Pop and Electronic Music Production

In this chapter Alizzz discusses his training and initial encounter with electronic music. He highlights the pivotal moment when he met C. Tangana, which transformed his creative direction and solidified his reputation as a producer. He also delves into the development of his solo project and emphasizes the significance of training in order to discover and cultivate his unique sound.

In this chapter, Alizzz shares his journey into the music world, initially balancing a day job as a developer with his full-time commitment to music. He reveals his artistic routine and the sources of inspiration that fuel his creativity. Alizzz also offers valuable insights into effectively translating his ideas into the studio and provides helpful tips for working efficiently in that environment.

In this chapter Alizzz explores the challenges encountered in the studio and offers crucial tips for unlocking creativity. He emphasizes the importance of creating an ideal environment for artistic creation, finding enjoyment within the studio, and working efficiently to preserve moments of inspiration. Alizzz encourages exploration beyond familiar libraries and presets, suggesting the avoidance of repetitive patterns. Lastly, he advocates for relieving oneself of the pressure to constantly strive for perfection.

In this chapter of Alizzz’s masterclass, he explores the plugins that have shaped his unique producer identity. He discusses using different plugins to achieve avant-garde sounds, enhance bass elements, capture realistic recordings, explore a wide range of keyboard instruments, and generate processed sounds. Additionally, Alizzz delves into the significance of presets, highlighting how they have contributed to creating his most distinctive sound in C. Tangana’s track “Demasiadas Mujeres.”

In this chapter the importance of finding the harmonic foundation when approaching a song is discussed. He explains how choosing the instrument to start a track can influence the genre and overall direction. Alizzz shares his method of working from the melody of the chorus, focusing on pitch and finding the sweet spot that captures the desired emotion. He also emphasizes the significance of working within a comfortable scale and using Ableton’s pitch-shifting capabilities to explore different tonalities by pitching up or down.

In this chapter, Alizzz showcases the project of his song ‘Amanecer’ in collaboration with Rigoberta Bandini to dissect the chords and harmonic foundation of the song. Alizzz delves into the song’s harmonic structure, analyzing its progression through verses, choruses, bridges, and solos.

Here Alizzz focuses on the process of creating the drum arrangement for the opening of the track ‘Amanecer’. He analyzes each track individually, sharing how he builds a solid foundation quickly to establish a simple yet effective idea. Alizzz demonstrates how he blends organic and electronic elements in the drum production, utilizing samples to achieve an organic sound with an electronic twist. He also explains how he combines recorded drums with additional samples to enhance the overall sound adding body, space, and color.

In this chapter Alizzz focuses on the composition and bass processing for the track ‘Amanecer’. He applies various effects to the played bass to enhance its punchiness. He meticulously edits the bass, making multiple cuts to optimize the recording. Additionally, he incorporates bass loops to achieve a more realistic sound. Furthermore, he applies autotune to the drums, adding a unique tonal character to the mix.

In this chapter Alizzz dives into his techniques for recording vocals, both in terms of hardware and plugins. He discusses the microphone he consistently uses for his and C. Tangana’s songs, along with preamps and his vocal processing chain. His focus is on achieving a polished and professional vocal sound from the recording stage itself.

In this chapter he delves into the creation of the track ‘El Encuentro’ with Amaia. He starts by sharing the original idea behind the chord progression and demonstrates how the chords evolve throughout different sections of the song. Alizzz highlights the changes made from the initial version of the track and illustrates how it evolved to its final result. The chapter provides insights into the compositional process and the transformation of the song from its inception to its completed form.

In this chapter you will gain insights on achieving a well-balanced mix. Alizzz emphasizes the importance of cleaning up frequencies in the pre-mix stage, striking a balance between efficiency and maintaining musicality. He also explores techniques to enhance presence and emphasize specific elements within the mix. Additionally, he shares his approach to treating guitars offering valuable insights into guitar processing and tone shaping.

Here Alizzz emphasizes the significance of volume control in both the mix and pre-mix stages, prioritizing it over compression and EQ. He underscores the importance of selecting appropriate sounds that complement each other, making the mixing process smoother. Alizzz also stresses the value of maintaining order and organization in the project, using colors and descriptive names to save time and enhance the efficiency of the mixing process.

In this final chapter, Alizzz offers advice for new producers. He emphasizes the value of consistency throughout his long career and highlights the importance of continuous musical education. He encourages aspiring producers to not only focus on production techniques but also to dedicate time to learning how to create melodies. This chapter serves as a reminder for newcomers to remain committed, to always learn, and strive for musical growth.