After reading the article on the visual representation of imaging by David Gibson, I was able to draw a map of one of my group’s reference tracks, ‘Macaulay Caulkin’ by JPEGMAFIA.
Listening to this track, I noticed how simplistic the instrumental was, with a single guitar melody complemented by a repetitive drum pattern. I also acknowledged a texture in the background which sounded like a DJ record spinning, acting as a sort of ear candy. Although it occupied the majority of the lower frequencies, the kick served as the track’s primary engine, allowing the bass to rest easy on top. However, due to the main guitar occupying a significant portion of the lower frequencies as well, not much bass was used in the song.
Throughout the track, I paid attention to the utilization of panning. Instead of little elements being panned here and there to create width, JPEGMAFIA takes a different approach and pans every drum sound to the left, and the melody to the right. I found this particularly interesting as it gave a unique depth to the mix. I think the straightforwardness of the instrumental allowed him to accomplish this effectively, since each element has much more clarity opposed to his more upbeat and complex pieces.
Overall, the track has a distinct airiness to it, specifically the choice of melancholic instrumentation and use of effects. In my future production, I can use visual mapping in order to balance tracks and determine what the track requires to ensure that all of its components work well together in panning, frequency, and volume settings with assurance.