Bonobo Unleashes Ableton Live Session for ‘Expander’: A Deep Dive into Beat Creation
The British electronic music artist, Simon Green, better known as Bonobo, is renowned for his mesmerizing records and live performances. He started with a trip-hop vibe and has since evolved his sound through jazz and global influences. Bonobo’s innovative approach merges digital synthesizers with natural instrumentation, showcased at legendary events like Boiler Room, Tiny Desk, the Royal Albert Hall, and DGTL Amsterdam. In a revealing interview with the Tape Notes Podcast, Simon shares insights into the crafting of his acclaimed track, ‘Expander’.
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The essence of this track revolved around a distinctly swingy concept. A strong percussive foundation acted as the driving force. Bonobo treated all synths—from basslines to stabs—as percussive elements. His repertoire of sounds includes basic samples as well as foley recordings and layered instruments. “I’ll often capture the sound of coffee cups or my car’s central console, save those samples, and incorporate them,” he noted. The primary percussion consists of a 4/4 kick pattern combined with additional kick grooves and various accents, creating a unique swing effect. Modular components, including sequences and acoustic hits, serve as hi-hats and rhythmic percussive elements.
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Additionally, Simon mentioned his use of the Intellijel Plonk percussion synthesizer. Beyond creatively incorporating foley and everyday sounds, he emphasizes the importance of manually adding swing to his projects. “I avoid looping in 4s. For example, I sequence my hi-hats with 5 notes or a bar and a half, while snares repeat in 3s. This method ensures that every hit varies slightly, so you get a unique 16-bar sequence before anything sounds the same,” he explained.
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The dissection of ‘Expander’ serves as invaluable insight for music producers. Alongside his deconstruction of this track, Bonobo also explores his work from the album “Black Sands”, which listeners can experience in detail on the podcast via Spotify.
Check out the video below:
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Tags: Bonobo, VST Plugins, Music Production, Podcasts, Ableton Live, Electronic Music
