MAKE FESTIVAL EDM THAT FEELS HUGE.
BUILD EMOTIONAL PROGRESSIVE-HOUSE CHORDS, A TENSION-FILLED RISE AND A WIDE SUPERSAW DROP INSPIRED BY THE SCALE AND ENERGY ASSOCIATED WITH SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA.
A GREAT FESTIVAL EDM DROP IS NOT JUST ABOUT MAKING EVERYTHING LOUD. THE IMPACT COMES FROM A MEMORABLE CHORD PROGRESSION, CONTROLLED CONTRAST, A CLEAR LEAD HOOK AND LAYERS THAT EACH HAVE A DEFINED JOB.
WATCH THE QUICK TUTORIAL.
FROM IDEA TO FESTIVAL DROP.
THE ODESA SHORT GIVES YOU THE FAST VERSION. USE THE FULL WORKFLOW BELOW TO DEVELOP THE CHORDS, SOUND SELECTION, BUILD, DROP AND MIX INSIDE YOUR OWN DAW.
WATCH ON YOUTUBE1. START WITH THE EMOTION.
FESTIVAL-SIZED PROGRESSIVE HOUSE USUALLY STARTS WITH CHORDS THAT CAN CARRY THE TRACK BEFORE ANY LARGE SYNTH LAYERS ARE ADDED. SET THE PROJECT AROUND 126 TO 128 BPM, CHOOSE A KEY THAT SUITS THE VOCAL OR LEAD, AND WRITE A FOUR-CHORD LOOP WITH A CLEAR EMOTIONAL DIRECTION.
TRY MOVING ONE OR TWO NOTES BETWEEN CHORDS INSTEAD OF SHIFTING EVERY NOTE AT ONCE. THESE SHARED NOTES AND SMALL VOICE-LEADING MOVEMENTS HELP THE PROGRESSION FEEL CONNECTED. ADD SEVENTHS OR NINTHS SELECTIVELY WHEN YOU WANT MORE COLOUR, BUT KEEP THE MAIN SHAPE EASY TO REMEMBER.
THE LISTENER SHOULD FEEL THE RESOLUTION EVEN WHEN THE CHORDS ARE PLAYED ON A BASIC PIANO.
MOVE NOTES TO NEARBY OCTAVES SO THE CHORDS FLOW INSTEAD OF JUMPING ACROSS THE KEYBOARD.
AVOID FILLING EVERY OCTAVE. THE HOOK NEEDS ITS OWN FREQUENCY AND RHYTHMIC SPACE.
IF THE IDEA STILL FEELS STRONG AT LOW VOLUME, THE MUSICAL FOUNDATION IS DOING ITS JOB.
2. BUILD A SUPERSAW STACK.
DO NOT EXPECT ONE PRESET TO CREATE THE ENTIRE DROP. A CONTROLLED STACK IS USUALLY MORE EFFECTIVE: A BRIGHT WIDE SAW FOR EXCITEMENT, A WARMER MID LAYER FOR BODY, A QUIETER TOP LAYER FOR AIR AND A MONO BASS LAYER UNDERNEATH. HIGH-PASS THE MUSICAL LAYERS THAT DO NOT NEED LOW END.
KEEP WIDTH ABOVE THE LOW END.
THE MAIN CHORDS CAN BE WIDE, BUT THE KICK, SUB AND LOW BASS SHOULD REMAIN FOCUSED NEAR THE CENTRE. CHECK THE DROP IN MONO. IF THE CHORDS DISAPPEAR, REDUCE EXCESSIVE UNISON, PHASE MOVEMENT OR STEREO EFFECTS.
3. MAKE THE DROP MOVE.
A FOUR-ON-THE-FLOOR KICK CREATES THE FOUNDATION, BUT THE GROOVE NEEDS MORE THAN A KICK ON EVERY BEAT. ADD A SHORT CLAP OR SNARE, CONTROLLED OFFBEAT HATS AND SMALL PERCUSSION DETAILS. LET THE CHORD RHYTHM, BASS AND DRUMS ANSWER EACH OTHER RATHER THAN ALL HITTING CONTINUOUSLY.
SIDECHAIN THE CHORDS AND BASS TO THE KICK SO THE TRANSIENT HAS SPACE. AIM FOR AN AUDIBLE PULSE WITHOUT MAKING THE ENTIRE DROP COLLAPSE ON EVERY BEAT. THE RELEASE TIME SHOULD RECOVER IN TIME WITH THE GROOVE.
4. EARN THE DROP.
THE BUILD SHOULD REMOVE CERTAINTY, THEN THE DROP SHOULD RESTORE IT. AUTOMATE A HIGH-PASS FILTER, INCREASE REVERB OR DELAY, SHORTEN THE SPACE BETWEEN SNARE HITS AND RAISE SELECTED NOISE OR PITCH EFFECTS. JUST BEFORE THE DROP, USE A SHORT GAP OR REDUCED DOWNBEAT TO MAKE THE RETURN FEEL LARGER.
DO NOT ADD EVERY EFFECT AT ONCE. CHOOSE A FEW MOVEMENTS THAT THE LISTENER CAN FOLLOW. A STRONG VOCAL PHRASE OR LEAD MOTIF BEFORE THE IMPACT CAN MAKE THE DROP FEEL INEVITABLE RATHER THAN RANDOM.
5. ARRANGE FOR CONTRAST.
IF THE VERSE, BREAK, BUILD AND DROP ALL USE THE SAME DENSITY, THE DROP WILL NOT FEEL BIG. BEGIN WITH FEWER ELEMENTS, REVEAL THE CHORD PROGRESSION, INTRODUCE THE HOOK, BUILD TENSION AND SAVE THE FULL KICK, BASS AND SAW STACK FOR THE MAIN PAYOFF.
USE A REDUCED CHORD, TEXTURE OR HOOK TO INTRODUCE THE TRACK WITHOUT GIVING AWAY THE FULL DROP.
LET THE CHORDS, VOCAL OR MELODY LEAD WHILE THE DRUM ENERGY FALLS AWAY.
USE RHYTHM, AUTOMATION AND SHORTER PHRASES TO POINT DIRECTLY TOWARD THE DOWNBEAT.
BRING BACK THE CORE HOOK WITH THE FULL GROOVE, THEN ADD A MEANINGFUL CHANGE IN THE SECOND PHRASE.
A QUICK FESTIVAL MIX CHECK.
- THE CHORD PROGRESSION WORKS ON PIANO ALONE
- THE KICK AND SUB DO NOT FIGHT FOR THE SAME SPACE
- THE LOW END REMAINS CENTRED AND CONTROLLED
- EACH SUPERSAW LAYER HAS A CLEAR PURPOSE
- THE LEAD OR VOCAL HOOK STAYS EASY TO FOLLOW
- THE BUILD GETS LOUDER WITHOUT BECOMING HARSH
- THE DROP FEELS LARGER THAN THE BREAKDOWN
- THE SECOND DROP ADDS A USEFUL DEVELOPMENT
TURN THE IDEA INTO YOUR OWN FESTIVAL RECORD.
WATCH MORE ODESA MUSIC-PRODUCTION TUTORIALS, THEN EXPLORE THE FREE SAMPLE PACK FOR DRUMS, LOOPS, EFFECTS AND MUSICAL SOUNDS TO USE IN YOUR NEXT PROJECT.