Harmony is the basis of progressive intros. In these, it’s essential for the user to emphasize the basic elements that will be working together throughout the music piece. In addition, it’s extremely important to have in mind that each and every element is crucial. The reason is that it sets the mood for the entire musical piece. This mood gives the listener an idea of what to expect. In general, progressive intros begin as a clean slate that slowly develops into a full ensemble.
Progressive Intros and Electronic Music
The mix is an essential component in electronic intros because instruments need to be in harmony. Due to this, it’s mandatory to add certain effects, as well as melodic motifs. In particular, electronic intros involve gradual automation usually characterized by both group and parallel processing.
All About the Synths
The main synth provides a unique sound generated by slight pulsating movements. You can achieve this by modulating the wavetable position, as well as the amplitude or the phase. Moreover, the main synth can slightly vary in terms of modulation rates, shapes, amounts, and destinations. You can duplicate its notes and place them again in the track lane for a specific instrument. In addition, the user can achieve this by critically listening and modifying notes to create specific intervals. Unisons and suspensions are essential for this part of the process. These components provide coherency and they give a mature and modest richness to a particular sound.
The notes from the supporting synthesizer can slightly morph the waveform. In this respect, the user must duplicate the notes from the supporting synth and place them in the track lane for a specific instrument. By using unisons, thirds, and sixths, the changes will be so subtle that it will not be easy to identify them individually.
Progressive Intros: Automation
Automation is a widely popular technique in progressive electronic music. It involves a robot or a computer that helps the user automatically perform tasks over time. When using automation, the change should be gradual and cover the entire length of the intro. Automated parameters should sound like one source because this will help create a sense of development. In music recording, automation allows the console to remember the previous audio adjustments. For this reason, it’s essential to have a timecode in order to achieve synchronization. Modern digital audio mixers use comprehensive mix automation.
