DAW Track (Digital Audio Workstation)

 

This was the first time I had ever used a new DAW as I had only ever used Cubase, so this is the first time I had ever used Ableton, and the first big project for it I was given.

Ableton, although, not as good as ProTools in my personal opinion is unmatched when it comes to electronic music making, this is because Ableton has a huge wide array of midi loops and instruments, and on the topic of midi loops and instruments, synthesis and sampling, is where Ableton shines brightest. Synthesizers  have a fair few main types, these consist of Wavetable Synthesizers, Subtractive Synthesizers, Frequency Modulation, and finally Physical Modelling synths, each specialise at their own skills. 

My Goal

The goal I set for myself was to create my own 2 minute composition track using 8 self created synth patches, self created sampler instrument, midi samples, and loops, audio tracks. 

When creating my synth patches, I had the thought process of making them all both partially grounded, and futuristic at the same time. When making some of my synth patches, I would get inspired by pre-existing songs/themes, and one of those inspirations, was the Columbia Pictures logo theme Sony / Columbia Logo (2021) (4K) I have always loved this theme song, and to incorporate the likeness of it into a project, was a great success in my opinion. At the time of this assignment being handed out, I was extremely into Pokémon and wanted an eerie and haunted sound, and so I got inspired by the background music that plays when inside Lavender Town Pokemon Blue/Red - Lavender Town. The third patch, was inspired by 90's Thriller/Horror shrill noises such as Halloween Sting Sound Effect also at the time of the hand out, due to it being just after Halloween I had been inspired by the numerous shrill like jump scare noises in that movie. My fourth synth patch (we're half way there guys) is a somewhat dream state sound, however, it is more drone like and non-chromatic Dreaming Harp - Sound effect. The fifth patch is loosely based on the 80's sci-fi movie Tron, and its teleport sound Teleport Ambience - Sound Effect [HD]. My sixth patch is a an organ sound that reminds me of a sound effect featured in a 90's movies I have within recent years, however, I can't remember which movie it was, although, if I ever remember, I will update this sixth synth patch explanation. The seventh patch, is a bouncy ball sort of sound, and it uses the sound of a violin with an exciter distortion overdrive on top, this allows for different body types on a sound, as well as how it is "played" what I mean by this is it allows the sound to be played by a "plectrum", "hammer" or "bow". I decided to play this patch with a "hammer". Finally my 8th and last synth patch is a "finger snap" although I named this on the basis of notes lasting that of a finger snap, however, it is a basic midi piano which has also been put through an exciter, this time the body type is generic and is simulated to be played with a plectrum. 

We were also split into 4 groups of 4 or 5 and had to include a sample of an instrument, and we decided as a group to sample a kalimba.

I had started off with the base of a previous piece of work handed out at the very start of the year, and decided to build off of that. I was experimenting and messing around with all 8 of my synth patches on top of the base I had, as well as my kalimba samples and came up with the idea of a 2 chorus piece, with a bridge and an outro of abstract music.

 

The hardest part of making this piece, was trying to come up with something that sounded good to me in the beginning and wanting it to sound exactly how I had it in my head, however, I am very happy with how it turned out.