How to Make A Modern J-Pop Song

Hi there! So my last video was a bit more J-Rock and I thought it could be fun to explore some J-Pop this time (Zutomayo / Yoasobi ish style) to kinda wrap up the Japanese modern sound! I really hope you enjoy it :) feel free to leave a comment! (old school mid 2000's nostalgic anime opening tutorial is coming! I just need to borrow a humbucker guitar because I don't have one 😭)
lyrics by: / yu_5_3_
music produced, mixed and mastered by: indrop
contact: [e-mail]
Instagram: / iamindrop
TikTok: / iamindrop
X: / iamindrop
0:00 Intro
0:58 Ingredients
1:18 Verse
1:50 Chords
2:20 Guitar Tone
3:00 Pre-Chorus
4:20 Chorus
5:31 Intro (Song)
5:53 Vocals
6:19 Full Song!
Watch my first video here!
• How To Make A Modern A...
A good video about secondary dominants! (music theory):
• Songs that use Seconda...
#oshinoko #anime #jpop

[@tempeight]

My favorite part of J-pop culture is the descending chromatic scale, it just sound so smooth and adorable, lol

[@houghwhite411]

There once a korean girlgroup use descending chromatic scale on most their songs. A crossover between Kpop and Jpop

[@Dami_personal]

​@@houghwhite411 Which group?

[@houghwhite411]

@@Dami_personal Gfriend

[@lou._i]

​@@houghwhite411oooh so that explains the time where i got hooked to the group. the same time i was into jpop.

[@real_cherita]

@@houghwhite411I miss them🥲🥲

[@phoenixheartofficial]

WAIT THAT VOCAL IS A SYNTH WHAT??? Damn, theyve come a long way since vocaloids and Miku

[@iamindrop]

i know is crazy! but i still love miku 🩵 she’s the og!

[@Shredberry]

If you don't mind, how much is this synthV with the voice bank? Thanks a ton! @@iamindrop

[@aljiee]

@@Shredberry synthV basic is free while the lite version of voiebanks are free as well

[@iamindrop]

@@Shredberryas mentioned above, there’s a free lite version! but the studio version is 89 usd plus tax and it includes one free voice bank (Mai) the one used on this video:)

[@yurichaves101]

literally my reaction

[@shiftybat7318]

Eve, Yorushika, and Yonezu aren't gonna be happy that you're spilling their industry secrets.

[@s71402san]

Yes. Because only Japanese can produce such music. Gaijins should stick to their gaijinkyoku which hurts ears.

[@MReneGamer]

​@@s71402san jajsjajsj

[@truegreen7]

When it's Zutomayo, until you add the Ayase pianos and it automatically becomes Yoasobi. Crazy stuff.

[@iamindrop]

thanks for watching! :)

[@Arcvx]

Because they all sound the same lol.

[@--julian_]

omg of course you're watching a video about music

[@justyourfriendlyneighborho903]

Damn always crazy seeing big youtubers in comment sections, haven't seen this channel in years

[@kitttycatt1305]

truegreen 7 ?! 😭😭

[@user-vj3co3ln3x]

This shows well that J-Pop since later 2010s is created (and influenced) by composers who would write Vocaloid songs on Niconico before. The chord progressions and instruments are brought from 2010s Vocaloid songs as they are.

[@Dave102693]

That’s very true

[@user-hx6ln8uy4m]

Most of today's j-pop artists were teenagers who fiddled with vocaloids at home more than a decade ago.

[@mehlol9996]

​@@user-hx6ln8uy4mtrue, and a good example is Kenshi Yonezu/Hachi

[@user-rt4vt4vd6w]

Very true For those who are interested: Example of the famous J-pop artists who were ex-vocaloid producer - Kenshi Yonezu, who was already a very talented vocaloid producer under the named "hachi", made a lots of lengendary vocaloid songs and finally debut himself as an artist! - Ayase, who initially stopped his band activity and accidentally came across a "datsugoku" by neru due to his sister. He found vocaloid software is very interesting and can be created alone so he started to produce vocaloid music himself too! *p.s. Datsugoku 脱獄 by Neru is a very good song 😭🫶 if yall havent listen pls do give it a try 😭😭

[@xxri]

@@user-rt4vt4vd6w also tatsuya kitani, reol, takeaki wada, ryo/supercell, tooboe, n-buna (hasnt officially quit but hasn't made anything new since forming yorushika), eve still uses vocaloid but is much more popular for his own voice

[@muntyyC]

sounds like a beautiful blend of yoasobi & zutomayo. thank you for your work man

[@iamindrop]

thank you so much for watching!!

