A Cheatcode for Better Arrangements: The Two Loop Rule
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- čas přidán 7. 06. 2023
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MY GEAR:
DAW (Music making software): Logic Pro and Ableton Live
Studio monitors (speakers): Yamaha HS8's
Headphones: Audeze LCD X (open back)
Camera: Canon 80d
Computer: Mac Studio with M2 Ultra chip and 2 TB hardrive
Midi controller (keyboard): Komplete Kontrol 61
Interface: Scarlett Clarett 2 pre
Desk: a cheap one from ikea
Chair: also a cheap one from ikea
My favorite plugins that I use the most:
XFER Serum
Sylenth 1
Nexus 3
Kontakt
RC 20
Valhalla Shimmer
Valhalla Vintage Verb
Shaperbox 3
XFER OTT
Fab Filter Saturn 2
Fab Filter Pro C 2
Arturia Pigments
Baby Audio Comeback Kid
Output Thermal and Portal
LABS Soft Piano
Hardware that I use behind the scenes but not in videos:
Elektron Octatrack (my fav)
Elektron Digitakt
Korg Minilogue XD
The man decided to cover his ears with frying pans.
These are nuclear weapons
@@HEARDIFFERENT illegal in 49 countries
Based skillet head
Let him cook
Lol. Those are Audezes. Some of the best headphones money can buy.
blink twice if your headphones are holding you hostage
They are eating his head lmaooo
👊🤣👍
Looking like my toddler wearing my headphones.
Bro turned his head with cans on ears to hear the difference. That’s how you know somebody mixes often lol
Funny:)))))
I love the fact that he's excited about his work and not just going through the motions.
I also love the fact that so many b0ts show up in all the youtube comments. It's like after the 'vid the DS is trying to pacify the masses using the good like A1 'stake sauce'.
Im glad im not the only one who felted jarred by those ghoulishly large headphones
I've been getting annoyed lately watching a lot of these people's production tutorials ... specifically when they're rocking out, making faces, bobbing their heads to the music they're making. There's something about that ... I don't know what it is but it gets on my nerves so much. 😂 Lots of good information to be learned, but ugh .. it's just so cringeworthy to watch them do that. 🤮 .. especially when it all just sounds so canned. It's like they're telling the viewer .. "Look at how wonderful I am!" 😂 ... This dude's not too bad with it .. but I've seen a few that make me want to vomit when they start dancing and stuff.
@@Fiveash-Art i feel you on this one. I support people vibing, but with a tutorial just keep it professional.
@@Rooftopaccessorizer This dude ain't bad with it ... I had just come off this one girl's tutorial and she's always dancing and bobbing to her own stuff and it bugged the hell out of me. 😂 Also the way she talks she acts like she's cool or something... people on CZcams can be seriously annoying.
My man out here blue balling us with no drop.
😂
lolol
Ballin out of control…
fax😂
😭😭😭
Hi Alex. This is a great method. I have another method I usually use. I open a song I like in Ableton (mp3 from a favorite artist), then I put markers in all the places where things happen. I try to describe the feelings I experience as clearly as possible at every marker. When I have analysed the song in detail, I remove the reference track. I am left with a template that I can then fill in with my own music. Then I never get stuck in a loop and it's very inspiring.
Great advice for a beginner like me, thank you ❤
Thats actually a great idea! Thanks!
very nice idea if you are practicing, but in the future you can aim to also create your own emotional story and express yourself and what you want to communicate!
been writing tunes for 2 decades and never thought to do that. Nice one :)
Very interesting! Thanks! :3
I love how he loves his own work and the fact that he isn't trying to constantly GAS up his viewers to buy more gear and software they don't need. He just helps us work with what we already have and make things better.
Were you paid to say that or something, it seems so fake
@@RedceLL1978
Seems genuine ive jumped across plent of different tutorials and this one didnt drop a single tip to. "First you should probably get this, this, and that.. dont forget this $100 audio kit. And $300 studio grade headphones so you can hear your work better" etc. he was straight to the point and very informative about this whole arrangement rule.
