Producing music like Flying lotus, Toro Y Moi, Prefuse 73..

[The Empireal Formula]

listening to their music amazes me and my music is sort of in the same type of genre as theirs but its just one of those things that when i listen to one of their tracks and i think "how did they do that?" type stuff. i mean is there certain production techniques that i can try or simply do not know about to get that "choppy" and "groove swing" sound. as far as groove goes lately i been dabbling with alot of MPC groove swings or just straight up not quantizing my drums (which im starting to really like the sound of.) Anywho If I can point out any techniques in that style of music i know:

1) Filters
2) Sidechain FX (sidechain pumping....etc.)
3) Chop the s#$# out of everything.


but i feel like maybe theres tricks that im missing perhaps. if anyone can point any out that would be dope.

[swishniak]

im not familiar with toro, but one thing that sets prefuse and flying lotus apart from others is that work alot with relatively complex chord changes and melodies. . i know that prefuse is a serious keyboardist and i assume lotus has some chops too.

so it aint all software

[flippo]

Groove presents just wont really get you that level of abstract swing imo. You really need to play the drums yourself for that style.

Other than that, there's always a lot of side chaining going on, and quite dirty samples with a lot of random artefacts that give the music character. Most of Fly lo's stuff generally sounds like the main kit is side-chained against just about everything else.

[Usedtobe]

obvs sidechain, and its so dope! i dig the same shit, i've been using chorus and pingpongs and filter delays on sends and all that a lot lately, you can even sidechain them too, makes it real spacious and sweet.

another thing for groovy percussion is to warp a hi hat loop totally off, but still repeat regularly. my dad can't hang with that broken beat thang, wonder what makes us dig it!

[nylarch]

Interesting thread on gearslutz re: Flying Lotus' sound and gear:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/rap-hip- ... ums-2.html

Toro seems to be posting on that thread as well....

Amazing if its true that he squeezed all that sound out of Reason - kind of makes it hilarious about how anal ppl are about such and such's sound engine, 64 bit, blah blah blah. Having said that I think his tracks are so over compressed I can barely listen to them but they're undeniably creative and original as anyone working today IMO.

[BobbyWoody]

A lot of Filters and compression on the melodies