Quote:

I am not a musician (in the sense I don't read music, I just feel music) and after listening to many different riffs I can't make my mind up what (musically) will enhance the song.


First, don't worry that much about being able to read music. Don't get me wrong - it's a great thing to have and learn. But it's a different skill set than being able to compose or even hear music. Reading music won't help you come up with musical ideas, or get you closer to that "feeling" the music, which really is most important thing.

If you're worried about making the "right" choice, there's only one rule in music:

    If it sounds good, it is.


Opinions of "backseat drivers" are based on our own expectations of what the song should be. Ask six people people what should be done, you'll get a dozen different answers. What's important is that your choices match your goals for the song.

Music theory won't give you "one true" choice, either. Most of the "rules" of music were written after a particular style was already dead, to make educated guesses at why composers made particular decisions. And if you go back and apply those "rules", you'll often find the composer "breaking" those rules because the composer's choice sounds better.

One reason you might be having trouble deciding is because often what will best enhance a song is to take stuff away. Less really is more. If you fill every single gap with a solo, it starts getting trite and predictable. So if you can't decide what will best enhance the song, consider leaving it out.

Now, if your problem is that RealTracks give too many choices... Well, you can talk to PG Music about that.

-- David Cuny
My virtual singer development blog

Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?