Synopsis

Introduction

Civil Dawn is a downbeat synthesis based track taking inspiration from artists like Four Set, Burial and C418, combining their use of texture, ambience, melody and organic sampling. The concept was to capture the moment known as Civil Dawn, where the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon in the morning (Bikos and Kher, 2019), one of my personal favourite emotional times of the day.

The cover art I made reflects civil dawn, showcasing the colours and emotive feelings of a city landscape that the song portrays, as though you are travelling through the city at dawn experiencing the motion of the track.

Production Process

Synthesis

To start the track is heavily based around granular synthesis and downbeat sampling. Using a flute sample layered with synthesisers in a granular synth I made the introduction (Fig. 1), which is followed by a lead synth sample from Output which I chopped up (Fig. 2).

A pad is brought in to aid development, which is side chained and has a phaser (Fig. 3) to add depth and space in the mix, separating it from the other elements to avoid clashing.

Granular synthesis is used to create texture throughout the track, for example, I recorded a midi guitar using a chord sequencer, and resampled it using granular synthesis. Fig. 4 shows the guitar before, compared to Fig. 5 where the granular synthesis creates a textural pad to create ambience. This is inspired by a seminar from Robert Bentall at Leeds Conservatoire as well as research into Computer Sound Design: Synthesis techniques and programming (Miranda, 2002).

Texture is one of the most important parts of a track in this genre, hence creating my own synth sounds in Logic’s VSTs was essential to attain the sounds I wanted. This aligns with practises used by Brian Eno in Ambient 1: Music for Airports, another influence in this track (Eno, 1979).

For the mechanical plucked sounds I used Logic’s Sculpture (Fig. 6), which allows me to tweak and enhance the sound I was searching for with multiple parameters, while using Tape Delay to achieve the rougher sound often heard in Burial’s music.

The synth lead (Fig. 7) was created from a summing stack in Logic, layering three different synthesiser presets found through trial and error. I used presets here to enhance the sound of the track, I felt as though they fit and if I tried to emulate this, it could have ruined the integrity of the lead (Fig. 8)

An indirect sample I used was inspired by computer music, specifically C418’s track Cat, from the Minecraft soundtrack. I wanted to emulate and honour my favourite part of this track, portraying it in a new way. I did this by using a layered organ VST and playing a similar melody as shown in the comparisons below (Fig. 9, 10).

Logic’s Alchemy and Retro Synth were used to create arpeggiated lines and plucked melodies, pushed to the background and frequency automated (Fig. 11) to create movement in the track and build momentum before the end. This is done to add variation as well as texture, something important in this genre (Fig. 12).

The final part of synthesis was the bass, which is a simple Alchemy configuration in Logic designed to be subby and add depth to the mix, as it felt very light and high frequency, this would balance the track and add more movement (Fig. 13).

Drums + Sampling

All of the drums are sampled from one-shots that I recorded, layered and re triggered to create the drums. There are three drum patterns throughout the track, each progressing the song in a unique way inspired by Burial’s use of sampling, especially in track Archangel.

Pattern one is a topper with crunchy hats and is EQ’d between 1-5k hz, enhancing the light and top end sounds to introduce the track (Fig. 14, 15).

The main drum pattern has more body to aid development, using the same topper samples with a four-to-the-floor beat, bringing in dance and downbeat house influences.

Repetition is used throughout alongside changing motifs and melodies to help add change and keep interest, but as Snoman (2004) says, repetition is used to build a track and create familiarity in electronic music, hence the simplistic drum arrangements and recurring themes.

Evaluation

Overall, I achieved what I set out to do with the track, and captured the feeling of dawn in a song. The research and influences are heavily incorporated and used in a way that doesn’t infringe unoriginality. Using the module and seminars, as well as techniques taught in them (granular synthesis, computer music), I created a product that has my own sound intertwined with influences I look up to.

Third Party Samples

Output “Null Keys Synth”

(Interpolation) Cat – C418

Output “Impact Wave Synth Chords”

Bibliography

Bikos, K. and Kher, A. (2019). Twilight, Dawn, and Dusk. [online] Timeanddate.com. Available at: https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/different-types-twilight.html. (Accessed 1st May, 2026)

Briano Eno (1979). Ambient 1: Music for Airports

‌Burial (2007). Archangel

Burial, Four Tet (2022). Moth

C418 (2011). Cat

Miranda, E Reck (2002) Computer sound design : synthesis techniques and programming. (Accessed 1st May, 2026)

Snoman, R. (2024) Dance music manual, 5th edition. Routledge. (Accessed 30th April, 2026)