Weeklybeats is a 52 week long music project in which artists compose and publicly release 1 song a week for the entire year.
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SkaOpensTheGates

By RajaTheResidentAlien on July 17, 2022 9:53 pm

i was trying to think of lyrics, but i couldn't figure 'em out in time, so i didn't end up ruining this one with my vocals(yet).... next week's weeklybeats will definitely have to have some vox! big_smile

since i didn't have as much time this week, i tracked a bunch of things quickly in Logic(Roland808 plugin for the drums, then used Aalto for that high-whiny synth sound that's around the same register as the pitch-bendy cowbells of the 808), then laid down the bassline and guitars(i put bass and guitars through Line6 PODs 2.0(from early 2000s) for their particular effects... the Bass POD has this effect called "TRON"(like the ElectroHarmonix Q-Tron: a filter with amp-detection applied to the 'Q'(bandwidth)... at least, i think that's how it works(?) which is what i used here but i also had to sidechain-multiband-compress the bass in a way to bring out frequencies around the 100hz - 200hz range while i also subdued much below the 65hz range(to let the 808 kick drum through more))..
...soon came to realize that if i want to play guitar in more weeklybeats songs, i should probably start working on these tracks very early in the week so i can actually practice the parts over more days before recording, as my rhythm needs work... feeling a bit frantic(and perhaps also a bit lazy), i decided to try and fix my rhythm with noise-gates... ON EVERYTHING! Muahahahahaha! mad
The bass guitar, and all the regular guitars all use noise-gates which are sidechained by the drums = Rhythmic Cheating big_smile (also the aalto synth and some of the drums, while not sidechained, also have noise-gates to make their rhythm sound more succinct; ...no video this week... maybe someday tho)

Thanks for listening!
A special thanks to all those who comment, give feedback, and support:
    i didn't think i'd make it this week, was thinking maybe this week i'd finally just let it go, but then i came on here and read comments on my previous tracks which made me feel like i just had to keep this streak going.
I've been unable to comment as much the past few weeks(couple extra job interviews and such), but i'll get back to that soon(still always listening smile ). I truly appreciate it, and will reciprocate the love asap.

Open The Gates! heart

Audio works licensed by author under:
CC Attribution Noncommercial Share Alike (BY-NC-SA)

it's almost overwhelming how much good stuff is going on in here, and how great it sounds all together.  Fantastic sound quality; sounds like your engineering efforts paid off.

RajaTheResidentAlien wrote:

but then i came on here and read comments on my previous tracks which made me feel like i just had to keep this streak going

Comment: keep this streak going! tongue

Is dynamite. Love the movement.

Is like turbo tap delay?

Hahaha so quirky big_smile It's just so fun to listen to!!!

Congratulation to your guitarwork. So funky and sparkling. the bassline is groovy and the rhythmmachine sounds fantastic. a great track this week.

I cheat a lot with my guitars, lots of overdubs, time stretch and other tricks... I think it would actually be much easier to learn how to play well in the end. lol.

Very cool track. Love those "noise-gates which are sidechained by the drums = Rhythmic Cheating"

And this is very cool that you give us your tricks.

This was a really enjoyable listening.

The bass sounds great in this.  Really huge and upfront without overpowering everything else that's going on.  Nice work.

Glad you kept the streak alive! It was a close call for me too this week. I uploaded with a minute to spare. We're in this together. Keep it coming Raja

oh this is glorious - the dreamy guitar tone is so pretty & i like the chunka chunka ska riff too
it's really fun married with the beat and claps



Love the sound of the guitar and how it fits so nicely in the mix.  The percussion completes it with the panned goodness.  Had me nodding and foot tapping along.  Well done!

That's a sick bass and the guitars are fucking amazing, well done
- Ebrit

ineff wrote:

it's almost overwhelming how much good stuff is going on in here, and how great it sounds all together.  Fantastic sound quality; sounds like your engineering efforts paid off.

RajaTheResidentAlien wrote:

but then i came on here and read comments on my previous tracks which made me feel like i just had to keep this streak going


Comment: keep this streak going! tongue


Thank you so much, really glad you enjoy the quality of the mix, too big_smile

Cauldron of Bats wrote:

Is dynamite. Love the movement.
Is like turbo tap delay?


Thank you! the delay is the standard Logic 'stereo delay'... there might also be a tap delay coming from the guitar POD, but even that is accentuated further with the Logic plugin.

??? wrote:

Hahaha so quirky big_smile It's just so fun to listen to!!!


Really glad you enjoyed it, much appreciated smile

Q-Rosh wrote:

Congratulation to your guitarwork. So funky and sparkling. the bassline is groovy and the rhythmmachine sounds fantastic. a great track this week.


