Song#3 Runaway - Mastering Stage

I'm trying to find motivation to write this post, as I'm already thinking of the next song...but oh well, here goes:

1. Idea Stage
2. Composing and Arranging Stage
3. Recording Stage
4. Mastering Stage
5. Final Product

As always, please visit this project's intro blog. 

Mastering

As usual, the tracks were grouped into instruments, vocals and others. For this song, I started using the 'send' function of Ableton, where I routed a portion of the track output to Reverb and/or Sidechain Compression (where the kick drum input was the trigger for the compressor)

Sends with varying degree

Sidechain compression settings

For the instrument part,  I adopted an EQ filtering technique I picked up from Wickimedia's mastering videos. Putting all tracks together to play at the same time hides the important hits from the Arp One samples (Electric Grand VST) and the softer samples (also from the same VST). To solve the problem, one might opt to pan left or pan right the tracks to give it more 'space' in a virtual recording studio or simply just increasing the volume of the track relative to the rest. However, the better technique is to EQ filter frequencies that clash/collide with the intended instrument.

Take for example the Arp One hits, which peaks at 1K Hz according to the Spectrum analyzer.

Arp One hits frequencies

From here I used a comb filter pattern on EQ eight for all instruments playing at that period of time such as below.

Arp Poly Lead comb filter on EQ eight

This method still retains the sound of the EQ'd instrument but gives space on the frequency spectrum for the target tune to occupy.

Also, this song included a Sub bass track, for reasons I do not fully comprehend, other than just following some Youtube video's suggestion. Sub Bass sounds are practically inaudible to the human ears but if you played it on a really big diaphragm speaker, you would be able to feel it in your body (kinda like the whoosh-whoosh feel). The theory is that adding it (it follows the audible bass line notes), adds the extra kick to the mix. I hope there's some effect nonetheless :)

All other tracks have the same basic devices, such as Gate, Auto Pan, EQ eight, Glue Compressor etc.. while the master group track had a comb/valley EQ filter to accommodate the vocals at 175Hz (it changes to 359Hz during the chorus)


The vocals group had the usual processing. This time I added fancy effects like Simple Delay for the repetition of the last syllable at the bridge and Reverb for extra feel. I decided against adding Vocal thickening tracks with the current setting with Grain Delay device (it sounds terrible) as compared to the previous song. After all there's the harmony track. During the bridge, I sampled the 'Runaway' part using Sampler and added an Overdrive to it. Using the sampler, I assigned trigger keys to set rhythmic playback of different parts of the sample. So, I could either play R-r-r-unaway or Runaw-w-way, you'll get the gist.

Sampler with different trigger keys

Finally, for the Master channel another glue compressor and limiter was added to the chain. Nothing much, nothing really new, just another day in mastering.



Stay tuned for the final Part V of  V for this song!

Song#3 Runaway - Recording Stage

Well well well well well, iiiits recording time folks!

1. Idea Stage
2. Composing and Arranging Stage
3. Recording Stage
4. Mastering Stage
5. Final Product

If you look closely, you'll find info on this blog here :)

Recording

Using my beautiful Blue Yeti microphone, I proceeded to scream into it. Not literally, but somehow or rather I decided that the chorus should be pitch as high as the Beegees, you can guess the outcome of my vocal chords.

There were occasions throughout the day where I could hit the high notes perfectly, but can't even croak any after meals. The recording was done in two shot, using the guide tones I set in Ableton Live, with the V-Station synth. I had my phone is one hand and the mouse to stop and start recording in the other. On the phone was my lyrics, zoomed out as much as possible to reduce scrolling during the singing.

After singing for what seems forever, I ported the audio to Melodyne, this time without any processing through gates whatsover. This is due to the mistakes in the previous song, where there were clippings i.e. silent gaps in the singing when you listen closely. High-pass gates work where sound above a certain decibel are allowed to pass-thru while softer ones are cut out completely.

The mistake in the previous song was that I processed the audio even before porting to Melodyne. It made the singing sound awkward when softer sounds were cut away (like singing with your nose pinched). So this time, I opted for a post-Melodyne-postprocessing.

The first take was not that good, where I missed certain syllable (blame lousy lyric writing), so I used it as a backing harmony track. The second take was the main one used.

Red is the main vocal, yellow is the harmony

Like I mentioned in the previous post, the harmony this time was more of a trial-and-error kind of workflow, where I just tried pitching a 3rd above and adjusting notes that sounded weird in the particular chords at that time.

For the electric guitar ,  using my neighbour's PRS Tremonti se, I hooked it up with a Mooer Hustledrive (overdrive) Pedal and a Mooer Re-echo Pedal. Being not really a guitar person, I just strummed haphazardly and using power chords that kinda matched the chorus original chords. Also, I used his Roland Microcube as amp while I routed the leadout/headphone jack to my computer mic jack - with reducer add-on of course. That took about several takes before getting the desired track.

Stay tuned for Part IV of  V for this song!

