Ambient Step by Step Tutorial - Techniques and Processing: Creating Ambient Environment Soundscapes

Untenable Prognostications – Techniques and Processing Tutorial for Creating Ambient Environment Soundscapes.

04:00 Skip Introduction

#ambient #tutorial #musiccreation #environment #soundscapes

Using the studio as an instrument can transform a dull or lifeless sound into a thundering bass describing a cavernous underground structure.

Watch this step by step tutorial and learn how I’ve used processing and layering to create an atmospheric ambience from basic sounds.

The video contains a 45 minute breakdown of a single 6 minute track with before and after comparisons and full demonstration of all plug-ins and settings used.

This ambient music creation tutorial and breakdown is intended for viewers of all experiences with detailed explanations of intentions, changes and examples of what each plug-in contributes.


[INTRODUCTION TEXT
I’ve been inspired by listening to electronic music, from classics of the 70’s to modern composers and also film score soundtracks, especially from the golden age of storytelling through music.

Electronic and Acoustic, two different approaches to conjuring worlds and stories through sound design and melody. Ambient music adds to this with naturally occurring tonality and rhythms captured in ambient environment soundscapes.

All my albums, in one form or another, describe environments. While working on music I imagine slowly moving through these landscapes.

On A River Buried in Sand I have found inspiration in the worlds that video games create and equally in ancient odysseys and descriptions of travel into the underworld.

Untenable Prognostications opens the album and mixes field recordings and electronic soundscapes, weaving them in and out of each-other. There is a progression and an underlying sense of dread as the album as a whole slowly moves into chaotic soundscapes towards the middle, while calming down towards the end.

This is how the album opens:

A rich filed recording of a spring day with an underlying tonal soundscape. Although the mood is calm, something is heard below the surface. A bird flies over, with a singular call to signal the coming of a predatory bird. Th4e entire soundscape shifts to a massive sound. We’ve begun our journey, away from nature, underground.

How I use and process source defines my albums. Source can come from anywhere, synthesizers, my own voice or recording soundscapes. They all exist as ingredients of a soundscape, before being manipulated in the studio.

Editing is a process of cutting, pasting and mixing recording while the effects transform the sounds in interesting and sometimes unexpected ways. It turns dull and ordinary sounds, into towering features of the imaginary landscape.

I’ll go through each layer in sequence, play it with and without effects and then break down how the layer was recorded, how it progresses and what the effects contribute to the final sound. Finally I will talk about mastering.


[LISTEN TO A RIVER BURIED IN SAND – AMBIENCES FOR IMAGINARY GAMES]
Bandcamp - https://matthewflorianz.bandcamp.com/...
You Tube -    • Untenable Prognostications  
Tidal - https://listen.tidal.com/album/319261903
Apple Music -   / a-river-buried-in-sand-ambiences-for-imagi...  


[CHAPTERS]
00:00 introduction
04:00 before and after effect comparison
04:40 layer one - nightsky bass drones
08:42 group layer - sidechained bass
10:24 layer two - stepped tone three
14:29 layer three - filtered tone three
19:29 layer four - distorted spacewing
21:41 layer five - field recording birds
23:39 layer six - field recording birds transposed
26:10 layer seven - distorted nightsky pattern
29:53 layer eight - pitched nightsky
33:55 layer nine - nightsky 4 octaves down pad
40:46 layer ten - metal leaves foley pattern
43:31 layer eleven - sound design layer 45:06 final mix
47:20 mastering chain
49:15 outro

[OTHER TUTORIALS]
Diablo IV - Lightning Re-design - How to create modern magic gameaudio sounddesign (part 1) -    • EP#11 - Diablo IV Lightning Re-design - Ho...  
Arcane Sound Redesign -    • Arcane - Sound Redesign - Electricity and ...  

[LIST OF PLUGINS]
Reaper DAW
www.reaper.fm

FREE
Atlantis Reverb Geraint Luff / Geraint's JSFX)
M Tremolo Melda Production
Fresh Air Slate Digital
OTT Xfer Records
L4Reverb Uhhyou
ValhallaFreqEcho Valhalla DSP. LLC

PAID
Listen for the A/B difference - non of these are entirely essential and the effect can be re-created (usually more time consuming) with alternative plugins.

ARTURIA Rev PLATE-140
EVENTIDE Blackhole
FABFILTER Pro-Q 3, Pro-MB, Pro-L 2, Pro-C 2
IZOTOPE - RX 7 De-click
Gutar Rig 5 Native instruments GmbH
SOUNDTOYS - Crystallizer, Devil-Loc Deluxe , Echo Boy, Echo Boy Jr, FilterFreak 1, FilterFreak 2, Little AlterBoy, Pan Man, Phase Mistress, Tremolator
Valhalla DSP. LLC - Valhalla Shimmer
WAVES - CLA-3A, PuigTec EQP1A, PuigTec MEQ5, RBass Stereo
WAVEFACTORY - Trackspacer 2.5