I wanted to get away from chip tune style songs this week, but still wanted to focus on the lessons I've learned this year about creating different sections of the song with varying energy levels. So I started off with my other standard M8 technique of using the hypersynth for the chords. I just picked a progression I hadn't used before (i VII iv v), put it in and already it sounded good. Really seemed like a nice FM bell would go well with that, so I found an instrument from trash80's pack that sounded perfect. Added some synth drums in and really tried to change the energy levels, including starting to ramp up the drums before the start of the next section.

I also tried a couple new things here that I've been wanting to. I started the intro and first verse in A minor then switched the chorus to be in C major. I even telegraphed that by switching my chord progression to include a C major chord in it that it didn't in previous loops. I'm not sure if any of that comes through well in the final song since my "extra energy" in the chords makes them harder to hear. I added an extra measure to end the chorus. I was worried it would throw off the song, but I really like the way that turned out.

Ultimately, I think this songs sounds "okay". I feel like I left the listener hanging at some points, where I could go back and expand on a section to give it more emotion, but I ran out of time. I also feel like I feel into some old habits in my opening and first verse of just repeating everything, but changing one element in each phrase.

Finally, I'm a little worried that normalizing this song to -14 LUFS messed with the balance between instruments. It looks like I made the song entirely too quiet to begin with though, so I think the volume boost is necessary.

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