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Production Blueprint
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TranceAphobic
Started Topics :
7
Posts :
29
Posted : Mar 13, 2014 15:00:39
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Sound design plays a big role in trance production. If we look at the concept of starting from scratch until the final product, it sometimes can be difficult, knowing where to start. Composing Trance ain’t the right word to use, rather than building a trance track.
Now before you can build anything you must have a blueprint/design.
This shows you the measurements of everything, roughly how much material you need and also all the elements involved.
Trance design is the same.
Picture the track as a skyscraper you are building; you start with a small model and work your way up to the real thing. The difficult part of this comparison is to implement it unto music. So taking all this into account let’s begin to dissect this method. By throwing random stuff together throughout time won’t get you anywhere. Every element in your track needs to compliment the other. For this to become reality you have to forget about building anything in the beginning. Just like a house, you need to first get cement, bricks, etc, etc…
I usually start off with an eight beat loop. Load a kick-drum, add an equalizer and make it a bit brighter, no compression yet. Then add the bass-line, throw down a pattern and also give it some extra high energy to give it a more clear sound, delicate adjustments, because you don’t want to go too far from the original timbre of the sound/ change the quality of the RAW sample, aim for clearness. I then clone both kick and bass-line and create a stereo version of each and make the original two completely merged (mono). So know you have a K&B which is in mono (also the loudest) and a K&B layered on that being in stereo. Usually high-pass these stereo versions to about 300hz, because we don’t want anything below 200hz in stereo. You then pull down the volume on the stereo versions and start to increase the volume again slowly. While you do this, listen to how it changes the original mono version. You can use a vectorscope to ensure you are not adding too much stereo, although you can feel at ease, knowing that you have a mono version which will keep everything in the right place, but still- not too much. This enhances the basic sound of a mono K&B and adds extra flavor to the overall feeling.
Next you throw in a perc loop and snare-drum, keeping in mind that sample selection is also very important (complimenting). Using the brightness of the K&B you also add minor adjustments with an equalizer to the loop and snare to get it on the same brightness/clear level. Now using the same perc loop throughout the whole track can become stale and boring, so we also layer this. Note: With layering you have to start with an origin point, meaning the main loop. Adding other loops to this, only to give extra detail and change in timbre. Layering 4 loops together at the same volume can cause confusion/overlapping of frequencies - not knowing which one is the carrier loop (the origin).
Now having these in place we have our Semi-foundation. Everything we will add from this point needs to sit and blend well with this main element. Next up a few leads to carry the track, I usually create 5 Main Leads aiming for a total track time of 8min. 4 to play their part when the beats are rolling and one/two for the breakdown. I start by loading a Vst and throw down a pattern which sucks in and out of the main beat. While designing the lead, I vary between playing alone, together with the K&B and then all together with the loops/percussion aswell. Doing this I ensure that it blends together well with everything and that the volume levels are complimentary. Start off with everything at the same volume and then tweak it a bit to emphasize the important parts, like the K&B, also keeping the balance within the frequency harmony.
(Note: In this next part I am only talking about 1 of the 5 Main leads). When this is done I clone the lead into 4 parts, not to layer it- but to give it some personality. I take the main pattern and copy it to all four clones, then take out bits on each so that every clone plays a different part of the pattern. Now we have a pattern which complements the beat and consists out of 4 different sounds within the 8 beat loop. You can get very nice results by doing this and also keep everything interesting. Usually I keep the first and fourth clone center 0- and the middle two panned 50% L&R, which provides movement to the track. Also watch out for too much stereo, because we don’t want things to start phasing do we.
I continue constructing the other 4 Main Leads… cloning, panning, without the beat, with the beat and all together- like I said, balancing the volume and frequency levels. Each clone within the Lead also has different reverb settings to add some depth in the movement. After the Leads are done I add some delayed synths.
With these I follow the same steps, but a bit different. I use one Synth as the carrier and layer two other synth’s in the background with some panning, all 3 synths playes together and have the same delay, eq, etc. Having the Main leads keeping the track structured I usually pan the delay on these synths to move between L&R in a slow synchronized movement- so they don’t interfere with the Main Leads. I create 5 different sounding delayed synths for each of the Main Leads. Some only single hit delays on the root note and others, having 3-4 note melodies, to give a type of feeling. Again- I play it alone, with the beat and all together.
The main reason for this again is really to ensure there is some type of connection between every sound in the track and the main beat + percussion- as if everything you add comes from and syncs well with the Kick and Bass-line.
