Goals
At the end of 2024, I have made MVs and uploaded all the previous work to YouTube.
And I have completed “Season01” which is a soft project to group up all the work in April 2025.
I almost got a 1 year gap, and try to be serious again on DTM.
I set a goal at the beginning of 2025, which is release 1 songs every month.
But I hit quite a wall in different way, so I finally landed on the achievable goal, which is 6 songs a year.
It totally goes out of plan, but I just wanna try it hard enough, that I might get a growth journey out of it.
And this is a note for me to look back, and try to mark down what I’ve struggled with? what I’ve learn? what I was thinking at the moment?
015 - CitruStarT
In SoundCloud, there is a WIP uploaded in 1st Jan.
Therefore I think this is actually a fairly long period of a on going project in 2024.
After 014 - Ghost is completed, I do start a new project and try to make a more “Ani Song” style track.
I think the vibe is that “I like Endorfin. a lot so I better try to make what I like”.
I just list out the point that I think that is important for the track:
- Piano + Strings for melody
- try to go simple on drums, more generic, not half tempo
- try to write counter melody
- Mixing
- Loudness Focus
- so all band
- Not that clean, almost too dirty
- Not really knowing about what to aim for tbh
- using something “soothe 2”-like just for the sake of thinking that is the cool and “right” thing to do
Other than the mixing and arrangement, actually I pretty like this track.
I guess the time I put in is making the things I like.
I’m finishing the 019-きゅーとあぐれっしょん！ while writing this part, and I actually think that I’m better in mixing and knowing what I want in mixing more.(Although it’s still a long way to go and I have to ask someone for some basics)
The arrangement part is still miserable though LOL.
016 - Kyawaiii!!!
Following my OSHI Nor’s vital preset and YouTube DTM streaming, I really wanna make Kawaii Future Bass track again.
It was a very simple thought, and I’m still in a mood on 1 track every month.
Therefore this is a very simple track.
Almost the minimum elements to make the Kawaii Future Bass track.
- Chord: Saw, LFO
- Plucks
- Rhodes: why not
- Bass: 808+self bake FM+808
- Drums
- Kawaii voices X3
- FX
I think I have dig tons of instrument at the moment.
So one of the 808 is a Analog Lab from Arturia, and Rhodes is now my favorite Rhodes SINE Player.
I really forget things quickly OMG, I should do the bass in 019…
One of the section is a trance inspired? bassline. I really don’t remember how I learn about it, but that part is so effective. I don’t know will I use that music idea again though…
017 - Patchwork
I struggle with this track A LOT…
I don’t remember things well, but I vividly remember how many times I try to write a good melody that suit the different part of the track… The intro, outro, bridge even the verse that I want to build up from change quite a bit.
This one is another challenge for myself to make a non-EDM songs. More like an Ani-song style.
One of the thing I try pretty hard but f up pretty hard is try to use the shiny new plugin I’ve got. I thing the mix end up become pretty dull. It’s not bad but not better.
I’m just follow the “should be better” theory and not really try to dig what sound I’m really love.
The title said it all, this track is a Patchwork. I try all the things and try to made it work but not really working.
I feel like I’m not good enough, and not growth that much.
But I do think that I’ve learnt something with it.
018 - utsumi feat.月音(Lunon)
At the moment, I’m obsessed with ヰ世界情緒. I want to write something that is piano driven, play around with chords and lean a bit more to what I imagine of my brand.
I really like the melody and chord progression. At some point I want to use the Voisona I bought and write some vocal line for the track. I struggle a bit with the arrangement because of the vocal line and the lyrics is a bit off for whatever reason. I’m so bad on writing.
I don’t know why but the cloudy beach really comes to my mind. I throw in some coast line atmosphere sample and undersea sample and call it a day.
I do some spectral compressor trick, not too much, and just utilizing the powerful reverb I got. This time I think I have a much better grasp on what plugin I’ve own and not over use them. Which is a big improvement from the start of the year.
The end product is pretty good I would say. It is on par with “Sleepy Drops”. I think it could be better but I choose to go back for a Kawaii Future Bass track on the next project.
019 - きゅーとあぐれっしょん！
This one is from a sketch in the LAB project, which is a playground for me try anything.
And I have a urge to made Kawaii Future Bass again, so I just pick up the idea, and play with it.
For this track, I think everything comes together really quickly.
I wanted to try out the very iconic typical build up which is clap only.
Typical PAD for the texture I like, the very familiar LFO SAW synth, pair with some cute girls noises.
Everything came together very very quickly. and the mixing is very simple in this project…? I think? (checking the project right now.)
I do try some new plugin, like compactor and spectral compressor but not feeling an urge on using new shiny things. I feel kinda growing up in terms of this aspect.
And I finally order an illustration from skeb for this one. I really wanted a cute cover art for this one because I think it is a very cute song.
020 - Pale Haze
The final track to meet the target for this year.
And I want to fully lean on to the mood at the moment for this one.
Very inspired by botanica and spectral stuff. Try to use more sample through Splice. a more simple approach to melody. More arpeggiation. I don’t know why but I really avoided arpeggiation.
Mixing all the sound I like, and try to made something totally from vibe.
The result is pretty good, and this would be the most “mellow glow” track in 2025. utsumi is also a pretty “mellow glow” vibe but this one is more pure in some way.