[For DTM Beginners] How to Create Original Songs Using Vocaloid

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[For DTM Beginners] How to Create Original Songs Using Vocaloid

• DTMermilk cocoa
  Former IT engineer. I use a wind synthesizer. I make songs using Vocaloid and CeVIO, and sometimes I invite a vocalist to create songs as well. I originally was a half-baked DTM user who only made backing tracks for instrument practice, but after discovering Vocaloid and following its evolution, I fell deep into it—just a music lover. I use Vocaloid 2 Megpoid, Vocaloid 3 IA, and ONE from CeVIO Creative Studio.

First, set your goal.

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I think each person has their own preferred genre of music.

When it comes to composing Vocaloid music (DTM), it depends on the creator.It can be tailored to produce any kind of singing voice.It is.

Since it's just the composer and the vocalist, there are no instrumental or genre constraints.

Exactly—you can craft the sound the creator intends, just the way you like.

But on the other hand, I'm at a loss about what to do and can't decide.

We often hear this from beginners as well.

If you just keep layering instruments in the order they come to mind on a melody you made on a whim, you might end up getting stuck.

As early as possible

• What genre are you going to do?
• Which artist would you like to make a song like?

I think it’s best to narrow it down to about that level before proceeding with production.

I like to try a different genre each time, so I’d like to take on a track with an R&B-like vibe this time—something I haven’t done before (and don’t have much experience with).

Decide where to start

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Melody, chords, rhythm, and lyrics if it’s a vocal song.

First, the components for building the songWhere to startSelect.

For works with a strong narrative quality, many people seem to start with the lyrics, but among professional musicians there are also many who begin with the chords or the melody.

Since this is R&B, rhythm is key, but I thought I’d first move ahead with shaping the chord ideas that set the mood.

Once you set a code, I think it becomes harder to go off track because you’ll impose constraints on yourself to stay within that atmosphere.

Using the Chord Track in Cubase

Cubase 9.5 has a feature called the Chord Track.

This is a feature that lets you write code instructions by using the pencil tool to mark the spot where you want the code to run.

In other words, you can easily generate chords on a MIDI track, so there’s no need to enter them manually each time.

The code you wrote can play the monitor track (the target part) that the code track is connected to.

While playing the software instrument, check the timbre and development to bring it closer to the sound you’re imagining.

Additionally, the Code Track comes with a handy auxiliary feature called the Code Assistant.

A list view that selects chords easy to connect before and after, a proximity view that finds similar chords, and a circle-of-fifths view that makes progressions easy to understand.

In any feature, you can simply click the code name to play the monitor track’s sound, making it easy to check by ear.

I tried making a simple progression with this first.

I decided to play the chords on an electric piano—starting with the intro up to the first verse.

After checking a bit on the keyboard as I went, I ended up in the mood for B major this time.

Add rhythm with LOOPMASH

This is also a tool preset in Cubase 9.5.

I'll try using LOOPMASH, a handy tool that makes cut-ups easy.

I’d tried using it before as a study piece but couldn’t handle it well; this time I want to include breakbeats, so I’ll do my best to use it.

Reference: Short-Time Acoustic Similarity Analysis Technology “BEAST” and Application App “LoopMash” « Research and Development

When you insert a WAV file into the LOOPMASH screen, the rhythm is automatically detected and data is generated.

You create rhythm patterns by swapping these around and applying effects during playback.

I also used a loop rhythm that was preset in Cubase 9.5 for the basic rhythm. Even with a simple loop, just swapping parts around or adding some effects can be fun, so give it a try.

Add bass and melody

I considered using a synth for the bass tone, but I ended up using Native Instruments’ Pre-Bass Amped.

(Requires KONTAKT 5; you can get both if you have the company's KOMPLETE.)

Since I had already created the baseline code, I was able to proceed without hesitation.

I just played it quickly on the keyboard, so it’s rough, but I’ll adjust it step by step while checking the balance with the other parts.

I'll also add a melody.

In R&B, rather than moving around in a flashy way, the image is more rhythmic even at the same pitch, so I tried keeping it steady and chopping it up finely.

The lyrics are completely undecided, so this is just the general idea for now. Depending on the lyrics, we might make major revisions to this part later.

At first, I'll focus on getting it into shape and just keep moving forward until it's done.

add interjections; throw in call-and-response ad-libs (e.g., in music or conversation)

Once the vibe, rhythm, and melody are set, I can usually picture the finished form, so I start adding ad-libs.

At first, I tried adding the intro melody and a bit of strings in the background.

For the intro melody, I used Prologue bundled with Cubase 9.5, and for the backing strings, I used the violin patch from KONTAKT’s factory library.

It still feels quite lonely.

However, since many R&B songs have relatively simple structures, it seems that how much presence you can project with your vocals will become increasingly important going forward.

next timeI’d like to take it further so that we can get a clearer overall picture.