Crafting a Cinematic R&B Beat: From Piano Chords to Finished Product

Starting with Piano Chords

The beat-making process begins with selecting a tempo and finding some inspiring piano chords. The producer starts at 135 BPM and browses through chord progressions, looking for something that sparks creativity without being too predictable.

"I'm not doing anything super special," the producer notes. "I'm just looking at things that I thought could sound cool." This highlights an important point for aspiring producers - you don't need to reinvent the wheel every time. Sometimes, the best starting point is simply finding chords that resonate with you.

After settling on a progression in C major (which the producer admits is "a little boring" but easy to work with), they stretch out the chords to create an 8-bar loop. This gives them time to really listen and internalize the progression.

Experimenting with Voicings

With the basic chord progression in place, it's time to get creative with the voicings. The producer starts moving notes around in different octaves, searching for interesting combinations:

"I'm literally just moving things around in octaves until I hear something I like," they explain. This process of experimentation is crucial in developing a unique sound. Don't be afraid to try unconventional voicings - sometimes the "wrong" notes can lead to the most interesting results.

As they play with the voicings, the producer notices that some of the chords are a bit loud. This is a good reminder to pay attention to dynamics even in these early stages of production.

Adding Melodic Elements

With the chord progression taking shape, the producer turns their attention to melody. They lower the pitch of the piano to better hear the melodic ideas they're playing over the top.

One interesting technique demonstrated here is the use of a "hammer-on" style effect, similar to what you might hear on a guitar. This adds a nice organic touch to the piano part.

Arranging and Tempo Adjustment

At this point, the producer realizes they don't want this to turn into a "sad piano ballad." To change the vibe, they make two significant adjustments:

1. Increasing the tempo
2. Transposing the key

They raise the tempo and shift everything down two semitones from C major to B-flat major. This simple change immediately alters the feel of the track.

"Nothing has to be special to start," the producer reminds us. It's all about finding a starting point and then shaping it to fit your vision.

Adding Layers with Omnisphere

To build on the piano foundation, the producer turns to Omnisphere, a powerful synthesizer plugin known for its lush, cinematic sounds. They choose some choir sounds to add depth and atmosphere to the track.

A useful tip shared here is the "Q flam" technique, which staggers the notes slightly to create a strummed effect. This can add a more natural, less rigid feel to synthesized sounds.

Reverb and Space

With the choir sounds in place, it's time to create some space in the mix. The producer adds reverb, opting for a "Vintage verb" sound. They place this on a bus (a separate channel) rather than directly on the instrument track.

"I always put my reverbs on a bus," they explain. This technique allows for more control over the reverb sound and can help prevent harshness. It also makes it easier to apply the same reverb to multiple elements in the mix if desired.

Layering Sounds

Not content with just one layer, the producer adds another Omnisphere sound to thicken up the arrangement. They also bring in a lead sound from the Expand plugin, demonstrating how different tools can be combined to create a rich, full sound.

When choosing a lead sound, the producer expresses a preference for simplicity: "I don't like my leads being way too complicated in its waveform or just in its sound design. I like really soft, monophonic things."

Compression Techniques

To help the lead cut through the mix, the producer applies compression. They stress the importance of using your ears rather than your eyes when compressing:

"You want to use your ears when you're compressing. You don't want to use your eyes as much as your ears."

They aim for 5-7 dB of gain reduction, adjusting the input gain to find the sweet spot. This process involves a lot of listening and tweaking until the sound sits right in the mix.

Plugin Philosophy

The producer takes a moment to discuss their approach to plugins. Despite having access to many high-end options, they often return to simpler tools:

"I still believe that this thing [Logic's stock compressor] is the best compressor because it just has so many models, it's so quick for me, and it's what works for me."

This is an important lesson for new producers who might feel pressured to buy every new plugin that comes out. Often, the tools you already have are more than capable of producing great results.

