Monday, May 4, 2009

Loamy - Final Project



I used three programs for my final project - Logic, RadiaL, and Reason. Overall, the track does not have strictly defined sections, but can be roughly divided into a beginning, theme, alternate section, reprise, and ending. The entire song is synthesis-based - I used no non-original samples, and only one original sample (created from other parts of the track itself).
I started this song with a long note from a slow-building pad. The tempo begins at 190 BPM. Next, I introduce the main pattern used throughout the song. The pad dies, and the pattern continues. Next, a drum 'n bass type drum pattern enters - it is tight and compressed, but not distorted. I use noise sweeps (produced using a Reason softsynth) and snare drum rolls to introduce new sections - an element borrowed from trance, even though most of the track sounds more D'n'B (probably due to the drums). Another trance-like element is the lead synthesizer, which sounds like a trance synthesizer.
After this, I introduce an acoustic piano; this gives a sound somewhat reminiscent of early 90's rave music. In this section, I include several parts of silence, before introducing the main theme and a bass pad over the piano with drums added later. Next, most instruments drop out as the piano gives a short introduction to an alternate lead pattern. I add in the bass line again, and then a different drum pattern.
Following this, the main line enters again. first with a 4/4 kick and next a full drum pattern with the bass pad. This phrase shifts up two keys. I put a sample from the B-flat section through RadiaL and recorded this loop as I increased the tempo until it reached roughly the key of D. I put this sample back into Logic and fade it out in the D-section as a D-note from the lead pad enters again, with a half-speed drum pad. The music plays at half speed for a short time, then the key shifts up a half-step to E-flat and the tempo goes up to 220 BPM. The drum also gets much faster, with a rapidly pulsing bass drum. A new pad is introduced (one with a shorter attack time than the original lead pad, which would not do at such a high tempo) which plays a very fast trill over the bass and drums.
After this, the main riff and 4/4 pattern play again, gradually slowing down from 220 to 190 BPM. The main theme with all instruments plays again, followed by the alternate theme (this time with the piano under it as well). Next, all the instruments drop out except for the lead and bass. Finally, the main pad introduces a short outtro. To the entire track, I applied reverb and boosted the higher frequencies somewhat.