You got rejected by a record label, what now? Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-10-14 | Viewer Lee asks: "I finally finished a track, applied to a big label and got rejected. What now?". Let's unpack the many different parts of this question!Oscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschaoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Lee asks me this question1:37 The actual song2:11 Present your song more professionally3:43 Fix those low end issues6:24 The popcorn kernel theory of creative development8:42 Aim for smaller labels11:30 Contribute to the ecosystem13:11 Don't take me too seriously
How to make a techno homage of your favourite song Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-10-01 | An homage is a tribute to something you love. I've been crushing on this Sister Sledge song ('Thinking Of You'), so I made a techno homage to get it out of my system.Get it on Bandcamp here ► torcbxl.bandcamp.com/album/living-in-xtcStream it on Spotify here ► open.spotify.com/album/0BusBmqjDn2zIODOlDRjQH?si=JGxRUF2eS9qGXheWAsgz8wOscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschaoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Whats an homage1:06 Working out the harmony2:19 The bassline M1 Perc Organ3:13 Pulsar23 layers4:09 B version percussion4:56 Just execute one idea
Barry Can’t Swim, but his euphoric chords will leave you floating Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-09-16 | There's this electronica artist called Barry Can't Swim, and his songs usually involve beautiful euphoric chords with an uplifting rave feeling to them. Let's sit at the piano and discuss what the core concepts are behind understanding such a chord progression!We'll specifically look at God Is The Space Between Us, and Lone Raver, and I'll show it all on the piano, so you can follow along no matter what DAW you use for music production.Oscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Barry can't swim's gorgeous chords1:05 The three musical voices1:42 four five six one (god is the space)3:12 the top note is the melody5:32 the rhythmic cell of the motif5:50 the four magic chords8:00 two three six five (lone raver)8:58 counting notes can be confusing9:46 sing the chord progression10:48 let the top note travel11:55 cousin chords and cadences14:42 The chord sound design
Announcement: ADE techno session w/ Alice! Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-09-11 | On Thursday 17 October 2024, Alice from Mercurial Tones and myself will be co-hosting a day-long techno workshop in Amsterdam. @Alice-Efe Get your tickets here ► mercurialtones.com/event-details/workshop-with-alice-and-oscarIt doesn't matter if you're just starting out or if you've been making tracks for years - the idea is for everyone to learn something new and maybe get inspired. It's also a great chance to meet other people in the scene and exchange ideas.You can sign up for just the morning session, the afternoon one, or stick around for the whole day. Morning session: (2 hours) - (TECHNO ARCHITECTURE)• Hooks in techno - 20m• Track analysis - 40m• Fixing a track on the go - 1hAfternoon session: (3,5 hours) - (TECHNO CRAFT)• Creative workflows — theory & mindmapping - 1h• Sample flipping session? — everyone produces on their own laptop - 1,5h• General Q&A - 1h
Learning from the best: Stromae’s three songwriting tools Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-09-09 | Stromae is one of Belgium's best pop artists, and his songs are deep and powerful. Let's immerse ourselves in his song called "l'enfer'" ("hell") and take 3 key musical concepts away from it. A deep analysis of pop music and music theory!Oscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Piano interpretation2:05 Stromae maestro2:30 The harmonic minor scale3:58 The four chord progression4:30 Major 3 chord5:40 Pushed chords7:30 Applying it to dance music9:13 The rest of the song
Three ways Four Tet keeps the dancefloor grooving Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-09-02 | Let's learn from the master! Four Tet's dancefloor track "I've got feelings" showcases a bunch of really useful tools that we can learn a lot from in our own productions. Here I focus on three concepts: the triplet groove, the punchy midrange, and the arrangement (and the concept of the Squeeze-In to provide contrast and emotional dynamics).Patreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolOscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Track analysis1:11 The three lessons1:50 The triplet groove4:16 The punchy midrange6:20 The arrangement9:25 Follow the patreon
What the heck is tonal shaping? Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-08-26 | Do you tonally balance your musical elements before you do more detailed EQ? Big, broad strokes of EQ can tonally shape an element so it sits better in the mix! If your primary mixing tool is a parametric EQ, I'd like to challenge your mind a little with this thought experiment!Oscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3xysecret label ► xysecret.bandcamp.comContents:0:00 Guess the processing minigame1:05 EQ three and utility1:39 but why not use parametric EQ?3:43 multiband EQ as a tool6:45 say something nice to me
