danblakebife

[danblakebife]

Fly Me To the Moon - Lead Sheet

[danblakebife]

Track Analysis: Chloé Robinson · DJ ADHD · Nikki Nair - Get In The Bin - HE/SHE/THEY Records

Scale: A Minor

Bpm: 138 Time Signature: 4/4

Key and Harmonic Structure:

The track does not adhere to a traditional key or harmonic progression. Like many modern techno/bass hybrids, it’s based more on:

A tonal center or drone note, in the bass range.

Use of percussive samples, glitched vocal chops, and noise layers.

Occasional pitch-shifting and filtering effects that create movement without actual chord changes.

Intro:

Begins with sparse percussion and filtered textures

Lots of space, giving the listener time to settle into the rhythm.

The swing feel and off-grid percussion start establishing the groove.

Uses subtle FX, reverb, and glitch sounds to hint at what's to come.

Main Drop / Groove:

The kick drum enters with a steady four-on-the-floor beat, anchoring the track.

The hi-hats and snares are highly syncopated, creating push-and-pull energy.

Vocal chops are sliced, pitched, and looped, acting more as percussion than melody.

The bass is distorted and modulated, providing both rhythm and sonic power.

The groove feels slightly unhinged but very deliberate—classic UK club style.

Breakdowns:

Stripped-down sections featuring:

Minimal percussion

Glitchy FX

Filtered reverb/delay

Manipulated vocal fragments

The purpose here is tension-building before returning to the full drop.

These breakdowns are a hallmark of modern club music: using space and FX to create energy shifts without melodic content.

Arrangement Structure

Intro (0:00–0:40) – Sparse rhythm and FX

Build-up (0:40–1:00) – Additional Layers

First Drop (1:00–2:00) – Full beat and bass

Breakdown (2:00–2:30) – Pulled Back

Second Drop (2:30–3:30) – Variation of groove

Outro (3:30–End) – Filtered fade or final stabs

Rhythmic and Sound Design Focus

Rhythmic Subdivision:

Driven by four-on-the-floor kicks but heavily enhanced by syncopation.

Hi-hats use swing and triplet rhythms to destabilize the straight pulse.

Microtiming makes the groove feel “human” and gritty.

Syncopation:

Snares and claps often don’t land where expected.

Vocal chops act rhythmically and land off-beat, with unpredictable phrasing.

Creates a sense of groove that feels alive and unpredictable.

Sound Design Techniques:

Distorted basslines and FM-style sub sounds for weight and grit.

Vocal FX: chopping, pitch shifting, reversing.

Percussion layered with found sounds or textured noise.

Use of automation (filtering, distortion, panning) in breakdowns and transitions.

Conclusion:

Get in the Bin is a prime example of how modern UK club producers build full, dynamic tracks without traditional melody or harmony.

Groove construction

Rhythmic phrasing

Percussive layering

Sound design as main focus

[danblakebife]

Track Analysis: Bibio - Lovers Carvings - Warp Records

Scale: G Major Chords: G, C, C7, Am

Bpm: 118 Time Signature: 3/4 & 4/4

Intro: The intro to Lovers Carvings has a distinct 3/4 time signature, lasting 48bars, its swing and acoustic guitar plucking coupled with ambient layers all adds up to a lilting, folky tone & lullaby feeling to the track. Gradually building in harmonics and dynamics to emphasis the drop into the more structured 4/4 main part of the song

Transisition: A subtle fade out of the acoustic guitars, and a moment of silence, creating space, almost like a breadth, before the drop into the main song

Main Verse: This is where the main groove of the track kicks in, with the simple guitar layer taking its more 4/4 loop form, coupled with a subtle introduction of lofi percusion, in the form of a 4/4 cowbell.

The next 8 bars take this simple idea & rythm further, by adding layers to the acoustic guitar, both added layer to the plucked guitar & the first introduction of a lower bass gutar playing the chords. Also there is the first introduction of the shakers & a clap beging on the 4th, but then going to a more recognisable 2nd/4th clap.

