Programming Music versus Writing Music

I'm writing a song, and I'm using a guitar for the rhythm chords. So I have this beat and rhythmic pattern as a backdrop. I would like to add some bass, drums and other instruments. But I have no idea how to get started writing the actual music.

How would you go about trying to create an mp3 of something like this?

Would you start with a bass run? Or drums? And how can you ever hope to program in anything as fluent as the actual guitar strumming?

Here's an example of that actual guitar strum played live.

Guitar Strum mp3 (400 KB)

The chords are A - D - A - O - A then A - D - A - E

O = open strings. (d g b e)

If any is good at writing bass riffs or drums and could post a little midi that fits this guitar rhythm I would really appreciate it.

In fact, any midis of any kind, using any instruments, that fit this basic rhythm pattern would be greatly appreciated. I'm just trying to get this thing off the ground.

I think once I actually get something started I'll be able to run with it. I'm just looking to get this basic rhythm pattern going in a sheet music program that I can use as a backdrop to sing over.

There's a lot more to it, but I think if I can get a midi seed to get it started with I can keep it going from there.

If anyone can program in the actual guitar strum that'd be great too. I've tried but I just keep coming up with garbage.

Here's a simple generic dance groove i think will sound nice with your infectiously happy progression. Take it and use it however, i just hope it helps. good luck.

Abracadabra Dance Groove.MID

I've yet to hear a MIDI guitar that sounds even remotely close to good. You would have to spend a lifetime adjusting every little note of every stroke to make it sound like it could be, in some remote universe, a real guitar. Sorry if I'm downplaying my disdain for synthesized guitar sounds.

What I don't get though is why you wouldn't just use your recorded guitar sound? You can mix that with MIDI pretty easily with any recording software (Cubase, Nuendo, ProTools, etc). If you don't have any recording software you can check out Reaper. As long as you're not selling the music you can use it for free.

Well obviously you shouldn't use cheap motherboard MIDI sounds to simulate a guitar strum. I suppose I could do a decent emulation of OP's guitar using my Chris Hein Guitars plug-in but that would take some time. You don't have to adjust every little detail. There are samples for almost every technique imaginable, it's mostly a matter of putting them together.

What I don't get though is why you wouldn't just use your recorded guitar sound? You can mix that with MIDI pretty easily with any recording software.

I guess that's what I'll end up doing. I have everything I need to do that. I'll have to ultimately sing the lyrics over it anyway, so I can play the rhythm over it too.

I just thought I'd post here to see how other people handle this kind of thing.

I could still use a cool bass riff if there are any bass players out there. ;)