Isurus - Methods of Composition Pt.2

Structuring, Bass and Vocals

This is Part 2 of a 3 part series of posts covering how we write music. Part 1 covered Improvisation and in this post I will be explaining the next steps that we take including how we structure the songs and add the bass and vocals. 

By the end of Part 1, I'd explained how we improvise in order to create small sections of recorded parts and then gradually start to categorise and group the parts together into working projects for each track. Following this process we begin to structure the tracks...

Structuring Inside The Box

As explained previously, we improvise until we have enough material that fits together in order to create a track and then group the relevant recorded ideas into a Work In Progress project. We then make sure that we have the correct tempo for the project by playing the ideas live and defining the best tempo for the track. Once we have a Work In Progress project (track) with the correct tempo, we then experiment within the DAW project by moving parts around to see which parts work best together. Often we already have a lot of parts which are already joined by this point and we just build around them considering the dynamics of the song. We complete this first stage within the computer (DAW) as it is easier to group and move sections and try them in different orders by simply dragging and dropping in the order that we want to hear them. 

Structuring Outside The Box

Once we have the parts in an order that we are generally happy with within the DAW, we begin playing the tracks live together between Dave (Guitar) and I (Drums). This is a very important stage in the process and all structuring and organising prior to this point has only really taken place in order to get to this stage. Playing live we then see how the tracks feel to play when structured in the way that we have chosen within the computer. We'll also try many different variations live and gradually decide on what feels best in terms of dynamics and the general feel of the song. This is also the stage at which we will add the joins between the different sections. By playing the tracks through many times, we become comfortable with them and then naturally add small embellishments such as drum fills. Once we're happy with the tracks following this process, we then add the new drum fills / joins between the sections to the projects within the computer. 

Adding Vocals

Throughout all of the stages previously mentioned including the Improvisation stage, Braun (Vocals) will have been listening to the ideas/parts/partially structured tracks and structured tracks that we've been working on. As a result, when we get to the stage of having structured tracks, he knows the tracks very well and will have some rough ideas. Braun then starts working on the vocals intensively and adds the lyrics at the same time so that they fit the song in question. There are inevitably changes that are required to the song at this stage in order to make room for the vocals and often the vocal lines require parts to be moved around altogether. As a result we will sometimes restructure tracks entirely at this point even after all the previous stages. Adding the vocals is introducing a very important element so we make sure that they are best represented in the song. 

Adding the Bass 

Due to our situation with regard to not having a permanent bass player in the band up to this point, the bass is the last element that we add to the tracks. Very little if any restructuring of the track as a whole will go on at this stage and it's a matter of getting bass parts which fit with the different sections of the song and recording them. Having not had a permanent bassist, it's not possible to tell how this element would fit into the overall process although I would love to find out! Our new album is shaping up to have bass written very much toward the end.

Next Steps

Following all the stages already described, we end up with finished songs in projects within our computer. In future blog posts, I will go into more detail on the stages that follow this but in brief, the next steps are to record our parts as well possible and mix the album. When recording our final parts, we create new projects from scratch which we call 'Final Projects'. These Final Projects will have a higher track count due to us recording more layers of instruments. We'll also use these Final Projects within the mixing phase and by this stage the tracks will have had names created by Braun.

That's it for Part 2 of this series of posts. Part 1 and 2 combined give an overview of how we currently write our music and how we're currently writing for our next album. In Part 3 I will cover how we wrote prior to the release of Telos and how the process has changed over time.