Pitcher/Newtone Project

Now that my modal chord progression project is done, I have hit a wall with this project. The only two major changes to FL Studio are Pitcher and Newtone, both requiring vocals. I was considering doing something with the speech synthesizer like Kathys Song by Apoptygma Berserk, which I highly recommend listening to if you havent already. I played around with newtone and considered this style, but I figure it would simply take way too long for being at this point in the school year. So now im planning on just sticking with a typical electro style vocal, very heavily modified so auto-tune would only make it better. I had a couple beats and riffs, but im totally scratching them. I had a little over an hour to kill while waiting for dinner to be served, so I played around with the demo version, and got this [below]. The vocals actually are the only big peice I need to work on still, and I already know where im placing them, just not what they will say...

Some Chords [5-13]

I found this project very interesting because I was forced to focus more on the back bone of the song. I have been listening to alot more trance lately which influenced this piece instead of the electro and industrial that I usually stick with. The big problem I found with this project was the bass. I did not want a complex bass line because it would not fit right. Sticking pretty close to the chord progression, I played with a couple styles and although it is not a perfect fit, the sidechained bass was the best option. I also had alot of trouble with clarity between the bass and kick. I did alot of stuff with cutoff and resonance automations throughout. The chord progression is in C Major if I recall correctly, simple because im lazy. Most of the synths are poizone I believe. They are all pretty simplistic, the first lead just has the trance gate applied, and the chord backing just has alot of detune and a long release (gives the effect at the beginning). Almost all the effects added in along the way are some sort of filter automation. Any other question about the project, just comment. And im sorry if you dont like the length and repitition, I think if a song is really good it should never end (not that my song is that good).

Some Chords [5-05]

The composition part of this project is pretty much wrapped up. I have came up with the drum loops and leveled them a bit. Ive worked on the levels for the chords versus the lead synths that come in. And now I need to work on the bass. Im currently working with a sidechained bass (sidechained with the peak controller plugin to a muted kick, inverted with the volume of the hit). I pumped up the bass level coming from the kick drum, so leveling in the bass might be difficult. I have some higher frequencies added to the bass synth which I hope will help the listener differenciate between the kick and the bass. Im hoping to wrap this project up soon.

Some Chords [4-28]

I dont have a lot to report with my project. Its going well I suppose. Its based a style of vocal trance, like anything by Dash Berlin for instance. Its mainly a heavily detuned 6 chord progression. If you wanna know what this sounds like listen to some Dash Berlin or many other trance artists. My whole project is centered around this peice. I have two riff like parts playing over this at parts of the song, butI need to do some serious leveling with this. Last class I worked mainly on coming up with drums. I have some simple loops that fit, but I need to work on more transitions (they arent necessary with my particular song but I want them). Im thinking of using alot of drum rolls with a filter automation. I also want to see if I can incorporate a backwards hit into my drum loops to add some flare. I have one part where I use one note that drones over the chord progression, I think it adds a great amount of suspense, more than you would think. The drums (the actual samples) sound pretty good I feel. I tend to struggle with drums. The main thing im struggling with though is incorporating the two riffs while keeping the focus on the main synth playing the full chords. After really analizing some other complex songs I like I am thinking I need to do two things. I need to filter out some frequencies that the two competing synths have in common and then decrease the volume of the riff synth. I think the listener will hear the new riff coming in and then will pay attention to that and it will sound more balanced (I hope). I have used alot of LP filters to introduce the new riffs, so there are probably going to be some volume issues there. If this was my first time taking music tech I would just export this project now, but im hoping to press out anything i dont want in this one and really get a decent product. Im sure it will take a few more days. I know from reading Celldwellers posts about his songs, he spends alot more time on each song (often months) so Im going to commit some more time to this one.

Envelope and LFO Project Details

Okay, the main synth (the one with the filter on it. Unison at two, even balance between oscillators. Osc. one has the ring modutator on, oscillator two is down an octave. The envelope is set for cutoff (which has already been turned down a bit) and the amount is at +30%, attack at 50%, D/S/R at 100%. The filter is a high pass with alot of automation on the cutoff frequency. The fuzzy synth that comes in to support has the unison at 4 and detune at 40% and some noise added. The envelope is again set at cutoff and all the parameters are set pretty high. Then the LFO is also set to cutoff with high amount and relatively high rate. The sound at 45 seconds has high release, envelope on cutoff with amount at -50%, A @ 10, D @100, S @ 50, R @ 25. Then there is a synth that is in the back of most of the song, but is pretty much by itself at 45 seconds in. The LFO is set on cutoff with the amount at +50% and the rate about level with that. The envelope is on cutoff aswell with the amount very low (-80%) and everything else pretty high.

Some Chords [4-06]

Chords, check. "Air" synth, check. Acid synth, check. Drums, I have some but not so sure I will actually use any. Some cool ideas, check. More on the way?, lookin good. My post for the last project, still working on that...

Update [4-02]

I still have not gotten around to posting the specifics on my last project and I am sorry about the delay. I took screen shots of all the parts of the project, then noticed when i got home to write up about it that I had taken screenshots of the new project, not the completed one...

Well, with the chord progressions project, I am definately taking a trance direction with this one. Ive been listening to alot of Armin van Buuren, ATB, and Dash Berlin among others lately. Mr. Rabuse mentioned chord leading to make smooth progressions, but I have disregarded that for the moment, the feel im hearing is more "boom, boom, boom". Id like to incorporate another progression that is more smooth later on. So far I have some synths, the main one is like the definition of trance, a ton of detune and a long release. I also have alot of automations on the sustain of the synth, the cutoff, and the resonance. I have a bass that is sidechained to the kick, and it is WAY to powerful at the moment, but Ill fix that later. I need to come up with an "acid" style synth. Luckily we have been using poizone alot lately, because that plugin is 100% aimed at acid synths. I also need to work on using cymbals more. I dont typically use them, but they are common in trance. Without them it would be like playing heavy metal without high gain amps, its do-able, but weird.