Tags: posts polarity-music Bitwig Track from Scratch Synthwave

Creating a Synthwave Track with C-Ludian Chords and Glitch Drums

Tutorial | Mar 22, 2022

In this video, I created a music track using a synth, a reverb, a delay, a key filter, a note rap device, a quad track, an arpeggiator, a chorus device, a quad bass, a portal, percussion and drums, a lead sound, modulation and automation, and a half time. I randomly modulated the sounds and added some distortion, reverb, and a transient shaper to bring out the spaces. I then layered some triggers and hi-hats to create a nice combination. Lastly, I used a filter and a phaser to give it a final touch.

You can watch the Video on Youtube - support me on Patreon

Questions & Answers

Maybe you dont watch the video, here are some important takeaways:

How can I download the project mentioned in the video?

The project mentioned in the video can be downloaded from the video's description.

What is the BPM for this project?

The BPM for this project is 85 BPM.

What kind of devices are used in this project?

This project uses a range of devices, including a cheater, a reverb, a delay, a multinode, a key filter, a note rap device, a quad track, an arpeggiator, a randomization device, a pitch modulation device, a chorus device, a polyscent, a FX tulip, a phaser, a hard clip, a transient shaper, a portal, and a half time.

What key is this project in?

This project is in the key of C major.

Transcription

This is what im talking about in this video. The text is transcribed by AI, so it might not be perfect. If you find any mistakes, please let me know.
You can also click on the timestamps to jump to the right part of the video, which should be helpful.

[00:00.000] So this is what we are going to build in this video.
[00:26.280] So stick around.
[00:27.280] Pretty long, you can download the project in the description below, leave a like and
[00:32.200] subscribe to the channel.
[00:33.560] So let's start.
[00:35.560] Pull your synth.
[00:36.560] It's always a good synth.
[00:39.040] I'm here at 85 BPM.
[00:45.560] So maybe I start with C here, C4.
[00:52.360] You can open up a cheater, maybe a reverb, and delay the reverb.
[01:16.680] Multinode, because we need some chords, root notes, 7, 9, 9, maybe 19, I don't know.
[01:43.760] Maybe a key filter, we are on C, C, Lydian, maybe, and maybe my note rap device, bass
[02:07.600] minus 2, oh yeah, sounds nice.
[02:17.600] See you soon.
[02:38.240] At the same time, a quad track, it's some arpeggiator which brings in some rhythm and because
[03:06.440] of the delay or the reverb here, it sounds almost like a pet in the background.
[03:27.240] Maybe before we move on, I bring in some randomizations, some movement in there.
[03:35.720] Maybe the pitch here, pitch modulation, doesn't need to be polyphonic.
[04:05.720] Oh yeah, we can move between these states here.
[04:26.720] Maybe the new chorus device.
[04:51.720] Okay, so we can use the same notes for the bass.
[05:17.720] Maybe call this here a quad bass.
[05:23.720] So here we also use a polyscent because I really like the polyscent.
[05:27.720] I have no idea why.
[05:29.720] It's probably not the best in quality in terms of filters and anything, but I like it.
[05:37.720] Oh, this is pretty high-pitched, so let's pause this down.
[05:50.720] We need two voices to oscillate us here, monophonic or mono.
[06:10.720] And this needs to be a monophonic pause and maybe a bit of glide in here and some transitioning sounds.
[06:40.720] Maybe we can use the FX tulip for this.
[06:54.720] Just cut the high frequencies here in the high band.
[07:03.720] Maybe use a phaser here.
[07:13.720] Not just always nice for these kind of bass lines.
[07:40.720] But we have to put the filter at the end.
[07:55.720] Maybe we can modulate this with a random mod here.
[08:19.720] Maybe we can use the filter at the end.
[08:34.720] Ah, could be a nice change up here.
[08:51.720] Maybe at some point.
[08:53.720] Maybe in the last sequence here.
[08:56.720] So we go and start from this degree.
[09:26.720] Also, later on, we can switch between this low state here and the octafire state.
[09:49.720] Okay, so time for some drums.
[09:56.720] Let's see what we got here.
[10:25.720] Um.
[10:39.720] A percussion sounds to it.
[10:57.720] Yeah, this is not good enough noise.
[11:24.720] I probably use these kick drums here anyway just for percussion purposes.
[11:39.720] I passed them a bit.
[11:57.720] Let's see what we got here.
[12:15.720] Well, maybe I use a portal.
[12:42.720] For some glitch sounds, for some quick bass with a glitch sounds.
[13:02.720] Oh, yeah, we can fade this in here at the end of each sequence.
[13:15.720] Oh, yeah.
[13:44.720] And maybe you know it's one hundred percent here.
[14:10.720] Okay, so now that you have this and also rubbed on this.
[14:34.720] I can use a half time.
[14:59.720] Now I can do the real drums.
[15:07.720] It's more like a percussion.
[15:17.720] Probably match up with the bass.
[15:38.720] I like the distortion on that.
[15:50.720] Um, maybe the distortion also on the, on everything on the full range adds too much.
[16:17.720] Okay, I think.
[16:45.720] Oh, we need to do now is find the nice nail clap combination or something.
[16:54.720] Yeah, something like this.
[16:56.720] Maybe we layer something.
[17:01.720] Something snappy.
[17:06.720] Something snappy, something clappy.
[17:29.720] Maybe we can match here some triggers a bit early.
[17:43.720] Yeah.
[18:10.720] And I do separate XO for the hi-hats.
[18:18.720] Just getting some hi-hats in here.
[18:26.720] I really wish I could pull this automatically and with something.
[18:37.720] So now you can paint in here nicely.
[18:47.720] Maybe a bit of glitch.
[19:10.720] Yeah, maybe we...
[19:39.720] Amplify here the off-beat a bit more.
[19:49.720] I'm not happy with the point.
[20:18.720] I'm not happy with the portal.
[20:28.720] Oh, yeah, maybe I bring it the re-brook in with an LFO.
[20:57.720] You know, just to create some variety here.
[21:26.720] Okay, so we balance out here the drums.
[21:44.720] Hard clip for the drums until it sounds still okay.
[22:09.720] Maybe the snare needs some reverb.
[22:28.720] Okay, sounds nice, more reverb.
[22:43.720] Maybe a transient shaper here to bring out the spaces in between.
[23:10.720] A bit too loud.
[23:30.720] Okay, that's nice.
[23:49.720] The drum plus bass.
[24:00.720] We bring this up here to zero.
[24:08.720] So we get in here to kick drums.
[24:22.720] That's a bit.
[24:47.720] Okay, nice.
[24:57.720] So now we have C-Ludian.
[25:05.720] Maybe we could pitch it down a bit more so we have lower notes for the bass.
[25:44.720] Let's go for G-G-Ludian.
[26:23.720] That's okay for the first part and maybe here we create some lead sounds.
[26:38.720] Maybe we just snatch the sounds from here.
[26:47.720] Fuck.
[27:17.720] Let's go for G-Ludian.
[29:12.720] I don't know.
[30:12.720] Okay, that could be something for this part.
[30:35.720] Maybe in this part we do a different track.
[30:45.720] Let's go for G-G-Ludian.
[32:19.720] Maybe paint a new modulation or automation.
[35:09.720] A different pattern.