Title: Apollo Lee – Walk in the Dark Date: July 22, 2011 Software: Ableton Suite 8 Genre: House Timing: 6:50 @ 124 bpm
Walk in the Dark is quirky tech house groove that brings a simple step and layers it with diverse elements. We start with a three-chord piano motif, chased by a punchy three-note stab. We wait for nearly a minute before we invite the drums in to join our walk. The minimal bassline gives a bottom to our trek and, soon, a shifting high lead and sweeping metallic pads add to the texture.
My two-hour session went long this evening and I decided to arrange this out, just to get a feel for this new groove. I’m in the key of A minor tonight and, after a brief mixdown, keep playing it through to tweak a processor here, an automation there.
I hope you enjoy this hearing this track as much as I enjoyed making it. Thanks for listening.
Title: Apollo Lee – Do It Anyway Date: July 17, 2011 Software: Ableton Suite 8, TAL U-No-62 Genre: House Timing: 6:47 @ 125 bpm
A few weeks ago, the washing machine in my house flooded. The laundry room is next to my music studio, so the carpet was soaked. After drying out the carpet, my studio was in a disastrous state of affairs. Someone special came over, helped me reorganize and rearrange the studio. Old manuals and software boxes were moved elsewhere.
I’ve been working in Ableton Suite quite a bit lately. Last month, I added an Akai APC40 to the arsenal. Over the last few days, I’ve been working on learning the new hardware and leveraging more skills I’ve been gleaning from various tutorial sources (including Lynda.com and SonicAcademy). I’m more excited about making music these days than I’ve been in a long time.
This track, Do It Anyway, is the first track I’ve finished since I posted Quinquaginta over two and a half years ago. I’m going to try to maintain the momentum of the last few days into a daily habit that sees me releasing tracks more consistently.
Do It Anyway is relatively simple. It starts with a four-on-the-floor beat. The bassline, a syncopated three-against-four pattern, anchors the track as the chords come in. We’re in F minor here and the chords punctuate the motion of the track, dragging an echo along for the ride. After the first breakdown, we hear a wafting glass pad serenade us with color tones.
I hope you enjoy this hearing this track as much as I enjoyed making it. Thanks for listening.
Title: Apollo Lee – Abstractism Date: December 31, 2008 Software: Logic Pro 8 Genre: Ambient Timing: 6:18 @ 40 bpm
What I Like About It
This harmonic structure is something I haven’t tried to improvise on before. It’s a scale consisting of only six notes, the whole tone scale in C (C, D, E, F#, G#, A#).
I managed to equalize out most of the phase distortion.
It sounds much different than lots of the 16-note grid-based compositions lately.
Dominant and major “chords” lead in unexpected directions.
What I Don’t Like About It
Too much of the music here is below middle C. Of the notes high on the keyboard, I need to practice landing a little less aggressively.
There’s still a little bit of phase distortion in mid frequences, but it’s only noticeable on good headphones at very high volume.
Note: These are rough drafts. Constructive criticism is welcomed, of course.
Title: Apollo Lee – Zillah Date: December 31, 2008 Software: Logic Pro 8 Genre: Ambient Timing: 7:36 @ 40 bpm
What I Like About It
I’m using the full keyboard here, instead of a drum pad controller as usual (my Korg padKontrol’s settings knob that lets me choose note values broke off). The harmony is simply on the D minor scale, wavering between the natural and melodic minor.
I’ve used the patch before. It’s unobtrusive and just floats.
Many of the transitions are smooth, even when multiple notes change simultaneously.
What I Don’t Like About It
The equalization is terrible, with lots of phase distortion that makes this whole piece sound muddy.
Some of the chords are just too clustery.
Due to my clunky fingers, sometimes the wrong notes stick out dramatically.
Note: These are rough drafts. Constructive criticism is welcomed, of course.
Title: Apollo Lee – Vicissitude Date: December 10, 2008 Software: Logic Pro 8 Genre: Ambient Timing: 7:24 @ 40 bpm
What I Like About It
I’ve used this patch before, but I love the subtle ringing aftertouch.
The harmony is in descending seventh chords, diatonic to Db (DbM7, Cm7b5, Bbm7, Ab7), making it easy to transition from rich openness to clustering tension with the movement of just a couple of notes.
The low notes contrast the highs, but not overbearingly.
Transitions are subtle and always shifting.
What I Don’t Like About It
A few of the notes are a little bit heavy and stick out too much.
I should have done more with effects processing and the mod pad.
Note: These are rough drafts. Constructive criticism is welcomed, of course.
Title: Apollo Lee – Umbriel Date: December 05, 2008 Software: Logic Pro 8 Genre: Ambient Timing: 5:06 @ 40 bpm
What I Like About It
This instrument is very unusual with strange bouncing filter effects, lethargically jumping around. I never thought of using this patch before, but it drives the urgency of the piece and gives it a very unique sound.
The harmony is in minor Rhythm Changes (Fm7, DbM7, Gm7b5, C7), which I love a lot, because of the delicious tensions it lends.
Multiple note transitions and a faster harmonic rhythm makes this seem more interesting.
The low notes contrast the highs beautifully, especially with the filter bounces.
There are subtle harmonic phases that make almost imperceptible countermelodies right at the periphery.
What I Don’t Like About It
There are places where the lows are gone entirely for an unreasonably long period of time, which makes the piece feel unanchored.
I probably could have done more with the aftertouch effects.
Note: These are rough drafts. Constructive criticism is welcomed, of course.