2017/08/18 13:36:28
bapu
I'll use anything anytime anywhere to get a song done.
 
I've been known to pay online talent.
 
I'll use construction kits, MIDI drum loops, EZKeys, BIAB, strum libraries etc to get the idea across. Some songs start out that way only to have most if not all parts replaced. I even have some songs that all but vocal and bass were "composed" using any combination of those tools. I also have participated in songs (either my own or others) that were all live players.
 
FWIW: Construction kits as I see them are live players. I've hired someone to get the ball rolling (as in the price of the kit, VSTi or MIDI).
 
Am I cheating? No, I'm creating.
 
cheat
verb

  • act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, especially in a game or examination.
    "she always cheats at cards




  • avoid (something undesirable) by luck or skill.
    "she cheated death in a spectacular crash"
     
     




  • 2017/08/18 13:38:50
    bapu
    Also, I have a Line 6 Modeling Bass and a Line 6 JTV Variax that gets me "instruments" I don't physically own.
     
    Cheating? Not in my book.
    2017/08/18 13:38:58
    Slugbaby
    I've never used a kit per se, and have usually seen it as cheating.  But that's just my own unimportant opinion.
    It's also a very grey area.  
    I'll always write my own music, but for example - i'm not a drummer.  After I've programmed the basic MIDI beat that I want, I'll often take the hi-hat line from a premade MIDI clip to add some realism.  I still consider it "my creation" even though it's not quite 100% true.
     
    Taking tiny bits and pieces is on the acceptable side, however sampling the bassline from Under Pressure and saying that you wrote Ice Ice Baby is far on the unacceptable side.
     
     
    2017/08/18 14:22:42
    AT
    I made a nice song all on my own.  Rock and sticks.  The sticks were artisan, all hand picked off the proverbial vine  I would have played the drums but I didn't kill the cow for the hide, or scrap or tan it.  That would be cheating.  And had to invent new "rock chords" so I didn't have to recycle used progressions.  The clusters cords are all unique.  The song, "Rock and sticks," ain't very interesting.  In fact, it sucks, but at least it is pure.  I didn't have to beg borrow or steal nothing, even grammar.
     
    ;-)
    2017/08/18 14:36:52
    mettelus
    bapu
    I'll use anything anytime anywhere to get a song done.
     


    That is pretty much it in a nutshell, barring any legal issues (most of the items mentioned above have none). Life is about time, so act accordingly.

    As much re-engineering as I have done in life, the focus is never to "make from scratch" but rather "deliver product." One only needs to reinvent the wheel once to realize what a massive time expenditure (read "waste of time") it is.
    2017/08/18 18:17:50
    DrLumen
    Hmm, well to take this to the next level... What about music programs like SmartSound or Cinescore? They have variations and different mixes for the variations. If you buy a "kit" it is royalty free and you can use it however you want. Would those be considered cheating? They are just the next logical step from loop kits.
     Example
     
    Again, not judging but curious where the line is for most people.
    2017/08/18 18:42:11
    AndyB01
    Yep I've used Smartsound to score video - it's like a magic trick the way it auto trims itself to fit the video track. It's preferable to breaching copyright by scoring with contemporary music tracks like so many people do.

    I agree with another poster about sampling though - not a fan - that's my red line.
    2017/08/20 03:51:16
    Leee
    Thanks for all the feedback.  As I expected there's a wide range of opinions.
    I guess I should have mentioned at the top, I'm not a professional songwriter, I post songs on SoundClick (80+ songs at this point), and make CD's with professional looking covers and booklets.  I sent my CD's to my brother and he's a very negative person who rarely compliments anyone. He surprised me when he said, "I'm really impressed".
    I asked him, "So you liked the songs?"
    He said, "No I haven't listened to them yet, I was just talking about the packaging."
    (I did do all the artwork myself)

    But I digress.  I think I mentioned about 30 - 40 percent of my songs use some kind of construction kit or EZkeys piano tracks, but I always try to make the song my own. So if someone listens to it, who is familiar with the construction kit or the EZkeys parts, I want to make it hard for them to identify with any parts that I didn't create myself.   I think I've used complete construction kits (with all the parts) only 2 or 3 times in a song.
    But again, I'm not a professional, I'm not looking to profit from my song writing.  But I am thinking of getting more and more into producing local singer-songwriters songs.  I've done that a few times with great results.  And I'm planning on advertising locally as a small studio producer to work with local talent and create fully produced, mixed and mastered songs from their piano or guitar and vocal parts.   I wouldn't be using any construction kits when producing other people's work.
    2017/08/22 10:28:38
    soens
    Rob(at)Sound-Rehab
    First time I hear that a sandwich is a piece of art.
    What is next? Nobel prize for the best sandwich?



    https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2014/jan/03/cooking-original-artform-heston-blumenthal-rirkrit-tiravanija
    2017/08/23 17:13:15
    Joe_A
    Ideas are where u find them.

    For instruction kits...hey just get a few Billy Joel songs and use his formats; intro verse chorus verse chorus bridge verse chorus until you have enough verses, then ending (redo the intro).
    *He'll say the same.... I remember this because I saw one of Billy's interviews and he says he mostly follows the same structure when starting to write a song.
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