Singer / Songwriter Production & Arranging
Are you a singer / songwriter who wants to create complete songs? Join Eli Krantzberg in this in-depth video tutorial series as he shows you how to take a song idea, arrange it, expand it into a complete band production, and mix it down to share with the world!
Building Up the Arrangement
• The Song (08:19) - Learn what this series is about and hear the before and after versions of the song “Sticks and Stones” by Rex Strother.
• Finding a Direction (04:37) - Follow along as alternate feels and tempos are explored in order to determine what best suits the song.
• Adding Acoustic Guitars (04:54) - The feel of this song so far seems to lend itself to either a picking/arpeggiated guitar part or a strumming approach. Why not use both?
• Adding Electric Guitars (06:16) - Several different ideas and parts are added for potential use in the arrangement.
• Making Some Decisions (05:09) - The piano and bass are re-programmed, and the drums re-recorded, to fit a more rock oriented direction.
• New Breakdown (03:50) - A dramatic breakdown at the top of the third chorus is created to help emphasize the protagonist’s inherent tension and conflict.
• More is Good (05:15) - The arrangement is augmented with some new brass and keyboard parts, along with some revised programming and editing of the bass and guitar parts.
• Less is Better (04:37) - After reflection and sober second thought, various elements are moved and removed, and the arrangement is shortened.
Vocal Tracks
• Working with New Vocals (07:08) - Melodyne is used on a newly recorded lead vocal track to clean up phrasing and pitch.
• Vocal Doubling (04:50) - See how Melodyne’s random deviation functions are used to create a thickening effect on the lead vocal.
• Creating Vocal Harmonies (04:15) - Selected bits of other vocal takes are used either for unison doubling, or transposed to create vocal harmonies.
• Adding Female Vocals (03:15) - A remotely recorded female vocal track is brought into the project and edited.
The Mix
• Drums (04:43) - Take a look at the routing and plug-ins used on the multi track drum mix.
• Bass & Keys (03:47) - Hear how various plug-ins are used to subtly enhance these tracks.
• Acoustic Guitars (03:51) - Listen as two different EQs are compared on the acoustic guitar sub group.
• Electric Guitars (05:32) - Discover the unique tone shaping possibilities created by simultaneously subgrouping electric guitars to a stereo and a mono bus.
• Vocals (05:00) - Multiple EQs, compressors, and delays are used to create a warm and rich vocal sound that cuts nicely in the mix.
• Master Bus & Automation (03:46) - See where automation is used and how some plug-ins are used to sweeten the full mix.
• Conclusions & Final Playback (05:41) - A quick review of some of the arrangement’s defining elements followed by playback of the finished song.