Let the Shimmer Shine with OscarUnderdog

OscarUnderdog kicks off with defining ‘Shimmer’ as a curtain of sound that stabilizes your track like the scaffolding of a skyscraper. This magical 16th-note wizardry doesn’t shout for attention but holds your techno or electronic beat together like audio glue. It’s not just for percussion; any sound looped right can shimmer its way into your heart. With software or hardware, it’s all about timing and creativity. Oscar’s got us smitten with the idea before even diving into the tools to make it happen.

Oscar jumps into the digital realm, showing off some Ableton tricks that transform any sound source into a shimmering dream. It starts with laying down a one-bar loop and using Ableton’s MIDI functions to repeat those sexy 16th notes. Layering effects like reverb and modulation gives the sound movement and depth—it’s like watching a magical kaleidoscope of beats. With an FM synthesizer, Oscar dives deeper, slicing big drone sounds into tasty sound bites with nifty VCA-style tricks.

For modulating the melody, he whips out Ableton’s Shaper to automate volume shifts, crafting a living, breathing soundscape. He works that tempo dial-up to breathe techno life into the scene, finding that sweet spot where it all clicks, or shimmies, really. Oscar’s unorthodox methods give an ordinary sound a wild new personality, like a music maker’s version of James Dean.

The pièce de résistance? The Shaper rocks it with dynamic tube saturation, and we all learn to love those quirky clicks. He even ups the groove game with some auto-filter magic, turning shimmer into an intoxicating potion of audio delight. Whether for a fat bassline or that top-end tinkle, Oscar’s got a shimmer mix that dazzles.

Oscar twirls us into the modular world, where things get truly wild. The Coma reactor, a beast of a delayed pedal, plays center stage. With its gritty, Indian market-inspired design, it’s a playground for evolving drones. He teams up with Adi, for a witty breakdown of the reactor, highlighting its gnarly potential.

The task? Harness this beast into a controlled shimmer. Oscar uses a Belgian 3 Tom MS-22 filter and Chacmat’s triple steeple to rhythmic perfection, setting the scene for a symphony of controlled chaos. This adventure shows off the modular’s versatility, transforming it into a city of soundscapes where every skyscraper is a sound wave.

Pioneering unique sounds, they push boundaries, adding layers and unnatural textures. It’s a testament to crafting, like crafting Chicago’s deep-dish pizzas, each layer carefully placed. The modular setup becomes a world of its own, a mixtape of infinite potential waiting to groove.

Wrapping it up, Oscar reveals that ‘shimmer’ was coined right there, making this video a treasure trove of DIY innovation. Whether jamming out on a synth or diving into modular madness, this shimmer technique is a hit in any producer’s playbook. As Oscar bids farewell, he invites viewers to explore his courses and stay creative. He signs off with a nod to community spirit and an open invite to keep experimenting with sound. It’s a final riff that cements OscarUnderdog’s status in the electronic music education scene, leaving us eager to try shimmer out for size on our next mix.