What is the first thing you do when starting a tune?

[beebmun]

We all have differnt methods and ways of making tunes? Personally, I start with my drums. Usually the kicks...

What about everyone else? Do you find it easier to get your synth hook, or perhaps you prefer to work on a vocal and shape your beat around it?

[Stealth Elf]

I'm the same as you. It's usually the drums and I start with the kick first. I find it hard to write drums to a melody I've already written and often if I don't already have the drums there to guide me I'll write something in a stupid tempo/time sig and have to start again once I have made the drums. The only times I lay down melody first is when I do IDM tracks or classical pieces with no drums.

[swagman]

I always start with my drums/percussion so I know what groove I have to work with when writing melodies/riffs/chords etc.

Its all trial and error after that really as I'm still getting to grips with it all lol

[arXter]

Get two bottles of water, line them up next to my subwoofer, pull my socks up, have a good toss (about with a couple of balls), and we're good to go.

[Stealth Elf]

Actually that's a good point. I always get a bottle of water and a bottle of juice + some various snacks and put them within arms reach before I start producing. You don't wanna have to leave the room for anything as trivial as food while you're in the zone.

[Ollie Macfarlane]

normally i'll produce by accident - in that i don't particularly set out to make a tune... i'll wake up with an idea in the morning, whip out the guitar, see if i can play it, if i can i program it into a synth, just so i don't forget it (at this point i'm probably still in my boxers). Next thing i know it's 14:00 and i haven't eaten breakfast or lunch but have a pretty much done tune on my screen. I don't really know where the time goes. it's normally when i have to be doing something like uni work or finding a job or something... haha

[benjaminC]

Always drums first, then ill usually play with z3ta and see where it takes me.

[Mike Hindle]

Yeah drums for me first too.

Usually layer up a kick, then throw a load of percussion / hats randomly into the sequencer, most of it will need moving around but every now and again you get something that sounds like you meant to put it there

After that, sub and a few toms, start building up the FX. Manage to get this bit done farly quickly, then I add the musical parts last as it takes me bloody ages.

[mudbone]

think it depends more on what inspires me. Sometimes pianos, subs, drum loops/samples...
I haven't just gone in for the sake of it for a while

[module]

Personally, I start off making a synth sound im happy with, maybe choose some chords/melody to play with. Leave the synth open, but go on and build the beat. Once the beat is done, I have my patch waiting for me to dive right in with.

[Heckler]

Get two bottles of water, line them up next to my subwoofer, pull my socks up, have a good toss (about with a couple of balls), and we're good to go.

I love you

[Heckler]

usually a sample will get me goin, I usually start out with a sound I like.

[crookefella]

Drums most of the time or a chord progression. that gets me in the mood and always takes me somewhere. If i dont start with drums and get too carried away with the musical side, the drums always lack because its almost like trying to fit drums around the other instruments.
If you can move your body to drums on their own, thats a good start

[ToneBox]

recently i've being getting better results starting with the bass and kick. if you can get a good groove with those two elements everything else just fits into place.
i find when i start with drums i don't have enough space for anything else.

[Jerms]

Turn the BPM down a couple!
Then start with the drums
Then drink an enegy drink
Then struggle deeply not to turn the BPM back up.

Struggle so bad I start to shake an sweat perfusley, and turn the BPM back to 138, then pass out! (epic fail)
When I wake up, I'll take a trip to Burger King!
Wen in the que, I'll start thinking about a Mc Donalds Big Mac.
I love a double whopper, but deep down inside, I gotta have a big mac!

So I start to shake, then sweat, n pass out!

LIFES HARD.