MusicRadar Tech
Embracing imperfect edits for creative effect
DjRUM highlights the creative potential of embracing imperfect edits, using a trill as an example. By intentionally leaving the editing crude, they create a unique blend of realism and digital magic, where listeners are left questioning the authenticity of the sound. Instead of meticulously aligning transients and perfecting crossfades, the producer opts for a more spontaneous approach, allowing the imperfections to be masked by other elements in the mix. This technique emphasizes the beauty of free recording and improvisation, demonstrating that not every sound needs to be flawlessly executed to contribute effectively to a track.
Splice
Programming organic, punchy kick and 808 grooves
Vaughn Oliver demonstrates how to perfect kick dynamics using manual ghost notes and phase alignment techniques in Ableton Live. By adjusting the decay and attack of the kick drum through volume automation and fades, he creates a more natural and organic feel, mimicking the dynamics of a real kick drum. He also employs sidechain compression with the Cableguys ShaperBox plugin to achieve a punchy and tight low-end, ensuring the kick and 808 bass are perfectly in phase.
Splice
Reducing ambience with Ableton's multiband dynamics
Vaughn Oliver demonstrates the power of Ableton Live's Multiband Dynamics plugin for reducing ambience in percussion and drum tracks. He highlights the often-overlooked 'reduce ambience' preset, which acts like a gate to tighten up sounds by selectively controlling different frequency bands. This technique is particularly useful for cleaning up loops with excessive noise or reverb, allowing you to target specific areas like the low-end decay of a snare while preserving the high-end. Oliver encourages exploring stock presets within your DAW before turning to third-party plugins, as they can offer surprisingly effective solutions for noise reduction and gating. By experimenting with these presets, you can unlock powerful processing capabilities without additional costs.
Tape Notes Podcast
Create a focal point with strategic panning
Four Tet demonstrates how simple it is to use strategic panning techniques to make an element stand out and give the mix a focal point. By keeping all other elements panned centrally in mono, the wide, stereo bass becomes the prominent and exciting feature of the track, effectively building tension and adding width. This distinct panning position draws the listener's attention when the bass comes in, making it a standout moment in the mix. This approach highlights the bass as a key element, creating a dynamic contrast that enhances the overall impact of the mix.
Tape Notes Podcast
Layer bass sounds for bigger low end
Four Tet demonstrates how to create a distinctive dubstep-influenced bassline using two layers in Spectrasonics Omnisphere. By combining a wobbly bass preset, "Swaggering Around," with a low sine wave for added sub-bass, he enhances the bass's depth and weight, showcasing the power of layering different sounds.
Tape Notes Podcast
Small variations, big impact: Four Tet's drum sequencing
Four Tet demonstrates how to create dynamic drum loops by introducing subtle dropouts and manual variations in sequencing. By deleting a few kick drums here and there, he ensures the loop feels fresh and less static, keeping the listener engaged without dramatic changes. He emphasizes the importance of non-repetitive sequencing and automation to make tracks more interesting. Subtle variations, such as these dropouts, refresh the loop, making it feel like it's constantly resetting and starting anew. Additionally, by manually adjusting parameters like the decay on a hi-hat during recording, Four Tet introduces further nuances that enhance the overall texture and interest of the drum loop. This approach highlights the power of small, intentional changes in arrangement and signal processing to maintain interest and prevent monotony in drum-driven tracks.
Tape Notes Podcast
Humanize MIDI patterns with random velocity and octave jumps
Four Tet shares his technique for humanizing MIDI patterns by introducing randomization in velocity and pitch. By varying the velocity of MIDI notes by 15%, he creates a more dynamic and less static synth sound, making each note feel more human and expressive. Additionally, he adds a 15% chance for notes to jump an octave up or down, introducing unexpected "sparkles and twinkles" that keep the pattern fresh and engaging. This approach causes every playback of the track to be unique, offering subtle variations that make live performances and recordings distinct each time.
Tape Notes Podcast
Layering kicks for adding weight and punch
Four Tet enhances kick drums by layering a sine wave sub-bass and a click sound to add weight and punch. The sub-bass layer, subtly mixed in, provides a deep weight that becomes very apparent in a club playback situation, while the click layer ensures the kick cuts through the mix with clarity. This method of layering sounds addresses common issues with kick presence and weight, allowing for a more impactful and balanced mix without being required to make the kick too loud.
Tape Notes Podcast
Blend field recordings into organic textures
Four Tet discusses using field recordings, such as the sound of ice skating, to add texture and an organic feel to electronic music. By incorporating these ambient sounds, he creates a more interesting and wider sonic landscape. He processes the recordings with tools like Soundtoys MicroShift, which enhances the stereo image and adds a three-dimensional quality. This technique helps blend the melody and groove with atmospheric elements, creating a subliminal effect that immerses listeners in a unique auditory world. Four Tet emphasizes the power of subtle textures and echoey sounds to engage listeners on a deeper level, making the music feel more connected and alive without them consciously realizing why. This approach is particularly effective in electronic music, where it helps to create a distinct and immersive environment.
