Synth-pop producer Merry Lamb Lamb experiments with autotune to create “hazy”, “feisty” and “chaotic” soundscapesMerry Lamb Lamb is a Hong Kong-born, South London-based musician, songwriter and producer. As a self-proclaimed nomad who chooses to make music in her room away from burdensome bustling, uninspiring studios, she makes 80s-inspired club-ready synth-pop sounds laden with vocals sung in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. Following 2022’s Genesis album, Merry’s latest EP Exodus, out on Diplo’s Mad Decent label, drifts from dreamy trap beats to all-out high-tempo IDM and minimal wave house.

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With a hardware setup including a Roland TR-8S, Elektron Analog Keys, Roland GAIA and a Teenage Engineering OP-Z, Merry, along with her performing partner, Lung, who creates visuals for live shows, uses her creative space to do everything from producing to mixing and mastering. We speak to Merry Lamb Lamb and find out more about her music production process and how she used gear specifically for this EP.
Exodus by Merry Lamb Lamb
Hey, Merry Lamb Lamb. We hear a range of genres such as house, IDM, trance and hyperpop in your music – what sounds are you inspired by?
Growing up, I listened to a lot of J-pop, J-anime, and J-electronica music. People like Namie Amuro, SPEED, and Perfume opened my vision to music. They’re people I’d only see on TV, wearing Barbie-like clothes, constantly dancing and waving at you. They are very utopian-like, almost out-of-this-world.
Merry Lamb Lamb
How do you use your studio?
My studio is versatile, and it’s where Lung and I do everything there to create the magic. We’re so used to DIYing everything we do, from music production and recording to mixing and mastering, from creating visuals to music video production and edits.
For workflow, I usually start with demos based on loops that I jammed with Lung on Ableton Live, field recordings on my iPhone or vulnerable poems I wrote in my diary. I start production based on those fragment ideas and go with it.
I don’t usually do a lot of live recordings; instead, I will use my iPhone to field-record instruments. I find it more interesting that way to add an extra texture or touch to the sound. In Tranquility, there’s an ambulance-like vocoder instrument in the chorus, where I recorded an ambulance on my phone and turned it into a groove.
Merry Lamb Lamb’s VJ partner Lung
Which DAW do you use?
I find Ableton Live fun to use because there’s no structure or a frame for producing – you can create out-of-this-world soundscapes by using Granulator II or Beat Repeat, and start from there. I like how natural and instant it is to produce songs on Ableton Live.
What’s your favourite piece of gear?
I enjoy using my Elektron Analog Keys a lot. When I first used it, I was shocked at how powerful and convenient it was to use as a drum machine and synthesizer simultaneously. I also love to use it as an acid bassline and an ethereal synth lead.
Toys and trinkets in Merry Lamb Lamb’s studio
What synth or effect can be heard the most on your new release?
Many of the synths and bass lines you’ve heard on the EP are from my favourite Elektron Analog Keys. I use only 3-4 synths and bass sounds, such as violin pads, piano melodic pads and 808 basslines, to produce the whole EP. I love to limit my equipment and try not to lean on DAWs so I force myself to be more creative.
Throughout the EP, I incorporated many amp effects into my synth leads, vocals and field recordings. Effects like Screamer and CLA Effects are my favourite ones to use. In the song Tranquility, I used a lot of vocal stacking with guitar amp effects in the second chorus to create a more dynamic and intense feeling to the music.
How do you use autotune as an effect on your voice?
I’ve used a lot of auto-tune throughout this EP but I never used that much autotune before on my first album Genesis. Reflecting on what I’ve produced, I’ve found that using autotune might be a unique way and an open gate to accentuate my airy voice.
I like how autotune creates a mysterious aura. It can be used as a fun instrument to play around with. In slower and more moody songs like Romantic and Night, I used autotune with more delay to create a hazy effect. In Tranquility, I incorporate an angry and feisty element into it. I added autotune to my panned left and right vocal stackings to produce a more chaotic and stressful feeling to dynamise the song. On experimental parts that come in on Empathy, I chopped off many of my unwanted autotune vocals, reversed them using a granulator and stacked them up to create a soundscape.
Merry Lamb Lamb
How did you use layers of your voice to create soundscapes in Empathy?
I used chopped samples from old demos and transformed them into an almost alien-like language as an ad-lib. I intentionally picked out old demos I felt ashamed to show people and reversed them.
I also recorded ghost-like ad-libs and stacked them up into five to ten audio tracks, layering them and panning them severely with Auto Pan towards the back of the song. I like to use Auto Pan a lot; it feels like a delay to me but with a more potent punch and bounce-back feeling to it, which I love.
Trinkets and artwork in Merry Lamb Lamb’s studio
What is next on your shopping list studio-wise?
I’m constantly on the gear hunt on sites like Thomann and want to buy everything from there. But if there’s one thing I want to buy, it’s a Moog Grandmother. I’ve been using my Korg Monologue a lot for basslines, but it’s time to upgrade to a more bass-centric synthesizer.
What is your top piece of production advice?
Don’t overdo things on production; try to finish a song within a month, trust your instinct and where it’s taking you, be confident about what you’re producing, and let go of your ego.
And it’s okay to fail a bit sometimes because you will eventually learn from your mistakes. Remember and reflect on that, and grow.
Check out all of Merry Lamb Lamb’s releases via Bandcamp and follow her on Instagram.
The post Synth-pop producer Merry Lamb Lamb experiments with autotune to create “hazy”, “feisty” and “chaotic” soundscapes appeared first on MusicTech.