[@expertarcher8542]

Facts

[@The-Mediator]

I love zutomayo!

[@waxsuyaaa]

@@The-MediatorME TOOO THEYRE THE BEST I saw them in the thumbnail

[@AnnieJpop]

Yeah, all that I want for an OG song

[@scherzometer]

Everyone talking about the voice synth is ignoring the FIRE trumpets in the intro and outro. I don’t know why but I can’t replicate them

[@JeiShian]

The vocal realism is worryingly good! I had no idea Ofc your music is amazing too

[@iamindrop]

thank you!!!

[@Pluvillion]

i canNOT believe i just witnessed a SynthV original being made right in front of my eyes!!!

[@HelloWorld-fc9qj]

I am Japanese, and I am glad to see so many people interested in Japanese music ! "Just the two of us progressions" and secondary dominants are very important and my favorite content when discussing Japanese music. However, I understand that it is a common view among musicians that we should not rely too much on this progression. I believe that there are also cliché (chromatic changes), "Royal road progression ".

[@Asian_Jesus007]

What’s a royal road progression?

[@010-Captain]

​@@Asian_Jesus007I don't know.

[@justaamateur6533]

​@@Asian_Jesus007it's the progression IV-V-iii-vi

[@user-kb4ex9oz9r]

@@Asian_Jesus007 Royal road progression is written as 「IV△7-V7-iii7-vi」 and has been used in Jpop as often as Canon progression. From Japan too!❤

[@Asian_Jesus007]

@@user-kb4ex9oz9r thanks! I’ve been thinking abt making a song for a while

[@ddoen.ludadori]

Bruh I know that SynthV IS amazing but can we appreciate the tuning on this song?? Like I've been listening to an unhealthy amount of SynthV cover that I can spot right away the robotic in the voice. But this????? The tuning on this is fcking incredible bruh!!

[@Eosinophyllis]

I am infinitely jealous of all these people who touched synthv once or twice and have amazing tuning. I’ve been doing this for 3 years and I STILL don’t know what I’m doing!

[@myuzu_]

@@Eosinophyllis is it not manually tunable?

[@Eosinophyllis]

@@myuzu_ it is, that’s what I was talking about

[@2abug]

That was really great. The only thing missing for me as a j-rock/pop/metal listener for 4 years now, is the second verse being a variation of the first one. Almost every Japanese artists/bands I listen to have a very interesting second verse. Thanks for this video, that was very informative.

[@iamindrop]

yikes this hits right in the insecurity cause i think the same thing haha i wanted to do a more elaborated verse but i was afraid that i was taking too long since my first upload and i kinda rushed that aspect hoping nobody would care or notice 😅 but i want to work on it more before i release the full version! thank you for watching:)

[@crazyorange49-OG]

The vocals being synth is wild to me, I had no idea they had reached this level. Great job on the song

[@ayimioy1161]

Me sees thumbnail that says: "This Chord" Me: This Chord, I'm howling at the moon

[@maesaliva]

And singing in the middle of a summer afternoon

[@yeowool404]

the crunchy guitar tone mwahhhh absolute chefs kiss 😚

[@rando_x_5795]

As someone who wants to make music but never learned anything, i don’t understand any of it but I feel like I do

[@iamindrop]

as someone mentioned, during the chord progression section the G Maj7 is the actually the bVI chord not the bIV! 😅 that was a typo! yikes i apologize

[@SawTxxth_w]

you had me stressing so hard musically 🤣🤣

[@SaltSpirits]

unless i’m tripping, the notes in that chord in the midi look to be B, D, and F#, with a D for the bass note. which means… that’s not even a Gmaj7 to begin with. It’s Bmin/D, aka i/III.

