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🎛️ The Art of Minimalism

🎛️ The Art of Minimalism

Plus AI synths & Scaler 3 review

The Hidden Frequency
April 16, 2025

Welcome to the Hidden Frequency — your go-to source for the latest news on synths, industry trends, production techniques, and new music. Whether you’re a seasoned producer or just starting out, we provide the best tools to help you level up your music. If you were forwarded this email, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a thing!

What’s included this week

🔦 SPOTLIGHT: Scaler 3
🎛️ WHAT'S MOVING THE NEEDLE: AI Synths & Plugins
🎚️ SHAPING THE SOUND: The Art of Minimalism
🎵 NEW MUSIC: 5 standout tracks from Melchi, Yutaka Fontaine, & more…
🔥 WHAT'S BUZZING THIS WEEK: Coachella, PvD, and more
🧰 THE ESSENTIALS: Must-have tools

NEW MUSIC

Every week, we bring you gems from indie labels and unsigned artists that deserve to be heard.

🔊 Melchi - Morning Light [Sunset Horizon]

🔊 DJ Matt (SK) - The Vibe [LFTD]

🔊 Ciaran McAuley with Amos & Riot Night - Finding You [Black Hole Recordings]

🔊 Samford_AU - Make Me Crazy [Essa | EXR]

🔊 Yutaka Fontaine - moment [Oxobis Records]

Got a track that you want shared with the community?

Email us at [email protected] with the title “SUBMISSION” and include a link to your track!

SPOTLIGHT

Scaler 3

Price: $59

Scaler 3 by Plugin Boutique continues to redefine how producers approach harmony, melody, and chord progression. Built for both theory nerds and beatmakers who "just play by ear," it blends traditional theory with AI-driven creativity. New features include melody and bass line generation, performance articulation, voice grouping, and an enhanced phrasing engine that helps you create more human, expressive musical ideas.

The Breakdown

🔹 Ease of Use: 8.5/10 – Intuitive interface, but a bit of a learning curve if you're unfamiliar with theory or Scaler’s deeper features.

🔹 Creative Features: 10/10 – AI-generated melodies and basslines, phrase performances, modulation tools, and genre-based chord sets make this one of the most inspiring plugins for composition.

🔹 Workflow Boost: 9.5/10 – Helps you break through creative blocks fast, offering instant inspiration for chords, melodies, and song structure.

🔹 Value for Money: 9.5/10 – At $59, it’s is one of the best-value tools in music production, especially for producers who want to write faster and smarter.

Pros

✅ Huge chord library sorted by genre, emotion, and scale — perfect for discovering new musical territory
✅ Performance modes that generate human-like expressions in melody and bass
✅ Intelligent chord suggestion engine that helps with smooth transitions and modulation
✅ MIDI capture and drag-and-drop into your DAW is seamless

Cons

❌ Interface still looks a bit dated compared to newer plugins
❌ No built-in sounds — you’ll need to route Scaler 3 to a synth or sampler

Final Verdict: 9.3/10 Excellent

Scaler 3 feels less like software and more like having a musical collaborator at your side. It takes the headache out of music theory by packaging it in an intuitive interface, while opening doors to fresh creative possibilities. If you're a producer looking to take your chord progressions and melodies to the next level, Scaler 3 is practically indispensable. What's great is that the AI doesn't hijack your creative process—it actually amplifies what you're capable of creating.

WHAT’S MOVING THE NEEDLE

AI is Reshaping Music Production

Artificial intelligence is quietly revolutionizing music creation, not just transforming how we write emails or generate images. From intelligent sound design to real-time mix analysis, AI is injecting new levels of speed, intuition, and creativity into music production.

🤖What AI Brings to Music Producers

These tools aren't replacing producers—they're empowering them to work more efficiently and creatively:

Smarter Sound Generation: Tools like Google's DDSP or Emergent Drums by Audialab use machine learning to generate completely new sounds based on datasets of real audio. You're not tweaking a synth—you're teaching it.
Instant Inspiration – Orb Producer Suite and Hooktheory's AI chord generator can help you break through creative blocks by suggesting chords, melodies, and rhythms that actually sound musical—not random.
Personalized Sound Design – Plugins are starting to adapt to your style. AI tools learn from your preferences and generate presets tailored to how you produce, cutting down on endless preset surfing.