After that I continue to add; SFX, Reverse sounds, Reverb hits, pads, etc- but I don’t layer these, because their only background filling sounds.
As you may have noticed we have done all of this within the 8 beat Loop without touching the actual track. After you feel comfortable with having enough stuff harmonizing with the beat we are ready to start building the final track. When starting from silence we already have the foundation ready to be put together. Benefit now is the levels are already balanced, so when you start the building process you can concentrate on the creative side of things, automation/effects without worrying about levels being a mess.
This can become a strain on your CPU- but using Google you can find many methods to reduce CPU load with your DAW.
And yeah, that’s about it. You continue building the track; duplicate the 8 beat Lead loops to turn it into 16 beat loops, by adding some variety to the clone etc, etc-
Endless possibilities.
Cheers guys and keep enjoying music.
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jizy
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
90
Posts :
1493
Posted : Mar 13, 2014 15:24
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interestin read ;-)
" I then clone both kick and bass-line and create a stereo version of each and make the original two completely merged (mono). So now you have a K&B which is in mono (also the loudest) and a K&B layered on that being in stereo "
although im a struggling to understand your method here.... how r u making that KB section stereo,? u adding a stereo effect to it or something then layering it and merging?
i usually just use an m/s eq if i want to widen up the Kicknbass, but interested in many ways, please elaborate futher  cheers |
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Colin OOOD
Moderator
Started Topics :
95
Posts :
5380
Posted : Mar 13, 2014 16:04
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faxinadu
Faxi Nadu / Elmooht
Started Topics :
282
Posts :
3394
Posted : Mar 13, 2014 16:32
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Quote:
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On 2014-03-13 16:04, Colin OOOD wrote:
Alternatively, just sit down at your sequencer and write the music in your head.
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+10000000000000
people are so lazy these days, everything is a tutorial or a formula, meh :/
The Way Back
https://faxinadu.bandcamp.com/album/the-way-back |
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Colin OOOD
Moderator
Started Topics :
95
Posts :
5380
Posted : Mar 13, 2014 17:31
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jizy
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
90
Posts :
1493
Posted : Mar 13, 2014 19:20
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"It seems it's often the people who have nothing to say, that need the most advice on how to say it".
i was waitin for some1 to say that...
somehow i knew it was going to be you colin... because i was thinkin the same thing 2bh..music does not come off a robotic line in the same way Burgers filled with shit!! far from a fukin blue print..
so no ,not atall .. i just didnt get this mono merging shit,he didnt really explain himself proply... but i agree completely with the rest... so slag me off al u like..
do not judge how i work, id much rather sit down and come up with sumthin that hasnt been done totally , jamming sessions are usually what brings the results not cloning like some Bisnuess... innovation n all that. if u wana work like a robot thats fine...
some tricks are shared aswel u kno , especially with the schooling uv had!
we all kno before u can put the whole thing 2gether idividual things need to be learnt...
then harmonize it ... im still learning , dont kno wether uv noticeed that, just because your shit hot at it thats given 100% dedication and made a success,...
ive always had a passion for this...aswel as psy art etc which i draw,hence ma avatar pic.. so i dont kno what your getting at,...
you teach dont you colin? or is advice only good when it comes to this £££££££3 nowadays? ?! or r u just fed up with repeating yourself....
if u want the truth it was back in 2006 , your style that influenced me to buy my first synthesizer and fall for this style, just that we all lead different lives for the time to progress on ya passion and learn everything needed...
thanks all the same eh
Love shpiral by the way... fuken awsum track... blue print for that was there? ... LMFAO!
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jizy
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
90
Posts :
1493
Posted : Mar 13, 2014 19:54
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wel your style and a few others ,, Benifactor,jirah,safi connection etc
"Alternatively, just sit down at your
sequencer and write the music in your head"
Is what i knew wot was guna be sed,,, your other little dig of a message was not wot i was expectin
i am drawn to this style i am this style.. i understand this style and certainly kno the difference between real music and factory produced Burgers filled with shit on a production line........... that is called "RADIO" = money for greedy labels that is fffaaaaarrrrr from what i consider REAL EMOTION or even go as far as saying "real people that listen to the pluged in system bullshit of lies and sweet bitter betrayal and control.... poor soulz. id rather be awakened to the fact that i dont know
for example... 2006-09 4me dark psy had and containd real emotion... now? its just a replication and far from genuine..
