We’re back with another deconstruction, this time with our lecturer, Miguel Ferrador, to break down ROSALÍA and Travis Scott’s anthemic track, ‘TKN’. If you’re new here and not familiar with what a deconstruction entails, it’s where we take a well-known track, break it down to its core elements and recreate it before your very eyes.
‘TKN’ was released back in May 2020 via EPIC/Columbia Records and topped the charts in both Spain and Columbia, whilst securing top 10 placement in Panama, Costa Rica, Portugal, Switzerland, Belgium, Argentina and others. The track was produced by Rosalía, El Guincho, Sky Rompiendo, Tainy and Teo Halm and features a catchy reggaeton-style beat, laced with infectious plucks and a weighty 808s that lay the foundation for the two artists’ signature vocals. Below, see exactly how the beat was made (using only Logic’s stock sounds) and get to work on creating your own number one track, using the techniques from the video.
Plus, if you’d like to get your hands on the project file for this deconstruction, you can download it absolutely free here – you’ll just need to sign in using your email address.
To kick off the deconstruction, Miguel loads up a flute sound, which is similar to the one at the beginning of the track, adds some effects to taste and plays in the melody. Over the section where the flute melody is reversed, he plays in the recognisable guitar pluck to bring the introduction of the track together, adding chorus and reverb to tailor the sound. Using Logic’s Drum Machine Designer, Miguel is easily able to map out his kick, snare, rim and crash to punch them into his DAW, along with his African percussion sounds. Lastly, he records in the track’s bassline, before making some final structural alterations to keep the beat flowing.
If you’re interested in learning more about making music in-depth, attending exclusive events with industry professionals and more, be sure to check out our courses in London, Los Angeles and Online. Plus, we’re currently offering 25% off our online diplomas, as well as 10% off our Los Angeles courses until 30th September using the codes DIP25 and LA10 – so there’s no better time to sign up than now.
These deconstructions are a tool we use frequently to teach elements of composition and arrangement but to get the full picture we recommend you study with us. The most comprehensive study we offer is our flagship degree programme, the BA (Hons) in Music Production and Sound Engineering (also available online).
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