Make your techno hihats come to life with this little trick Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-08-19 | Samplepack here ► https://we.tl/t-Tdzw8sWDpPOscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3xysecret label ► xysecret.bandcamp.comLet's set up a simple workflow that lets us create hihat lines that are alive & contain movement. We can do this in any DAW using any tools, but in my case it's Ableton Live, using a VST drum machine (D16 Amazon), and two analog drum machines (Some Pulsar23 and Nord Drum 3). The techno composition possibilities are actually endless.Contents:0:00 Hihats that breathe0:47 Using a VST drum machine3:23 Record loops for yourself5:34 Soma Pulsar23 drum machine7:30 Nord Drum 39:00 outro strictly for cuties
6 key concepts for arranging techno Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-08-12 | In dance music we rely less on Chorus & Verse structures to carry the musical storytelling of our tracks - so how do we keep things moving forward in an interesting way without getting boring? Here's a toolbox of 6 concepts that you can implement to keep a minimalist dance/techno idea fresh and alive in an arrangement.The full arranged track on Soundcloud ► soundcloud.com/torcaudio/toolboxOscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3xysecret label ► xysecret.bandcamp.comThe toolbox:1. Shifting gears in the high percussion2. Focus on contrast (turnarounds, breaks, squeeze-ins)3. Markers and reverses4. Calls, responses & polymeters5. Scoop-up & minimalism moments6. Performing & recordingContents:0:00 Why not just verse and chorus?0:44 Dynamic interest2:04 blocks of sixteen bars are the backbone3:16 the Dynamic interest toolbox3:14 Tool one: top percussion gears6:38 Tool two: breaks and turnarounds8:36 Create contrasting timbres9:34 The squeeze-in11:54 Tool three: markers and reverses13:54 Tool four: Calls and responses17:44 Tool five: scoop up and minimalism19:28 Tool six: performing and recording20:33 Synopsis
What’s the best time signature for techno? Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-08-06 | Techno production will almost always be in 4/4 time signatures, simply because the tools guide you there automatically. But it’s great to realise that the backbone of much techno could also be considered 2/4 or even 1/4. We introduce the term “rhythmic cell” to help us wrap our mind around this!Oscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3xysecret ► xysecret.bandcamp.comContents:0:00 day one lesson one0:34 Rhythmic Cells2:12 Music Theory2:37 Take Ownership2:42 xysecret
Techno rumbles in 2024 (the grain tutorial) Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-07-29 | The sample pack and poster ► https://we.tl/t-FK5CIs254YOscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Adding grain to a kick1:58 The diagram2:15 Kick synthesis3:26 Creating a grain6:35 The importance of sidechain gating7:17 Balancing kick and grain10:46 Treating the resultant sound11:43 Regaining some perspective
How to elevate your techno with a paradiddle Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-07-22 | If you've never drummed before, you may never have heard of the paradiddle, a drum rudiment that follows a simple pattern: RLRRLRLL - it's surprisingly potent once applied to rolling percussion in a techno context. Try it out!Oscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 what is a paradiddle?0:44 how to do it in techno?1:17 let's do it on mid percussion2:11 accents are important in techno3:33 run it into a synth4:13 it works on hihats too4:32 it works on low toms5:45 next steps
brat but it’s oscar making a tutorial about it Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-07-15 | Make a video request for sound design! Send me a DM with your video on Instagram (@oscarunderdog) or tag me in your video!Oscar's courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3How about this CharlieXCX music production tutorial? I use Ableton Live to recreate the key elements of Charlie XCX 365 track, from the brat album. It's got hyperpop, rave, early 2000 pY2K aesthetic elements all over it, and a super bouncy synthesizer bassline.Thanks to my sister Tessa for the challenge 😁Contents:0:00 the challenge1:25 the beeping sound tutorial4:46 my sister's reaction5:19 what other musical elements are in this song?6:14 dark and edgy chords8:30 going up 1 semitone is the key8:57 the major 3 chord9:50 365 oscars version
What is a bodhrán, and can it techno? Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-07-08 | Irish traditional music uses a frame drum called a Bodhrán - I bought one, just to see what it has to teach me, and to find out if I can find a place for it in electronic music 😃Oscar's Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Why explore a handdrum?1:36 Piccadilly counting2:35 Tone variations3:56 Sound exploration6:03 Handdrum vs VST instruments?9:21 The most tactile connection to the music?10:50 Give me some advice
