Concepts: Cutting Loops, Advanced Editing, Recording Vocals over Soundbeds
While M worked on mixing and finalizing her track, J was working on another ‘Top Ten’ list, this time thinking more about how the loop would sound under what he was planning. He decided to do a ‘Top Ten Worst Video Game Cliches’ and already had a vision of what the track would sound like.
He selected a few different basslines that he liked, and then cut them up and rearranged the audio samples into his own groove. He manipulated the audio slices and even began to comfortably use the ‘reverse selection’ function to enhance his new bassline. J has developed a go-to method that he uses for this process, which involves keeping the original audio file intact on a separate, muted track. This allows him to easily go back and cut out the sections he wants. I’m going to post screenshots of J and M’s arrangement so that everyone can see the detailed cutting and editing of the looped segments.
After recording this, J did a quick mixdown of the 30 second clip and looped it under his ‘Top Ten.’ We then listened and mixed it Thursday morning. M wanted to add some drums to J’s original bassline, so Thursday I had her and J work together to accomplish this task. M did an excellent job chopping up the beats and layering them in, and realized that it’s often quite difficult to add drums to an already existing line, especially if that piece was done without drums to begin with.
The project was more an exercise in working to place audio visually, as M used the waveforms to line up the hits, just as she did in her 30 second track from Wednesday.
We finished the session with M recording a recipe segment where she walked the listeners through creation of one of her favorite meals. Make sure to keep posted for this file next week!
J’s Top Ten Cliches
J and M Combo