Song#3 Runaway - Composing and Arranging Stage

Sup, next part here!

1. Idea Stage
2. Composing and Arranging Stage
3. Recording Stage
4. Mastering Stage
5. Final Product

Here's the intro blog for this whole setup.

Arranging

For this song, I played around with 4 complex chords,

CM7- AbM7- Gm7 on Bb- Fmaj7(add9)

These chords are going to form part of the overall chorus and verse. For the bridge instead, I opted for a variation:

CM7- AbM7- Gm7 on Bb- CM7

The next part is sculpting the soundscape of the mix. In order to achieve the funk disco style of the source, a steady drum beat with some reverb was needed, alongside electronic analog instruments like synths.

The instruments I added were:

• Bass-Station bass synth (Gulp Bass, Sub Bass)
• XLN audio's Addictive Keys - Electric Grand VST
• Chromatone drumkit (Ableton native)
• V-station synth (Dance 2)
• Auto-simfonie (Ableton native)
• Electric guitar with overdrive
• Arp Poly Lead (Ableton native)
• Pulse Mod Resonance (Ableton native) 
• Sweep & Wobble (Ableton native)
• Manually created a white noise sweep using Operator
• Collision Rubber Bass
• Minor 7th Chord Lead

Lyrics

In this song, I started with the chorus hook 'Runaway' and worked backwards. So, I had in mind, a concept of running away, but from what? I chose a crime. Then I decided on a backstory where the guy was implicated falsely with a crime that he didn't do. Then I drew parallels with Edward Snowden. But somehow or rather, I needed to include some elements of romance, since this being part of the proposal plan right?

So, I added the girl in the beginning, as part of the guy briefing her that he's running away for now, and will somehow get her later. Other parts in the pre-chorus were somewhat rhythmic words that made little sense to the overall story, but that's how modern songs go these days :)


Voila! Here's the lyrics:


V1 - Get down girl, the cops are here to see me,

Not you, just me,

Killed a man right down the city street,

They say, to me

But I've been right here down right next to you,

Just you, and me

Told the cops that, they still don't believe me,

They won't, you'll see



PreChorus- ,

Ran out to my car, parked in the rear

I know you'll be clearer,

When I, come back, to you



And everytime I do the shiftin' gear,

(I) See cars in the mirror,

When I look back to you



Chorus- Runaway, runaway,

I'll runaway with u-u-u-u,

Runaway runaway,

We've got many things to do-o-o

Pack up your things (&) meet me on the sidewalk,

on the sidewalk, just you

(we gotta to)

Runaway runaway,

I'll runaway with u-u-u-u



V2- Drove right up my house in 16th street,

My house, to seek,

Grabbed my files and pulled the power plug ,

Wiped (it) clean, no mark,

So they got no big proof agaaaainst me,

No proof, you'll see,

Charged me with the crimes of other people,

They will, they will



Bridge - They will never get me in town,

They will never (never), they won't

They will never catch me downtown,

They will never (never), they won't,

If you ever see me in town,

Just walk on by, no sound,

They will never see me they drown,

They will never (never), they won't


As for the harmonising part, I opted for a cleaner 2 voice singing, just one high and one low. I planned on recording the voices at the same pitch, Melodyne it and then experimenting by ear which intervals work best with the song. In fact, I used the V-Station synth to score out the melody before putting lyrics to it (it also helps as a guide tone during singing). This way it's easier to ask my arranger friends to comment long before i added any meaningful lyrics to it. Besides, if I decided to keep the synth melody, I can cut parts of it out where unnecessary, like the verses, where the synth would clash with the vocals for attention.


Stay tuned for Part III of  V for this song!

Song#3 Runaway - Idea Stage

Wasup people, here's another song! Welcome to my 1 year blog on making 7 songs to propose to my beloved!

1. Idea Stage
2. Composing and Arranging Stage
3. Recording Stage
4. Mastering Stage
5. Final Product

Source

One day I was binge listening to funk pop or nudisco groups like Metronomy, Breakbot, Tame Impala and Two Doors Cinema Club, that I got the inspiration to compose a sort-of funk number.

To that extent, I started off with the notion of a disco beat below some newly gotten slick piano riffs from Cape Lion's Jennie which used XLNaudio's Addictive Keys VST (I used electric grand). I had the requirement of naming the song starting with the letter R, so what better than to randomly select a word - RUNAWAY.

Putting into context, I thought of lyrics like "runaway to you" or "runaway with you", but definitely not "runaway from you" :) The next consideration was whether I wanted to add electric guitar overdrive strumming to the mix, since I managed to borrow my neighbour's PRS Tremonti set (thanks Chu Gen!). After a couple testing rounds with different pedal settings, I decided upon using overdrive, rather than metal distortion in the chorus part.

Lastly, I drew inspiration from some EDM mixes where I attempted at filter passing and side-chain compression for the mix. I also tried applying what I learned from Wickiemedia (which I previously introduced in the previous song) to this song.

