I wanted to put some thought into this.............mainly, I think it's the respectful thinng to do considering how much you helped me in more ways than I can count.
The problem with most things I have read or videos I have watched, they do one of two things.
1) It's like please shut the hell up and get to the point your 7 minute video only has 2 minutes of useful stuff.
2) or their beginner video is for sure not beginner and they dont take into account that some people may not realize you can adjust the audio in many DAW's from the corner of the audio track, or may not know what a crossfade is.
And as
@Elwood stated, different people different values. For example, some may want to write songs, thats all they care about, they click the AI auto mixer master and walk away like I used too.................now I make a ton more mistakes because I am really digging down with doing my own EQ, compression everything.
Other people , they spend less time on the song, and are more about playing with the tools and plug ins, been there done that....................and how do you please everyone, you can't.
So, in the current system, what did I find useful.
1) The charts stuff and I had many of my own, why, because many people are visual and they dont have time to spend learning the notes /chords of every key, so the quick reference is nice, and, when switching keys easy to see whot chords are similar keys.
2) The song writing template for organization, I live and die by that to keep me on the straight and narrow, especially like my last song where I was experimenting with a ton of things like piano sounds, so putting notes in there was huge.
The way I see it, you have two issues, same ones every person faces. How do you make it to keep a newbie interested, but also have value for someone with some experience.
sooooooooooo..................using
@Silicon Valley Tom list, as why re-invent the wheel.
Chapter One - The Song In Your Head Very important to let people know the purpose, that being get whats in your head to peoples ears. I would include a little bit of how music structure has changed and how there really is no wrong asnwers.
Examples, like way back when, instead of a guitar solo, they used a bridge, now sometimes its one or the other or both.
Back when they used to say, "Don't bore us, hit us with the chorus" like in the song sugar sugar. But keep it somewhat short
Chapter Two - Good Can Be Great- include a reminder, songs dont have to be complex, the old saying 3 chords and the truth rings true so often.
Chapter Three - What Makes A Song - I dont know, it has instruments or the voice as an instrument
Chapter Four - How To Get Started - probably the most important, how to get off the backside and start, have hints like using the notepad on your phone, or always having a note pad with you. I have single lines, subjects, ehtire verses, sometimes they get combined into one. All sitting there if I ever needs something. T
Chapter Five - Song Structure - speaks for itself, I really dig the charts on how to write a pop song just plug and play
Chapter Six - Lyrical Ideas Chapter Seven - Music Basics - another one, one warning I would put in as I have a tendency to do it, try not too cram too many words in. Usually I start with a ton of words and lose 20% as I cant sing them and play, theres too many to fit
Chapter Eight - Finding A Melody - My guess, this is where many people probably struggle. I think a ton of people get words in their head, they have a basic melody, but then what, they look at aguitar or something and freeze. So you structured charts are very important hear. Maybe give a suggestion like humming until you find kind of they key you want to start in. But remind people the fill in the blanks are to get you started, there is no reason not to expand when you wnat
Chapter Nine - Getting The Band Together- Not sure here, one thing. Maybe drop some hints about layering here, such as Lynrd Skynrd had 3 accomplished guitar players, their sound was huge because of it. For sure some talk about virtual insturments
Chapter Ten - Recording Your Song - the toughie. YOu need a chapter labeled very basic, maybe call it the Whats a DAW chapter. And put notes depending on lvel may want to skip. I mean have an absolute basic. When I started everything talked about side channels abd busses and ssl compressors and I was like huh ?
And this was in the recording which to my thought should be in mixing only, recording should be about getting things into the DAW with a focus on basic gear and recording level. Then an intermediate and advanced. Discussion on anything with a USB can be an interface usually
Chapter Eleven - Mixing Your Song _ the fun one where we get lost in the weeds. I went throught he million plug in phase, doesnt work. Again, a beginner, intermediate, advanced. Beginners with just an acoustic and microphone dont need to worry about busses. They need to know maybe a little about melodyne essential, some reverb and export. Start with busses in intermediate and compression
Chapter Twelve - Releasing Your Song _ I guess this is, what do you want to do with it ?
