New to Riffworks

[Buck]

I'm new to RiffWorks and have been playing with it the last couple of nights. I've searched the forums for the answer to my question but can't seem to find it. I realize Riffworks is set up to record small sections of music at a time which can then be combined. Is there a way to play a piece of music all the way through using riffworks without first determining the number of total bars in the song? Can I set the number of bars to a number exceeding the total number of bars in the song and then edit out the empty bars at the end?

[scott]

Hi Buck,
Welcome to the RiffWorks forum.

A quick answer to your question is, "Yes", you can set your number of bars to more than you need. This then leaves you with just one 'riff' to add new 'layers' to and each of these, in turn, will have to be 'one takes' unless you're up to speed with using the wave form tool (click the 'Info' button).
If you're looking to add a specific instrument (like a guitar solo) or vocals which bridge a whole lot of riffs, you can use the 'Song Line'. This effectively allows you to record one long riff which sits on top of the many riffs in a song.

If there's anything else you need to know, just ask and one of us will try to answer your questions. We're a very helpful bunch and you'll not find a better forum anywhere.

Oh BTW - longstanding rule is that the 'new guy' buys the beer for everyone else on the forum - although some of the more 'hardened' drinkers (a.k.a. beta testers) are now asking for bourbon! ... and you're officially the 'newest guy'.

[pooterpatty]

Hi Buck, welcome to Riffworld!

Yes it is possible to play a piece all the way through without knowing the total number of bars beforehand. Your assumption was correct - create a riff with a number of bars that exceeds what you'll need. Record your song and save.

Now if you've recorded your part as a Song Layer (the manual has instructions for how to do that), and have left your "placeholder" riff empty (free of layers, but you can still have drums), then all you have to do is remove the placeholder riff from the timeline up top, which will allow you to edit the number of bars.

[Buck]

Thanks for the quick replies! I was hoping I could do something like that. The thing I'm working on doesn't really lend itself easily to recording in seperate riffs. I'll play around with it this weekend and see what I come up with. Can I record the "Song Layer" as the initial riff and then build on that? I'm going to the manual now to read up on that. I'll figure it out or have a lot of fun trying.

New guy buys the beer huh? Sounds like a pretty good rule to me.

[bluesydude]

Welcome! Be sure to spend some time in these forums. You will find excellent advice about the product, excellent talent and an outstanding support staff at Sonoma.

Looking forward to hearing your recordings.

[pooterpatty]

New guy buys the beer huh? Sounds like a pretty good rule to me.

'specially when you're not the new guy anymore

[Buck]

New guy buys the beer huh? Sounds like a pretty good rule to me.

'specially when you're not the new guy anymore

Specially then!!

So I read through the manual about using the Song Layer and it looks like you use that to record one long riff overtop of a bunch of smaller riffs. Can I do the long riff first? I'm a little lost about what you're calling the "placeholder" riff.

[pooterpatty]

Actually I have to revise my previous dumb advice. I thought you did have to have a placeholder riff of some sort to record a Song Layer, but apparently not, as I just tried it.

In Riffworks, make sure you have SONGLAYERS selected by double clicking it (it's right underneath the timeline, just to the right of the IMPORT/CREATE/DELETE buttons). Hit record. That's it!

[Buck]

I'll give it a shot tonight! Thanks so much!

[davenz]

Welcome to the madness Buck

The way you are doing it is the way Sonoma designed Riffworks not to do it, if you understand me. RW was designed to ease the whole process and avoid doing long takes and recording like a standard linear DAW. But that doesnt mean you have to follow the rules! I completely get that this is the way you want to do it, and RW can do it, I just wanted to let you know that RW was created to do it in other non-standard ways, like built up in chunks and then joined together. Personally, I find this allows me to be more creative, especially if I only have the kernel of a song (one riff) to start with. Often, recording that, then listening to it with some drums, inspires the rest of the song to flow out. It works for me like this anyway, and, I believe, a few others around here.

However you do it, its all good, so make sure you post (riffcast) some of your songs so we can hear them and some riffs on rifflink so we can all have a go at collaborating with your chops.

Dave.

[randy]

So I read through the manual about using the Song Layer and it looks like you use that to record one long riff overtop of a bunch of smaller riffs. Can I do the long riff first? I'm a little lost about what you're calling the "placeholder" riff.

Hi Buck,

Just use the manual as one suggested method of working with RiffWorks. You can do anything you like, and there's nothing stopping you from clicking (single click pooter, not double) on the SongLayers Riff, clicking record and just going at it. The only problem you're going to run into is that you're going to have a hard time adding percussion in after the fact.

Here's what I do when I when I want to record in a more linear manner using SongLayers

1. I select a Riff and choose an InstantDrummer and tempo. I'll then duplicate that Riff and select a few other InstantDrummer parts
2. I then drag that Riff(s) up to the song time line. I might drag the same Riff up there ten or more times. This gives me something to play to while working in SongLayers
3. I select SongLayers and click record. Hear the sweet drums? Awesome!

Hope that helps,

[Buck]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I was wondering about adding drums or other instruments once I recorded in song layer. I'll keep playing with it though. I got the guitar recorded using a metronome sitting on a table in front of me. Hardest part was getting everything in time

I'll be sure to post some of the things I come up with once I'm done. Probably not this one though since I didn't write it. I'm just doing this one for me...well and a couple other people who finally convinced me to try and record something after 25 years.

[scott]

Your drums are already included in RiffWorks. They're called, "Instant Drummers" and can be found under the 'Backups' tab. Just choose your 'Session' and the 'Part' and they'll join in automatically as long as you've got the Instant Drummer box checked/ticked.
If you fiddle about with the 'Intensity' and 'Variation' knobs, you'll start to get bit more of a natural feel as the drummers puts in fills etc.

Other instruments are just variations of what I assume is your guitar setup. Plug in a keyboard, bass or mic and off ya go!

[Buck]

yep, I found the instant drummer and have played around with it. Other instruments I'm thinking are maybe an acoustic guitar, keyboard, madolin...

Been reading a lot on these forums and I think I'll give the "riff" method another shot and play "dry" with no effects at all. Seems to be the way to do it instead of preselecting effects as I record. Might take care of the problem I was having with the riffs not seeming to go together cleanly.

[mickeymix]

It takes a bit of practice to get the riffs to align smoothly but once you get the hang of it .............it's ON!!