Old 07-04-2017, 02:20 PM   #1
DreamDisease
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Default How do you organize your tracks?

I've always found organizing things to be my weakest link in music production...like I don't know how I should group things, or see parts of a song. So here's my current scenario
You got a:

bass
drums
synths
pads/strings
piano
trumpet
vocals

And you're making a cheesy dance song. Usually piano's playing chords, synths are like 5 different synths that are harmonizing with each other or playing counterpoint melodies. Pad's playing slightly different sustained chords than the piano. Trumpet's almost like the synths but more spread out and punctuated. And there's some orchestra hits too. How would you break those into different navigable groups (folders) of the song?

Would you make a folder for the instruments strictly, or go more like "lead melody here" "harmony here" etc? Would you make new tracks/folders for the different sections of your song? Verse, chorus etc

And how would you name specific instruments?

Is there something I can read or watch to get better at this?

And then it gets worse on tracks where I have like 10 different guitars playing harmonies/counterpoints...never know what to call them.

Last edited by DreamDisease; 07-04-2017 at 02:37 PM.
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Old 07-04-2017, 02:31 PM   #2
SuperKons
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I have been building a template, consisting of folder tracks, into which I group different things.
I have a folder for all my VST instances, a folder for MIDI tracks, which are grouped by instrument category (e.g.: strings, brass, woodwinds, etc.), within these categories I may have further subdivisions per sound library instruments (e.g.: Spitfire Albion One Strings, Miroslav Philharmonik 2 5 Cellos, etc.), then I have a folder for group tracks, into which I have different grouping tracks (e.g.: strings, brass, etc.), and, last, a folder for FX plugins, again divided into sub-categories (e.g.: strings reverb, brass reverb, etc.). If needed, I have a folder for individual audio tracks, which I send into specific grouping tracks.

AS for the naming, if, for example, it is a MIDI track for a VST, I use the same name as the sample names, if it is an audio track for a sound I made on my workstation, I use the sound name.

All this is saved as a project template.
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Old 07-04-2017, 03:03 PM   #3
Mike Raine
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Generally I have a folder for 'vocals' and a folder for 'band'. Within the folder for vocals I have another folder for backing vocals. Within the folder for bands I have folder for various related instruments (depending on the arrangement of the song). For example, I may have a folder for 'percussion', or one for 'acoustic guitars'.
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Old 07-04-2017, 03:49 PM   #4
grinder
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For me
Drums
Synths
Bass
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Guitars (Whether Lead Rhythm etc)
Vocals

Grinder
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Old 07-04-2017, 04:27 PM   #5
dub tree
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I try to go with color-coding rather than actual text labels. It gives me a general sense of the structure of a piece, without having to squint to read those tiny labels. Drums are always blue, bass is always red, keys are always yellow, guitars are always green, etc.

That way I can just glance at the timeline and see, "that's where the bass drops out" because there's no red there. None of that pesky typing needed; that's what forums are for
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Old 07-04-2017, 04:33 PM   #6
SuperKons
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Forgot to mention I also colour my tracks
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Old 07-04-2017, 04:51 PM   #7
grinder
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grinder View Post
For me
Drums
Synths
Bass
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Guitars (Whether Lead Rhythm etc)
Vocals

Grinder
I colour code my guitars with the colour closest to that of my Guitar body
I call each of my same instrument tracks say Omni 1 Omni 2 (Omnisphere) in this case etc then the buss (name of particular VSTi say Omni OUT etc in the case of if you own a few guitsrs I label them 335 1, 335 2 etc and the Buss track 335 out.
Good to have the name of the guitar synth or even the name of the particular sample you have used in the label, nothing worse than forgetting what guitar or midi VSTi program/sample you have used and you find out later you have got a dud note you did not hear in the first instance.
Acoustic guitar for me always gets dark green.
In otherwise I give a name that closest relates to what instrument/Smple instrument I played to get the sound I recorded.

Grinder
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Old 07-04-2017, 06:43 PM   #8
Fergler
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Like so, for me. Because it lets me use the vocals (and in your case, a lead trumpet?) to duck the entire track slightly to increase intelligibility, just a little. Don't always do it but by setting up this way I have the option without having to move things around.


Vocals
Trumpet
Backing
--Drums
----drumstuff
----" "
--Bass
--Keys
----Piano
----Synths
----Pads/strings
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Old 07-05-2017, 03:56 AM   #9
g8torcliff
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My most used template:

Vocal Parent
Lead Voc
Harmony 1
Harmony 2
Guitar Parent
Accoustic
Slide
Electric
Midi Parent
Piano
Synth
Brass
Drums Parent
EZ Drummer template with separate track for each drum
Bass
Harmonica

When necessary I add more tracks i.e. more guitar, more vocals, Tambourine, Shakers, etc.


cliff
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