I know no reverse cymbal sounds is so nice
I can't believe I'm saying this now internet has sunk low :(
@@simplicityd8703 you said something nice, you must be a paid shill!
@simplicityd8703 Seems more genuine than your comment.
He’s having fun and enjoying the ride with us! He’s like a millennial Bob Ross with a midi keyboard instead of brushes. ❤
He's panhandling his dubious wares, nothing more.
Bob Ross had some skill, this guy does not. If he did, he'd be successful, which he isn't.
he's promoting a course sure, but he's also offering something useful, unlike your comment.
glazing is crazy
Alex: You can only repeat for two bars
Daft Punk: *And I took that personally*
sometimes you need a good zone out song, daft is great for psychedelics where you zone out a lot.
@@SpydrXIIITrue. I was born in 89, and grew up with them. Hehe.
They do, but tthey still follow the rule by adding/removing layers to keep it interesting
I know you're talking about "Around The World" but part of the reason that song still did well is because of the fact the automation / effects throughout the track actually still encompass the theory being described in this video despite the melody repeating over and over.
@@cr4ckrocksteady Oh, totally! I love Daft Punk, especially Human After All (the album, although I like the track too) which also has a lot of long, looping songs like Around the World. It's all in the genius production and the automation.
Man everytime he says "isnt it pretty".."isnt it beautiful", I literally get hyped up and I am smiling like him haha.....
Also dont keep us hanging without the drop! This needs to be a finished piece :-P
you can't help but smile and he knows how to get emotion out of music i love it
he gives Bob Ross vibes
He's like the Bob Ross of EDM production 😄
we need the drop still! @alexrome
It has a drop, it's called Sideways by Illenium, he was kind of remaking the song
Bro used landmines for headphones
😂😂😂
☠️☠️☠️
Hilarious 🎉they gotta work good tho y'all 💪
Dude has been doing this for so long and is STILL providing super valuable videos. Cheers to you Alex 🍻
If you listen to Gaga's first album, The Fame, which is a near-perfect album of 2000s Europop, you realize that part of what makes the songs so insanely catchy is that you can break every section (verse, prechorus, etc.) into “couplets”. Every chord loop, or bassline loop, or vocal melody, happens twice so you can learn it before switching. Stuff like “Poker Face” or “Just Dance” truly are masterclasses on this.
lady gaga's european?
@@jacksonelh Is Eric Clapton black?
I have a theory that the reason why Mr. Brightsides is so insanely popular is due to the fact they essentially play the entire song twice.. full verse and chorus and then just doing the same thing again
@@ImSquiggs true, but it's the bridge/build up to the last chorus builds tension and adds excitement to finally come back to the familiar. It's that extra 'waiting' to finally belt out in chorus with an easy to remember hook is what makes it work
@@willia_music You're definitely right about that being one of the most compelling parts of the song, and I agree. I was trying to touch on the repetition as a possible reason why you can listen to it just once and already have it stuck in your head.
This 10 minute video is most useful thing I’ve seen in the last 12 months.
I’ve seen a few videos that say «after each 8 bar, change the melody» and it never got into me and i still struggled. 4 years and i find this, it makes so much sense and maybe will help me actually start making music💀 I try but always stop because i get stuck and don’t find a good enough video to help me progress. So i give up easily😢
@@KazilikFire we all have the same problem early on. Start by finishing and releasing a short track. Feel good about that. Work your way up.
Confirmed
Methods like this is why the LOFI hip-hop craze burned brightly but quickly faded into thousands upon thousands of songs starting to sound the same, rigid simple rules...that EVERYONE started to follow
Agreed, I personally like songs that have something unique about them
You have to start somewhere- learn the core concepts and "rules" before you consistently can experiment and introduce exotic unique elements
Came for the concept, stayed for the production. This track is BEAUTIFUL ❤
Another easy rule is try to add or change anything about every 30 seconds. It can be a one-shot sample, a little flair melody, a riser/downriser, parameter automation, remove/add elements/layers. There are a way more options if you're working with synthesizers due to all of their parameters being customizable.
yes sometimes i study the timing of edm tracks to see when they change something and it's often the 30 second point which at 120 bpm is around 16 bars
@@helisoma He's a great producer, but don't you think at intro after first loop, the second loop got a bit boring?
