October 24th, 2024

Making steps and getting there

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Sticking to my mandatory hobby bounce from illustration to music then illustration, this one is about… music. My last song is called Steps which is ideal for a step by step creative process of making something out of… a few things.

Inception

At the start of last year, likely around lunch time, I recorded an impromptu riff, named it “lunch riff” and left that bake for well over a year.

Lunch riff (voice memo)

A few months ago, looking to play something for some lyrics I wrote, I brought back that riff and gave it a little refresher.

Steps (voice memo)

I liked it and sang it and I tweaked it and quickly got the final shape of the song in place.

Steps full (voice memo)

Reflexion

As I haven’t had a play with Logic for a while and was really missing it, I rushed into recording, playing with some super smart keys and bass, and produced what would become Steps 0.3.2 aka the first prod.

Steps 0.3.2 (first prod)

That was ok but it wasn’t really working for me and felt rushed. Also that smart piano guy was too good for my own good. So I got back to practice, recording iterations through many more voice memos and kitchen videos, while exploring less smart production ideas.

Steps in the kitchen (home video)

Là c’est bon

Eventually got there with Steps 0.7.6, and saved hours in mastering through my new best friend, Logic lovely mastering assistant. Smart.

Ultimately, one evening, digging out a bunch of video archives on an unforgotten drive, I played around with visualising the song’s narrative using those captured moments of life. I got carried away, surprisingly made complete sense, and nicely put a wrap on that step, until the next.