Blurring the lines between drums and synthesizers Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-07-01 | Try thinking of your synthesizer lines as if they were percussion - as if you were a drummer with a snare drum, trying to add rhythmical accents to a composition - where would you add snare hits?Oscar's Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 a little game0:26 Rhythm belongs to the drums?1:01 Let's play a synth as if it was percussion1:37 A little Ableton experiment3:27 Triggering it on a drumpad3:59 What does this perspective teach us?4:25 Expression through accents4:48 Taking this back into the DAW
DRUMMING for electronic music (first two weeks) Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-06-24 | I figured it was time to learn to drum! I'm two weeks into learning how to drum, and this video are my first conclusions, the things I'm finding that either confirm my intuition, or things that are taking me by surprise!Oscar's Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Actual instruments are underrated2:15 Kick snare and hihat3:06 Pulse and syncopation3:59 Splash and fill4:50 Rudiments6:16 Dynamics and accents6:40 I love this sound7:09 Drum styles8:25 Listening differently9:40 Please give me advice
When you need a sick synthesizer solo Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-06-17 | When you're programming a synth lead by hand, sometimes it's not clear how to generate cool variations on your riff - here's a method using note length and an arpeggiator, mapped to a midi controller to generate crazy new ideas.Oscar's Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 example of a synth solo1:03 setting the stage2:12 designing the synth lead3:10 polymeter lead masterclass5:22 subtle midi flavor7:40 The synth solo (how to)8:31 Doing it in my DAW
An unexpected music injury #electronicmusic #musicproduction #musicproducer #bodhran #drumming Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-06-14 | I found myself with an unexplained injury today, until I tried practicing the Bodhrán again 😂
Youll surprise yourself with this musical improv game Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-06-10 | Here's a little game for people who don't consider themselves good keys players: set up a sequencer with a few predetermined notes, and jam in between them, into a delay, and record the output. The hunt for musical vibes should generate loads of musical ideas!Oscar's Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 This is a game to jam with yourself1:14 Setting up the sequencer2:01 Improvising on the piano2:26 Add a delay and record output5:28 Doing it on a synthesizer instead8:10 Doing it with a VST instead9:30 Doing it on the melodica instead10:44 Turn it into a composition
distorting reality with Roar (Live12) Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-05-27 | Multiband saturation and distortion, it's all included in the new Ableton Live 12 native plugin called Roar. It's similar to Izotope's Trash, Output Arcade's Thermal, but it's native to Live 12 and it's very very powerful. Let's play around!Oscar's Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:00:00 what's distortion again?1:33 quick tour of Roar4:20 parallel and multiband modes5:27 let's make some music7:30 wubble bass8:50 some synths9:44 simple tilt EQ in roar10:34 let's sing a little11:33 tell me what you think
Vocal trick for electronic music #sounddesign #electronicmusic #musicproduction #vocals Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-05-24 | Weekly electronic music making tutorials & inspiration
Three vocal tricks for electronic music Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-05-20 | Singing is hard - here are three ways you can warp and affect your vocal to use it like an instrument, almost like a synthesizer. We'll look at autotune, melodyne, and LittleAlterboy as 3 VST effects, in a little whirlwind 3-minute tour. We'll also slice up some vocals into vocal chops and use Ableton Live 12's MIDI generating tools to create something cool.Oscar's Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Autotune0:23 Melodyne0:44 LittleAlterBoy1:45 Record and slice to MIDI2:21 Ableton Live 12 midi tools Seed2:55 Like and subscribe pleeeaaaase
If you’ve never used infinite delays, try this! Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-05-14 | Try feeding any sound into extreme delays! You can do this with any delay that can reach high feedback settings, in any DAW. It's great for transitions of for adding loose layers to something that's otherwise a bit "rigid" or programmed.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Content:0:00 Audio examples1:03 Setting up a delay2:12 Setting up a tactile surface or midi tool3:16 Resampling a delay ride4:12 Finding a more extreme delay6:00 Using this sample as a transition or turnaround7:44 Doing it across your whole composition11:30 Adding chaos and tension to a break12:19 Anyone can do it!
