Auto-tuned vocals are a cool effect have become a standard technique in popular music. The sound can be heard all over pop and electronica from the last decade. A variety of artists use it, from T-Pain to Cher, and even the J-Pop band Perfume from West’s Polyrhythm tutorial. Even President Obama has gotten in on it (well, sort of…).
Audiotuts+ Author - Ryan Leach
Posts by Ryan Leach
iTunes for Composers
Oct 19th in Composition by Ryan LeachiTunes is a straightforward and simple application for organizing and listening to music. You probably don’t need someone to explain to you how it works. But there are a few unique features of iTunes that a lot people don’t take advantage of. If you’re a composer/producer/songwriter with a lot of music to keep track of, getting the most out of iTunes can vastly improve your workflow.
Secondary Dominants and How to Use Them
Oct 7th in General by Ryan LeachIn the previous harmony tutorial, The Basic Functions of Harmony, we introduced the idea that harmony is about a balance between tension and release. If you haven’t yet read that tutorial I suggest you do before moving on to this one.
For this tutorial we’re going to explore the idea of Secondary Dominants and how they can be used to create tension and release in more harmonically complex and interesting ways. We’ll discuss what they are, some of the different ways they can be used, and then show some examples from real music.
7 Ways to Use and Edit MIDI Velocity
Sep 9th in Logic Pro, Production by Ryan LeachVelocity is a useful piece of data and being able to edit it easily is important. It can be used to control dynamics, filters, multiple samples and a variety of other functions. Understanding all of the options available to you for editing velocity can help you decide which tools to use for different circumstances.
I’ll begin by briefly explaining what velocity can be used for and then dive in and show you many various ways velocity can be edited. Although all of the examples I’m giving are specific to Logic, the techniques can be applied to any software that allows you to manipulate velocity. The tools may look different, but the principles are the same.
The Basic Functions of Harmony – Basix
Aug 26th in Resources by Ryan Leach“All you need is three chords and the truth.”
At it’s core, all music can be considered an interplay of tension and release. The degree of tension can come from dissonance vs. consonance, orchestration, dynamics, or a hundred other musical elements. The key to using tension and release is balance. With too much tension and no release the tension can become unbearable and the music unlistenable. On the reverse side, if the music is too neutral with little to no amount of tension it can be dull and lifeless.
One reason great chord progressions sound good is because they are well balanced in their use of tension and release. In this tutorial we’ll examine the very basic steps of harmonic progressions to understand how this balance works.
How to Host Video on a Second Computer
Jul 20th in Logic Pro, Recording by Ryan LeachWhether you’re a full-time film composer or you simply write music to the occasional video for fun, using a second computer to host the video can save you time and make the process more enjoyable. This tutorial will show you how to simultaneously run two Macs with one controlling the playback of the other.
How to Use Reverb to Create Your Own Pads
Jun 15th in Logic Pro, Production by Ryan LeachPads are an extremely useful device for all styles of music, allowing for warm, calming, uplifting, sad, ominous, or even threatening effects. This tutorial shows you one simple way to create your own unique pads.
Creating your own pads is yet another way to help build a custom library and develop a personal voice. And by having more control over the various elements that make up your pad, you have more freedom to add subtle layers of complexity and imperfection for an organic sound.
5 Ways to Get More Life Out of a Song After It’s Finished
May 28th in Mixing & Mastering by Ryan LeachWe all know that writing and producing music takes a lot of work. From coming up with the initial ideas to making everything sound great, hours and hours of labor go into the process. Rather than putting yourself through the struggle of staring at a blank page or session every time you want to write something new, use these tips to get more mileage out of the music you’ve already poured your heart into.
Spice Up Your Loops by Automating EQ
May 20th in Logic Pro, Mixing & Mastering by Ryan LeachWhether you’re working on a tight scoring deadline or simply rushing to get your creative ideas out of your head and into a session, it can be very easy to drop a drum or percussion loop into your track and forget about it, causing the loop to be a static and repetitive element that drags down the overall interest of your music. You can very quickly and easily make your loops more interesting by automating an EQ insert, costing you little time but adding a nice touch of subtlety to your mix.
The Rule of Three and Music
May 11th in Composition by Ryan LeachThe Rule of Three is a popular concept used in many art forms such as writing and photography to achieve a balance of elements and structure. There is little discussion of The Rule of Three being applied to music, however, though the same concept can be applied to just about every aspect of our craft. From the first sketches of a composition to the production of a final mix, we can use this simple device to achieve a balance of interest and clarity so that our ideas are clearly expressed and heard.
