Beyond the Familiar: Unearthing Unusual Ways to Make Electronic Sound in Music Production
At Noxal, we’re passionate about the sonic fingerprints that make music truly stand out. Here, we explore unusual ways to create electronic sounds that redefine traditional boundaries in music production. This isn’t just about presets—it’s about forging new paths of creativity.
This article covers innovative techniques in sound creation, emphasizing methods like found sound, circuit bending, granular synthesis, feedback loops, and more, to help push your electronic music production to new heights.
Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes
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Table of Contents
- The Quest for Novelty: Unusual Ways to Make Electronic Sound in Music Production
- Listening Beyond the Obvious: The Art of Found Sound and Musique Concrète
- The Rogue Scientist’s Lab: Circuit Bending and Hardware Hacking
- Micro-Sonic Landscapes: The Magic of Granular Synthesis
- The Unforeseen Orchestra: Feedback Loops and No-Input Mixing
- Beyond the Manual: Abusing Plugins and Creative Resampling
- Why Bother? The Creative Freedom of Sonic Exploration
- Practical Takeaways for Your Sonic Adventures
- The Infinite Canvas of Sound
- FAQ
The Quest for Novelty: Unusual Ways to Make Electronic Sound in Music Production
The pursuit of novel sounds isn’t a new phenomenon. In fact, it’s arguably what defined the birth of electronic music itself. Early composers didn’t have access to the vast libraries of sounds we do today; they had to invent everything from scratch. This necessity bred ingenuity, and it’s a spirit we at Noxal believe is crucial to keep alive. Let’s explore some of the most compelling and unusual ways to make electronic sound in music production today.
1. Listening Beyond the Obvious: The Art of Found Sound and Musique Concrète
The concept of using “found sound”—everyday noises recorded from the environment—as musical material dates back to the very origins of electronic music. Pioneers like Pierre Schaeffer, a central figure in musique concrète, argued that any sound could be musical if treated as such. He wasn’t looking for synthesizers to create new sounds; he was looking for new ways to listen to existing sounds.
The Story: Imagine a bustling Parisian market in the 1940s. Instead of hearing the chatter and clatter as mere background noise, Schaeffer heard rhythms, textures, and melodies…
Practical Takeaways:
- Always Carry a Recorder: Your phone can even be a starting point.
- Think Transformatively: Don’t just listen to what the sound is, but what it could become.
- Layer and Blend: Found sounds often work best when layered with synthetic elements.
- Consider Context: A mundane sound can become extraordinary in a new musical setting.
2. The Rogue Scientist’s Lab: Circuit Bending and Hardware Hacking
If musique concrète is about transforming existing sounds, circuit bending is about transforming existing sound-making devices into something entirely new and unpredictable…
Practical Takeaways:
- Start Small and Cheap: Don’t bend your expensive gear!
- Safety First: Understand basic electronics before diving in.
- Embrace the Unexpected: Let the circuit guide you.
- Record Everything: Every glitch, every strange texture.
3. Micro-Sonic Landscapes: The Magic of Granular Synthesis
Granular synthesis operates on a microscopic level, deconstructing sound into tiny fragments called “grains.” These grains can then be rearranged, layered, stretched, and manipulated independently…
Practical Takeaways:
- Experiment with Source Material: Granular synthesis can turn anything into something new.
- Control the “Cloud”: Adjust grain size, density, pitch randomization.
- Modulation is Key: Create dynamic textures by modulating parameters.
- Explore Software/Hardware: Discover various granular synthesizers and plugins.
4. The Unforeseen Orchestra: Feedback Loops and No-Input Mixing
This is the art of the feedback loop, particularly in “no-input mixing,” where a mixer is used as an instrument itself, generating sound without any external inputs…
Practical Takeaways:
- Start Gently: Feedback can get very loud very quickly.
- Explore Every Knob: Every channel becomes a performance control.
- Introduce External Processing: Sculpt your feedback textures with effects.
- Embrace Instability: It’s a dialogue with the machine.
5. Beyond the Manual: Abusing Plugins and Creative Resampling
Sometimes, the most unusual sounds come from pushing familiar tools far beyond their intended design specifications…
Practical Takeaways:
- Over-Process Fearlessly: Push parameters to their limits.
- Resample, Resample, Resample: Treat processed sounds as new raw material.
- Mix and Match: Experiment with unlikely effects together.
- Listen for the Happy Accident: Allow serendipity to guide your sound.
Why Bother? The Creative Freedom of Sonic Exploration
You might be asking, “Why go through all this trouble when there are countless presets available?” The answer is multifaceted…
- Establish your unique sonic identity.
- Break creative blocks with unconventional methods.
- Develop a deeper connection to sound.
Practical Takeaways for Your Sonic Adventures
- Start small, experiment often.
- Record everything.
- Embrace mistakes and accidents.
- Listen actively to the world around you.
- Study the masters and rebels of sound design.
- Don’t forget the basics!
The Infinite Canvas of Sound
The world of electronic music production is an infinite canvas. While mainstream synthesizers provide a fantastic starting point, the true magic often lies in exploring the unusual ways to create electronic sound…
FAQ
What is circuit bending?
Circuit bending is the creative short-circuiting of electronic devices to create new sounds. This often involves modifying the internal wiring of music toys, keyboards, and other audio devices.
What tools do I need for granular synthesis?
You can use various granular synthesizer plugins available for digital audio workstations (DAWs), as well as hardware like the Mutable Instruments Clouds or similar devices.
Why should I record found sounds?
Found sounds can provide unique textures and elements that synthetic instruments may not replicate. They can help craft a distinct sonic identity in your music.
Farewell with a Twist
As you venture into the wild world of electronic sound creation, remember: even if your synth settings seem to malfunction, consider it art! After all, ‘glitch’ is just a fancy term for ‘happy accident’ in music production!