Oscars cheeky guide to DIY breakbeats Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-05-08 | All my favourite electronic musicians make breakbeat house and garage inspired drums, so i decided to study what’s so cool about them. We’re talking about artists like Ross from Friends, Overmono, Bicep, Barry Can’t Swim, Burial, Four Tet and many others. We break the drum sounds into lows mids and highs, and figure out that alternating them in swung 16th notes is what makes things really interesting.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Content:0:00 Breakbeat masterclass0:31 The vibe we're aiming for1:10 djembe tones2:02 Into the DAW2:47 It's pebbles2:52 Adding swing3:40 The magic formula4:52 Make your own damn patterns6:11 Is there a backbeat?7:29 Adding synthesizer sounds8:08 you’re free to go!8:15 Or are you?8:27 Add texture8:54 Wriggly Bits11:07 Markers and turnarounds11:59 I love trash12:23 Outro
Is Live 12 the future of MIDI? Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-04-29 | Ableton Live 12 has new MIDI tools that are pretty awesome! Let's explore together what's possible.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Content:0:00 Ableton Live 12 MIDI tools1:03 Humanise your MIDI3:17 Time warp is the GOAT4:19 Transform your MIDI6:04 Harmonic transformations7:16 Techno acid riff generators8:22 Rhythm generators11:47 Stacks are chords FYI13:35 Time warp everything14:12 A sneeze of notes16:43 What's my take?
Meld: Ableton Live 12s most advanced synth? Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-04-22 | Ableton Live 12 has a new synth called Meld. Is it any good? In this video I explore it with you, and in the process discover I actually vastly prefer Ableton's other synth: Drift 😂 But Meld is pretty cool too, especially for deeper sound design and weird leftfield stuff. Check it out!My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Meld 12 review0:19 What's important to me?1:16 Meld's oscillators are pretty wild6:56 How to make a simple synth patch8:33 The presets are frustrating10:09 Can't get no instant gratification12:36 I discover I actually love Drift14:08 In conclusion, what's my advice?
The art of musical subtlety Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-04-15 | Electronic music is too robotic? Or is it a skill issue? Let's look at a cool way of adding organic flavour to your rhythmic synthesizers, using chordal polymeters.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 sixteenth note patterns can get intense0:41 adding accents1:25 chord with 3 polymetered accents3:22 before and after4:13 add a drumbeat and a chord progression6:13 here's one I prepared earlier7:08 DAMN THE NOISE
Am I too old to start making music? Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-04-08 | I sometimes speak to people who are embarrassed by their age, thinking maybe they're too old to get started making music. I'd like to talk about that in this video, to look at it from a bunch of different angles - are you too old to start pursuing this?My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 The big question, are you too old?0:29 The global hunger games of young professionals1:31 Old people still show up to training2:36 The pursuit of your craft 4:02 But what if you really want achievement?4:38 You want to make money?5:25 Acts of service (with guest speaker Oscar)6:57 The pursuit of goals is the whole story7:31 You're not too old to get started
Dungeons & Dancemusic Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-04-01 | 🧙🏻♂️🧙🏻♂️🧙🏻♂️Welcome, young beatmaker! Racso, the dancefloor sorceror, will teach you the six essential attributes of a powerful dancefloor beat. Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma - the six perspectives you want to master to cast dancefloor magic.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► https://www.patreon.com/underdogmusic...Discord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 The six stats of a good beat0:26 Racso made a beat0:46 Strength1:12 Dexterity1:36 Constitution1:56 Intelligence2:24 Wisdom2:43 Charisma3:07 Gather your party and venture forth"Agnus Dei X" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
My first impressions of Ableton Live 12 Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-03-25 | Ableton Live 12 is here, and I have totally ignored its development so far, so we can discover it together! In this video I'll give you my first impressions of this new and improved DAW, and discuss whether it's right for you to upgrade from Live 11 or not.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 I saved myself for this moment 0:38 First looks3:24 momentary latching4:33 splitting midi notes5:34 new MIDI tools6:24 the biggest disappointment in Live 129:02 sound similarity search11:31 Is it worth the upgrade?13:19 quick stress test on an old project14:19 Am I going back to Live 11?