"Lovers' names, carved in walls Overlap, start to merge Some of them underneath Maybe they appear In graveyards Maybe they fade away Weathered and overgrown Time has told Meaningful hidden words Suddenly appear, from the murk Maybe they're telling us That the end Never was Never will The words have gone But the meaning will never disappear From the wall"

[danblakebife]

So You Want To Make Techno?? 

Its easy to get bitten by the production bug, between older sibling giving you a dodgy craic of fruity loops 4, or the many many overly produced hardware ads & product placements online, its easy to think its the software or machines that will give you the perfect sound, arrangement or production. 

When the reality is, its all in the theory, the abc’s & 123’s.... its all in the theory..... well its a healthy balance of both. While freeform experimentation & play will give an aspiring musician endless fun. Scrolling for hours through vst presets & splice sample librarys will be sources of instant & endless inspiration. But the truth realli is, that with a bit of music theory learned, understood & applied to your music, from the most simple knowledge of medlody, harmony, chord progression, circle of 5ths & rhtymology, when understood at the most fundamental level will instantly open up doors of satisfying inspiration & creativity... Its almost as if music theory is part of, and is in lots of ways study of nature and the universe. 

While this is a subject that you could and probably should study & discuss for the rest of your life. And while these music theories are just theories & individual interpretation & abstarct theories are true. There is a definitive science that cannot be argued & we will explain some of the simplest of theories below.   

Melody: Melody is the sequence of notes that form the main musical hook of a song. Melodies are created by arranging notes in different pitches and rhythms, forming a main musical idea hook. A good melody has a sense of natural musical direction, emotional appeal. 

Pitch: Pitch refers to the perceived highness or lowness of a sound, determined by the frequency of the sound waves. Higher frequencies create higher pitches, while lower frequencies produce lower pitches. In music, pitch is fundamental for distinguishing notes and building melodies, harmonies, and chords. The precise arrangement of pitches allows musicians to create scales, key signatures, and emotional expressions 

Scales: Scales are ordered sequences of pitches arranged in ascending or descending steps within an octave. They provide the foundation for melodies, harmonies, and chord progressions by defining the set of notes that sound cohesive together. Scales come in various types, such as major, minor, pentatonic, and modal, each with its own distinct mood or character. For example, the major scale often sounds happy and bright, while the minor scale conveys a sadder or more introspective feel. Scales are essential tools for musicians to structure and explore musical ideas. 

Harmony: Harmony refers to the combination of different notes played or sung simultaneously to produce a richer and more complex sound. It supports and enhances the melody by adding depth and texture. Harmony often involves chords or intervals that complement the melodic line and establish the overall mood or feel of the music. 

Harmonic Content: Harmonic content refers to the specific frequencies and overtones that make up the sound of a musical note or chord. It determines the timbre (tone color) and character of a sound, distinguishing, for example, the same note played on a piano versus a guitar. The richness and balance of harmonic content shape the listener's perception of the sound's quality. 

The Circle Of Fifths: is a visual representation of the relationships between the 12 notes of the chromatic scale, their corresponding key signatures, and their associated major and minor keys. Each step around the circle moves by an interval of a perfect fifth 

Chords: Chords are groups of three or more notes played together to create harmony. They are the building blocks of harmonic structure in music. Chords are categorized based on their tonal quality (e.g., major, minor, diminished) and their role in the music (e.g., tonic, dominant). Each chord conveys a specific emotional or tonal character. 

Chord Progression: A chord progression is a sequence of chords played in a specific order to form the harmonic framework of a song or piece. Progressions give music a sense of movement, resolution, and storytelling, guiding the listener through different emotional states. Common progressions like the I-IV-V-I are staples in many genres due to their pleasing sense of tension and resolution. 

Rhythm: Rhythm is the pattern of beats or timing in music. It dictates when and how long notes and sounds occur, creating the groove or pulse of a song. Rhythm can be steady, syncopated, or irregular, depending on the style and intention of the music. It’s an essential element that drives the energy and structure of a piece, often making it danceable or memorable. 

Circle Of Fifths - Order Of The Sharps 

Father Christmas Gets Drunk After Every Beer – F, C, G, D, A, E, B