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BREAKING TO REBUILD - Part 2: ‘Scanning’, Discovery & Donk with Jennifer Walton
🕑 Added 2023-03-30 17:49:20 +0000 UTC
BREAKING TO REBUILD
Part 2: ‘Scanning’, Discovery & Donk with Jennifer Walton
In this Lux Cache tutorial series, we delve into the captivating realm of BREAKING TO REBUILD, unearthing the transformative power of dismantling and reconstructing musical elements to forge novel and boundary-pushing sounds. With an emphasis on embracing the unconventional, this series highlights bold techniques, innovative strategies, and a willingness to take risks in the pursuit of groundbreaking experimental music. For this chapter, we welcome back Jennifer Walton, the UK-based producer maestro and one-half of the enigmatic band Cryalot with Sarah Bonito. Jennifer shares her ingenious methods for "scanning" samples and crafting unconventional textures within Ableton Live, drawing from her rich experiences and Cryalot's distinctive sonic palette.
This tutorial is available as both a Patreon text post and a preferred .pdf document format. We ask you kindly to not share Lux Cache content outside of the Patreon, our contributors rely on your donations.
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CONTENTS
- INTRODUCTION
- ‘SIMPLER / GRANULATOR SCANNING
- ‘HIDEOUS DONK’
- SUPER SAW ESSENTIAL BASS
- ‘FREESOUND’ DUMPSTER DIVING
- CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
I’m really happy to be back for a second round of PDF knowledge dumping. In preparing for this and reflecting on my own practice, I realised how much of my workflow is process-based rather than raw technical production. Misusing tools, Reinterpreting sources and warping everything to create things that can spark ideas. While not the most technical of approaches I feel like all these weird little techniques come together to form a huge part of my practice. I wanted to honour those instead of click-baiting you with "THIS DONK I PATCH WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE" (but don't worry we'll get to that.)
Some of the most valuable production tips for me have been tiny asides in interviews with producers, of similarly basic but majorly scalable techniques. All this is to say that this is a grab bag of techniques that have been super valuable to me since I started producing and it was super fun to give them a space to stand on their own.
I hope they prove useful for you!
SIMPLER / GRANULATOR SCANNING
As mentioned whenever the opportunity arises, I adore Simpler beyond measure. Its elegance lies in its minimalism, emphasizing swift, effortless, and precise editing to enable the rapid generation of ideas. Yet, nestled within these unpretentious parameters are delightful avenues for creative distortion.
One intriguing tool I've been gravitating toward lately is "scanning" through a sample, rather than relying on straightforward playback. By automating the start position instead of triggering a sample with a MIDI note, we gain control over the playback speed, looping style, and numerous other time-based parameters. Coupling this with other tools like the arpeggiator (speed, pitch range, etc.) can yield some truly serendipitous results, ideal for incidental sections and fills in your track.
Though I'll be showcasing this method in Simpler, the crux of this technique lies in the automation of the playhead. Consequently, the same approach can be deftly executed within the Granulator, Sampler, or any of your preferred DAW's sampling engines.
GUIDE
- First and foremost, I typically pre-warp a sample to match the tempo of the track, ensuring seamless tracking when we commence automation. After bouncing it, drag the sample into Simpler. Add a MIDI note at C3 and automate the start position, from 0% at the outset to 100% at the conclusion of the original phrase.
As you'll observe, when we hit play, the start position simply trails the playhead and the original sample is played.
- Next up, introduce an arpeggiator. Set the Gate to 100% and Playback Speed to 1/128, prompting the MIDI to retrigger and react to changes in the playback position.
From this point, we can start toying with the start position and contorting the playback.
- Let's craft a reverse effect from halfway through the phrase by initiating at 50% and then regressing to 0%. As you can see, it's a rudimentary reverse. However, we can steer this in any direction, such as incorporating glitches by inserting varied points on the playback. Pairing this with the arpeggiator's playback speed can yield some truly captivating effects reminiscent of early jungle break editing.
