Kanye West in one of the most influential and infamous musician of the 21st century. In this blog post, we will delve into his workflow, synthesis and sampling techniques, to try and understand his success and impact in the world of music. As a music producer, he is known for his innovative and fresh approach to hip-hop, influenced by electronic music, funk, and soul.
Kanye’s workflow often starts with a beat he makes with a sampler or a drum machine. He will then add vocals, and melodies.
We will take a look at West’s hit song “Stronger” to further understand his music production process.
(Britton, 2017)
The song began with a drum machine creating a beat and sampled “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” by Daft Punk, a famous electronic duo.
Kanye West used various techniques such as chopping and altering the speed of a Daft Punk sample in his song “Stronger.” By breaking the sample into smaller parts and rearranging them, he was able to create a distinctive and original sound. Additionally, changing the speed of the sample affected its pitch and tone, resulting in a futuristic and fitting sound for the song.
In “Stronger,” West employed different synthesis techniques to produce a range of sounds. He utilized subtractive synthesis to create the warm and fuzzy background pads and additive synthesis for the bright and harsh lead synths. Additionally, he incorporated FM synthesis and wavetable synthesis to generate a diverse array of sounds.
To sum up, “Stronger” is a great example of Kanye West’s innovative production style. His use of sampling, synthesis, and his hands-on workflow helped to create a song that was both catchy and groundbreaking.
Britton, L.M. (2017) ‘stronger’ at 10 – how the daft punk-sampling track was the turning point in Kanye West’s career, NME. Available at: https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/kanye-west-stronger-10-anniversary-2119541 (Accessed: 06 December 2023).
West, K. (2007) ‘Stronger’, Graduation [Spotify]. United States, UMG. Available at :https://open.spotify.com/album/4SZko61aMnmgvNhfhgTuD3 (Accessed: 26 November 2023).