The simple theory concept behind adore u (by Obongjayar & Fred again..) Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-03-18 | Obongjayar wrote this gorgeous song, and Fred again.. reworked it - now the two songs tell a dramatically different story, despite sharing 99% of the lyrics - so how did that happen? In this video we explore the concept of 'juxtaposition' in art composition: the combining of two very different ideas, that leads to an unresolved tension that the audience actively wants to resolve, drawing them deeper into your art.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Content:0:00 the struggle of being too boring0:31 the key is juxtaposition1:24 Fred again's version2:27 Obongjayar's version3:49 Juxtaposition revisited5:44 Say something nice
Techno remix workflow: making a mindmap Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-03-11 | My friend sent me some stems for a techno track, and asked if I wanted to do something with them, so let's listen to them together & make a plan to remix these stems!My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Oli's socials ► instagram.com/oliverbradford__X/Y/Secret ► xysecret.bandcamp.comContents:0:00 Oli sent me some stems0:44 Exploring the stems2:06 Mindmapping on paper5:18 Super epic producer montage6:24 What the heck did I make?!10:05 Designing the break10:59 What's next?
Steal my avant-garde techno workflow Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-03-04 | Musical riffs have 3 dimensions: a rhythmic motif, a melodic contour, and an evolving timbre. We can design these three dimensions separately, and get exciting and surprising results.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Electronic music is the coolest ever1:12 Demonstration of the three dimensions2:30 Using VCV rack as a MIDI generator4:05 Synth madness4:48 Not your average melody7:34 More synth madness8:40 This is sick!9:21 If you don't have a synthesizer10:56 About my earring
A silly little guide to music theory (for beginners) Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-02-26 | There's this cute website that offers an interactive guide to music theory, so let's check it out together and refresh our fundamentals!Check out the explorable explanations website yourself ► explorabl.esMy Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Explorable explanations0:35 Never gonna give you up0:44 Sound, what is it?1:38 Harmony3:25 The pentatonic scale5:15 The chromatic scale7:34 Chords9:10 Major and Minor Keys10:38 Diatonic chords13:03 Chord progressions
If you hate your hihats, watch this video Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-02-19 | The hihat and high percussion in your music is the energy infrastructure of your track: it's super important to get right, but can't be too interesting or it will distract from the lead elements. How do we program good hihats? How do we make them sound alive?This tutorial shows concepts that apply in all different DAWs as long as you have a sampler plugin. I'll be working in Ableton Live 11, myself.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Get your education pants on0:57 The natural upbeat of music production2:11 The four levels2:57 Level one, the programming4:23 Syncopation6:53 A B A C7:43 Level two, sound design9:12 The three tools of hihat sound design9:24 The ADSR10:42 LFO - time13:01 EQ14:42 Transient designer15:59 Level three, the group design20:02 Level four, too much fun
How I use a synth despite having no talent :) Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-02-12 | Make hardware synthesizers work for you, even if you have no piano or keyboard skills! This is a tutorial for all the electronic music music producers and composers who use a software-first approach to making music. My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Who is this for?0:31 The simplest answer1:00 "Oops I don't know how to play piano"1:41 Rhythm and notes design3:43 Replacing the placeholder with the synth4:09 Performing and capturing5:02 Here's one I prepared earlier5:59 Random madness at 226bpm7:28 What to do with all this
The eurodance tutorial nobody asked for Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-02-05 | Let's produce some nineties eurodance music! This video features a tutorial recipe to make a classic dance music anthem like it's 1994. The original song is Ku Minerva's "Estoy Llorando por Ti (Remix)".My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents: 0:00 Time travelling to the nineties0:13 The drum and bass0:59 909 hihat layers2:29 The lead synth2:49 The chord progression4:30 Staccato lead5:03 Hardware synth layers5:19 The foundations composition5:31 A 'talented vocalist' lmao