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RELEASE DETAILS
Release title:
Mexican Santa
Main artist name:
KingPollo,Gavino Rico
Release date:
1st Dec, 2023
https://publme.lnk.to/MexicanSanta
#newmusic #Release #Music #indepedent #artist #Latin #RnB

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Moog Music Mariana Mariana is a dual-layer synthesizer, allowing you to mix together two completely different synthesizer sounds that can dynamically complement each other or be played duophonically. Each... Read More

Moog Debuts New Bass Synthesizer for iOS, macOS & WindowsBorn from the depths of Moog Music's legacy in bass synthesis, Mariana breathes new life into electronic sound design techniques for the modern player or producer.  

A powerful creative companion, Mariana is designed for intuitive audio layering and processing, merging the soul of Moog bass with user-friendly technology for all digital creators. Optimized for vibrant bass sounds, Mariana invites users to dial in tones that span genres, easily form modulation pathways to create complex timbres, and sculpt distinct sounds that sit perfectly in any mix with built-in effects and compression. 

Mariana: The Next Evolution of Moog Bass 

Mariana is a dual-layer synthesizer, allowing you to mix together two completely different synthesizer sounds that can dynamically complement each other or be played duophonically. Each layer is built around two oscillators with precise and inventive controls to make your bass tone punch through a mix and stand out from the rest, with a sub-oscillator adding even more low-end weight. Two resonant Moog filters and a third filter specifically for the sub-oscillator let you shape your sound, adding warmth while rolling off high frequencies or pushing up the resonance for added bite. With stereo oscillators and crossover filter functionality, Mariana is optimized for quickly fine-tuning stereo content while simultaneously preserving a powerful mono bass foundation. 

Warm tube, tape, and overdrive saturation and a tight compressor add heaviness and glue to your bass lines while an illuminating real-time metering section lets you monitor your sounds and dial them in to a professional standard. Flexible built-in delay and chorus effects operate on separate layers and can expand the stereo image of your sounds while preserving a solid mono signal with high-pass filters. Whether designing your own bass tones from scratch or using one of the 200 included presets as a starting point, Mariana is an accessible and versatile tool for any modern production environment. And although Mariana is optimized for bass, it is fully capable of producing strong leads, punchy percussion, and multidimensional effects, making it possible to craft an entire song using this single instrument. 

Mariana’s intuitive user interface is designed for quick and efficient workflow while being fully equipped with three LFOs, three envelopes, and two random generators per layer. Combined with a creative and extremely deep modulation editor, Mariana excels at in-depth sound design and sounds that dynamically evolve over time. Nearly every parameter of Mariana can be modulated internally via MIDI, MPE, and virtual CV to build an interconnected ecosystem right in your DAW. With an optimized resizable user interface, expressive on-screen keyboard for iPad and standalone desktop versions, and seamless integration into any DAW (digital audio workstation), Mariana is the most accessible way to add the unmistakable Moog bass sound to your productions. 

Get started with Mariana here.

Exploring Mariana’s Key Sound Design Features 

Mariana includes all the tools necessary for creating deep, pulsating, professional bass sounds and more. Tone layering, parallel filtering, cross-over control, doubling and detune, compression, dynamic saturation, and surgical stereo placement are all built into Mariana for streamlined, recallable access to your favorite bass chain—without needing to load up additional processors. 

Modern Moog Bass: Mariana pulls from the lineage of classic Moog bass instruments (Minimoog Model D, Minitaur) to deliver a new bass synthesizer with cutting-edge features for sculpting powerful bass lines. 

Dual Layers: Two separate synthesizer layers allow for complementary sound stacks or independent duophonic playing that can be mixed together. 