[@iamindrop]

@@SaltSpirits if you look closely it does have a G on the bass range which makes ir G Major 7 and even if it was just the B D F# like you said that B minor would still function as a bVI / G Maj7! the reason is that the synth bass is playing a G which defines the harmonic context, is not uncommon to play only triads / simpler chords with keyboards and guitars while the bass does a different note so when they are combined the chord / harmony is implied! this also helps not having a muddy mix by doubling notes too much! thanks for watching:)

[@SaltSpirits]

⁠​⁠@@iamindropOh yeah you’re totally right, I’m not sure where I pulled the D bass note from, definitely a G on second look. Although with voicing like that I still think it would be more clearly notated as Bmin/G - I can also see how it works as a Gmaj7, simply for the fact that this would not be one of the voicings that came to mind if someone asked me to play a Gmaj7, personally! Although I suppose that may need to change, as you’ve now exposed a gap in my toolset 🤔

[@pianopaeonia]

is bVI = 6th note from tonic, so sub medians?

[@DrumRollTonyReacts]

I'm just here for the thumbnail "This Chord?" with the arrow pointing to the single note A... LOL Cool video tho!

[@iamindrop]

haha yes that’s a very vague/click bait ish thumbnail, i hate having to do that 😭 but hopefully the video / song was compelling enough to compensate for it! thanks for watching!!!

[@Anarqism]

you only need A

[@DrumRollTonyReacts]

@iamindrop lol it's cool 😅 It was a fun video. I wish I had a skillset in a DAW, but I just don't so it's fun to watch. I like the secondary dominant part of the chord changes. Nice!

[@raykirystar]

Hey! Love your vids ^^

[@oDucking]

As someone whos been playing guitar for 7 years and piano for 5 ive been looking into learning more about music theory to start making my own music. I love that you just mention all the music theory you use when using certain chord proggresions or instruments. Its really nice to see the full process of someone that knows what theyre doing. Really helps and great video! 1 question: how do you get those strings to sound so real?

[@iamindrop]

thank you! 🙏🏻 for the strings i used a sample library that is included with my DAW Cubase Pro 13! it’s called Iconica Sketch but there are other sample libraries which are really good too! you should check out Audio Imperia stuff, Spitfire Audio and Cinematic Studio Strings! some are pricey but sound great!

[@oDucking]

@@iamindrop Thank you so much for the advice! I will definetly try those!

[@pianopaeonia]

agreed! as a firm music theory hater until i had to know do it for grade 6 piano, it helps me keep going 💪

[@ender_slayeer]

It sounds like a Yoasobi song! good job

[@M0zzzzzarella]

WHAT? THAT WAS A VOCAL SYNTH? 😭 but damn though this sounds exactly like something id have in my jp playlist, ive always been curious what about japanese music hits so different to me than others, really thankful for this insight!! :D curious how youd make a tuyu or keina suda ish song? 👉👈

[@iamindrop]

i love tuyu! their guitars are wild 😅 but i can try! i love keina suda/ballon too:)

[@maidenrelish5906]

I've always found it interesting to see vocal synths voices outside of the "VOCALOID/Vocal Synths" communities, it's interesting to see how normal composers use the software and apply it to their work, it's partly an audience that is also looking to cover Synthesizer V, the program that was used in this great composition. I've always wanted to get in contact with musicians who are that good and that great, to share all the elements of these vocal synthesis tools that they used, and idk to make like a cohesion or comparison between what they've done so far with the program, and what you can get an artist to do manipulating that same voice. In the vocal synths environment, it is called "tuning", which is the process of vocalizing, and tuning the tone, timbre of voice and in general many aspects, to even match the singing of famous artists, being this something tedious and a little complex to explain since each user has his way of working and a distinctive "tuning" that characterizes him. Great video, it would be interesting to see compositions with Chinese voices that the program offers, as I consider that they are the ones that have some of the most interesting capabilities of the program, and that can sing in 5 different languages, Chinese, English, Japanese, Cantonese and a beta in Spanish that continues in development.

[@herband601]

I need this on Spotify😲

[@KenseiOST]

OMG your arrangement and production sounds great!! It certainly sounds like the opening of a current Anime. I'm sure I'll keep watching your videos, keep it up!!!

[@iamindrop]

thank you!! you have some really cool arrangements! i really liked your content!!

[@billyy]

Love this type of breakdown, amazing work! Such a groovy track

[@mig6631]

Banger video, thanks for showing the guitar effects, great tone ❤

[@ileonardoi3791]

I hope you upload more musical content! This kind of thing is amazing and I've seen the shorts on your channel, you're really talented mate!

[@ramdomideas3148]

the way i want the song to drop on literally ANY streaming platform, its soso catchy and fun!!! awesome video!!!!!

[@iamindrop]

i will finish it and uploaded it to all streaming platforms as soon as i can! 🙏🏻

[@_eleven11]

You deserve more than this bro. Keep going making awesome music!