Four steps to techno harder Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-01-29 | A playful formula in four parts to generate harder techno material.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 follow along0:20 Drum machine w/ distortion1:14 Distort and resample3:14 Equivalent machines4:05 The Culture Vulture5:10 Nailing the vibe6:12 Pattern control and randomisation8:33 A percussion synth9:32 Creative delays10:42 Sketch arrangement11:05 Summary
Is electronic music burning you out? Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-01-22 | When making art we sometimes get stressed and anxious - why is this happening to us? Let's talk about the "cortisol pit" and why electronic music producers are particularly vulnerable to it. We'll also talk about Receptivity Discomfort, a different type of discomfort that we experience when we try to open ourselves up to new ideas.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Content:0:00 Music making anxiety0:29 The cortisol pit1:37 Four steps to deal with it3:10 Accumulating uncertainty4:40 Volume balance problems6:11 Staleness of your loop7:37 Receptivity discomfort9:28 Summary and recap
How to not drown in bass Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-01-15 | I tend to over-do my bass frequencies when I'm composing electronic music. Maybe you do too? Here's a way to check, and also some techniques on how to deal with it. I'll also introduce you to the metaphor of frequency "buckets" per octave - does each bucket have enough sound energy in it? Do some have too much? Let's discuss!My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Putting too much bass0:44 How to know if it's too much2:48 Let's tilt the frequencies3:43 Thinking in octaves5:46 Bass buckets6:33 Cleaning up low-end mess7:50 Obsessing more about octaves11:55 A lot of little moves
I misunderstood how Four Tet makes music Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-01-08 | Listening to a Four Tet song, I started coming up with a weird and wonderful way to recreate the lead. Little did I know that the original was simply sampled from a record - but as a happy accident I now have developed this super weird and cool melody-making technique using the piano sustain pedal and modwheel. So, thanks for the inspiration, @fourtet555 !Discord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsUnderdog Mailing List ► http://eepurl.com/gZmNbvPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolContents:0:00 How Four Tet did not make his melody0:28 The Indian Santoor instrument1:10 How would electronic musicians approach this?2:17 Using the piano sustain pedal and mod wheel4:12 Discord community challenge5:33 Other sounds achievable with this
Techno rumble secrets nobody is talking about Underdog Electronic Music School 2024-01-02 | Techno rumbles bathe us in warm low-end energy, but what makes a good rumble? Here I argue that it's the ATONAL noise, rather than the tonal noise, in the sub-bass frequencies that makes rumble so exciting. This video is a masterclass of various considerations for advanced-level techno rumbles.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Deep rumble theory0:33 Tonal vs atonal sounds1:22 Deep down low noise1:44 Rumble smear2:45 Audio demonstration3:30 Tonal rumble warning5:00 Boosting the mids secret5:30 Soloing a frequency band6:12 Bad monitoring hurts my soul7:23 Mixing per frequency band7:50 Squeezing the dynamic range8:50 Favourite plugins9:30 Next steps for techno producers
You make dance music, but where is your metronome? Underdog Electronic Music School 2023-12-27 | If you want to make dance music, you want to make music that makes people move their bodies. To achieve that, you definitely don't want to confuse them too much. So how do we make sure the audience is never lost, never stops dancing? Your music's internal metronome!But not all genres use the same type of metronome - are you aware of what the appropriate metronome is in your genre?My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Martin Ku's profile ► soundcloud.com/martin_kuContents:0:00 Where is your metronome?0:40 The techno metronome1:10 The Drum n Bass metronome2:27 What to do if your composition is messy3:33 Adding a reese bassline4:24 Martin Ku's example that triggered the video5:18 Summary and next steps
