About This Course

In this workshop, Carl shares insightful information on how to turn an idea as a loop into a full track.

Using Logic Pro X and mainly stock plug-ins, Carl talks about important factors on keeping a track interesting by breaking down a loop he made.

You will learn: 

• All the elements needed to create a full track 
• Making an intro tailored for DJs
• Creating breaks and build ups
• Automation and track stacks
• Send and Return FX
• Creative processes on crafting anticipation in a track 

Lessons: 

1. Introduction: 

2. Breaking Down a Loop: 

In this chapter, Carl breaks down his loop idea. Going through each element from the kick, adding percs, a bassline, shakers, noise, pad melodies, arpeggios and FX to create a moving 8 bar loop. 

• Full loop playback.
• Breakdown of elements that make up the loop.
• Creating an intro tailored to DJs mixing in the track. 

3. Bringing in Element in the Intro:

Carl shares his methods of letting the track build up slowly, using automation, track stacks and musical phrasing to bring in different elements of the track as the DJ would be mixing it in. 

• Automating Hi-Pass filters to gradually bring in elements. 
• Creating Track Stacks using kick and bass and automating them using the Marquee tool for precise editing. 
• Bringing in elements to the intro and using automated send delays.

4. Track Break and Build Up: 

The track is now mixed in fully, all elements start to show and the kick and bass is removed to create a break. Carl touches on interesting ways to bring in main melodies of the track, and uses effects, automation and sampling to create an impactful build up. 

• Converting audio sample into MIDI and separating each sound to a note on MIDI. Processing the sound with Overdrive, Sample Delay and Reverb.
• Bringing in melodies into the break, reverb techniques and low cuts to create impact. 
• Grouping chords and stabs to apply the same effects to the channels in the group, creating a build up. 
• Using Effects and Release parameters to create uplifters for added impact and anticipation to the track. Arranging elements for the build up.

5. Rebuilding the Sounds Into a Bigger Break and Bigger Drop:

Carl talks about how to keep your arrangement session productive, using the less is more rule and focussing on the sounds already in the track. Stating that the breakdown could be the most important part of the track. Using ESX24, Alchemy, ESP for noise generation and single band EQ automation to create movement and tension in the track. 

• Building a drop, re-introducing melodies and drums after the first break, adding movement to drums. 
• Grouping high frequency sounds for the main breakdown, so they can all be effected together. Hi-Cut processing and Reverb application. 
• Opening up the melody using single-band EQ automation. Alchemy (Logic VST) parameters for achieving a gradual rise in the sounds. 
• Creating anticipation using Send and Return FX, automating delay busses.
• Using a single note in a melody to create a riser, using reverb automation and elongating the note in MIDI.

6. Live Q&A:

Questions on automation and layering lead instruments. Carl states the benefits of using a filter instead of volume automation, to carve out certain frequencies in the mix. Carl touches on the importance of reverb to make sounds bigger and more spacious, insight into alternative options for layering main melodic sounds, and the importance of not sticking to rules in music production. 

•  Is the automation your adding for volume increase or opening a filter?

Carl uses filters instead of volume automation so he can fine tune which frequencies come in where, if he uses the volume it will manipulate the entire spectrum of the sound. For gradual increases use filter automation. Use volume automation when certain frequencies are too harsh but needed in the mix.

• What do you automate on your main melodic leads?

Carl uses cutoff frequencies to open up the leads to create more energy, reverb using Space Designer to make the sounds bigger and create more space for the sound - mainly for creating builds. He also uses delay sends to create tension for build ups. Carl states he uses automation in breakdowns the most. 

• Would you ever apply saturation to a group of tracks or would you rather use it on individual tracks?

Carl states that it depends a lot on the sound, he would mainly use Saturation on individual drums and that one of his favourite Logic Pro X choices for this is Overdrive to make the sounds stand out more. If used in a group, you could boost unwanted frequencies so Saturation is better done on individual sounds. For the mix down stage of a track, the cleanest approach is better.

• Do you use layer your lead sounds or do you EQ one sound to make it fatter?

Carl sticks to one sound most of the time, especially for genres like melodic techno, he likes to focus on the lead and treat it in a way where it is not needed to be layered. Layering can cause sounds to clash and can make a mix messy. Carl speaks about having a root note sound underneath the lead to make it more prominent and stand out in the mix. Layering the lead sound melody with another sound entirely can be more beneficial than duplicating the lead with the same sound. Carl emphasises on trial and error and there being no rules when it comes to music production.