All children are born innocent. Innocence is worth protecting.

--

This song was produced whilst taking part in Taetro's Beatmakers Bootcamp in Melodics, during January 2024.

Taetro's tutorials on his YouTube channel have been the best I've seen to date. A fantastic teaching style, with an ideal balance of knowledge and humility. His guidance is helping me unlock a whole new world of music production.

My original intention for this production was to make a hard hitting, Industrial influenced banger.

Instead, the result that appeared was a tune that sounds a bit like a Carribean fairy tale. This is the track that was always meant to happen, because it happened.

Here's to happy accidents and the whispers of the muse.

Innocence

Sometimes, it's not meant to be
(but one day it will)

--

This is my second song submitted during Taetro's Beatmaker Bootcamp on Melodics.

I already had the central audio track that I had recorded from my Arturia Microfreak, using a sequenced patch called 'Fat Moves'.

I stumbled on it whilst looking for a bass patch. Noodling around with it was fun, but I couldn't see how it would work in a song. Then the note progression in this song happened, and I was instantly taken back to the many occasions when my feelings for someone weren't reciprocated. (Thankfully I met my soulmate later, and have a greater appreciation for her after the previous disappointments)

The song was stuck in a rut until the bootcamp, which sparked some inspiration on where to go with it.

I tried to add drums (what with it being a beatmaker bootcamp!), but nothing seemed to fit. The song just rejected every attempt.

Some kind of percussion was needed, so I went bonkers with the Hi-hats.

Getting everything timed right was a real challenge. To my ear, it sounds right, but my ear might be lying to me. Feedback will be gratefully received.

A Love, Rejected

I originally created in with MPC Beats last year. I then started dabbling to Ableton before losing some focus with music creation. I just couldn't adapt to the workflow (coupled with a lack of skill and knowledge) Instead, I learned to play a bit of Bass guitar and joined a band for the year. 

I had ideas that I wanted to make reality, so I fired up Ableton again, but this time I watched Taetro's beginner course on Youtube. That was where I found out about the Melodics Bootcamp.

Towards the end of the Bootcamp, I wanted to improve the three tracks in this trilogy. They're all based on recurring lucid dreams I've had over the years.

I kept the Drum samples used in MPC, and the main arpeggiated patch from Hybrid 3, and added a couple of extra track layers. BPM was kept at the original 120 (but there's potential to kick it up a bit on future mixdowns).

If anyone's interested in comparing this to the original version, here's the link to Youtube: 

https://youtu.be/t-HXQMUZ8Cc

Feedback is gratefully received, as I want to get better at making music, one project at a time.

Many thanks,

Leo

(Artwork was created using Bing's AI image generator. I've never been a great drawer or artist, so it was a bonus to be able to enter some parameters, and generate something unique, which fit the vibe I was aiming for)

Enter The Dreamstate (pt. 1 Haunted In Dreams Trilogy)

This 2024 version has expanded on some of the ideas in the original (https://youtu.be/GwN_68Ujlrg), and been trimmed by 2 minutes to be a bit more dynamic.

With this song, I've started experimenting with a few filter and panning automations. 

Getting the mix right is really difficult. At times, it seemed that the more EQ changes, sidechains and compression I added, just made everything sound worse. 

In the end, I stripped a lot of them out, and settled with some EQ to give each sound some room, and a small amount of sidechain on a lower end instrument.

I can't say the song is totally finished and where I want it to be, but this is as close as I can get it at this time. Each song project is a learning experience. I know a little more than when I started, and will take that through to part 3 (which I think is going to be a bit trickier).

Alone? In A Dark Place (pt.2 Haunted in Dreams Trilogy)

This is the third of the Haunted in Dreams trilogy, but was the first one that was created (originally on MPC Beats, but recreated now, on Ableton).

