Creating flow

On 2009-08-06 16:28:24, Ascension wrote:
I thought I'd throw this topic up for discussion. What kind of techniques do you guys use to create a sense of flow in your tracks while still keeping things interesting? This latest track I'm working on I made a lead, then duplicated that channel and messed with the settings (waveforms, type of filter, changed lfo settings, etc). I think it gives the track a sense of flow since the sounds are somewhat similar, but with different amounts of movement/texture (the patterns the leads follow are rhythmically similar, but the actual sound of each lead is different).

As far as keeping it interesting and to make it not seem repetitive I only use certain fxs in one phrase of the track and moved some of the pads around/played with some filter sweeps. I think I'm also gonna experiment with doing something like using an fx sound only during a breakdown so that section sounds more unique than the rest of the track and breaks up the reuse of previous sounds.
I dunno where this topic is gonna go, but feel free to share some of your ideas/techniques and make some comments/suggestions on other people's methods. This doesn't necessarily have to be about psytrance tracks as I was referring to above, I really need to work on creating flow in my downtempo tracks so any advice in that area would help too.

On 2009-08-06 17:18, Axis Mundi wrote:
One thing that I have been doing lately is to create two sets of bars (say, +/- 64 bars as an example) with a space in the middle, and fill them up with sounds. Some of the sounds I will extend in MIDI into the empty space before rendering so sounds "stick out of" their groups. This gives me something to play with and destroy when making breakdowns.

I believe it is all about making your audience remember details only to be surprised later on by a twist while bringing that memory back.

Brain is hardwired to recognize patterns...

I usually create a main motif, or theme for my track... let's say an 8 bar melody, or riff, or particular arrangement that will give personality to the whole track. So i take bits of that main theme and scatter them all over my file's lenght.

Sometimes i use same riff with another synth, sometimes i use some chords and then use them again later but this time adding 7ths or just playing with progressions so it moves, sometimes i use same build up as the one i used for first drop after intro but this time as a teaser... just examples.

Do you get the point? It's like telling a story, you have to guide your audience through this soundscapes that you already know, so you play with their minds you make them feel "oh this sounds great, it's a great and memorable tune"... then when the track evolves for a couple of minutes you bring same tune again but this time you fucking glitch it, or distort, or change the riff so people go "oh i know this tune it goes like humm... and suddenly their minds are amazed by something that goes totally unexpected, creating interest while maintaining the flow.


Hope i mad myself clear enough... just reuse elements that serve as scenarios so you create this feeling of coherence between all your tracks parts, the trick avoiding boredom, always surprising.

On 2009-08-06 22:48, becktrank wrote:

Quote:

On 2009-08-06 16:28:24, Ascension wrote: I thought I'd throw this topic up for discussion. What kind of techniques do you guys use to create a sense of flow in your tracks while still keeping things interesting? This latest track I'm working on I made a lead, then duplicated that channel and messed with the settings (waveforms, type of filter, changed lfo settings, etc). I think it gives the track a sense of flow since the sounds are somewhat similar, but with different amounts of movement/texture (the patterns the leads follow are rhythmically similar, but the actual sound of each lead is different). As far as keeping it interesting and to make it not seem repetitive I only use certain fxs in one phrase of the track and moved some of the pads around/played with some filter sweeps. I think I'm also gonna experiment with doing something like using an fx sound only during a breakdown so that section sounds more unique than the rest of the track and breaks up the reuse of previous sounds. I dunno where this topic is gonna go, but feel free to share some of your ideas/techniques and make some comments/suggestions on other people's methods. This doesn't necessarily have to be about psytrance tracks as I was referring to above, I really need to work on creating flow in my downtempo tracks so any advice in that area would help too.

nice topic mate, i m also looking to give a flow to my track. Is too obvius the bars, but i m feeling im about to do a great improvement with this.
Can you tell me more about the leads?

Do you clone the lead1, than change the settings as you said, to give it a different texture and movement, and let the two leads (the original and the clone) play together the same pattern?

On 2009-08-06 22:52, becktrank wrote:


Still trying to understand that....

On 2009-08-06 23:20, Axis Mundi wrote:

Quote:

On 2009-08-06 22:52, becktrank wrote: Still trying to understand that....

Hard to explain without posting a picture I guess, hehe

On 2009-08-09 01:57, Medea wrote:
any examples of tracks with good or bad "sense of flow"?