No one else wanted to sing my song except for myself. -Sadface-

Stay tuned for Part II of  V for this song!

Song#2 All on this farm - Final Product

Yosh! Here's the last part of the 5 part series for song #2. Let's get started!

1. Idea Stage
2. Composing and Arranging Stage
3. Recording Stage
4. Mastering Stage aka apply-some-magic-time
5. Final Product

Here's the intro blog on everything you need to know here :)

Soundcloud upload

All done, I uploaded it to my soundcloud down below:

Filming the Music Video

This round, I incorporated the scenes around my hometown Penang as imagery for the MV. My initial idea was having a static subject with background that changes with the music. The subject is none other than GF's toy sheep/lamb :)

I used my trusty 3y/o Canon Ixus camera to record Full HD (1980x1080p) the scenes where the subject was filmed. Occasionally the scenes had little movement, so I had to swap it out for others which are more dynamic. It took my and my unknowing girlfriend a whole day driving around the island to get the shot. We covered from Balik Pulau, San Nen Goat farm, Teluk Bahang dam, Armenian Street and many others (try guessing them from the MV!)

To process it, this time I went back to Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2016 for the editing and arrangement of the videos.I added a little title screen with a TV blur from Jarle's Presets 2.0 and some manual jiggling for the harmonica part. I used a stock picture of two men playing the harmonica which was really funny, because the other guy in the rear was looking at the harmonica dude so intently - like 'WTF are you doing' kind of stare.

The stock picture

The jiggling

Also, Handbrake was used to compress the final video for upload. I made a mistake with the conversion and ended up with a 300Mb 3minute MV to upload in Full HD (FYI it took a whole night of uploading on my broadband speed :( )

Final Product

With that said, here's the MV in full glory for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

PS. Well well, my gf loved it again! Score 2 for song #2!!😄

Song#2 All on this farm - Mastering Stage

Let's get down to business with part 4 of 5 today, the Mastering Stage.

1. Idea Stage
2. Composing and Arranging Stage
3. Recording Stage
4. Mastering Stage aka apply-some-magic-time
5. Final Product

As always, please visit this project's intro blog. 

Mastering

I divided the tracks into groups for easy editing. The groups are:

• Instrument
• Animals sound
• Vocal

 For the instrument part, each instrument has its own track, as described in the previous post. Additional processing was added for some instruments like the bass - EQ was added. An overall
chain-linked compressor was added to limit music volume during the intro and outro parts, where the animal & farmer entry scene was occuring. In the same device chain, a glue compressor was added. The harmonica recording was processed with a gate, Amp boost and reverb device chain for the desired sound.

The next group Animals also had some processing. For those recording live with my girlfriend's toy sheep, an autofilter was added, to cut out the lower frequencies and rumble from the background noise. The other animal sample recordings from freesound.org were reasonably well with minimum background noise hiss and required no additional processing. The overall group was also processed with a compressor -glue compressor device chain as well.

Lastly, the Vocal group was split into several tracks like:

• Main vocal
• Vocal thickening
• Harmony 1
• Harmony 2
• Extra

The vocal thickening track was a trick learned from master Warren Huart's video, where I chained up to 8 pairs of vocals with different pannings and tuning with the grain delay device and finished with a limiter. This track was then made softer by -35dB against the Main vocal track to give that final thickening sound.

Harmonies 1 & 2 were solely for the chorus purposes and were individually recorded and processed through Melodyne. The device chain for them included gate, compressor and EQ8 with different EQ frequency high-pass & low-pass envelopes. The Extra track was mainly for those exclaimations of "Hey!" and other minor sound snippets.

Overall, the Vocal group was processed through another chain of EQ8, glue compressor, Amp Clean and a Abletunes Easy Deesser devices.

Finally, for the Master channel another glue compressor and limiter was added to the chain.

Aaaand that's all folks! A simple setup for a simple song (disclaimer - this was mastered before I watched Wicklemedia's awesome mastering tutorial on Youtube, a big recommend!)


Stay tuned for the final Part V of  V for this song!

Song#2 All on this farm - Recording Stage

Yawns, yet another post, but this one is the hardest so far.

1. Idea Stage
2. Composing and Arranging Stage
3. Recording Stage
4. Mastering Stage aka apply-some-magic-time
5. Final Product

In case you are new here, here's the intro blog. 

Recording

For this song, I used my newly bought USB Blue Yeti microphone (around RM500+) for the recording.

Since the song involved singing and playing the harmonica, I tried my best in noise reduction for my home setup as you can see below, which is pretty hilarious to speak.

 Putting the actual singing aside (just an amateur singer), I used Melodyne to fix certain notes and timing due to delay latency during recording. It looks like this:

The same was done with the harmonica recording. The harmonica was a cheap China-knockoff brand tuned in D and missing some chromatic notes, so I needed to adjust the pitch using the software where necessary.

Stay tuned for Part IV of  V for this song!