How To Find Your Musical Style
Check out these tips that will assist you in finding your signature sound.
Get to know your tools! (including your voice)
Experiment with your favorite tools, that can include a MIDI keyboard, sample libraries and different synths. Mastering your instrument can help you create presets that incorporate your specific style.
Be open to experimenting with different ideas and taking your time
Before you fully immerse yourself in creating a track, make sure it’s the one you want to work on. Don’t be afraid to start with an idea, leave it and move on. Once you return to the track, try picking a new starting point. Creating your ideal track can come after working on several variations.
Set limitations for yourself
With a large variety of online platforms, it seems like there are an unlimited amount of sounds and tracks to use when you have a blank canvas. Often these can lead to you building the wrong track. Challenge yourself to start with two tracks. Stick with these two tracks until you are completely satisfied and build out additional tracks from there.
Quantize Less
Try bringing down the settings so that it’s set to 75% or less. Try playing things in a natural manner, it helps reveal more of your own personal voice. By quantizing more sparingly, you can actually stagger the attacks, making the sound more powerful.
Work with more musicians and producers
Working with other musicians could be the key to helping you find your sound as an artist. When you’re finished with an idea, don’t be afraid to share it with a friend to add their touch to the project. This is also a good tactic when you are trying to snap out of a writers block.
Shake things up
Try using a new meter, tempo, and key. Many musicians find themselves writing the same track over and over again, so try and shake up the parameters.
Source: “A Technical Guide To Finding Your Inner Musical Voice,” Output
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