From here, it all boils down to manipulating the automation of these fundamental elements. My go-to parameters include:
- ARPEGGIATOR SPEED
- ARPEGGIATOR STEPS
- ARPEGGIATOR NOTES
- WARP MODES (AND THE ENVELOPES ASSOCIATED WITH THEM)
To jump-start your experimentation, I've prepared an Ableton instrument rack with all of these parameters pre-mapped.
It's also worth mentioning that I primarily employ this technique for incidental drum breaks rather than complete drum patterns
Playing around with patterns and automation before bouncing them to an audio file and inserting them as little fills is super rewarding. And of course this can be done with anything, not just drum breaks.
- ‘JW LUX SIMPLR RACK’, designed by Jennifer Walton, is available for Premium Subscribers at LUXCACHE.COM - (Note, the same device can be achieved by following the tutorial’s instructions.)
ROUND UP
- Pre-warp sample, insert into simpler
- Map start time to the length of the sample or desired time
- Play with automation parameters for different tones and vibes.
SIMPLER GLIDE
Here's another concise yet invaluable tip I'd be remiss not to divulge. Within Simpler's secondary menus, you'll find an option to enable glide or portamento. While this feature is commonplace in many synths, it becomes truly fascinating when applied to sample playback, as rhythmic elements often overlap in intriguing ways while gliding between notes and speeds.
This technique can be superbly employed to create Cristo Tapia De Veer-style vocal pads or even captivating rhythmic effects by playing octaves over one another.
I could have sworn that I stumbled upon this gem during an interview with SebastiAn discussing the production of "Doggg," but upon attempting to verify this, I couldn't locate the source. Nevertheless, this nugget of knowledge remains an excellent addition to your sound design repertoire.
‘HIDEOUS DONK’
When labouring on remixes, the deadlines often loom imposingly close, making it crucial to have reliable, versatile synths I can trust in order to streamline certain steps. I devised this instrument rack while working on some Cryalot bootlegs, incorporating handy macros for swift editing and automation. Boasting remarkable tonal versatility, it can seamlessly slot into many different use cases.
The 'donk' bass, originally synthesized in the late 90s and early 2000s as an integral part of the UK hard house and bouncy techno scenes, is characterized by its sharp, punchy sound. The synthesis of this iconic bass typically involves frequency modulation (FM) between two oscillators, with one modulating the other's frequency to create rich harmonics.
To create this hideous style of ‘donk' bass in Serum:
- Set OSC 1 to Analog BD Sin or any sine-based wavetable. This will be the carrier oscillator, providing the sound's fundamental frequency.
- Adjust Unison to 8 and Random to 0. These settings will thicken the sound by adding additional voices and ensure a consistent phase start position for each voice, respectively.
- Change OSC B to "FM Freak" or "FMFM". This will serve as the modulator oscillator, shaping the carrier's frequency to create interesting harmonics. Experimenting with gnarlier-looking wavetables can yield fascinating results.
- In the Matrix section, set ENV 1 to A & B DETUNE and A WARP. This assigns Envelope 1 to control the detune amount for both oscillators and the warp mode for OSC A.
- Experiment with Serum's filters to further sculpt the tone. I recommend trying the "FRENCH LP" low-pass filter for a rounded sound or exploring some of the "Comb Filters" for more distinct resonant effects.
- For post-processing effects, I generally keep it straightforward with an EQ and a touch of multiband compression. Apply a low cut from 30 Hz to eliminate unwanted low-end rumble and use a standard OTT (Over The Top) setting to gently accentuate the highs, bringing clarity and presence to the sound.
- By understanding each parameter's influence on the sound and tweaking them to taste, you can create a highly adaptable 'donk' bass that suits various musical contexts. This instrument rack, designed with efficiency and flexibility in mind, can serve as a valuable tool in any producer's arsenal, especially when working within tight deadlines.
