slowcore ยท ยท 2 min read

5 Tips to Make Better Slowcore

5 ways to make your slowcore even sadder sounding, well, maybe not sadder but more "slowcore" for sure ๐Ÿค˜๐Ÿผ

5 Tips to Make Better Slowcore music

I have developed 5 tips to help you make better slowcore music.

#1 - Use 2 Chord Progressions

Don't try to make your progressions too complicated. The best slowcore tracks only use 2 or 3 chords in their chord sequences.

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Let's start with a C-F progression ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป

#2 - Use 7th and 9th chords

Slowcore music is a wonderful mixture of hope, sadness, nostalgia, calm, and anxiety; emotionally complicated.

This is reflected in the common use of extended chords like 7th chords and 9th chords.

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Now our C-F progression becomes -- Cmaj7 - Fmaj7

#3 - Roll off the highs

Slowcore has a lot in common with Lofi music. There is a definite sense of the DIY bedroom producer.

As a nod to these, you can emulate "lower-quality" recording gear and techniques and the easiest way to do this is to roll off the highest frequencies in your mix.

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Use a high cut filter on your master bus and adjust to your taste

#4 - Keep drums sparse & simple

In many slowcore songs, the drums can barely be heard. When they can, though, they are often just a simple kick-snare pattern with a soft ride cymbal.

Slowcore producers rarely deviate from this and also don't tend to use drum fills - so keep your drum beat simple.

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The pattern would look like this: kick-snare-kick-snare (with a ride on each)

#5 - Imperfect is perfect

As you are approaching this genre as a bedroom producer you want to achieve a "rough-around-the-edges" vibe.

The quickest and easiest way to do this is to keep takes even if they are slightly out of time and/or out of tune.

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I tend to only do one take on everything. Unless of course I really mess it up ๐Ÿ˜‚

Go make some slowcore ๐Ÿค˜๐Ÿผ

Right, now you have these tips, go and make a slowcore track and remember, DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT!

In the meantime, here is a playlist of awesome slowcore to keep you inspired ๐Ÿฅฐ

Read next

31 Super Sad Slowcore Songs
slowcore ยท

31 Super Sad Slowcore Songs

Feeling overwhelmed and need music to match your mood? These 31 slowcore songs are the perfect Spotify playlist for sad days and deep emotions. Save this pin for heartfelt music to cry to anytime.

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