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Nathan James Larsen

Nathan James Larsen

251,000 subscribers

โฑ ๐Ÿ‘ 63,048 views

5 Arrangement Tips PROS Use (and Amateurs Usually Don't)

Video Overview & Insights

๐ŸŸข Watch our free Producer Workshop to Learn how to produce Professional Quality ๐Ÿ‘‰ https://www.producerdvlp.com/framework_workshop

I hope you learned a ton from this! Our holiday sale is over - however we are getting ready to open up a 30 Day Producer Challenge where I'll give you a vocal stem to create a song around with an exclusive private community and you'll get a whole mini-course (included) of me showing how I created my version - you can text the word "Challenge" to +1 866-981-9560 and I'll shoot you a text when we open the challenge up!

โ€” @NathanJamesLarsen

๐Ÿ’ฅ Check out my gear through my Sweetwater Shop: https://imp.i114863.net/3PEb0A

My Studio Gear List:

As a guitar player, I find it easier to take something away for the first verse as I find my first version usually has got enough going on.

โ€” @kostisk8914

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I personally purchase my gear from Sweetwater and have for over 12 years -- these are affiliate links, meaning you can support my channel by using Sweetwater. The reason I trust Sweetwater is because they have the BEST customer support I have ever seen, two year warranty, free shipping, and they have they best reputation in the industry. You will never see me recommend buying pro audio gear from Amazon

Nate, I always find depth in the song comes from SURPRISE. When weโ€™re writing, we literally try to take the listener by surprise as they go through the song. Radiohead were amazing at this. Look at OK Computer

โ€” @mattkent2651

Check out Sweetwater: https://imp.i114863.net/MPRz3

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Nathan, what a fantastic video. What I love about thisโ€ฆ is FIX it in the writing and arranging not in the mix. So important. Particularly the whole spreading the instrument parts out over the whole range not making the mistake of playing everything in the same range.

โ€” @mattkent2651

G-Drive SSD External Drive (storing sample libraries): https://imp.i114863.net/MPRz3

Logic Pro X: (use the app store)

Not a professional mixing engineer, but producing/mixing my own band (Drummer here, so I am not responsible for problem no. 5 ๐Ÿ˜…). And I can really tell: number 5 sucks, indeed! ๐Ÿ˜ Will send this Video to my band โ˜๏ธ

โ€” @danyvet1

Antelope Audio ZenGo (not affiliate link - Sweetwater doesn't sell them): https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/zen-go-synergy-core/

Komplete Audio 6 (audio interface): https://imp.i114863.net/jNJbe

I want arrangeren in combinatie Mette effecten

โ€” @vidoemakenoke2424

Presonus Eris E5 (monitors -- you'll need to buy a pair): https://imp.i114863.net/kyJ6z

Komplete Kontrol S88: https://imp.i114863.net/mLode

This video is real gold

โ€” @Alexthai10

Komplete Kontrol M32 (my mini controller): https://imp.i114863.net/Yg193B

Presonus ioStation 24c (FaderPort alternatively): https://imp.i114863.net/mgz5Va

I copy and paste the second verse. However I use it as a scaffolding and then reshape sounds, riffs and rhythm. Iโ€™ve only recently started doing this and it really drives the song further down the road.

โ€” @martainman5000

Presonus Atom SQ (another MIDI controller): https://imp.i114863.net/KeJj3y

Lauten LS-208 Mic: https://imp.i114863.net/MPReJ

I always wondered and thought , even if a song has the the progression all the way through, the voicing should be higher in pitch even if it's the same progression.
I play guitar and it's so easy to be complacent and stay low even when the energy should go up

โ€” @bwashburn1972b7

Avantone Pro CV-12 Mic: https://imp.i114863.net/d25dM

JZ Mic Black Hole: (Producer Accelerator members get 50% off - not sold on Sweetwater) https://usashop.jzmic.com/collections/black-hole-series

The more I study your channel about arrangement the more Iโ€™m having to go back to the drawing board. Although I am covering every range in my music I do the copy and paste for the second verse ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™‚๏ธ

โ€” @Bashanvibe

Shure SM58: https://imp.i114863.net/2oVmz

Audio Technica ATH-M40X (headphones - I have 2 pairs): https://imp.i114863.net/BNRL1

Great advice bro thanks ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ˜Ž๐Ÿซก

โ€” @New_Creation25

Novation LaunchPad X (also compatible with Logic Pro X): https://imp.i114863.net/0gRaM

Furman for Power Strip: https://imp.i114863.net/QOJy3x

14:35 do you mean like in octaves or just spacing notes around the scale?

โ€” @Studzo0

Sample Libraries / Plugins I HIGHLY Recommend:

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you talk too much show examples its like you want us to see your hair

โ€” @d-yzmusiccompany8526

Native Instruments Komplete Ultimate (this is the BEST bundle you can buy - I have the Collector's Edition): https://imp.i114863.net/OkyDz

SkyBox Audio's Hammers + Waves (FAVORITE PIANOS): https://www.skyboxaudio.com/?ref=qSSIvOwBtR0XXt

Can you layering the ambience sound under each other, or is too messy. So go for one ambience sounds layering immersive seperate sounds?

โ€” @justin16051

BABY Audio Plugins (love ALL of them): http://bit.ly/babyplugins

Arcade: https://output.com/products/arcade

Thanks bro, these tips really helped me fixing my mixโ€™s.

โ€” @Shashikanth77

Signal: https://imp.i114863.net/Qa2DA

EastWest (Hollywood Orchestra): https://imp.i114863.net/PemxY

That piano needs serious tuning!