[@RaccoonCube]

This just makes me want to make my own anime-like opening song~!! Love it!! Also, im gonna look into that vocal synth

[@KarameLu13]

I’ve seen video like these and I wasn’t expecting the final product. I love it. You recreated Ayase’s style so well. Please upload this song on all platforms

[@sikretpersen]

I immediately subscribed after hearing the song and your quality of sharing the knowledge. Thank you. :D

[@Mobilegamer-rk1vw]

Ima need this on spotify Now! That song is fire!

[@luniatelier]

This is so excellent!!! Very insightful and I will definitely be taking inspiration

[@Donus_1811]

Yet another bangerrrr and waiting for the next one! Loving the content

[@tejidotcom]

This was incredible! Definitely going to try and make some JPOP now, awesome video!

[@KevinNguyen03]

This is amazing!!! You are amazing!!! I can't wait to see what you're going to post after this!!!

[@dokasis]

You are incredibly talented! I love your videos

[@RiseKaiju]

I keep coming back to this vid of yours. Truly inspiring and I appreciate your vast knowledge of music production and the way you present it all is so simple snd digestible. Subbed.

[@British69420]

that was actually incredible, you're way too underrated my guy keep up the good shit yk

[@sekken_]

i wanna be a jpop artist one day and this is giving me inspiration 😭

[@idkwhatnamee6636]

yooooo this is crazy production quality! i would love to learn music production from ur channel:3

[@jerryberry4485]

Hi! can't believe this is only your second video, its so well produced! btw can you make a tutorial on getting that guitar tone

[@iamindrop]

thank you so much!!! i kinda did explain the tone at 2:20 :) but let me know if you have any questions about it!

[@existing772]

Please make more videos, it would be interesting to learn about suitable vst instruments, the specifics of mixing, as well about harmony and progressions in the j pop/rock/anine op genres.

[@fernanneid5810]

WOWW your adaptation is great👏

[@johnwesley7164]

Bro, you are so good

Dude, please do a full version of this It's just an amazing sound, really love it!! >:)

[@rriwp2305]

THE GUITAR TONE IS LOVELY 😍😍

[@vietduong5879]

You're INSANE bro!!! 🔥🔥🔥

[@LazyCatAnims]

This is incredible!

[@az33135]

THIS IS STUNNINGLY PERFECT

[@tenshi8181]

YOU ARE A GENIUS!!!!

[@violetiolite]

THAT'S MAI!!! I can recognise my girl everywhere! Haha She may be a free voicebank but her voice is simply so lovingly sweet. :D You did a lovely job with the song. Very much undistinguishable from any popular song on Nico Nico nowadays.

[@nova-ef2sx]

the video is paced so well

[@rainn_sq]

YOO WHY IS THIS SO GOOD

[@KnightGeneral]

Wow, so good ❤ love it

[@chipsalancienne3080]

Great concept wow

[@lorgst]

Great video. Already looking forward to whatever comes next :)

[@iamindrop]

thank you! :)

[@yunaii4595]

WE NEED THIS ON SPOTIFY 🗣️ 🗣️

[@marineusaginoawaxkirel101EVILs]

I love the song!

[@Hereson]

Well done, love all the little guitar details 🎉

[@iamindrop]

thank you! :)

[@frolics]

Great composition, great guide 🔥

[@iamindrop]

thanks for watching:)

[@nova-ef2sx]

bro this is so good

[@ngai6713]

Damnn. This is soooo good. Can’t wait to see more videos🫶. Please make one for beginners too. Thank you indrop

[@firippu2808]

That slaps bro well done

[@bryanchristopher75]

SICK Production!!! Amazing🔥🔥

[@iamindrop]

thank you!! :)

[@pj6996]

bro your mixes are beautiful

[@iamindrop]

thank you so much!!!

[@x3ll3nmusic]

This sounds insane :OOO

[@broncoxy]

absolute banger

[@Artahe]

That's a bop!

[@kentuckyfriedchildren5385]

Your videos are a godsend

[@TheStorm510]

WAAATAAHECKK BROOO... LET HIM COOK🗣️🔥🔥😭😭. That's a great song bro👍👍👍

[@Lixorio]

Keep this up. I would listen to this if you ever upload these on Spotify man.

[@pastorfather8196]

You only put out bangers! Great job again!

[@iamindrop]

thank you for watching:) !!