@@Morteza_Jahan He did the loop just to show his technique, not all loops are interesting enough to be heard infinity times. The vocals also usually distract us from the repetitive background so we it don't become boring too fast.
Bro! This is so helpful for me! I’ve been having writers block for years now, and I’ve been tired of just making four bar loops etc. so I had stopped even trying to make original music. But this has definitely inspired me to carry on. Thank you!! 🙏
What this guy above said.
@@twatmunro what the guy above this guy said
Very very helpful thank you.
Every time you make a song you create something that has never been done before. You got this.
Can relate!
This is blunt and upfront. I get lost in subtlety and nuance. This vid spells it out. Your arrangement needs to give cues as to the rise and fall in energy of the track. Thank you Alex, it is rare to be able to make something so simple and obvious. Subscribed.
What feels like nuance is actually just muddy unclear thinking
Love those Transitions between Exit and Entry parts of the track
This is wonderful stuff. Great explanation and very helpful. You did say that there were only two ways to make a change in the next section though, adding/subtracting instruments or adding/subtracting expression, and I’d add three more: 1. Moving to another harmonic area, 2. Changing the melodic content to a responsive or broadening line, 3. Change rhythmic content (particularly melodic or harmonic rhythms).
The part about entry and exit points of transitions is huge. For me, drum fills are really vital for making a smooth transition for the type of music I make. Sometimes 2 guitar parts don't mix back-to-back until you have a nice fill leading into the next riff. Very helpful video!
You explain everything so simply and clearly seriously thank you for all the incredible videos
i think of all the youtube music channels i've seen this guy is one of the most helpful for electronic music - doesn't get bogged down by concepts or semantics & always demonstrates with real-time, visual examples.
I freaking love EVERY SINGLE one of your videos! Just saying! You made me love to write/compose EDM. My husband did not like EDM until I started writing it how you taught me. I am a music producer/composer and I traditionally lean towards more orchestral composing but ever since I started following you, I have fallen in love with EDM and have sold even more music. Thank you!!
Do you know what DAW he uses
Logic
As fake as they come. look at all those likes. lol
"I traditionnally lean towards more orchestral composing" lolol what a complete farce.
You couldn't compose a single movement to save your own life. Prove me wrong.
Listen, I really wanted to poke fun at that absolite waffle-iron of a pair of headphones… but this is one of those rare videos that is actually offering up simple, valuable and immediately practical advice. Very very cool!!
🤣🧇🎧
Hard agree, but I can't NOT make fun of them...
This is GOLD. Not only solid tips but your blatant adoration of music is verrry infectious.
I love the way he broke down the process. The method he's created is beautiful
Love the track you made in the lesson! It really shows how even the smallest things make the biggest difference. It's giving mellow vacation home
True hey. As I was listening, the rapper inside of me started jamming 😎✌️
Nice! I have a similar rule, I always think of it as the "Aphex Twin rule", because it occurred to me listening to him. Something has to change at least every 4 bars to keep interest.
The Venetian Snares rule: something has to change every half bar 😂
@@magnopere 🤣🤣🤣
It doesn't HAVE to. A rule like this is really just a guideline. It can be followed, or ignored.
@@magicsofa lol obviously. No one said you have to follow anything, it's not literally the law. Just how I happen to approach things. ✌
Those are the biggest studio headphones I've ever seen
Ive had a hard creatove block for years. Seeing your pov of arrangements has kinda shined a new light on the way i look at my arrangements. I now feel more inspired ! Thanks for the video!
i cannot tell you how badly i needed to see this video! my arrangement has been killing me and this is gonna help me so so much! thanks Alex!
