The FoRcE oNe project has some interesting tidbits.  First off, the beat for this one as selected was a custom I made specifically for him in his interests.  He’s a big Lil’ Wayne and Young Money fan, so this beat follows that new southern sound with an MsP twist.   The drum pattern and bassline are akin to those found on their recent work, but the instrumentation and sampling is more MsP style.  Once some recording is done, I will post up a tidbit so you guys can get an idea of what we’re aiming for.  The second thing about this that I like is that FoRcE oNe will be spearheading the project, and I will just be trying to bring out the vision he’s got.  I’m trying to get him to let his creativity loose while increasing my producing experience in the sense of producing for other people.  Most of my producer work has been for myself, so getting a chance to produce for others (especially for uno because he’s only done one song on his own, this will be his second) is always exciting.

The beat is in Bb minor, and utilizes samples from a rare old school soul song called “Why,” as well as the use of the Hypersonic plugin by Steinberg.  Drums used were from the Sounds in HD kits that Boy Gnyus supplied me with, and of course the beat was created in FL Studio.  It clocks in at 140bpm, but will mostly sound more like 70bpm with that Young Money style flow that’s been coming from the South.

The second project that was worked on this weekend was the impromptu MooN ShynE/ADM/K-Maculate project that started earlier this evening. What we’re looking to do is something in the vein of what David Guetta has been doing these days as well as other non-hip-hop club hits.  So far, we’ve nailed down a decent club beat akin to Guetta’s recent hits such as “Sexy B*tch” and “Memories” with Kid Cudi, but once again, putting an MsP spin on it.  It’s a good mesh of styles as ADM’s electronic work comes into play here production wise in a big way, K comes in with some creativity as far as concepts, lyrics and vocals, and I come in with my lyrics/vocals and production work.  We’ve already recorded a small piece of the song that will fit as one of those catchy 8 bar loops that DJ’s should have fun with in the clubs.

The song is in Ebm, using a mixture of different drum kits we have here at Lunar Base.  We used Native Instruments’ FM8 for some synth work, as well as Vanguard for a gate.  We were using Cakewalk Studio Instruments String Section, but we may opt for a different set of strings (Hypersonic being a very likely candidate) as I’ve overused String Section to death lol.  We layered the kicks and included 808 bass drums to give it that extra push.  We’re also using the Izotope plugin called Trash (the plugin used to achieve Justin Timberlake’s voice in Sexy Back) to give it that real gritty club feeling.  Next week, we’re looking to do some more work on this, and I hope to have a sample for you guys to hear after that session.

All in all, a very productive weekend, and with other projects also in the wings, there will be more fun coming!  Stay tuned.

-mnshyn

Project Phase 1 – (yyyy.mm.dd-beat_name):
A beat has been made, and there are no concepts or anything yet; just a beat loop or an instrumental.

Project Phase 2 – (alpha):
The beat has been chosen for a possible song, with preliminary ideas for a concept, instrumental structured according to those ideas

Project Phase 3 – (beta):
Vocals have been recorded

Project Phase 4 – (release candidate):
All the vocals have been recorded; final mixing and mastering begins

Project Phase 5 – Final Release

Just to show you where we’re at, Bomb Squad is on Beta 14, which means that since the first vocals have been dropped, the song has gone through 13 subsequent mixes, including each mix where an added vocalist was recorded.  At this point, only two have not recorded anything yet (Harmony Speaks and I) and one (Destiny Soprano) needs to re-record.

I made a few miscalculations and the lyrics I wrote down for Speaks’s part (now looking in retrospect) were definitely subpar.  We ran through it yesterday, and we came down to the conclusion that what was originally planned wasn’t going to work.

The song is in Eb minor, and on the first bar (an Eb minor chord), the melody leads off with a Bb5.  Speaks finds that hitting a B5 is pushing, so even a half step lower would sound slightly strained.  The first half of the verse stays within a few notes below it, which is at the very higher end of Speaks’s range.

For those who are lost, the note C4 would be middle C.  If you look at a piano, the C that’s in the direct middle of the piano is Middle C, or C4.  From there, you would count up through the notes.  C4, C#4, D4, D#4, etc. until you hit C5, then continue the trend upward.  Going down would be the opposite.  C4, B3, Bb3, A3, etc.

Speaks’s range, I guess, would be classified as a mezzosoprano, which would be from A3 to A5.  That’s about right, since A5 would be a full step below the note that I guess would be the mezzo-soprano singer’s equivalent of what people call a “max” in lifting.

This was the first issue with the draft we tried yesterday.  The second were the lyrics and rhythm; neither of which were to par.  Since her part is pretty much expository, some of the words needed for it sound really unnatural for a singer.  The flow also wasn’t natural and it was choppy because of the words needed.  Substituting different words took away from the exposition.  The exposition is needed because it would cover a plot hole.

Basically, regrouping was necessary.

My thought now is that Speaks’s part can’t be a singing part, since specific things about the situation need to be said.  Since I’ve concluded that using some of those words needed sound very unnatural (or like some Broadway Action Musical of some sort, for example, “defuse the bomb”), she’ll need to speak what needs to said.

Since ADM and I are speaking in two different parts of the song, it would help if there was a break in the action for further exposition at a midway point between the introduction when we first bust in the door, and the other part recorded where we discuss defusing the bomb.  It would be expo-verse-verse-expo-verse-verse-expo.

I have no problem with her speaking the part, but I do want Speaks to sing in some way.

I’m starting to think: what if she naturally did choir oohs or ahhs, in three part harmony in the back during the exposition?  We strip the original instrumentation from those 8 bars, and she can do the backing in three part vocal harmony.

Right now this seems like a good idea.  I’ll post results later on.

-mnshyn