Stereo Widening and Filtering

To create more space in the mix, the producer uses the ROM plugin by Native Instruments to widen the stereo image of the lead. They also apply a filter to the middle of the stereo field, allowing the sides to spread out while keeping the center clear for vocals or other elements.

Resampling and Sound Design

In an interesting twist, the producer decides to resample their work so far. This involves bouncing all the MIDI and plugin instruments down to audio. They explain the benefits of this approach:

"Now we have access to a waveform. A waveform is a lot more manipulable... because now I can see everything."

This technique allows for more creative sound design possibilities and can also help lighten the CPU load of your project.

EQ and Compression

With the audio waveform in front of them, the producer starts shaping the sound with EQ, removing some low end that isn't needed. They also apply some heavy compression using an LA-2A style compressor to make things "pop."

The producer takes a moment to discuss the psychology behind favoring certain gear or plugins:

"The reason that we gravitate towards a certain sound is just because of what the people of yesteryear would do. I don't truly believe that all this different equipment and all these clones are worse than each other, they're just different."

This is a valuable perspective that can help producers focus on using what sounds good to them, rather than chasing after expensive gear they might not need.

Pitch Shifting and Time Stretching

To further transform the sound, the producer experiments with pitch shifting and time stretching. They use Logic's "Varispeed" feature to change both the pitch and tempo simultaneously, creating a slower, more atmospheric version of their original idea.

Adding Effects

With the new pitched-down version in place, it's time to add some effects. The producer adds reverb and delay to create more space and movement in the sound. They also experiment with pitch-shifting the delay, creating interesting harmonic content.

Bass and Keys

With the main sample created, the producer turns their attention to other elements of the track. They add a simple bassline using their "favorite bass" (likely a plugin or sample they frequently use).

For the keys, they move away from the computer to jam out some ideas on a keyboard. This demonstrates the value of stepping away from the screen and using your ears and instincts to create musical parts.

Drum Programming

The producer uses Native Instruments' Maschine to program their drums. They emphasize the importance of having the beat in your head before you start programming:

"Make the beat in your head before you make it on paper... it takes a lot of time to get there, but once you're there, you can knock out beats fast."

They record in a basic hi-hat pattern and then start layering other elements like kicks and snares. Throughout this process, they're constantly tweaking and adjusting, using EQ to remove unwanted frequencies and compression to shape the sound of the drums.

Mixing Techniques

As they work on the drums, the producer shares some of their mixing philosophy. They prefer to start with drums at a lower volume, explaining that drums can "sound really stupid when they're really loud."

They also discuss their use of parallel compression on the kick drum to bring up the low end without making it sound distorted. This technique, which they attribute to legendary engineer Bob Power, involves blending a heavily compressed version of the sound with the original.

Continuous Refinement

Throughout the entire process, the producer is constantly making small adjustments and refinements. They're not afraid to change or remove parts that aren't working, always keeping the overall vibe of the track in mind.

Learning Resources

Near the end of the session, the producer recommends some valuable learning resources for aspiring producers and engineers:

• Bob Power: A legendary engineer known for his work on classic hip-hop albums
• Pensado's Place: A podcast featuring interviews with top engineers across various genres

They stress the value of learning from experienced professionals, even if the technical talk seems overwhelming at first: "As you get used to the jargon and as you get used to the swift talk and how fast they are with everything and how a lot of it is instinct and taste, I think it's a really great little tool."

Conclusion

This beat-making session demonstrates the organic, iterative nature of music production. From the initial piano chords to the final arrangement, we see how a track can evolve and transform through experimentation, creative decision-making, and technical know-how.

Key takeaways include:

1. Start with something simple that inspires you
2. Don't be afraid to experiment with unconventional sounds or techniques
3. Use resampling and audio manipulation to create unique textures
4. Balance technical knowledge with instinct and creativity
5. Continuously refine and adjust your work
6. Learn from experienced professionals in the field

Remember, there's no one "right" way to make music. The most important thing is to develop a workflow that works for you and allows you to express your creative ideas effectively.

Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DM73nxCowk&t=1461s