For this cover, I made an all-electronic recording. This means that I did not use any live instruments or sound effects. For the drums, I took samples both online and from Jam Packs and combined them into a single beat. For the synthesizer parts, I used my USB MIDI M-Audio Keystation 49. This is, BY FAR, the most complex recording I have ever done. I used 24 tracks for the keyboard/synth/piano parts alone. Yeah, imagine the lag my computer gets when I try to open the file...
I did release a sneak preview into this project and named it Project 514 (because it was posted in May and it's 2014). That recording only consists of (at most) 5 keyboard tracks. The complicated stuff came when I compared my instrumental with that of the original by Ellie Goulding. I started adding in sounds that fills in the atmosphere of the song. Vibraphone, Grand Piano, Filtered Synth, Bass Synth, Music Box, etc. This process took over a month before I settled for what I have. I can't tell you how many times I've played that song... Ask my brother how tired he is of listening to that song because I was putting it on repeat.
I noticed that Ellie Goulding's original recording uses a mixture of live drums and electronic effects. Even though I do like the punchy rhythm in the original (and the beatboxing too!), I preferred to keep the live drums more dominant than the drum effects.
Overall, it was a fun project to work on. I really love this song. Ellie Goulding's unique voice makes it all the more lovable. I first heard this song in a restaurant one Sunday afternoon. Thank you Nathan Webb for telling me who sang it. Hope you all enjoy my cover!
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