The original version can be found here:
https://youtu.be/P-zf0oS8rkc?si=3A9K618JhYNjDxNe

The main theme / patch that runs throughout was a sequenced patch on the Hybrid 3 soft synth. I was messing around an liked the way it came out. Whilst extending it out into a song, I found that layering notes on top in places, created the effect of the higher notes dancing around each other. Getting them to sync up was tricky. I left the first 8 bars of those sections slightly out of time, so that on the second lot of 8 bars could be pulled in tighter, for a nice resolution (Whether this was a good idea or not, will depend on the kind of feedback received).

A drum beat was added, but I found it difficult to add more to it, especially in the mid-range. The more I tried adding, the more it detracted from the main tune. In the end, I felt it was missing a stronger bassline, so I added one, which added some beef at the low end, and some lower mids. 

Before posting a mixdown here, I tried the Mastering the Mix plugin called Mixroom. It had the nice effect of making the track clearer (I hadn't thought the song was muddy until I tried the plugin). I can't claim to know how to use it properly, but I was surprised by the difference it made to the mix (The Mixroom version is the one I've posted).

The trilogy is now remade, and it's time to make some new stuff. First, I've got to learn some new skills as I don't yet know how to make the songs I've got in my head. 

As such, there may be a delay before the next project is uploaded. Watch this space, I'll be back soon.

My Favourite Nightmares (pt. 3 Haunted in Dreams Trilogy)

This song is reminiscent of warm humid nights on holiday, on the Greek Island of Kefalonia (An Ionian island). It is one of my very favourite places to be, and I can't wait to get back there this summer.

The capital of the island is the town of Argostoli. My words cannot do it justice, but the centre of town on a summer's night can be a lively, bustling, yet chilled place to while away the hours. It's not a party town. Zakynthos, the next island down has that market sown up. Kefalonia is more relaxed, and harks back to a slower, more peaceful way of life. 


Back to the music part!

After watching Taetro's Ableton beginners videos on YouTube, and taking part in the January Beatmakers Bootcamp, I started looking at ways I could improve my chord writing and drums programming. With so many resources online, it was Alex Rome's Youtube tutorials that caught my eye. It was whilst following some of those, that the chords to this song came about.

The original aim of this project, wasn't to make a House track, but it's what came to life as I went along. 

This initial version is quite short. I wanted to avoid over complicating it. I was also keen to 'finish' it, so I could get back to my education. I'm sure I will return to this project in the future, and improve on it.

Whilst watching multiple tutorials I also ordered a book (old skool, analogue paper!);  
The Secrets of Dance Music Production by Attack Magazine

I can't claim to have read it all. I've hardly read any yet! But whilst putting together this project, I wanted to see what it had to say about Bass. The book introduced me to the concept of 'Splitting the bass', and 'Dual-band processing'.

As a result, this is my first attempt at 'Splitting the bass' in to 3 sections, High Bass, Low Bass & Sub. 
I've tried to keep the Sub and the Low out of each other's way as much as possible. Whilst they are kept mono and narrow, I've made the High bass wider and stereo, so that the mid range notes  of the lively bass line can stand out.

In all honesty, I'm not sure it made a massive amount of difference, but I enjoyed the process of giving it a go. The aim going forward is to be able to make 'big' clean bass sound, that doesn't muddy everything else up.

Kefalonian Summer (A Night in Argostoli)

**Not actively producing anything for the next few weeks - Working on levelling up some knowledge and skills. 

I'll be back to it soon **

Just another collection of Atoms and Molecules, trying to get by in life.

I'm a new producer, who's learning the ropes a day at a time, and one song project at a time.

Can't sing, but can play a bit Bass guitar (only a bit though). Hoping to add some of that to future productions. Will probably need to collaborate to make that happen.

Had the desire to learn how to make some music for as long as I can remember. Better late than never.

Far too many musical influences to list. here's hoping that means a variety of productions will be created. 

I have songs rattling around in my head that I want to make, but currently don't know how. Please do watch this space, as once I've picked up the skills, they could be decent!

Leonidas Gray

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