dont underestimate me aswel as knowing i have fucked my life due to much acid and mushrooms.... shit happens , ive probly missed the bus and should quit... your right only have self to blame boohoo ...
let me learn and catch up with all the years wasted in peace yeh? coz personally, i hate the internet... i would much rather b limited there4 bieng forced 2b creative i seriously would!!!!!!
my thing is i cant get creative unless i am happy with my bassline and kick.. if those aint right then i cant continue... lots and trial and errors 4me more so than tutorials... Psylocybian , sound magus , we all can earn a buck eh
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TranceAphobic
Started Topics :
7
Posts :
29
Posted : Mar 14, 2014 10:12
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Quote:
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On 2014-03-13 16:32, faxinadu wrote:
Quote:
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On 2014-03-13 16:04, Colin OOOD wrote:
Alternatively, just sit down at your sequencer and write the music in your head.
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+10000000000000
people are so lazy these days, everything is a tutorial or a formula, meh :/
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Fair point guys, I was actually waiting for someone to show me i am wasting my time typing these long ass threads, lol. there's so much more i can do, rather than hanging out on forums.. it is too technical yes, seems like ur ol school analog fans, not digital junkies.
anyway thats my Q, cya
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Nomad Moon
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
134
Posts :
1516
Posted : Mar 14, 2014 14:36
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U not wasting your time, everyone as a different view on things, i like your posts, valualbe information, nobodie's telling you to leave, some might agree, some don't, that's life, i thank your for your valuable info please keep up.
Gonna try that double kickbass thingy, altough i have a question, on the stereo bass u pan it open? Or its just a stereo channel, im on Cubase by the way.
Tudo que é melhor e mais superior em mim saúda tudo que é melhor e mais alto em si |
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faxinadu
Faxi Nadu / Elmooht
Started Topics :
282
Posts :
3394
Posted : Mar 14, 2014 14:46
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jizy
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
90
Posts :
1493
Posted : Mar 14, 2014 18:36
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Quote:
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On 2014-03-14 14:46, faxinadu wrote:
not wasting your time for sure, sorry if things came out a bit harsh, just think this step-by-step hand-in-hand thing just leads to more and more formula music.
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agreed 100 % ,im al 4 mixing techs tho..
following blue prints in creativity, then we all may aswel use dance EJAY..
a mixing techy will catch my eye tho.. then again, its up2 us 2 find are own
no worries
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basshead
Started Topics :
7
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18
Posted : Mar 14, 2014 22:55
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I like your posts tranceaphobic. For beginners it can be helpful to have an idea where to start cause it's not exactly like turnin on a tape cassette recorder nowadays and with all the options it can be easy to get lost.. but ya be creative and original obviously. should go without saying, unfortunatly..
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moleqlarsuperstructure
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
36
Posts :
265
Posted : Mar 15, 2014 00:15
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i think
if you play with some stuff around you can get nice melodies beats grooves and come upt with some very good ideas (thats how music works). but if you wanna have big sound you have to follow some technichal lines.
the art is something like... dont lose yourself in one or the other thing. combining all the skills take what you need. leave what you can leave. and bring it down.
cheers 
http://soundcloud.com/neonjade |
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Rework
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
27
Posts :
45
Posted : Mar 15, 2014 09:19
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Thats not your q. When you have nothing left, then thats your q. If someone think other people are lazy just because they wanna learn by asking, well thats there problem.
Some people need to now where to begin, and what to do when making a kick, lead etc they need to now where to start and there from learning and get better.
We are right now in a forum were we can ask for helped and share our knowledge, our way to do it, thoose who have a problem with that should leave no comments, thats just stupid in my opinion. Maybe they dont have better things but you shouldn't bother. You share your knowledge, you help others you make us try different stuff and by that we are learning
https://soundcloud.com/peter-fh |
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Rework
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
27
Posts :
45
Posted : Mar 15, 2014 09:20
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Thats not your q. When you have nothing left, then thats your q. If someone think other people are lazy just because they wanna learn by asking, well thats there problem.
Some people need to now where to begin, and what to do when making a kick, lead etc they need to now where to start and there from learning and get better.
We are right now in a forum were we can ask for helped and share our knowledge, our way to do it, thoose who have a problem with that should leave no comments, thats just stupid in my opinion. Maybe they dont have better things but you shouldn't bother. You share your knowledge, you help others you make us try different stuff and by that we are learning
https://soundcloud.com/peter-fh |
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