Recently I received this very good question from a reader:
“I was wondering what your process was in taking an existing worship song, and making a loop to go with it? I enjoy creating loops from scratch, but have a hard time making them for existing worship songs.”
First off I try to only do loops for songs that I feel inspiration to do and to re-arrange in some way. So before I start programming I usually have some concept or vibe already planned for that song. The exception to this rule is when I’m doing a custom loop, many times I go into those dry and that can be more of a struggle. But either way here’s what my process generally looks like.
1. Start with the main melodic hook and build out
I usually just keep looping over the main melodic hook and work with it until I find the instrumentation and rhythm that feels right. This is where I experiment and try and go wild creatively. If I have any bit of advise to give it’s chase your crazy idea. My best loops are all due to me chasing a creative idea that I thought might end up being a waste of time. There’s a fork in the road where I think, “Is this just going to be too crazy? Is it worth the time working on this when I might just throw it all away and start over?” And the answer is YES it’s worth the time! Don’t be safe, chase the idea, see it through and see where it takes you.
2. Peel back the main hook for an interesting intro
So now I’ll have a main hook section that has rich instrumentation and probably a good number of tracks. Now I want to see how I can build into that through the introduction. Sometimes that may mean opening with a distant pad, or right into the drum loop with big kick, or some keys or whatever. I usually try to layer slowly and really pace the buildup of the arrangement. You may have noticed a lot of my loops have extended intro sections(I know that’s a CCM sin), I like to take my time there and not rush that. Many times I’ll build the intro so I get to the main hook section before Verse 1 then cut it out. A good example of this is my loop for New Creation, verse 1 doesn’t come until 1:27.
3. Change up the verses on repeats
Typically the verses in my loops are pretty sparse, I try and leave space there. But I do like to build/change the instrumentation on repeats. So verse 2 may have an added element from verse 1, and verse 3 may have another or change completely. In my opinion this can be the difference between a good arrangement and a great arrangement. How you build your verses instrumentally can really move the arrangement along and make it less formulaic.
4. Contrast in the bridge
Bridges for me are the moments you contrast the rest of your instrumentation and you mix it up rhythmically. Of course that isn’t true for every song but typically that’s what I’m thinking when I get to the bridge section. You’ll see that clearly in loops like True Love. I love to introduce new sounds at this point and then mix them into the last chorus & outro. This sets up a nice crescendo instrumentally.
5. Now that you know, forget it…rigid formulas suck
The good thing about formulas is you build off previous experience and improve. The bad thing about formulas is if they never evolve and change with you then they become calculated and unauthentic. So now that you know some of the processes and strategies that I employ, you can throw them in your tool belt and choose to employ them or you can just throw them all away. Everyone has their own process, everyone has there own music sensibility, so what works for me may not work for others and what I think works for me maybe others think really doesn’t work for me either.
I hope this has helped but at the very least, I tried to answer the question honestly. Well there is one more thing. I usually loop late at night, in a dimly lit room with candles and a cold Pacifico. If you’re offended by that please pretend I’m pretending.
As always you can browse all my released loops at http://loops.ourrisingsound.com/ and download for your usage.
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Thanks Kyle. I asked this question on bwack's forum, too. Some good responses. I'm hoping to hear a lot more from people. I've found that everyone approaches things so differently. If I can hear from enough people how they do it, I'm bound to find some new things that are really great ideas for the way I work. Right now, anything about how to speed up the process is what I need the most. I take way too long to build the few loops I've done. Maybe I should do it more, and I'd get better. LOL
Most of my loops on average about 20 hours to complete if they are full arrangements. I don't know if that sounds fast or slow, but I just keep going until I'm happy. However long that takes. But certainly the more you do it the faster you become mostly because you know how to get the sounds you're hearing faster as you get experience in whatever tool you're using.
Well, maybe I'm not so slow then. I just don't have that much time, for most songs. It would help if I didn't have a different full-time job and a family, but then I wouldn't feel as much like singing. Maybe I'll just be happy with completing a loop or two on each vacation I take.