then I make the other one coordinate with it.  I tend towards simple bass and more often do drums first.
    • Add lead lines, counter-melodies, solos, etc.
    • Add sweetening: strings, pads, etc.  Add sound effects, if appropriate.
    • Make lots of edits and arrangement adjustments.
    • Add lead vocal.  The stubborn singer who cannot be programmed usually messes up my creation.
    • Make Melodyne corrections to lead vocal as appropriate.
    • Add harmony vocals, if they follow the lead vocal.  If not, they can be added during sweetening phase or after lead vocal.
    • Make multiple test mixes to CD and iPod.
    • Make final mix.
    • Get $5 million dollars and lots of chicks.
    post edited by konradh - 2012/08/15 12:04:08
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    southpaw3473
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    Re:What is your workflow? 2012/08/15 12:26:10 (permalink)
    konradh

    • Make final mix.
    • Get $5 million dollars and lots of chicks.

    Your workflow strategy is waaaay better than mine!! 

    We'll not risk another frontal assault-that rabbit's dynamite!!!

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    myconsumerclub
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    Re:What is your workflow? 2012/08/15 12:32:50 (permalink)
    that last part sounds like it could be more interesting to read about

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    Curtsong
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    Re:What is your workflow? 2012/08/15 13:23:43 (permalink)
    Yes, 

    I agree that every project will have a different intention and variations to workflow.  

    I'm always looking for an efficient way to balance the process of workflow.  Time is such a black hole these days and easy to lose it while working on a project from beginning to end.  Enter issues that may arise, from user error to crashes, to never ending tweekfests, a day turns into a week into a month before a large project is finished.  

    My Objective:  Balanced Workflow + Balanced Daily Routine = Happy Well Balance Musician.  :) 

    Doesn't always work out this way.  

    I am attempting to simplify life with work and utilize the simple tools like "goals", "plans", "schedule", LOLOL  

    Great to learn how other people work.  To each their own.  What works for one, my not work for another.  

    Thanks for sharing.  

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