A new way to write Synth Arps

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Learn more about writing linear chord progressions that you can use to make your arps more interesting➡bit.ly/FREEcompositionguide

[@AurumNoise]

It would be awesome if you had some vids on writing piano music in the style of Nils, Olafur and the like.

[@GrannyGreymatter]

Great lesson. My favourite composers to play when I was a student (a long time ago) were Bach, Mozart and Liszt, Bach used to be required study for any keyboard player, not only for the arps but also integration of melodic movement by simple changes within them. Teach 'em theory and classical techniques without 'em realising (clever). Wendy Carlos was the perfect example of this with "Switched on Bach"

[@loganboland]

This is what I’m hear for on KZbin. Phenomenal chord progression that first pass thru on piano

[@intheblink]

Good video. These are things I “know”, but it’s nice to be reminded to implement that knowledge. Inspiring and good for generating new ideas.

[@alotohjuice]

Lets go Muse! So glad they fixed the velocity control, as a classical player myself that was a game changer.

[@petersirca223]

Bravo. Chapeau. You're getting to the core of the issue as I see it now. Look forward to see where you go next..

[@alexgrunde6682]

A great arp technique that Bach (and others) used was alternating his voices between longer staccato notes and shorter legato notes. So a half bar of the melody voice playing legato sixteenth notes and the bass/harmony voice playing staccato eighth notes, then swap for the next half bar.

[@dedicatedspuddler7641]

Another truly excellent and helpful video. I enjoy and appreciate your bringing your classical piano background into the synthesizer world for composition.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Thank you kindly!

[@timdanyo898]

Thanks man. This was super helpful! I love at the end the mix of programmed and free form.

[@mmypainting]

Melody and arps, a marriage made in heaven.

[@bricelory9534]

I also really love playing around with the arpeggiator on my Osmose, which because of how unique the Osmose plays already, leads to some really unique and fluid arrangements. I've yet to play with it enough to feel I've tamed it well enough to record, but it's a joy to grow familiar with. It so naturally leads to some of the elements you describe - especially the emphasis of different voices. In fact, you can create an entire movement of the music simply by emphasizing different notes - and it does so incredibly fluidly!

[@WAROVART]

Lovely stuff

[@ChromeArray]

Arps have always been something of an afterthought for me. I think it's time to start giving them some attention! Thanks for the ideas!

[@samprock]

Hmmm, the only arp button I started use on hardware synth is Muse 😎 Will need to throw it away now LOL Second funny fact, just yesterday, my honey shown me "you need to learn this cool popular tune" (idea 10). I listen and say, wait it is arping honey I do it all day long. Anticipating her finally appreciate my music, I turned on my new creation on OP-XY. It was arping with melodic embellishment and induced melody on top. She goes, no. I ask why. She saying you do boom-boom (i had some bass and groove), and you play this weird sound (I played pretty synth .... but it was NOT a piano) 🤣 I guess it takes to make even more disguise on top of what you greatly describe! Cheers!

[@lummsmusik3219]

I love playing around with my Midicake Arp. It creates amazing modulated arpeggios instantly.

[@rozaymiller2143]

Ur getting every feel out every chord I love it

[@troyjlandry]

I really appreciate your ability to help me understand music theory. Long time subscriber and will continue to be a patreon.

[@fewunderstandthis7355]

Your dry humor reminds me of my favorite professor 😂 he also taught composition and theory (plus conducting) Great content, thank you!!

[@jerrybot3000]

Very helpful concepts.

[@ICKXBerlin]

You're doing a really good job with those videos, always teaching me some neat little tricks! Thanks for that! :)

[@this.is.shashwat]

Cool and helpful. Thanks

[@patrick5645]

I love the arp and sequencer on the muse.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Same

[@Jeremyelrick]

great video mate. subbed!

[@kaislate]

Instead of sample and hold you could utilize functions to get a less random chance of accenting. You could also tie it into velocity using mpe modulation even if the hardware you have doesnt support mpe. Of course something like Pigments for example allows to do this fairly easily and since it can send midi its possible to use it to play outboard synths or an internal patch of its own.

[@sailence5757]

Waiting for bass video

[@watchaddicts1213]

You're back!!! Yea! I see you've still got that photoshop'd MUSE. Cool.

[@JamesonNathanJones]

Sounds surprisingly good for a png

[@voidofwoid]

5:02 is my favourite version.

[@LordoftheBadgers]

I like playing arps based around chords but broken across the keybed - many ppl lock themselves into playing triads etc on the upper part of the keyboard and bass being the root... But yea I would take the F and C of Fm and play the A as a bass note. Mess with inversions. As Jameson says you can really mess with bass notes. Like the first thing I learnt was that play A with a Cmaj chord gives you am7. Really good to experiment with these. If you start to step away from fixating on playing all the notes in a chord and let the gaps "suggest" the chord then this is why having huge polyphony in a synth isn't always needed. In fact a mono will still play a chord that way! I was thinking applying keyboard tracking on the filter would be a more boring way of accenting but could be a fun cheat for some.

[@bricelory9534]

To answer your question: no, I'll never get tired of ripping off Stranger Things. Seriously though, great thoughts and processes. It also helps move one's mind out of the idea of simply blocking different loops together and calling it an arrangement - which is a valid way to do it, but there is value in having the skills for a through-composed arrangement as well. I appreciate it!

[@Stue007]

Super interesting, thanks a lot!

[@elementlab41]

SO great! Especially that first chord progression. Would any of you who can read music know what chords he's playing in the notation above?

[@lrgstmrg]

Nate, I want that bass video. Should I be approaching basslines in a fundamentally different way than my melodies? I've noticed a lot of bass lines tend to include big jumps between notes; is there a rule of thumb for making this work? Looking for ways to spice up basslines while keeping them simple and unobtrusive.

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

Your such a fine musician,-🥹🙏

[@husssamo]

Thank you, this is really helpful and educational. (Internal thought: $4.5K Moog synth with no polyphonic aftertouch!)

[@ForenaamAkternaam]

Kinda sad how arpeggiators are often used exclusively for just rolling bass and static arpegs following the chord being played. A few other interesting uses I like are a very slow random arp with pad sounds and arps where you adjust the decay and release to turn them into big soundscapes then back to arpeggio.

[@GregorPQ]

I need the Bassline for my song - or rather I have a melodic bassline and will use the 'bassline' for the upper part:).

[@Nenko_Music]

Man you legit make me laugh each time. informative vid yes. Humor yes...."bad at KZbin"....y....i mean no !

[@cappiels]

What was the Bach song you were playing ?

[@swanofnutella4734]

Did you get rid of the PEK? I noticed it's no longer visually featured.

[@rozaymiller2143]

I have a new song that I will love for some to play

[@danbient]

Pretty changes...

[@silentman-ze3gu]

I have a synth arp at the end of TDNs Destiny, could you check it out

[@peteblues72]

your piano hammers are hitting some kind of felt in front of the strings. Is this some kind of silent piano system? What piano is this?

[@LordoftheBadgers]

Yes this is what a felt piano is :) very popular sound! Can be applied to any acoustic piano - so no it's not a specific piano or system... Just actual felt! You could go the other way and put thumb tacks in all the hammers for that old bar piano sound

[@StratosWave]

You mentioned the term blocking a lot. Can you explain what you mean by that or point me to a video you or someone else has made?

[@dodgingrain3695]

ugh.... synth arpeggios are chords just broken up.

[@johnrichardson3297]

Is the bass register interchangeable (lower voicing?)

[@05degrees]

Each time I watch you I find a mix of very reasonable ideas that are still new to me as well 🎛🎹