Arranging prog rock songs

I play piano, don't own a guitar. Am looking into getting one and trying to learn it. I was wondering if anybody has any suggestions on arranging or maybe a tutorial. I have songs I've "written" in the sense that I can sing them all, (I'd say they're lyric driven I guess cause the other parts aren't written yet LOL) I know where the melody goes all the time and now am trying to work out how to arrange all the different instruments. I'm using FL Studio, and found that I was fiddling with the plugins so much that I was tweaking the fake guitar sound more than putting notes down, so finally last night I went and turned everything to straight 8-bit synth sounds, like from a Nintendo. That was so I can focus strictly on the notes and chords, and can replace the instruments again later, or perhaps export a MIDI. Is that the sort of thing people usually do when they're first trying to get songs down? My goal at this point is to get these songs down as computer-generated demos, which I can then take to people and say, "hey listen I've got these songs. wanna form a band and help me play them?" Any advice for people at this stage?

Edited by Nerd42 - July 13 2011 at 17:09

Its going to be hard to find musitians who want to play music as written by someone else with no say in it.

Oh yeah, the demos I'm making are a starting point. If I get a band together the other members will probably have songs too or want to change things which I am totally open to

Also if you arn't familiar with how to play an insturment there is a good possibility that what you are writing for the insturment will be impossible or near impossible. Not all chords scales and melodies are eually simple on all insturments...

Yeah that's a problem. Dunno how to get around it exactly

Writing in this style is great if you are planning to record it all yourself but if its a band you want, go find the personalities first and then worry about the song.

I may end up recording it all myself, I don't know.

Edited by Nerd42 - July 13 2011 at 19:15

Nerd42 wrote: I play piano, don't own a guitar. Am looking into getting one and trying to learn it. I was wondering if anybody has any suggestions on arranging or maybe a tutorial. I have songs I've "written" in the sense that I can sing them all, (I'd say they're lyric driven I guess cause the other parts aren't written yet LOL) I know where the melody goes all the time and now am trying to work out how to arrange all the different instruments. I'm using FL Studio, and found that I was fiddling with the plugins so much that I was tweaking the fake guitar sound more than putting notes down, so finally last night I went and turned everything to straight 8-bit synth sounds, like from a Nintendo. That was so I can focus strictly on the notes and chords, and can replace the instruments again later, or perhaps export a MIDI. Is that the sort of thing people usually do when they're first trying to get songs down? My goal at this point is to get these songs down as computer-generated demos, which I can then take to people and say, "hey listen I've got these songs. wanna form a band and help me play them?" Any advice for people at this stage?

I've been playing guitar and composing songs for almost 10 years now. I started out on FL and that is a very good starting point, but I highly recommend investing in a program called Reason. It's somewhat of a more advanced version of Fruity Loops or Garage Band, and has some exceptionally high quality sounds (especially drums). If you're looking to make song models to show to members of your band, this is the way to go, as Reason has the most realistic sounding patches (or "instruments") out there. My current band has been together for almost 2 years now, and this is the best way I've found in getting my ideas across to them and coming up with a finished product that we can all play. When you create a song model that's utilizing simple 8-bit synth sounds (which I used to do too!), it's not doing your ideas justice and your concept will more often than not go by the wayside with your bandmates. If you'd like to listen to some of my work on Reason, check out the link to my SoundCloud below in my sig. The bottom 3 songs on there are pure Reason creations (though written on guitar), meaning everything you hear on these tracks was created note for note on a piano roll (like you have on FL).

It's also worth noting that I've been in bands before where we would write all of our songs together at rehearsal. It really depends on what kind of band you and your bandmates want to be in. In my experience with several bands through the years, some people want and need direction and others will want to have their input. Hope this is of some help to you. Keep on writing!


Edited by EchidnasArf - July 14 2011 at 16:37

I think trying to immitate other instruments is always a big risk. I am a keyboardist. When I am composing I am aiming a guitar based music usually but my starting point is very synth based. I am trying to reach an end product which gives the impression of almos finished song that will give the guitarist the idea to take over the song and continue.

Philamelian wrote: I think trying to immitate other instruments is always a big risk. I am a keyboardist. When I am composing I am aiming a guitar based music usually but my starting point is very synth based. I am trying to reach an end product which gives the impression of almos finished song that will give the guitarist the idea to take over the song and continue.