I tried to play this song with only four chords. The track is played live with 3 drum variations, 1 oriental drum sample, 3 main sounds (two electric pianos and a strings) and a simple pick bass.
The track is unmastered and has not been tweaked in post. The levels were adjusted as I played along and there was a slight phaser effect on the electric pianos, and a generous amount of L/R delay was applied across the main instruments. Everything is processed in PA900.
I typically don’t post my practice sessions, but I decided to take on one of the most difficult time signatures, the 9/8. Note: This is not going to be a “how to play a song in 9/8” tutorial.
Arrangement rundown
I started with a downbeat arrangement, added a few layers in the sequencer and played a custom turkish Mey reed sample, and the Live Piano RX. The RX, Real eXperience technology on my Korg PA900 is truly amazing.
As for the effects, on FX B, I used Reverb SmoothHall and Stereo BPM Delay. This particular delay effect enables the delay time to match the song tempo, which is optimal for downbeat melodies. The tempo was set to 70 BPM. In the future, I will consider applying a dynamic modulation source to the XY controller, to have more control over the note velocity when I am playing the Mey.
Last, as mentioned earlier, the track is an attempt to play with a 9/8 beat. The 8/8 time signature would be similar to a 4/4, thus resulting in 9/8 having an extra beat. This is certainly one of those challenging signatures that I often avoid and rarely attempt to play.
I am starting my MP3 giveaway with a Minimal track. Use coupon code CHORDA to download Chorda Bellum (Original Mix) for free (typically goes for $0.99). Keep an eye for more cool things (like raffles!) on my blog.
Now go download the track from below, or by visiting this page.
Offer expires on March 30, 2014.
NOTE: I am currently working on this content, but have provided a few products and brands that I highly recommend you check out during your quest for professional DJ equipment. Stay put!
Enter your email address below and subscribe to our free newsletter!