Summary of "Jan Blomqvist Melodic House Production from Scratch"
Overview / Main ideas
- The video shows how to produce a Jan Blomqvist–style melodic house track from an empty Ableton project using only stock plugins and Splice samples.
- Emphasis on:
- Starting with a strong chord progression.
- Careful sound selection and layering.
- Shaping synth movement with envelopes/LFOs for an “organic” analog feel.
- Creative vocal processing (including vocoder layers).
- The instructor stresses that sound selection and arrangement (rhythm, chord choices, voicing) matter more than heavy mixing.
- Workflow shortcuts demonstrated: favorites pack, templates, sample-editing techniques.
- Project resources and a paid course (“Music Production Accelerator”) are offered.
Step-by-step methodology (in presentation order)
1. Project setup
- Tempo: 125 BPM.
- Load a deep kick (from a favorites pack) and program a 4-on-the-floor pattern (kick every beat).
- Light EQ on the kick to remove excessive highs/top end and sculpt it so it pops.
2. Key and chord progression
- Key used: A minor (white keys A→A) for simplicity.
- Use Ableton’s Scale mode to constrain notes to the key.
- Create long sustained chords (fits the style).
- Build progression from bass/root notes—if bass notes don’t work, chords won’t either.
- Add variation on the second pass (e.g., change last two bass notes to lead back to the start).
- Draw triads quickly: in scale mode, skip every other note to form triads.
3. Bass (sub & mid)
- Main bass
- Copy chord root notes into a bass channel and drop octaves to reach bass register.
- Make synth monophonic to prevent overlapping notes.
- Add filter + envelope so the bass “opens then closes” (movement).
- Use unison for warmth but watch low-frequency phase issues.
- Subbass
- Duplicate the bass track, use a pure sine wave, turn off unison, make mono.
- Keep sub solid and constant (no stereo).
- Roll off mid/stereo bass below ~100 Hz to avoid doubling low end.
- Midbase (plucky rhythmic mid-bass)
- Use saw/square-based waves, monophonic.
- Pattern idea: hold a single root note (A) on a 16th grid as a rhythmic pluck instead of matching every chord root.
- Shape with amplitude/filter envelopes for a plucky character.
- Consider a second oscillator one octave below; remove <100 Hz (sub handles that).
- Add harmonic excitement (redux/bitcrush) sparingly for character.
4. Piano riff and low piano layer
- Use a grand piano to sketch chords and riff.
- Create a small repeating 16th-note motif that syncopates with the kick.
- Occasionally add a perfect fifth above the root to fatten the riff.
- Humanize by nudging notes off-grid and randomizing velocities.
- Processing: reverb (Hybrid Reverb or similar) for shimmer, ping-pong echo for stereo bounce; optionally transpose an octave up for plinky texture.
- Duplicate piano, keep only root notes and layer an octave lower for low-piano texture; send to a reverb bus to glue layers.
5. Layering (bells, texture, sound selection)
- Create a bell-like layer that follows the piano riff (Ableton instruments or sampled bells).
- Keep layers subtle—use them for shimmer and tonal enhancement.
- Spend time selecting loops/sounds (Splice); AB-test choices—small sound changes change genre/feel.
6. Hats and percussion (custom white-noise hats)
- Create hi-hats with Operator using white noise for a custom hat timbre.
- Program 16th-note hats between kicks; include one longer note for an open hat and short hits for accents.
- Shape hats with short ADSR envelopes to control length.
- Use a short room reverb aux/bus (<0.5 s) and send hats to it for glue.
- EQ: roll off low frequencies on hats to reduce competition with low end.
7. Drum layering and loops
- Add drum loops from Splice; slice and use only needed parts.
- Remove conflicting open hats from loops when using custom hats.
- Sound selection > heavy processing—keep drum mix balanced.
8. Synth chords and voicing
- Use Wavetable (saw waves) for synth chords.
- Enrich triads with 7ths where musically appropriate (adds emotional color).
- Use chord inversions and close voice-leading so chords gel.
- Add release to voicings so chords bleed into each other.