โ€” @muralist_

AutoTune Pro: https://imp.i114863.net/qnA4XN

Spitfire LABS (free): https://labs.spitfireaudio.com/

Great tips sir!!

โ€” @Moods_99

More User Perspectives

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This just insprired me to finish my latest song arrangement. Thank you man.

@arto-lp1co
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bang on

@meronsimeneh
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Many thanks!

@joshuaallenzurbano3476
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Absolutely great. Thank you ๐Ÿค

@petrieberries
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An unreasonable amount of very good free information and advice. Bravo.

@briangurnett
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This video Worth a lot of money! Thank you!

@jorgedejesustejedavaldez5283
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nice

@leopapa-q3y
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Great tips! As for the calls for examples, as long as one can comprehend language and use imagination, no examples are necessary!

@anomalousnova
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Greetings from Canada. This is extremely useful information. Thank you so much for this and all your other videos. I have been checking out your channel for the past week, and I am blown away at all the useful content you have created. I haven't produced anything since before COVID, so these interesting and entertaining videos are helping me gear-up to get back at it. Btw, I loved your Hallelujah production, and hope it shuts a few, choice, Internet pie-holes. Hopefully, that video will also show people the importance of arranging ... it's not just for "Serious Music." Cheers -- Simon

@simonhaworth5948
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As a Jam style producer. My music creation process is part performance. I mean that Is how I choose where the song is going next,. But once the song Is created I have unlimited choice of how to arrange it on the fly and also add live music parts. I have been trying to train myself to arrange the song properly only live. I mean I really don't want my music to sound familiar at all. I want people to think, whoah that's trippy, woah that's groovy Anyway thanks for the information ill have it on my mind.

@theshinyobject2438
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Getting a stems of vocals and pianos and guitars all in the same register = I'm mailing the shit in and running through Ozone and taking that check lmao

@Sunny-tu5ox
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solid video & tips, really like #2 this is a big focus for me rn, #5 is cool too, thanks! ๐Ÿ˜Ž๐ŸŽถโœŒ๏ธโค๏ธ

@lzrbmz
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1:33
That's right, they'll keep listening...
because of the IMPLICATION...

@OrbGoblin
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Thank you โคfor your generosity... Your tips help me alot. I'm doing all the mistakes you talked about... but that's how we learn right ๐Ÿ˜…

@SYNTHEOTONE
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Nathan, are you raising the overall volume on the high point of your song? How much, 1 db? thank you.

@johnwinslow8841
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Ennie meanie by Kingston has same chord loops from the beginning to end, but different Melody

@Lmmixs
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Layering is a rabbit hole that too many bands/ producers etc. go too far down. As an example, a 5 piece band that performs live should not need backing tracks to simulate their 10 different layered guitar parts, 3 layered keyboard/ synth parts (and they don't even have a keyboard player) for the song to sound even close to what it sounds like on streaming platforms. It is one thing to use a couple of backing tracks to thicken up parts, click and cues to stay on time etc., but when a band "relies" on backing tracks, they have went too far. Been there, done that, and "yes" I realize I have just described 90% of all bands playing live gigs today at any level above the bar/pub venues. To caveat, I understand layering may be more important for certain genres and things like film scoring.

@robsguitarlab
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Love that you shouted out Verse Two ๐Ÿฅ‚

@FrankHarding-g6c
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Owl City (adam young) songs are excellent to study progressively increasing density/variance leading to the high point.

@johnwinslow8841
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high point. yes. another tip: one can compose/arrange/plan the densest part of the song first so that you can better judge how dense to make the other parts.

@johnwinslow8841
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I love your channel, Nathan. Your producing / writing techniques are really inspiring : Mixing: OMG.. Yes, mixing things in the same frequency range is horrible to mix.. I create pockets for each instruments, and keep them in their own pockets, and then I can do post-processing on those instruments that doesn't collide with other instruments.. When I listen to great reference mixes, it's how they all do it.. If I can comprehend each instrument, and what they are 'saying' it's more enjoyable.

@arpeggioblues5924
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Hmm.. Producer Accelerator site, broken? just get a 'white' screen.. so you know. btw.. Sweetwater IS the best, I've built my studio thru them.. and the most cost effective way to do.. Play as you Pay.. nothing better.

@arpeggioblues5924
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Great tips ๐Ÿค˜๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ”ฅ

@juangutii
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Fantastic video! You really delivered on this one.

@FossilStudios316
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Professional mix engineer who does hate everything in the same register

@thesociete1
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Awesome, thank you!

@marceaucouve6427
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Niiiiice ๐Ÿ”ฅโœจ

@JohnnyCoverman
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My biggest takeaway was not overusing the best parts. I'm so guilty of that. It's no wonder my favorite artists don't do that very thing when I'm wishing for that theme to come back.

@BrandonBurch
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Dope video. Thanks, man

@aaronbaldwin4900
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this is clearly a marketing page

why should anyone listen to your vague half-takes on music production?

@eabea
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Use variations to avoid having a repetitive melodies. Use A B A formatting. Or use A B A C. A being your main melody. B being a melody that is similar or different, but doesn't sound like it doesn't belong. C being perhaps your last section of the song.

Use layering to add more meat/texture to the song. Use dynamics. This is to give it more emotion.

@uffevonlauterbach
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Thank you so much! The vertical spacing really blew my mind.

@eriksolg
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Fantastic video!

@allkeyspro6606