Detritus

Producing music for focus

Qualities to consider when producing music to aid concentration.

Attributes

Palette

  • Drones
  • Synth
  • Early music instruments
  • Noise, fuzz
  • Field recordings
  • Minimal or no vocals
  • Minimal or no drums

Rhythm

  • Tempo around 90 bpm
  • A steady pulse, a sense of energy and movement

Composition

  • Salient events are subdued or absent
  • Dense textures without rhythm
  • Minor complex chords
  • Synth arpeggios
  • No strong melodies

Production

  • Dark EQ spectrum
  • High spatialisation
  • Walls of reverb
  • Low-frequency envelope modulations, producing a beating effect reminiscent of binaural beats
  • High-frequency vinyl hum/fuzz above the mix (acting as a blanket)

Mood

  • Daunting, inspiring awe
  • Mysterious
  • Vague, hypnagogic

References