I LITERALLY SCREAMED OMG! I literally just took a break from creating my first chord progression because I was exhausted and couldn’t figure out what to do next. Then your video popped up and my mind is blown lol
You created your first chord and said that' fire 🔥🚒
Doing a music production course rn and one of my teachers just talked about this two weeks ago. It's so useful and so important when making music. Easy ideas he gave for what to change would be transposing the melodies down or up an octave or reversing them or even as simple as cutting layers and adding a filter to the section. Defenitely good advice and practice to have for music production.
This is rock-solid, quick practical advice. Thank you.
Too rock-solid. So rock-solid it's boring. Throw away the grid.
Clearly having goofy headphones makes u a better producer. This is actually such a good video. Ur very good at teaching. Straight to the point and easy to follow along. Nice work!
Thanks for the video.
You’re having fun. It shows in your on screen vibes
Came for the cheatcode, stayed for the excitement and fun you´re obviously having!
Your joy, and how you describe the emotion you're feeling is so refreshing and awesome. Thanks for this video.
In Western Musical Theory, an 8 bar phrase is typically made of two 4-bar phrases, the antecedent and the consequent.
This 2-loop rule follows this time tested concept.
Anecdotally, a lot of romantic ballet music is repetitions of the 8 bars (creating 16 bar... choruses, to borrow a jazz term) see rondo, or tarantella. So doubling the 2-loop could work very well.
you created the Melody and i instantly thought about "Sideways" by illenium, looked it up and the entire video is basically creating this specific song.
but i like it
Dude I watch a lot of yt production how to vids and you are very good. The combo of usefulness, sophistication, taste and communication skill is killer. Thank you. Subbed.
God im so glad someone is taking the time to talk ab song arrangement because it really is one of the most important parts of making a song
I love your videos Alex. This sort of thing is applicable no matter what style of music you produce and no matter how long you've been producing. Excellent!
I would say that this framework is one of many ways of writing music. There are other ways of structuring an arrangement, and the two bar rule might not be idiomatic in certain styles. Still, it's a nifty trick for elaborating on four chord loops.
I don't typically follow this rule. I use it sometimes, but not always. One say of music I once learned and has helped me was that when it comes to expression 'and music is an art' there are no rules. There can be no mistakes so long as it sounds good. What you really are looking for is what's weak vs what is strong. Depending on what your going for sometimes you need that weaker approach while in others you may want to have a stronger approach. Use your ears.
I feel you. This is more of a video for beginners, it’s a nice base format for starting off with arrangement. Arrangement always stumped me in the beginning and this concept is a good starting point. I feel like most artists follow this rule to a certain extent. Not strictly 2 loops obviously
I honestly kinda use a mixture of both. Sometimes I start off following the rule but then change things up a lot for an element of surprise, and my recent expansion into more music like breakcore/speedcore/dnb/neurofunk has got me interested in arrhythmic patterns and odd meters (and of course the classic drum breaks).
I still think it's a very helpful guide, but I agree that's all it should ever be, a guide! Mess around and don't always stick to a 'rule' because all you really need to make music is heart, soul, and a catchy tune :)
This guy has legit musical insights
I don't think I'll ever learn how to write music, but it's just an exceptional delight for the soul to look at a happy guy on the screen who glows in all directions of the universe!
@@veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee This is now the 6th time I've seen you write the exact same comment. You don't have an original thought in your tiny little brain, do you?
the song this video is based on is called sideways by Illenium, Nurko and Valerie Broussard, great song
I love your use of words to describe things. You bring a lot of emotion to the music theory and practice. EDM is one style I want to use but I am curious if I will find any help like yours in other genres
I've done beats when I was way younger without any knowledge of music.I was still able to create something potent. After a long break of several years, I'm back at it again with a goal; learn the music theory for better efficiency.