Tape Notes Podcast
Layering drum samples with field recordings
Bonobo shares his creative process of layering drum samples with field recordings to create unique and engaging percussion tracks. He draws from a personal archive of favorite kicks, snares, and unconventional sounds like car compartments and coffee cups, which he records and samples for use in his music. To infuse his tracks with swing, Bonobo uses modular sequences and accents against the kick drum, manually adjusting the timing to achieve a natural feel. He prefers this hands-on approach over using groove templates, allowing him to craft a groove that feels intuitive and dynamic. Bonobo emphasizes the importance of non-repetitive sequencing, where elements like hi-hats and snares follow different patterns, avoiding exact repetition. This technique results in a more organic and less predictable sound, enhancing the track's overall texture and interest.
James Hype
Building tension with effects automation
James Hype demonstrates how to build intensity in a track using the "Festival Gap Technique," which involves subtle structural changes and effects automation. By introducing a gap before the second drop, he creates anticipation and excitement, making the audience expect the drop, only to delay it momentarily. This technique heightens the impact when the drop finally hits, enhancing the overall energy of the track. Additionally, Hype incorporates more effects, such as white noise, in the second drop to make it feel like an improved version of the first, maintaining familiarity while increasing excitement. This approach keeps the track engaging and dynamic, perfect for festival and club settings.
James Hype
Multi-band sidechaining for club-ready kick-bass impact
James Hype shares his essential technique for achieving powerful kick and bass separation in dance music using sidechain compression with Cableguys ShaperBox. He emphasizes the importance of selecting the right kick for each track and demonstrates how to use sidechain compression to eliminate phase issues with the bass that can cause the kick to lose impact. By visually analyzing the waveform, he ensures the sidechain is perfectly timed to the kick's length, maintaining its full volume and presence. Hype further refines the process with multi-band sidechain techniques, allowing the upper bass frequencies to remain audible while ducking the lower signal parts to prevent phasing. This approach ensures both kick and bass retain their power, delivering a club-ready sound that slams every time.
James Hype
Choose your kick drum wisely: Context is king
James Hype emphasizes the importance of selecting the right kick drum for each track, highlighting that context is crucial. He shares his experience of using the same kick for multiple tracks, which he later realized was a mistake. By demonstrating how different kicks can drastically alter the feel and energy of a track, Hype illustrates that even a great-sounding kick may not suit every musical context. He advises producers to experiment with different kicks to find the one that best complements the track's groove and style. Hype also suggests that if you're struggling with a track's feel, swapping out the kick drum can be a quick and effective way to transform the overall vibe.
James Hype
Synth power: Rhythmic linking for seamless impact
James Hype shares a technique to seamlessly integrate aggressive synths into a track by mimicking existing rhythms within the composition. By aligning the rhythm of the synth with other elements, such as the bass or percussion, the synth's entrance feels more natural and expected, reducing the shock factor for listeners. This approach ensures that even bold, extreme sounds blend cohesively with the rest of the track, making the overall production more coherent and engaging.
Tape Notes Podcast
Adding depth to a stereo piano with a mono plate reverb
FKJ enhances the depth of a stereo piano by using a mono plate reverb to fill the center of the mix. By running the wide, stereo piano through a vintage EMT 140 Plate Reverb and panning the effect to the center, FKJ creates a blend that adds richness and focus to the track. This technique ensures the piano remains expansive while the reverb provides a distinct presence in the middle, balancing the stereo field and adding captivating depth to the mix.
Tape Notes Podcast
Using tape modulation for more organic, less static synths
Bonobo employs the TB Reelbus plugin to introduce tape modulation and saturation, aiming to create a more organic and less static feel in his mixes. While the plugin adds width and subtle saturation, it is primarily used for its tape wobble effect, which Bonobo uses to infuse life and excitement into synth sounds. This modulation enhances the overall texture, making the music feel more vibrant and engaging.
Tape Notes Podcast
Pitching and saturating reverbs for interesting spaces
Bonobo delves into creative reverb processing by utilizing return channels in Ableton Live, incorporating tools like Soundtoys Decapitator for distortion and Little AlterBoy for pitch shifting. He pitches the reverb return above the root note, often using settings like nine or five semitones, to create a shimmery, harmonizing effect that adds depth and interest to the mix. His technique also involves sidechain compression, allowing the reverb to duck in response to the input source, adding dynamic movement to the sound. Bonobo manipulates parameters such as drive, pitch shift, and reverb decay to craft complex audio effects, utilizing Ableton Live's instrument macros for efficient control. This approach results in a rich, musical texture that enhances the overall sonic landscape.
Tape Notes Podcast
Building tension using a filter on the bass
Bonobo uses a Prophet 5 synthesizer to build tension in a track by gradually opening the filter on the bass. This technique enhances the breadth and energy of the music, particularly when combined with the introduction of a drum break. In the first half of the track, the hypnotic and restrained vibe is maintained by holding back the drum break, allowing listeners to settle into a tranquil, trance-like state. The energy rises significantly when the filter opens and the drum break enters, creating a dynamic shift. Bonobo reflects on the rapid creation of the track, completed in just one or two days, and describes the emotional journey of enjoying the process so much that its completion felt bittersweet. This insight into the creative process highlights the joy and spontaneity that can accompany music production.