'Galactiscope' - New Original Music! - Electronic/80s/Retro Instrumental + Theory Walkthrough!

grapthar (74)in #music • 6 years ago

This song came together last night

after I downloaded some '80s themed drums and synth samples that I plugged into the Simpler device in Ableton. I think this could definitely be expanded, maybe add a Verse where the harmony changes up or something, but in the meantime I think it came out sounding super retro '80s, but with a crazy rhythm. Because the hihats don't begin on the downbeat (1 of each measure), it's hard to keep track of where a measure begins or ends, which I like a lot, worked out great.

Listen to Galactiscope here.

I began with Track 1

which is our drums. The toms and snares definitely sound super '80s, so I made a basic beat (pictured in purple in the overview), then removed the low tom and made that our "lighter" sections, where it's just the drums and Track 2. Speaking of, Track 2 is our main harmony. I play a C, G and Eb, but because of the effects and chords in the original sample, it actually winds up sounding like we are playing in B or E minor, depending on what notes are played around it, which was an accidental case of awesomeness haha.

Track 3, described below.

Track 3 was also an audio sample

that I chopped up a bit, and looped in Simpler. You can above that it plays a pedal tone, then some higher notes come in and out above it. I also sidechained this track with a compressor to the drums, so it dosn't overpower Track 2 with it's weird rhythm, but sort of just fills in gaps and floats around the background.

Listen to Galactiscope here.

Track 4 is a synth tone

I love, called "Braid Runner", and is playing some 5ths and 4ths to add some harmony to the track. I have attached the screenshot below so you can follow along. Basically just 2 notes per measure, slowly moving down from G to F# to E.

Track 4, described above.

Last up is Track 5,

which is a synth string instrument. It too is compressed a bit, so it doesn't overpower anything. Honestly I was surprised at how easily all these instruments blended in this track, nothing was overpowering anything else harmonically. I have just lately really got the hang of using compression effectively, and it definitely makes a huge difference.