Got on youtube today to start my learning process on scales and basic piano, and before even start to tap on the search-bar, there's your video popping up on my CZcams Home Page. I clicked and I wasn't disapointed at all. Even tho this is not ''Basic music theory'' such as Chord progression etc. this is still a ''Must-have'' secret kept in my pocket.
You just gained a new subscriber.
Thank you!
Keep up the good work!
@@veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee tl;dr you're just a troll
It so lovely to see your enjoyment while making this music!
Thanks for the tips, I usually make pop music with vocals but I've been meaning to get more instrumentals out so this is a great help!
Such a wonderful tutorial, mate. Just great arrangement tips for all styles.
This video is not only helpful for music production, but also very helpful for Live Looping Performances 👌🏻 And I’m very excited for applying it in my live loopings ♥ thank you very much :D
Totally! Also why I'm here 😂
For sure! There's def more leniency for live looping though as to how far you can stretch it though. 4 or 8 im sure is fine, even 16
mozart spinning in his grave right now. Let's hear your wonderful productions! Post them! give links!
You can't. Because you have none. oh yeah 16 bars of repeat, mindblowing.
@@lgmediapcsalon9440 xD
I love how you crushed that joke at 6:38 and just let it simmer
Honestly man you make everything seem so simple when it’s not, your so good…
Nothing worthwhile is immediate. Put in the work. You’ll get there if that’s what you want and commit to it
Really appreciate someone making a video on arrangement, so important
big ahh headphones
Sounds like an Ozempic commercial, I can hear all of the side effects being listed by the announcers voice..
I watched this whole video with a smile. Your genuine enthusiasm is catching.
What a simple and straightforward (and positive) video showing a very practical foundational technique. Very impressed by how you structure your content!
I loved this! it was amazing and loved your own energy while working. thanks for this!
Wow... incredible how you compose music so fast and well. I think you forgot to verbally repeat, that every change/add you put in your song, is each 2 loops, following the rule. But it can be noticed in the Playlist. Great idea bro!!! Thank you for sharing it!
I just woke up from a nap and I think this man was in my dream
I don’t care if he has frying pans on his ears… this is super simple and consumable.
interesting stuff, I like this kind of video because your concentrating on arranging a track instead of just one section.
Man as ridiculous as those headphones look, you still impressed the crap out of me with these concepts, great explaination and the theory of your music
The best explaining with excellent humor and personality man on YT!! Thanks man! Keep it up!
I love your energy man, so soft yet passionate. Great vid!
There's nothing technically wrong, I just think this can be very restrictive. To say something like 'or ears naturally expect chords to change every two loops' is only applicable if you listen to an extremely narrow scope of music and you're working on a pretty focused genre: the four chord loop pop song. Also, we're talking strictly western theory here. Anywhere outside this small range, this rule doesn't hold. Also, why would you do what is 'expected'? Isn't that a recipe for 'unoriginal'? What about changing every three loops (hold the tension), one loop (create some confusion), never (trance)? Also, how far does it go? A lot of loops can add up in three or four minutes. Do we just keep changing up, with the acapella loop, the bebop loop, the djent loop, etc.?
Anyways, there are some good suggestions, but hacks and shortcuts don't work well in music. Especially as a beginner, it is easy to end up learning the hack instead of the music. Spend the time, practice your instrument, learn the basics.
Again, this is not bad. The texture change ideas and such are spot on. However, relying on cheats all the time can be very limiting and lead to bad habits.
Yeah I get really bored hearing multiples of four in just about every new song. I find myself counting off measures on my fingers while shaking my head in frustration, and unless something exciting happens, I'm outta there.
He created the most cookie cutter boring-ass song ever and was like "isn't it pretty?" lmao
9:06 had me dead!
This is the best explanation of song arrangement I’ve ever seen
I have literally had this theory for the last few months and this just completely confirmed it thank you soooooooooo much😭😭😭
@@veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee copy paste my same comment over and over again, while adding nothing of value to any conversation
Look, mom. I'm a music critic.
lol haha good one bruv @@Lemonlime6000
The chords remind me of "Sideways" by Illenium and Nurko! Great video as always!