Thank you! Haha ya: previous weeks' have been very experimental, i'm really glad to get this kind of thing out there, too big_smile

djippy wrote:

I cheat a lot with my guitars, lots of overdubs, time stretch and other tricks... I think it would actually be much easier to learn how to play well in the end. lol.
Very cool track. Love those "noise-gates which are sidechained by the drums = Rhythmic Cheating"
And this is very cool that you give us your tricks. This was a really enjoyable listening.


My pleasure! So glad you liked it, i love how awesome your guitar sound is, and your voice, too in all your music, so i'm truly honored you liked this big_smile

CosmicCairns wrote:

The bass sounds great in this.  Really huge and upfront without overpowering everything else that's going on.  Nice work.


Glad you love the bass: ya, it was definitely fun to engineer for that big_smile Thank you so much!

adnorm wrote:

Glad you kept the streak alive! It was a close call for me too this week. I uploaded with a minute to spare. We're in this together. Keep it coming Raja


Yes! Definitely in this together so solid, thank you! And keep bangin' that pink-llama-head big_smile

emily wrote:

oh this is glorious - the dreamy guitar tone is so pretty & i like the chunka chunka ska riff too    it's really fun married with the beat and claps


Thank you immensely, and i love that gif! big_smile

Tone Matrix wrote:

Love the sound of the guitar and how it fits so nicely in the mix.  The percussion completes it with the panned goodness.  Had me nodding and foot tapping along.  Well done!


So happy to hear how it grabbed you with its infectious groove big_smile Thank You!

Devieus wrote:

That's a sick bass and the guitars are fucking amazing, well done
- Ebrit


Truly Appeciated, Ebrit! heart


yes!

Mad ska! The gates be opening and it's grand. I hear you, come to WB and get some great motivation to keep creating, we all in it! Yeah dig the bass and guitar, noise gates doing cool things!

^ I'm speechless. Great foreshadowing of next week's track in the description. "next week's weeklybeats will definitely have to have some vox!" uh huh--I just listened to that one. Mission accomplished! This sounds really snappy, too. Digging the bass. Hope the interviews went well.

how tf did I miss this? this one's a banger!

RajaTheResidentAlien wrote:

i didn't think i'd make it this week, was thinking maybe this week i'd finally just let it go, but then i came on here and read comments on my previous tracks which made me feel like i just had to keep this streak going.

Made it too far to stop now, the only way out is through!


RajaTheResidentAlien wrote:

I've been unable to comment as much the past few weeks(couple extra job interviews and such), but i'll get back to that soon(still always listening). I truly appreciate it, and will reciprocate the love asap.

heart Best of luck w/ the interviews, belated as this comment may be.

mzunguko wrote:


yes!


miraclemiles wrote:

Mad ska! The gates be opening and it's grand. I hear you, come to WB and get some great motivation to keep creating, we all in it! Yeah dig the bass and guitar, noise gates doing cool things!


blighters_rock wrote:


blighters_rock wrote:

^ I'm speechless. Great foreshadowing of next week's track in the description. "next week's weeklybeats will definitely have to have some vox!" uh huh--I just listened to that one. Mission accomplished! This sounds really snappy, too. Digging the bass. Hope the interviews went well.


ilzxc wrote:

how tf did I miss this? this one's a banger!

Thank You All! Ya, i’m really loving this one too, more and more, think i’ll have to do more dub and ska in the future. (@blighters_rock, your speechless post made me lol lol i might have to use that in the future big_smile)

ilzxc wrote:


RajaTheResidentAlien wrote:

I've been unable to comment as much the past few weeks(couple extra job interviews and such), but i'll get back to that soon(still always listening). I truly appreciate it, and will reciprocate the love asap.


<3 Best of luck w/ the interviews, belated as this comment may be.

Thanks Millions! I actually made it to a second round on one(nothing special, just preparing/setting-up equipment at a museum for exhibits… but it beats scrambling for contract work all the time and worrying about health/dental/vision insurance on my own), which happens at end of August so this comment still arrives at the right time, much appreciated smile

STOP *clap emoji* SAYING *clap emoji* YOUR VOCALS *clap emoji* RUIN *clap emoji* THINGS *clap emoji*

I'm on the Raja Anti-Defamation Squad and you're UNDER ARREST

love the ska up beat

orangedrink wrote:

STOP *clap emoji* SAYING *clap emoji* YOUR VOCALS *clap emoji* RUIN *clap emoji* THINGS *clap emoji*

I'm on the Raja Anti-Defamation Squad and you're UNDER ARREST

love the ska up beat

Haaa! Thank You! Never felt so grateful to be arrested before heart

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