Music and dance make an evocative combination, providing the sonic framework for an experience known as “flow.” Although flow may not involve full engagement, it certainly offers more than background noise.
Dance music’s lasting appeal lies in its long, repeating musical processes which gradually change; perhaps this is one reason why its followers remain engaged over such long durations.
Sweeps
Sweeps can add tension to a track, transition between different sections of a song, or simply help create an immersive atmosphere by providing an elegant swooshing sound that blends music with its surroundings. They are often utilized in dance music genres but can easily be implemented into other genres as they provide a seamless swooshing sound that blends effortlessly.
White noise filter sweeps are an easy and cost-effective way to add sweeping effects in dance music, as they’re simple to create using any synth. They can even be customized specifically to your track; just select a high frequency then gradually reduce it over time for maximum impact!
One popular technique for creating sweeps is to employ both reverse crash and standard crash sounds simultaneously, an age-old technique found throughout dance music and its many genres. When combined with other effects such as reverb or delay delays or compression or distortion effects it creates tension and excitement within tracks, adding tension and excitement that stands out.
Filter and EQ cut sweeps are one of the easiest and most efficient ways to add tension to a song. By altering its tone by temporarily cutting away high frequency sounds (creating tension) before returning full frequency range back in for resolution (resolution). While any type of filter can do the job, high-pass or low-pass filters tend to work best with dance music.
Recently, an audience evaluation questionnaire survey asked participants to assess the use of conjugate materials in modern dance stage effects. Results indicated that they were pleased with volume of music, sound field perception, three-dimensional sensation and overall sound quality; moreover they felt more harmonious and distinct due to conjugate materials being easier and cheaper than traditional methods resulting in consistent sound and better stage presentations.
Swooshes
As music creators, we spend hours trying to find that perfect bass sound or kick drum beat. But sometimes we overlook smaller elements that can make an enormous difference, like adding in effects such as the swoosh effect common to dance music to build tension before drops or choruses.
Swooshes can be created by passing signals through filters with increasing cutoff frequencies, producing that familiar rising sound that we all recognize and love. Though simple in design, swooshes can have hugely noticeable impacts when strategically used within tracks.
Swooshes can also add an exciting dimension to a track when we use audio clips or midi events just prior to section transitions and leave them muted, creating an entirely different dynamic feel in your track and making it feel alive and exciting.
Sound effects play a huge part in dance music. Adam Pollard AKA Multiplier from Ask Audio Academy’s Dance Music Sound Design 106: SFX course provides us with a short video from that full course to showcase their importance as part of dance music composition and how best to use various types of noise, filters and effects to produce them.
Riser
Risers are an effective way of building tension in songs or tracks. Used as transitions between sections, breakdown excitement building or helping reach its peak before its drop, risers often consist of sound effects that gradually increase pitch or volume – you might have seen these in EDM music or horror films where they add nail-biting tension & are perfect for creating suspense!
Though riser samples are readily available for sale, creating your own is actually quite easy. The easiest approach involves simply flipping an existing sample or creating one from scratch using your preferred synth (Serum is often recommended as an excellent way to do this). Once created, automate its parameters for an evolving texture or split your sample between two Sample Tracks by assigning each MIDI note range with two Track Triggers so when playing those notes the two tracks trigger simultaneously; you could even combine these techniques for more complex effects!
An alternative way of creating risers is by layering multiple sounds that morph together. This could range from adding white noise and reverse crash effects as simple examples to transposition, filtering and automation experiments which involve adding rising wind samples with dropping crash effects combined with delays between them for ever-evolving soundscapes.
Take this one step further by applying this same technique for Shepard tones. Simply create a loop that changes constantly, adding other sounds one octave lower than your original to create the effect. Finally, using filters you can shape these sounds so they have more or less resonance for added depth and space.
Sound effects can make an incredible difference to the overall quality and vibe of your track, so if you want your dance track to become the next big hit, don’t overlook adding those details that will set it apart from its competition.
Noise
An appropriately placed noise effect can add tension and anticipation to your build-up, building to an event in the track that requires it. A white noise riser is another great way of giving your mix a spacey sound when combined with transform or flanging effects from your mixer’s beat FX section. When active on its own channel rather than your track’s channel, this gives more control over volume fader controls.
Dance music arrangements typically rely on bass sounds to increase sonic size, including any sound with fundamental frequencies between 40Hz and 150Hz – typically bass synth parts or kick drums, although other instruments such as acoustic guitars, tambourines or maracas might also have this characteristic. Compression can help increase these types of sounds’ perceived power by shortening attack and release times and increasing their apparent power through more advanced dynamics processors such as SPL’s Transient Designer or TC Electronic’s Triple*C.
Other effects can also help make sounds appear larger, including stereo modulation effects such as chorus and phasing. These can add depth and space to sounds but overuse can diminish their energy.
There are other techniques you can employ to expand the sound of your tracks, including making sure that the most essential parts occur at different sections of the bar. For instance, having both four-on-the-floor kick drum and offbeat bass parts competing for low frequency headroom may make them sound larger; programming them to occur separately within different parts of the bar may allow them to be mixed higher together.
Other methods include employing time-stretching effects to alter the pitch of a sound, creating an alien-esque grumble effect. Furthermore, delays and reverbs on percussive elements can add depth and distance to your production’s soundscape.