How to Make Music Like Fred Again: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Make Music Like Fred Again: A Step-by-Step Guide

Fred again.. has quickly become one of the most unique and inspiring producers in electronic music. His tracks blend raw emotion with intricate production, creating a sound that feels both personal and ready for the dancefloor. If you've ever wondered how to get that Fred again.. magic in your own music, you’re in the right place! Let’s break it down step by step.

1. Vocal Sampling: Fred’s Secret Sauce

One of the most recognizable elements in Fred again..’s music is his creative use of vocal samples. He often takes everyday voice notes, snippets of conversations, or even random recordings, and turns them into emotional centerpieces of his tracks.

How to try it yourself:

• Start with Real Conversations: Grab a voice note from your phone or record a simple conversation with a friend. It doesn’t have to be perfect or polished—it’s the rawness that adds character.
• Chop It Up: Use your DAW (Ableton, FL Studio, whatever you prefer) to slice up the vocal into rhythmically interesting pieces. You can pitch them up or down, add some reverb, or play with delays to give them that ethereal vibe.
• Enhance with Plugins: If you want to give the vocal sample a warm, nostalgic touch, try out Vinylize by Soda Music. It’s perfect for adding that lo-fi texture that makes everything sound a little more emotional and real.

2. Crafting Emotional Chords and Melodies

Fred again.. has a way of making you feel something deep through his melodies and chord progressions. They’re often simple, but they carry a ton of emotional weight.

How you can create that emotion:

• Play with Minor Chords: A good place to start is with minor chord progressions. They naturally bring a bittersweet or melancholic feel to your track.
• Layer Your Melodies: Don’t be afraid to stack multiple layers of synths and pads. Start with a simple melody, then add some atmospheric pads or arpeggios to give it more depth. If you’re using our Rave Camp plugin, it’s a great tool for creating these rich, layered sounds.

Fred again.. keeps his beats minimal, but they’re always super tight and perfectly crafted to complement the rest of the track. The trick here is to create a groove that doesn’t overshadow the emotion of the melodies and vocals.

How to build that groove:

• Start Small: Build your drum patterns using just a kick, snare, and some hi-hats. You don’t need a ton of percussion to make the beat hit—sometimes less is more.
• Add Organic Percussion: Fred likes to use found sounds or organic samples like claps or shakers. Try recording some household objects or grabbing a sample pack with these kinds of sounds to give your drums a personal touch.

4. Creating Atmosphere with Ambient Sounds

One of the reasons Fred again..’s tracks feel so full is because of the atmospheric layers he adds. These can be ambient noise, subtle synths, or even field recordings.

How to make your track feel larger than life:

• Layer Field Recordings: Record some background noise—maybe the sound of a busy street, birds chirping, or even light rain—and layer it subtly in your track. It helps create an immersive environment for the listener.
• Use Reverb and Delay: Fred often uses reverb and delay to make his sounds feel like they’re floating in space.

5. Tell a Story with Your Music

Fred again..’s tracks often feel like they’re telling a story, even when there are no lyrics. That’s because he pulls from personal experiences, letting the emotion guide his production choices.

How to tell your own story:

• Use Personal Inspiration: Think about a meaningful moment in your life and use that as the foundation of your track. Whether it's a feeling of loss, joy, or nostalgia, let that guide your choices in chords, melodies, and samples.
• Don’t Overfill Your Mix: Sometimes, the space between sounds is just as important as the sounds themselves. Give your elements room to breathe, and let the emotion of the track shine through the silence.

6. Creative Sound Design and Effects

Fred again.. isn’t afraid to get a little experimental with his sound design. He often uses effects like distortion, filters, and phasers to give his sounds a unique texture.

How you can add texture to your tracks:

• Try Distortion: Adding a bit of distortion to your synths or drums can give your track some grit and character.
• Automate Filters: Adding filter sweeps or subtle phaser effects can make your track feel like it’s constantly evolving. Try automating these effects to bring life to static sounds.
• Sidechain Compression: Fred uses a lot of sidechain compression to get that signature "pumping" effect. This creates room for the kick drum and helps the track feel dynamic and driving.

7. Mixing and Mastering: Keep It Raw, But Professional

Fred again..’s tracks have this wonderful balance of being polished but still feeling raw and organic. You want to capture that same balance in your own music.

How to mix like Fred:

• Don’t Overthink It: Keep your mix simple. You don’t need to EQ every tiny element to perfection—sometimes letting the imperfections shine through is what gives your track character.
• Use Compression and EQ Wisely: Control your dynamics with compression, and use EQ to make sure everything has its own space in the mix.
• Mastering: Once your track is mixed, give it that final push with mastering.

Final Thoughts

Fred again..'s music connects with people because it’s personal, raw, and full of emotion. By using some of the techniques above, you can start to bring that same energy into your own music. Whether you’re layering heartfelt vocals, crafting emotive melodies, or building minimal but tight beats, the key is to stay true to the emotions behind the track.

And remember, at Soda Music, we’ve got all the tools you need to bring your ideas to life—from Vinylize to Base Camp and our free sample packs. Dive into our collection and start creating music that speaks to both the heart and the dancefloor!