Songwriting and Multitrack Recording

Like all things musical, songwriting is a skill that needs to be worked on before you will be able to write really good songs. No one gets up in the morning only to discover they can write great songs. Songwriting is something that takes time to develop and requires study, persistence and practice.

One of the most useful tools for a songwriter to have is a multitrack recorder. A multitrack recorder allows you to record one or more tracks at a time and then layer or overdub new tracks onto the existing tracks you have recorded as you go. Thanks to technology, digital multitrack recorders have made multitrack recording affordable for people who are on a small budget. You can record at home, in your own time and not have the cost of hiring dedicated studio time with a sound engineer. This allows you to start recording as soon as you have a basic idea for a song.

Most digital multitrack recorders come with inbuilt effects and drum tracks. Drums tracks are another great tool that can help you turn an idea into a finished song.

How To Start Writing Using A Multitrack Recorder

With a multitrack recorder you can approach writing in many different ways. The more ways you experiment with the more likely you will come up with ideas that become songs. There is no set formula when it comes to songwriting. What might work for you on one day might be a total failure the next. You need to keep working on different ways to approach writing.

Rhythm First

A great way to start writing is to record a rhythm track. Work out the beats per minute of the song and either program a drum track into the recorder or use a basic guide track. If you are working with a multitrack recorder that doesn’t have any inbuilt rhythm functions then you might want to invest in an inexpensive drum machine.

Recording a basic drum track at a good tempo will give you a foundation of a song as it gives a song the time signature and as giving the basic feel and groove of the song. The rhythm could be a straight beat or a shuffle beat and that will influence the direction of the feel of the song.

Basic Chords

After you have a basic rhythm track recorded, pick up your instrument, which could be guitar, piano or another instrument and start playing along with the rhythm track. Find some chords that sound good and that compliment the rhythm. You can start with one chord and playing it and listening to where you think the music sounds like it wants to go. Then start adding other chords and see what you can come up with.

When you have a chord progression that you are happy with, record it alongside the rhythm track.

Bass Instruments

Once you have recorded a chord progression it’s quite easy to record simple bass. Bass does not have to be played on a bass guitar, you could use the low strings on a guitar or piano or even another instrument. As long as you keep the notes in the lower register you will be able to at least record bass parts. If you aren’t sure what to play for the bass you can just follow the rhythm of the drums or percussion track and play the root note of each of the chords in the chord progression. If you want to add more than the root note then play both the root and the 5th note of the chords. You can play other tones from the chords on bass and add passing notes. This will depend on your musical ability and your ear. If you aren’t sure what you are playing but something sounds good to you then it really doesn’t matter what the music theory behind it is. Music is about sound and feel, not theory.

Vocals and Melody

After you have recorded a rhythm track, a chord progression and bass track, you can then add melody with lead instrument and/or vocal tracks. By this stage there is a good chance that you will already have an idea of how you want the melody to sound. One of the great things about a multitrack recorder is it allows you to experiment until you come up with music that sounds good. As you record each track you will often find that a bit of musical magic starts to happen. The layering of tracks on a multitrack recorder can turn what at first just sounded like a rhythm track and simple chord progression into the makings of a good song. A lead and/or vocal track will tack this another step further.

Finish Your Songs

The most important piece of the great puzzle of songwriting is that you finish songs. Its no good having bits and pieces of songs, unfinished works, riffs and licks. Even though the songs you first sit down to write may not sound like they are going to be number one hits, you need to complete them and move onto new songs. Once you have completed a song you can close the book on it. Then as you listen back to it you will hear parts that you might not think are all that great you can take those things on board when you sit down to write a new song. Finishing songs like this is what will assist you in writing better songs. If you write regularly your songwriting will improve and one day you will wake up to find that you have become a good songwriter.

As with most activities that require creativity, learning to write songs is a fun and rewarding experience. Using a multitrack recorder to record multiple parts with various instruments will give you ideas and help get your creative juices flowing.