Making a Flying Lotus type beat in Ableton (Beginners & Pros)

Step outside of conventional structures. Find unpredictable textures. That's a first step to being creative.

"Eclectic sounds" – is often mentioned but rarely defined – it represents the intentional fusion of diverse musical elements.

Being eclectic is understanding what to blend and how. It can be musical styles, instruments, and rhythms across genres, cultures, and eras. This uncategorizable music that sounds fresh and original.

This blog will show you how to make a track inspired by Flying Lotus – known for his blend of unpredictable textures his music is an example of how the non-conventional and creativity are the perfect match – when done right. Here are the techniques used to recreate that layered, organic sound in your music.

Step 1: Build Your Drums

To get the rhythmic complexity of Flying Lotus:

1. Gather Unique Drum Samples: Head to Sample Focus to download gritty, percussive samples and dry claps. Flying Lotus often uses layered, offbeat claps and unconventional percussion.
2. Layer Multiple Claps: Place claps at slightly different points in the beat for a natural feel:
   • Early Hit: Place one clap slightly ahead of the beat.
   • Off-beat and Syncopated Claps: Layer additional claps on the off-beats to create a changing feel.
3. Add Shaker Loops: For subtle background texture, loop a short section of a shaker sample and keep it low in the mix.

Step 2: Minimalist Chords and Melodic Layers

FlyLo uses minimalistic chord progressions as an anchor – this allows him to experiment with textures and layers.

1. Simple Chord Progression: Stick to a single chord and layer it with various textures. This might seem basic, but it helps for experimental sounds.
2. Chord Sound Selection: Try a piano or synthetic sound with analog warmth:
   • Use sounds like Childhood Home Piano or atmospheric synth presets to keep the chords mellow and textured.
   • Add EQ and delay to give the chord sound more body and depth without overpowering other elements.

Step 3: Textures and Foley Layering

Flying Lotus’s sound is all about adding random, organic textures:

1. Layer Foley and Ambiance: To create an organic atmosphere, pull in random, ambient sounds—like nature or urban textures—and layer them behind the drum kit.
2. Arrange Foley in Sporadic Patterns: Rather than looping, place sounds at unexpected moments.

Step 4: Add Bass and Unique Synth Layers

1. Subtle, Textured Bassline: Use a basic bassline that doesn’t dominate but provides depth. For a FlyLo sound:
   • Use sidechain compression triggered by the kick drum to keep the bass tight.
2. Unique Synth Layering:
   • Choose a synth preset with attack and delay, like the Attack Keys from Ableton’s library. Use soft EQ settings to control the bass frequency overlap with the bassline.
   • If using a Balinese-style sample or any exotic sound, enable looping to keep the note sustained. Add stereo delay with ping-pong settings for a more spacious feel.

Step 5: Arrange and Apply Sidechain Compression

1. Dynamic Arrangement: Play with the entry and exit of layers, especially in breakdown sections where only a few elements play.
2. Sidechain with Kick: Flying Lotus frequently uses sidechain compression for movement. Set the sidechain to allow the kick to punch through the bass and synths.

Final Words

FlyLo’s music = unpredictability. Don’t be afraid to adjust timing, pitch, or volume subtly for each element. Explore swinging hi-hats, offbeat claps, and varied ambient layers.