They don't remind you of them, they're identical. Same key, same chords, same melody.
@@k03hl3r yep I know, nice to know the chords and stuff now too
He basically remade the song, it's identical.😂
What I love about music production is, you learn one rule/skill/setting, and you can immediately build this into your next project and benefit from it.
Your a song saver. Been stuck with one of my productions for ideas, and this rule just made all the difference. Subscribed.
I CAN NEVER LIE, WHENEVER I WATCH YOUR VIDEOS ,THE WAY YOU MAKE MUSIC , JUST PUT ME IN A DRIFFENT WORLD ..TO ME YOU ARE A MUSIC GOD THANKS
@@veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee You posted the exact same comment to like four different people (as far as I've seen). The fact that you're complaining about "copy paste" is hypocrisy at its finest.
PS Your music is trash.
Good stuff man, could you do a video about counter melodies maybe in future? Keep up the good work!
hey alex i wanna get better at vocals
np jus make aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh 👂🏻👁️👅👁️👂🏻
Me too
Very helpful! Love how you dive into the psychology of how we expect something and the ways to change that so we are surprised:)
It’s like the bundle of tangled cords and knots about how to arrange and progress songs all just got untied and simplified. You have brought me tru inner peace😂
@@veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee You're just a troll who's mad that nobody likes the music you make.
Ah, there's my waffle maker.
2 waffle makers on his head
I randomly watch producing-tips to learn about different approaches and techniques from other people. Your tutorials seem to simplify basic aspects for every skill level through abstraction. Thank you.
Ive been obsessed over all your great informative content. Very well done Alex!
How to make what everybody does
Fr
How to make a boring song when your musical skills are non-existent
Really well explained. I’m learning a lot. I like the sound of high energy with the filter open, the filter closes, energy drops and you get beautiful delay and reverb tails
This video is actually insanely helpful! Subconsciously I've been producing around this rule but now that I can define it my music is going to sound SO much better. Thank you Alex!!!
I have been told "bring in 2, drop 1 / drop 2, bring in 1" with regards to instruments/tracks - Not always useful when you're building into a track but can stop things getting too cluttered once you're in full swing 😎
The way you say “isn’t that wonderful?!” Is so adorable
You explain this all in a way most other music producers on CZcams don’t - it’s not music theory, but it’s also not the “idk lol play around and see what sounds good” attitude that a lot of others have.
The way you talk about music production in this video reminds me of the way that my art instructors in college (visual fine arts major) would talk about art, and that clicks with me
Excellent, helpful video for those of us who attempt to make arrangements by just throwing darts and seeing what sounds good, this is tremendously insightful! I feel like this video highlighted to myself like 15 years of bad habits I have been repeating!
Following because of how genuinely wholesome you are acting while making this music
People talk about vintage gear sounding so rich and warm, but even this - straight out of a DAW - sounds so WARM. Nice job. Love the sound choices. It virtually mixes itself.
And many of these people just repeat what they heard and that's often old news.
Good modern plugins are designed with that warmth in mind. When it comes to samples, most of the heavy lifting is done during recording and processing.
We got a plugin that emulates a specific vintage mixer. Lift its input gain carefully and it will add warmth to almost anything you feed it.
Of course these plugins generally aren't cheap and you still need to have decent audio hardware to make the most of them. And, of course, you can ruin everything with "bad" mixing.
Dude, you send off some good vibes. This is an excellent demonstration too. Great work!
I love this guide, but more than that I love your excitement. Great video!!
Been doing this for years its one of the best fast starts to build a track and change things otw. Fills, fx, new chord progression, effects just to name a few 🤙
That piano melody was absolutely fire flame f word🔥
Bro you explained that so simply and clearly. Thank you
You are my only person from whom i have learned almost everything about music arrangement and production. Thanks
@@veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee I'd rather listen to their music than the trash you make.