- Filter-shape chords over time via envelopes; light unison + reverb for width.
9. Main synth riff (lead)
- Start with a saw-based synth, monophonic or small unison for thickness.
- Shape filter cutoff with an envelope; add an LFO for slow movement.
- Add subtle LFO to pitch for small organic detuning (analog vibe).
- Auto-pan or slow stereo modulation for constant movement.
- Map velocity to filter cutoff so dynamics affect tone.
- Delay/echo (ping-pong) for stereo interest.
- Compose lead using the same rhythmic motif as piano/bells to reinforce the groove; starting on the perfect fifth is recommended.
- Slightly randomize timing/velocity for a lively feel.
10. Mixing and dynamics (practical)
- Use sidechain compression so the kick punches through. Tip: trigger sidechain from a short, inaudible rim shot set to sends-only to trigger compressors globally.
- Sidechain the subbass (priority) and sustain bass to the kick.
- EQ: roll off unnecessary low frequencies on non-sub instruments; remove <100 Hz from mid/stereo bass and other non-sub elements.
- Keep sub mono; let mid/high elements be stereo for width.
- Balance levels and apply simple tonal processing (filters, small harmonic excitement) to taste.
11. Vocals & creative vocal processing
- Use Splice vocal samples as placeholders or source material (example: vocal in F minor at 126 BPM).
- Transposing vocals to project key:
- Calculate semitone difference (example F → A = +4 semitones).
- Use Warp + Complex Pro in Ableton to reduce artifacts.
- Layered vocal textures:
- Whisper layer: vocoder/noise-based breathy texture—EQ to sit as texture.
- Synth vocoder: use synth chords as carrier so synth “sings” with the vocal timbre—filter frequencies to taste.
- Two complementary vocoder layers (ambient whisper + synth vocoder) create emotional, melodic vocal textures.
12. Final arrangement & finishing touches
- Automate filter cutoffs, reverb sends, and levels for movement and build-ups.
- Keep themes rhythmic—repeat motifs across instruments to reinforce grooves.
- Export/preview: listen back, tweak details, balance sidechain, save/export the project.
Teacher’s final five summary points
- Use saw-based synths with envelopes/LFOs for organic movement.
- Chord progression is central—everything follows it.
- Melody must emotionally match the chords and respond to dynamics.
- Careful layering and sound selection define genre/feel.
- Choose vocal material that enhances the vibe (placeholders are fine).
Specific technical tips & numbers
- Tempo: 125 BPM.
- Key used: A minor.
- Use 16th-note grid for riffs and midbase rhythm.
- Roll off duplicated mid/stereo bass under ~100 Hz to avoid doubling with the sub.
- Keep subbass mono (sine wave) to avoid phase issues.
- Use a short reverb send (<0.5 s) as room glue for hats/percussion.
- Vocal transposition example: F → A = +4 semitones; use Complex Pro warp mode in Ableton for cleaner pitch adjustments.
Tools / Ableton devices and processes shown
- Ableton Live stock devices:
- Operator, Wavetable, Hybrid Reverb, Auto Filter, Echo (delay), Redux, Amp, Auto Pan, Vocoder, compressors (sidechain).
- Sampling and resources:
- Splice (vocals and loops), a personal “favorites” sample pack.
- Workflow tips:
- Use templates for chord voicings.
- Keep a favorites pack for quick sound selection.
- Duplicate tracks for alternate processing.
- Use a send-only rimshot as a sidechain trigger bus.
Speakers / sources featured
- Primary presenter / instructor (unnamed).
- Referenced artists:
- Jan Blomqvist (main style reference).
- Ben Böhmer (similar vibe).
- Daft Punk (vocoder/autotune reference).
- Sample/source providers:
- Splice (vocal and loop samples).
- Ableton Live stock devices.
- Course / group:
- Presenter’s “Music Production Accelerator” (paid course/community).
If you want, I can convert the step-by-step methodology into a compact checklist with suggested plugin chains and starting parameter values for direct use in your DAW.
Category
Educational
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