Deep Modulation: A vast array of modulation sources, destinations, controllers, and functions with a deep mod matrix editor allow for complex modulation of nearly every parameter of Mariana. 

Intuitive Interface: A beautiful, resizable, and user-friendly interface gives you effortless control over your bass sounds. 

Metering and Compression: Built-in effects, compression, and metering let you add punch to your bass sounds and dial them in to a professional standard. 

Interconnectivity: Mariana can interact with the Moogerfooger Effects Plug-ins via virtual CV, creating a modular Moog ecosystem right in your DAW. 

Flexibility: Mariana can be used as a plug-in within your DAW, as a standalone app you can control via MIDI without the need for a DAW, and as an iPad app with an expressive on-screen keyboard controller. 

Preset Library: A vast library of presets covering a wide range of musical styles and genres provides a starting point for users to dive right into musical creation—or transform stock presets into something completely unique. 

For more about Mariana, visit Moog’s software website at software.moogmusic.com.  

Moog’s History of Bass Synthesis in Electronic Music 

Synthesized bass has transformed the way we hear and enjoy music for the better part of the last century. 

Spanning genres and styles, Moog has been synonymous with electronic bass since the 1960s. Bernie Worrell’s Model D revolutionized funk music and paved the way for West Coast hip-hop. Giorgio Moroder’s use of Moog bass to craft “I Feel Love” by Donna Summer brought with it a defining moment in disco. Rush’s Geddy Lee established the archetypal sound of prog rock with the help of Model D and Taurus. Synthesized bass has been a fixture of Trent Reznor’s sound (solo and with Nine Inch Nails), thanks in large part to his personal connection with the Minimoog Voyager.  

Bass has been the foundation for the sound and power of Moog instruments for decades. In a new video narrated by actor, writer, producer, and comedian H. Jon Benjamin, Moog invites you to journey through moments of the past and into the future of bass with a soundtrack built using all sounds from Mariana.  

Experience the Sounds of Mariana 

Whether using Mariana on iOS, macOS, or Windows, any player of any experience level can get started with the instrument by exploring its 200 included presets.  

Spanning genres and styles suitable for any creator, these sounds were professionally designed by Moog’s in-house Product team and electronic artists like Kyle Hall, Erin Barra, Bad Snacks, and Lisa Bella Donna. 

Listen to a selection of these sounds here. 

Free Guided Tutorial Videos 

Moog has teamed up with Thavius Beck, an experienced digital educational content creator, to demonstrate the depth and dynamic features of Mariana for users new to sound design in the software space. In this hour-long deep dive, Thavius breaks down specific aspects of the synth while making a full song exclusively using Mariana. This tutorial will provide Mariana users with a clear overview of the instrument, what makes it unique, how to approach sound design, and tips to build a complete track with this new synthesizer. Watch the video on Moog’s YouTube. 

Plus, Moog debuts three new guided walkthroughs to its informative Demo Library series on YouTube. Each demonstration highlights a unique way to use Mariana as either a standalone instrument or within a multi-effects environment inside commonly used DAWs like Ableton. Visit the Moog Demo Library to watch.  

Developing a Modern Moog Bass Synthesizer 

Moog Music has long been a pioneer in electronic bass, from the iconic Minimoog Model D to the Taurus Bass Pedals, Sub Phatty, and Minitaur. Mariana continues this tradition in the form of a groundbreaking software synthesizer for iOS, MacOS, and Windows.  

Following the success of last year’s Moogerfooger Effects Plug-ins release, the Product team at Moog in Asheville, NC, has been hard at work on the next great-sounding Moog software synthesizer. Moog’s small group of software engineers brought this vision to life working closely alongside in-house industrial design, branding, and product experts to ensure Mariana looks, sounds, and behaves with the quality and character of every bass-forward Moog instrument before it. 

Optimized for vibrant bass sound, Mariana is a powerful tool for artists and musicians across all genres and workflows. Explore this instrument here. 

Limited-Time Introductory Pricing: Mariana Is Now 50% Off 

Mariana is now available to download and explore on Moog’s website, through the App Store, and with trusted Moog partners worldwide. For a limited time, Mariana is only $14.99 USD (regularly $29.99) for iOS mobile devices and $49 USD (regularly $99) for macOS/Windows use.  

To get started, visit software.moogmusic.com! 

More about Moog Music Moog Music is the world’s leading producer of theremins and analog synthesizers. The company and its customers carry on the legacy of its founder, electronic musical instrument pioneer Dr. Bob Moog. Learn more here. 

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