Credits
Production: Mixer Jaëxx
Album: Sound-sized Treats
Mastering: Mixer Jaëxx
Copyright: Mixer Jaëxx, U.S. Copyright Office, 2018
Creation
AirPod Condensation was the last song in development for Sound-sized Treats. The virtual music studio Reason had just released a new version (10) that included some new instruments. I set out to create a song trying to utilize a lot of these new virtual devices.
The song started its life with the lead (“Leadpad”). It’s a Europa spectral wavetable synthesizer. I created “Leadpad” by experimenting with a configuration that would have a slightly evolving sound. Evolving sounds, for those that pay attention to my music, is found in nearly every song of mine. Once I created a sound I liked, I then experimented with melodies on the Ableton Push device (controlling Reason). I came up with one I really liked and decided to build the sound around it.
In order to get inspiration on how the rest of the song should sound, I decided to watch some documentaries on how electronic music first started in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. I ended up incorporating a quote from Robert Moog, founder of the Moog synthesizer.
I had my goal for the song. I then set out to add a synth lead to compliment “Leadpad”. I decided to use the Grain sample manipulator device (“Synth”, around the 1:00 mark). The device takes a sample in the form of a standard recording (waveform) and generates either slight modifications or completely new sounds.
A device included with Reason 10 is Radical Piano. I decided to utilize it for the second piano in the song, around the 1:24 mark (“RPiano”). I used the Radical Piano patch “Luxe Sustained”, ironically heavily utilizing my own sustain petal connected to my Ableton Push.
As the song was being created, right after “RPiano” was done, I decided to take my laptop, the “Neonote”, my Ableton Push and my Sony studio headphones MDR-7506’s out to get some inspiration. I went to a Denny’s at 2 in the morning. With the Push setup on the dining table, I loaded up a new device, Klang. It’s a “rompler” designed for certain ethnic world devices. I loaded up the patch “Circle Bells Filter Pluck”. I then recorded a compliment to the piano called “Bells”. So it’s funny that the “Bells” part of the song was recorded at a Denny’s restaurant. This is not the first time I’ve created songs at restaurants, such as 5 AM Awake.