Do seventh chords belong in electronic music? Underdog Electronic Music School 2023-12-18 | Here's a music theory nugget: use seventh chords without getting overwhelmed! Many online resources overcomplicate this subject, making it hard to follow. In this video I explain why you might want to use seventh chords, and how to use them easily and tastefully.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Who is this for?0:55 Music theory recap4:03 Seventh chords4:45 Simpler way to make seventh chords6:16 Fred Again example6:31 Let's play a guessing game8:18 The song reveal8:43 Recap summary
What are cascade arpeggios? Underdog Electronic Music School 2023-12-12 | Here's a cute sound design technique that results in odd arpeggios: play several notes at different BPMs and find places where they phase in and out of sync.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Listen to this!0:20 The inspiration meme1:09 Making things less griddy1:29 Sketch composition1:53 Making chord changes2:50 Public service anouncement
How to catch your audience off guard (in a good way) Underdog Electronic Music School 2023-12-04 | In dance music you sometimes want to confuse the audience, disorientating them slightly in a pleasant way, so you can heighten the release of tension with some surprise. Let's look at a techno example in Ableton Live, for music producers of all levels.Get the release here ► aethernalsound.bandcamp.com/album/body-radianceMy Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Footage of the XYS night at Fuse by ► instagram.com/p/C0Pe48sMlgDContents:0:00 the oomph of an unexpected drop0:38 the original track I was remixing1:10 my remix drumgroove1:23 syncopation misleading you2:01 the climax trick in action2:28 oscar is so proud haha3:02 syntactic ambiguity4:05 get the release on bandcamp
Four steps to create your own home studio Underdog Electronic Music School 2023-11-27 | Electronic music producers often start with nothing but a laptop and a dream. So, where to take it from there? Here are the four levels for a simple beginner home studio for electronic music musicians.My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 Laptop producers be like0:21 Level 1 - the dreamer1:02 Level 2 - the audiophile2:00 studio monitors2:44 two types of cable3:25 Level 3 - the musician4:24 Level 4 - the producer5:49 synthesizers vs midi controllers7:04 midi cables7:38 How to learn more
Is modular most direct way to make music? (feat. Joranalogue) Underdog Electronic Music School 2023-11-22 | As a proud Belgian I decided to visit the Joranalogue modular synthesizer headquarters. Meet Joran, and get ready to have your mind blown by the voltage mastery.The Joranalogue website ► joranalogue.comSteevio ► youtube.com/watch?v=CY8lR7HkjywBenki ► youtube.com/watch?v=nxaG67pIrf4My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 the sound of voltage0:28 meet Joran from Joranalogue2:04 filter eight3:15 not just bleeps and bloops3:52 building a patch5:53 Everything can be everything7:19 Oscars mind explodes7:45 digital vs analog workflows8:40 making a kick from a delay recipe13:48 kick drum result14:15 the future of modular synthesis15:08 like and subscribe!
getting a little too excited about resonators Underdog Electronic Music School 2023-11-13 | Resonators can turn anything into moody chords - from whitenoise to percussion loops. So let's geek out over them, and show what happens when you use resonators, dub fx and polymeters in conjunction!My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 My challenge to you0:54 Resonator basics for dummies1:58 Minor 9th chord smooth jazz2:42 Envelopes matter, okay?3:18 Adding LFOs for aliveness4:11 Hijacking percussion loops6:01 Even more LFOs because why not6:20 Envelopes for sparseness7:05 Adding Dub FX but actually just delay8:31 Adding a deeper polymeter10:11 Oscar really approves of this one11:00 Kickdrum & filters12:42 Rough mastering13:45 Isn't that gorgeous?
Dub chords for dummies Underdog Electronic Music School 2023-11-06 | Making dub chords is a fundamental skill for electronic music producers! In 5 steps you can create your own, and take it whatever direction you want!My Foundations courses ► https://courses.underdog.brusselsPatreon ► patreon.com/underdogmusicschoolDiscord ► discord.gg/trDbVcDHB3Contents:0:00 what are we going to do?0:45 smooth piano chord1:09 sawtooth synthesizer1:31 plucky amp envelope1:57 lowpass filter and LFO2:50 delay FX3:10 in a techno loop3:59 most important advice