[@mrtoast244]

The thing is you need to know how to make it sound different while still using all the techniques that everyone else does (ie... 12 notes). Also a secondary dominant is just the name for a "dominant" chord where you imagine that the chord your leading up to is the 1 chord in a scale and play the 5 / dominant chord of that. It's called secondary because the chord doesn't appear in the key of the song but it's relative to the chord it's leading up to. Don't overuse it though. Just switch out a minor 7 chord with it when the melody note works better as a secondary dominant than as a minor 7 chord. Basically it sounds good sometimes. You could also use a diminished chord of the note right next to the chord if your goal is just to transition between chords (idk I'm not a musician)

[@pianopaeonia]

youtube needs to add a feature to save comments, this is very helpful

[@pianopaeonia]

wow and you aren’t a musician? your music theory is better than mine haha

[@iamindrop]

thank so much for over 4,000 subscribers!!! it truly means so much! i posted my first video a month ago and i never expected so much support 🤍 i’m working on some new content! i hope you like it!!! in the meantime, i noticed that there are a lot of questions in the comments and it’s getting a little tricky to answer there so i was wondering if you wanted to ask some questions maybe i could do a video and answer them! it can be about guitar, music production, daws, music theory, anime or random things! anything you want:) let me know if you are interested! indrop.

[@vekze]

Would love to see you delve into music theory for constructing bass lines and guitar riffs in this style. Loved your previous video and this one, you got a sub. Keep it up bro!

[@idkwhatnamee6636]

i think a video showing resources for beginning music producers would be great! or how you yourself learned music:)

[@yuutsunaharu]

WHAT!! THIS IS AMAZING!! what am I gonna do now? I’m obsessed with a song that is not in Spotify (blink, blink, PUT IT) stunning work! 💕

[@iamindrop]

i want to finish and add it to spotify!!! thank you so much for watching!

[@Zeksha]

This is so underrated wth😭❤❤

[@TylerRGonelli]

God I need to get synthesizer V that vocal is so good

[@SeveredLegs]

This is really cool. Very ZUTO-SOBI!

[@across.and.beyond]

Good stuff man, keep it up!

[@iamindrop]

thank you so much!

[@ari_coolsocks09]

I need this song on spotify.

[@Boritoman76]

OH MY GODDDD, that's such a BANGER! 🔥 I love those fucking trumpets bro, you're so talented.

[@Reen-of-Astora]

2 videos 2 bangers

[@Nev_R]

WOW! this channel is another hidden gems, i always wanted to get into j-pop/rock production and I feel this video is just what i was missing ^^

[@iamindrop]

i’m glad you are here! thank you for watching:)

[@7vlusic]

This is why i love japan music, it's blessings my ears 😌

[@antontitov2164]

God damn, it's absolutely brilliant!!! Already subscribed)))

[@iamindrop]

thank you!!

[@makie3320]

When you break it down I like it even more wtf. Your song is so cute as well :33

[@punchy99]

synthv recognition lets gooo!!!!

[@tsuyu19ku]

Again, super quality content ❤

[@iamindrop]

thank you so much 🤍

[@Niconiconii]

yoooo you’re absolutely cracked at this! I know nothing about making music digitally (i can only play random anime osts on the piano lol) but this is amazing to see your process and watch as it all comes together. Looking forward to someday seeing your music used in some anime ost or something :)

[@iamindrop]

thank you so much for your kind words!!!

[@willyblondehair8070]

this man needs an reward

[@shizumaruor]

amazing

[@dji7425]

Honestly , you are very smart and clever at this , amazing

[@iamindrop]

thank you so much!!

[@user-qz2dq8fs4u]

After listening to your music, the backhand is a subscription

[@willytonezone]

This is the type of video I need as a metal musician.

[@marchelia_ameria]

Wow just amazing.. I wonder if you can add just a little more tutorial on the theory part of the chord and maybe sound design theoretical side?.. but nonetheless amazing tutorial and what a song lmao.. I hope it is out now haha.. subscribed, can't wait for your new vids!! 😆👍 edit: nevermind just saw your recommendation on the secondary dominant in description, thanks a lot!! ❤

[@TheEtherea]

Ok, I was mostly surprised for how good that Synth voice sounds in a mix. Man we sure walked a long road from the early versions.

[@PersonManManManMan]

Awesome

[@yeosepp]

liked and subbed, you are so sick