SUPER SAW ESSENTIAL BASS
In 2022, I stumbled upon a bass patch that, despite its astonishing simplicity, became my go-to choice for a diverse array of projects. This unassuming super saw bass offers a broad frequency range, making it perfect for padding out sparser mixes while its abundant high-end hiss marries beautifully with distortion or saturators. Featured prominently across the Cryalot EP, this patch received varying levels of processing, demonstrating its adaptability and versatility. It's fascinating to reveal how such a simple element became an indispensable tool in my creative process.
I'll be crafting this bass patch in Serum, but rest assured, it's a cinch to replicate in virtually any synthesizer.
- Set OSC 1 to "Basic MCB" and adjust Unison to 10, adding multiple voices for a richer, thicker sound.
- Activate the Sub oscillator and lower it to -1, providing additional low-end support to the patch.
- Enable the Filter. Feel free to alternate between a standard Lowpass and the "French LP" for tonal variety. Set Drive to 50%, Resonance to around 40%, and Fat to around 80%, enhancing the warmth and character of the sound.
- Configure LFO 1 to ENV mode, set the Rate to 1/4, and apply +16 to the Cutoff, introducing a dynamic filter movement to the sound.
- In the Effects Panel, insert a Compressor. Activate Multiband mode and adjust the Threshold to -34, Ratio to 1:5:1, Attack and Release to super low settings, and Gain to 11. Modify the multiband settings as follows: L: 127%, M: 113%, H: 97%. These settings will ensure a tight, balanced frequency response.
- For post-processing, I typically add a glue compressor or saturator to further shape the sound. To infuse the patch with additional grit, try running it through Ableton's Amp simulator or Guitar Rig with a heavy setting. Season the sound to taste, customizing it to suit your specific project.
By following these steps, you'll have crafted a versatile super saw bass that's easy to create in Serum and can be adapted to fit a wide range of musical contexts.
‘FREESOUND’ DUMPSTER DIVING
Needless to say, sifting through streaming sites for samples can be an immensely daunting endeavour. Platforms like YouTube and Splice heavily rely on algorithms, showcasing content with the highest number of downloads or interactions, often at the expense of fresh or eccentric material. Consequently, many samples are overused and lack intriguing textures that could potentially catapult you into unforeseen creative dimensions. I like to liken my sampling process to Internet dumpster diving, unearthing neglected and unappreciated morsels of peculiar data uploaded by long-forgotten accounts.
Often, these samples boast rough recordings and an uncanny appeal, serving as fertile ground for inspiration.
- To make this example genuinely random, I resorted to bombarding a random word generator until a word without direct musical connotations caught my attention. In the very first attempt, we landed on "bait."
- Freesound, a sample website hosting user-generated audio files (primarily under Creative Commons), enables sorting by least downloaded, lowest rated, or earliest uploaded. These filters are excellent for uncovering more offbeat content. Unfortunately, YouTube has removed the ability to sort by age, making it harder to apply this technique there.
After searching for "bait" and sorting by least downloaded, I stumbled upon this gem:
It's baffling how this was even created, and the enigma surrounding its upload only adds to its charm. Just from this example alone, I'm already eager to experiment with those peculiar robotic vocals.
ROUND UP
- USING A RANDOM WORD GENERATOR, OR LOOK AROUND YOUR ENVIRONMENT FOR INSPIRATION
- SEARCH IN FREESOUND BY LEAST DOWNLOADED, EARLIEST UPLOADED OR WORST REVIEWED
- CHECK THE RESULTS AND RE-GENERATE
Thanks again to Lux Cache for having me back, hope to back in the future :-)
- ‘JW LUX SIMPLR RACK’, designed by Jennifer Walton, is available for Premium Subscribers at LUXCACHE.COM - (Note, the same device can be achieved through following tutorial’s instructions.)
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Jennifer Walton is a producer, performer & sound artist based in the UK. You can find her recent releases and upcoming shows on her link-tree.
You can follow her on Twitter @jnnfrwltn and on Instagram @jenniferwalton.co.uk
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