Alexander Hannah
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SHR4C004M-002 Composition & Production Template
My Composition:
Synthesis Process Evidence
For this production, I wanted to use an analog synth, and decided on using a Korg Prologue to design original synth sounds, as well as tweak the many presets it offered. I also wanted to utilize its arpeggiator function, as it fit a specific part of my track, and the overall vibe of the song I was recording. Since I wanted to create a dreamy synth bedroom pop track, the Korg Prologue offered many warm tones, and soft sounds that fit this vibe perfectly.
On the Korg Prologue, I used the cutoff knob throughout the whole track, for the ambient background synth sound, to make the sound less harsh, as seen in photo 1 below. I moved it slowly as I was playing each chord to give this effect.
For the background synth in bar 26 of my track, as well as bar 58, and the outro, I tweaked the ‘Selfosc Lead’ preset, as shown in photo 2 below, to give a glittery and shiny sound, which I thought worked well with the vibe of the track. I changed the shape and the wave of the VCO 2, until it was brighter, and made the release longer to make the sound shimmer for longer.
In bars 71 and 98, I used the arpeggiator effect on the synth, as shown in photo 3, to create a sonic electronic sound, which helped bring certain instruments and parts of the track together. I did this first by adjusting the tempo on the synth to match the project, and then played the parts exactly on time to match the recording with the rest of the track.
Finally, I used the built-in reverb on the synth, for every synth part as shown in in photo 4. I adjusted the amount of reverb for each part accordingly, until everything sounded polished.
I used a Squier Sonic Strat to record the guitar into my M-AUDIO interface, which also fit the vibe of the track, as Fender Stratocaster guitars are often known for their bright and clean tone, as heard in my track.
I used an SM57 Microphone to record vocals for a few reasons, first one being its ability to handle high sound pressure levels, as well as its versatility for any different type of sound or, in this case, voice. Furthermore, I wanted to pick a microphone that was not too expensive, to mimic the noise and lo-fi nature of the bedroom pop genre. Finally, I also used it because it was the most easily available microphone that I could use, and always has a reliable sound.
I finally added in ambient noise of a park where children were playing, by using a stock sound effect. This was done to give a nostalgic feeling, which is a common theme in many lo-fi bedroom pop synth tracks.
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