I’m Not So Sure It’s Not a Broken Heart
More than anything else, I like making catchy bubblegum pop songs. “I’m Not So Sure It’s Not a Broken Heart” is one of those (high-quality versions are available here). Autoharp, marimba, and a whole lot of new wave synth.
I wanted that choppy rhythmic sound for the autoharp (the second sound you hear, right after the synth bass starts) but I didn’t know how to do it, so I asked on MetaFilter and it turns out that it’s done with a compressor and a ”sidechain.” So, there’s something new.
Technical details: There are two autoharp tracks — one with flange or chorus or something and the other one overdriven and run through a sidechain noise gate (see above!). There’s also marimba, Alesis Micron, a tiny bit of piano, and four vocal tracks. The drums are the Boss Dr. Rhythm (except for a couple of actual cymbals); the handclaps are the Boss HC-2 clap pedal.
Finally, I can’t really tell if my own songs are actually catchy, so let me know if you find yourself humming this one tomorrow or the next day.