An In-Depth Look Into My Workflow on the Dirtywave M8

vvv | Check the timestamps below | vvv A long, in-depth look at my workflow for creating a song from scratch on the Dirtywave M8 tracker. This intermediate walkthrough/tutorial is meant for M8 users who are already familiar with most of the basics. I cover a lot of ground and provide commentary about my thought process as I'm composing a song. So come with me on this journey as we meander through chords, beats, melodies, basses, and samples! This track can be downloaded here (if you pay for the song I can send you the M8 bundle upon request): https://littlelosses.bandcamp.com/track/zealous-abyss **skip to 2:49:58 for FINAL PROJECT** Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:22 - percussion 3:00 - randomize notes/fill 4:00 - note fill & variation 5:35 - tempo change 6:00 - random pan/volume LFO 9:00 - CHA command 13:20 - empty phrases 13:40 - chords/hypersynth 16:18 - copy/paste chords 18:00 - hypersynth shift 20:00 - hypersynth reverb 20:43 - fade in w/ VOL and REP 22:10 - DJ filter 25:20 - establishing a beat w/ kick and clap 29:34 - trigger envelope/ducking 32:50 - melody/arpeggiation 38:52 - variation using decay & CHA 42:43 - tables/panning/RNL 46:50 - doubletime with GRV 48:20 - new instrument for fast arpeggios 54:00 - creating space 55:00 - KIL the RET 56:10 - bass 58:00 - context 1:00:00 - hi hats 1:02:50 - where to go? 1:04:10 - STA with vocal samples 1:06:30 - chord change 1:08:27 - interpolation 1:12:30 - RNL notes for hats 1:16:50 - chord change 1:19:00 - building another chord 1:20:00 - decay/retrig 1:24:30 - VOL/REP 1:25:20 - aux table cutoff/TBX 1:27:50 - what if bass? 1:32:10 - PBN bass 1:33:00 - PSL bass 1:34:10 - pitch bend with tables 1:34:55 - context 1:35:35 - FD chains 1:36:35 - saving/random name generator 1:37:30 - OP1 sampling/ZEALOUSABYSS 1:39:30 - M8 sampler 1:40:40 - degrade/LFO 1:41:40 - slices 1:43:43 - context 1:44:40 - reverse sample/PLY 1:46:35 - reverse cymbal 1:47:47 - bookmarks 1:50:00 - snare 1:50:45 - RNL for snare 1:52:00 - rimshot 1:52:20 - where to go from here/chord change 1:54:50 - trigger offset 1:56:35 - decay + REP 1:59:30 - new baseline 2:00:42 - radio sampling/chops with the OP-1 2:02:07 - M8 sampler 2:06:45 - fleshing out ideas with the OP-1 2:08:14 - sound design practice & melody 2:12:40 - fast arpeggio & new instrument 2:14:10 - transition/aux tables 2:18:10 - where to go from here/song resolve 2:19:50 - quick rendering to sample/DJ filter/SRV 2:26:50 - making changes to parts of the song 2:28:15 - expressive lead/PSL 2:32:52 - LFO panning 2:34:08 - quick rendering + LFO cutoff 2:37:30 - clear unused phrases/inst 2:38:40 - more RET on hi hats 2:40:15 - chord change 2:40:30 - changing hi hats 2:43:20 - chord change 2:45:00 - changing cutoffs 2:46:23 - closing summary of changes 2:49:58 - FINAL PROJECT