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  • Week 2: Notes

    What production tools or
    technologies does Arca use?

    What production techniques
    define Arca’s sound?

    • Anchor points though songwriting
    • Granular synthesis
    • sound design sessions

  • Week 1: Me as a Producer

    AreaSelf-rating (1–5)Comments / Examples
    Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs)  Ableton, Logic, etc. 4 Confident in most DAWs apart from protools as not had a lot of experience working with in within a studio with outboard gear
    Recording Techniques  microphones, gain staging, audio setup 4 very confident with recording techniques and even doing weird and experimental techniques when recording physical instruments
    MIDI Sequencing & Programming 3 Used a lot of virtual instruments and comfortable using MIDI programming but feel like there is more I could learn and get confident with
    Sampling & Synthesis 3 Know the basics of hardware and virtual synths as well as basic sampling but there is a lot more I can dive into to understand but have not yet
    Mixing & Effects Processing 4 Mixed many songs myself for professional release and confident in mixing a song effectively but still have much to learn and get more confident with
    Sound Design & Creative Processing 2 Have not done a lot of sound design both within music and for other media forms
    Critical Listening & Analysis 4reduction Confident I can pick out individual techniques within a lot of music but can always train my ears to be better
    Collaboration & Communication 2 Mostly work on my own during a production session so I am not used to working with others but would really love to improve my skills with this
    Organisation & Workflow 2 Very messy workflow at times but mess works for me the most but then this also disrupts being able to work with others

    Me as a Producer 🙂

    As a producer I am very diverse. I mainly focus on indie/acoustic music as that is the style I create as an artist too. with a focus of recording acoustic instruments or using samples from recordings I have made, I try to focus on using cheap and cheerful equipment or even using equipment I have made myself as I love that sound. I have taught myself to hand make many parts of equipment I use such as my own guitar amp as well as weird noise makers and instruments. I love sloppy recordings that feel so human and have so much character. Though being a bedroom producer I have gained many skills in doing very ‘in the box’ techniques but have ventured out to try to rely less on a computer. I am a very hybrid producer as I use the convenience of a computer and a DAW but run almost all my signal out of a computer to analogue gear I have made then re-recording it back in to my DAW. I take a lot of inspiration from artists such as Mac Demarco and Alex G who both also produce most of their work themselves in their own home studios with cheap and vintage gear. I also have a deep love for the producer Sylvia massy as he has a focus on strange recording techniques and making her own gear to use in a studio setting. She documents many of her techniques on her YouTube channel and that has become very inspiring for me as a young producer