So how was this song created?
Well, first, I synthesized the first sound you hear in the track, on the most basic synthesizer I have in my virtual studio - the Subtractor (the oldest instrument in Reason, pretty much), just because I know it better than the back of my hand -- and came up with its melody.
Next came the Cello, just a patch I often reach for, and I wrote the complimentary melody on it.
Then I wrote some drums which I thought would be the foundational groove here, first it was a prominent hat and a distorted clap with a lot of high frequencies, but that turned out to be something I only used at the song's crescendos.
Then the kick. Just the one I reach for most often, no special spices this time around. A simple four to the floor felt right for this one.
Then some more claps (but not on the 2's and 4's), and cowbells. Note, these are three drum machines (all Redrums) so far, just to ease my way of working.
Then the choir, it's another patch I reach for often, for another complimentary melody.
Then two 303s (one serving on bass, one as lead), but I later rewrote their static melodies to be more dynamic.
This was the first stage of the work. I paused here for a while.
When I got back to it, after a few adjustments, I created another drum machine for Toms, another for a solid clap on the 2's and 4's, and then another 303 in a lead role, a redrum for cymbals, another 303 for a softer lead, and lastly another redrum for boot-stomps.
The majority of that I created as I was arranging the piece. Ideas that popped up along the way of 'hey, I want more than the original set I started with'.
Along the way, I smothered most parts with any of 3 different flavors of reverb, did a tiny bit more sound design, then recorded my emotions via automation, to give the piece life, and... that's it pretty much.
I thought about adding vocals, or a sax part, but I felt the song already has everything it needs, and it feels like a quest as is, and so I named it.
The whole thing took... 5 hours? Something like that.
And this has been a textual walkthrough of my process. Enjoy. :p
Oh, how about I do a device count as a bonus?
7 x Redrum
5 x RV7000's (3 on Aux sends, 2 as inserts)
4 x ABL3 (303's)
2 X NN-XT (cello & choir)
2 x CF-101 Chorus unit
2 x Saturation Knob
1 x Ozone Maximizer (on the master out)
1 x Subtractor
1 x t00b distortion
1 x NN-19 (choir)
1 x Scream4
1 x The Echo on Aux send (but only used on 1 part)
