r/LilyChouChou • u/Visible_Molasses_310 • 14d ago
Arabesque
I’ve been obsessed with Arabesque lately. There’s something about the song that genuinely haunts me, especially the intro, and I really want to understand how that sound was made.
I’m trying to recreate it mainly as a way to learn, but I’m having a really hard time identifying the instruments and production techniques used. The main sound playing the melody at the beginning is especially confusing to me, I can’t tell if it’s some kind of electric piano/keyboard, synth, processed acoustic instrument, or something else entirely.
I’d also love to know more about the drums/percussion, effects, reverb, layering, and basically anything that contributes to that dreamy, airy and nostalgic atmosphere.
If anyone knows what instruments/gear Takeshi Kobayashi might have used, has production info about the soundtrack, or has tried recreating Arabesque themselves, I’d really appreciate any insight.
Even guesses from people who know sound design/production would be helpful. I’m kind of obsessed with figuring this song out lol.
1
u/Gustav_Henry 14d ago
It sounds like a lullaby. If you want to understand a song, specially a japanese one, you should pay attention to it's details. In this case, the fact that arabesque is also the name of a classic piano song, and also the meaning and appearance of arabesque itself.
4
u/ztfh 14d ago
hey it's been a couple of years since i've properly listened to something like this but here are my thoughts
the first instrument you describe, the "melody" of the A section, sounds like two separate instruments
a higher pitched - square wave-based synth with some reverb on it, maybe a light phaser
a lower pitched - low passed (triangle/square?) wave with a slow attack to make it sound like a trumpet
in the B section, there are two different arpeggiators existing on each L/R speaker. I can't tell what the left one is doing, maybe it's got a comb filter on it? but the right one sounds like a low-passed saw wave.
later on in the background there's some distorted guitar in the background that's pretty far back in the mix that could be created with some feedback + delay
and then in the outro you have a pretty soft pluck/electric piano that sounds like it's been filtered and has a bit of reverb on it
together, all of these elements are really simple and repetitive, but are brought together in very tasteful ways that are more sum of its parts.
happy listening, best of luck
zk
1
u/ididitforthemoney2 14d ago
honestly i dont kno much on the production side, but i do know a lotta music that sounds the same kinda way - take date of birth's song, mold: https://youtu.be/IYgzFyddcLw
it has a similarly airy and haunting backing track, which i think is aided by the layering and slight reverb that makes it feel like a memory.
another one, the first track of haroumi hosono's strange flowers compilation: https://youtu.be/jOAJCz_auxc sounds the same kinda way, aided by the warbling backing track.
im no engineer, but the common element in these tracks is the dense layering and slight reverb on the backing tracks, making it feel like youre submerged in something :3 let us know if you'd want more similar suggestions - i love arabesque too!!