slow-journey

A blog for the making of slow journey (still on my mind)

[slow-journey]

Day 3 - Feedback & Response - Structure

02/11/2023

Feedback

structure needed more clarity

↳ intro needed to be shortened

↳ needed another section like a pre-chorus

tune the kick and snare to match the key

 for samples: use the mod matrix (filter env as source, resonance as target)

Response

structure was refined, intro shortened and pre-chorus created with vocal layering and multiple harmonies

↳ this created more suspense for the chorus and gave the song more direction

kick and snare tuned

↳ this glued them into the mix more

sampler mod matrix was played around with for the vocal sample break

↳ added a subtle interest to that section of the song

[slow-journey]

Day 3 - Automation and Electric Guitar

02/11/2023

A tremolo effect was added to the saw synth chords during the sample vocal break. The depth was set to 100% and the rate was automated to create a hard glitchy effect.

An automated bit-crusher effect downsamples the trembell chords in the second pre-chorus to expand the references to glitch production.

Automation was also added to the vocal intro. A reverb send was automated as well as the wet sound. A Tremelo effect was then used on the reverb bus and the bypass was automated. This ties the intro into the song and adds movement.

Electric guitar was recorded and reversed which is heard a lot in lo-fi R&B. Automation of a pitch shift effect and reverb is used on the guitar in the second verse to add change throughout the song and aid the pre-chorus's build up.

↳ also makes the guitar sound bigger and surrounds the listener audibly to mirror the lyrics "feel at home"

Heres the guitar solo-ed before and after automation:

Heres how it sounds in the mix before and after:

[slow-journey]

Day 2 - Feedback - Harmonic developement

26/10/2023

Feedback

add variation in bassline for the verse

↳ filler notes

↳ details

look at different voicing for chords

↳ consider adding bass notes

↳ invert notes

↳ play with velocity

↳ add a drone note in the key

EQ lower frequencies out of the chords

Response

chords

added different voicing to chords

before:

after:

velocity changes, drone notes, inverted notes.

bassline

added variation for the verse

original bassline:

new bassline for verse:

same key, different notes, less frequent to allow for a build up in the pre-chorus/chorus.

[slow-journey]

Day 2 - Vocals & Lyrics

lyric mood board

The vocals aimed to stay within the typical themes of R&B music, focusing on love, relationships, and confidence. Initially, a lively melody was constructed but didn't match the vibe, reinforcing the need for critical thinking in the creative process. Love became the new theme.

The vocal melody mainly uses the Eb minor scale, with leading notes for added interest. The sample break also mainly uses vocal samples on the root note (Eb) which is done to mirror the idea in the lyrics that "everything's fine" and that the singer feels at home in their relationship.

The choice of Eb minor, though uncommon for love songs, conveys both love and the accompanying hardships and anxiety. The vocals were recorded with an AKG 414 at a 60cm distance, which may be adjusted for a more intimate feel later.

[slow-journey]

I feel your heart beating close next to mine maybe everything's fine everything's fine We grew together, surfing through life Now the harder times and you're still on my mind.

[slow-journey]

Day 1 - Bass & Chords

25/10/2023

On the first day, the focus for bass and chords was to establish the key and basic notes, leaving sound design for later. Initially, we thought it was in B minor, but feedback led us to realize it was in Eb minor, emphasizing the importance of identifying the root note.

For the bass, we started with a sample of a single bass note, E, and played around with leading notes and rhythm. Later, a sub-bass layer was created to strengthen the mix. The root key of the sampler was adjusted to an E to avoid confusion when playing notes in. A side-chained compression was added to add more movement to the chords.

To enhance the R&B characteristics, we can explore options like adding a sharp 7 from the harmonic minor scale. More work and research will be done in the next session for both the bass and chords.

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[slow-journey]

Day 1 - Drum Beat

25/10/2023

The genre selected for this track was lo-fi R&B. This meant the process began with the discussion of typical and recognisable elements.

The first step was creating a simple, stripped back beat, typical of R&B music from artists such as SZA. Then to add feel and interest, syncopated notes were added to the drum beat and varied throughout the 8 bar loop.

The turning point in this process was the realisation that sometimes simplicity can be the most effective when trying to produce certain genres such as R&B. Starting out, the beat made was faster in tempo and more complex. After some reflecting, slowing it down and stripping it back made more sense for the genre choice.

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