3 Ways to Make Loops Sound UNIQUE In Your Productions | Make Pop Music

Summary

In this tutorial, Make Pop Music's Austin explores creative ways to customize loops for a unique sound. He demonstrates three methods to transform royalty-free loops, including adjusting tempo, transposing keys, chopping and rearranging melodies, and applying sound design techniques. Austin uses Cubase to showcase these processes, emphasizing the importance of personalizing loops to avoid repetition in commercial music and to create a distinct musical identity.

Takeaways

• 🎵 The video is a tutorial by Make Pop Music on customizing loops to make them feel more original and less recognizable from royalty-free packs.
• 🔄 The speaker discusses the issue of artists calling each other out on Twitter for using the same loops in their songs, emphasizing the importance of personalizing loops.
• 🛠️ Three main methods are presented to customize loops: adjusting tempo and key, rearranging melodies, and applying heavy processing to change the sound completely.
• ⏩ The first technique involves slowing down loops to fit the desired tempo and dragging them to start on the beat for synchronization.
• 🔑 Transposing loops to a different key is suggested to make them sound distinct from their original form.
• 🔄 Melody swapping is recommended, where the original melody is chopped up and rearranged to create something new.
• 🎛️ Heavy processing, such as using effects like multi-pass, snappy, and micro shift, can transform the character of a loop.
• 📐 Using EQ to filter out certain frequencies and boost others can help loops fit better within a mix.
• 🌐 Layering additional sounds on top of loops, such as synths and melodies, can add originality and depth to the production.
• 👂 Listening to the key of the loop and working within that key to create harmonious additional elements is advised.
• 📉 Sometimes, minimal processing is better, allowing certain loops to serve as 'ear candy' without overwhelming the mix.
• 🚀 The tutorial concludes by emphasizing the endless possibilities of loop customization and encourages experimentation to make loops one's own.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video tutorial?

The main topic of the video tutorial is working with loops in music production, specifically how to customize and make them feel more unique to avoid the issue of loops being too recognizable from royalty-free packs or other sources.

Why might artists call each other out on Twitter for using the same loops?

Artists might call each other out on Twitter because using the same royalty-free loops can lead to a lack of originality and can make it difficult for an artist to claim their unique sound.

What are the three ways the tutorial suggests to customize loops?

The three ways suggested are: 1) Changing the timing, tempo, and key of the loop, and rearranging the melody. 2) Heavily processing the loop to make it sound completely different. 3) Layering your own sounds on top of the loop to make it work for your production.

What does the tutorial suggest doing with the tempo of the loop?

The tutorial suggests adjusting the tempo of the loop to fit the desired pace of the song, making it align with the song's beat.

How does the tutorial recommend changing the key of a loop?

The tutorial recommends transposing the loop to a different key, which can instantly make it sound different and less recognizable.

What is the purpose of chopping up and rearranging the melody of a loop?

Chopping up and rearranging the melody of a loop helps create a completely new and unique sound, making the loop feel more like the producer's own creation.

What is the tutorial's suggestion for adding movement to the low end of a loop?

The tutorial suggests putting the loop on half time and adjusting the mix, filtering out some of the lows, and boosting the highs to add more movement to the low end.

What is the role of adding an extra melody on top of a loop?

Adding an extra melody on top of a loop can provide additional depth and interest to the music, helping to further distinguish the sound from the original loop.

How does the tutorial suggest using percussive loops?

The tutorial suggests using percussive loops by applying effects like multi-pass or snappy to change the sound, and by customizing the pattern to fit the song's rhythm.

What is the importance of layering sounds in music production according to the tutorial?

Layering sounds is important as it allows the producer to add their own creative touch to the loop, making the final product more unique and personalized to their vision.

What should a producer consider when using loops in their music to avoid issues with other artists?

A producer should consider customizing the loops to fit their unique sound and vision for the song, so that if another artist recognizes the loop, the producer can explain that it was a starting point and has been significantly altered to suit their production.