⚡AI Tools Already in Action

This isn't future tech—it's already here:

iZotope Neutron & Ozone – These plugins use machine learning to suggest mix settings, balance frequencies, and even master tracks based on genre and reference material.
Sonible smart: EQ4 – These analyze your audio in real time and apply EQ or limiting based on intelligent, genre-specific curves.
RipX by Hit'n'Mix – This tool uses AI to break down full songs into stems, letting you isolate vocals, drums, bass, and more with surprising accuracy.

⁉️Why Use AI?

AI tools are most valuable when enhancing—not replacing—your creativity:

Time-saving: They handle technical tasks, freeing you to focus on creative decisions.
Fresh ideas: They introduce sounds and patterns you might not have discovered otherwise.
Lower learning curve: Beginners can achieve professional-sounding results without deep technical knowledge.

↘️The Potential Drawbacks

Like any tool, AI has trade-offs:

Over-dependence: Relying too heavily on AI might lead to generic sounds, especially if you skip learning fundamentals.
Homogenized output: If everyone uses the same AI tools the same way, music might start sounding similar unless producers add their unique touch.
Shortcutting growth: New producers might miss the valuable learning experience that comes from doing things manually.

📈The Bottom Line

AI isn't replacing your creativity—it's amplifying it. Think of these tools as tireless co-producers: great for handling routine tasks, but your vision still shapes the final product. The most successful producers will be those who blend intuition with these innovative tools.

Remember, the technology is only as good as how you use it.

SHAPING THE SOUND

The Art of Minimalism: Creating More with Less

In today's world of endless plugins, bloated projects, and tracks with hundreds of layers, there's something powerful about simplicity. Minimalism in music production isn't about cutting corners—it's about making deliberate choices that enhance clarity, groove, and emotion. Many iconic electronic tracks rely on just a few well-crafted sounds, yet they hit harder than overcomplicated productions.

Here's how to embrace minimal production and make every element count:

🎯Start with One Strong Idea

Minimal tracks don't bury themselves in layers—they showcase one compelling concept. This could be a hypnotic bass groove, a processed vocal loop that gets under your skin, or a perfectly swung kick pattern with just the right amount of grit.

Try this: Loop your main idea for two minutes. If it holds your attention on its own, you've got something worth building around.

🎛️Limit Your Sound Sources

Instead of raiding your entire plugin collection, set some boundaries. Pick one synth, a handful of samples, and then dive deep with them:

One versatile synth
One drum kit
One textural/atmospheric element
One vocal or lead sound

These limitations push you to get creative with what you have rather than constantly searching for more.

🔍Craft Each Sound Meticulously

When you're working with fewer elements, each one needs to shine. There's nowhere to hide imperfections:

Use EQ thoughtfully—clean up muddy areas and highlight character
Shape your transients so drums cut through properly
Process even simple sounds through thoughtful effect chains to give them life

Listen to artists like Bicep, Burial, or Nicolas Jaar and notice how alive each element feels.

🕺Groove Is King

With fewer sounds in play, rhythm becomes crucial. The way your elements interact in time creates the magic:

Try shifting hi-hats or claps slightly off-grid
Add subtle ghost notes at low velocities
Experiment with swing settings between 55-60% for instant groove

These small timing adjustments create the human feel that keeps listeners engaged.

🤫Treat Silence as an Instrument

The spaces between sounds are just as important as the sounds themselves:

Let reverb tails decay fully before new elements enter
Create intentional gaps in your arrangements
Use panning to give each sound its own space

Great producers hear these spaces—not just the notes and beats.

🔄Keep Things Moving

Minimal doesn't mean static. Subtle evolution maintains interest without overwhelming the listener:

Gradually automate filters or effect sends over extended periods
Bring elements in and out with smooth volume changes
Make slight variations to patterns every 8 bars
Use modulation that evolves naturally over time

These subtle shifts turn a simple loop into a journey.

🔊Minimal ≠ Empty

The biggest misconception is that minimal tracks sound empty. In reality, they can sound massive through smart contrast and arrangement:

Add subtle textures that evolve (vinyl crackle, ambient noise)
Use sidechain compression to create movement in sustained elements
Strategically place effects and risers to maintain attention

A full sound comes from focus and balance, not from piling on more layers.

🧠Study the Masters

Learn from minimalist producers who excel at this approach:

Ricardo Villalobos (space and micro-detail)
Floating Points (sparse arrangements with incredible sound design)
Nicolas Jaar (minimalism as storytelling)
Burial (emotional depth with lo-fi textures)
Four Tet (creating rich soundscapes from minimal elements)

Create a playlist of these artists and study their techniques.

🎚️Mix with Intention

When you have fewer elements, your mixing decisions become more noticeable:

Avoid processing overkill
Use subtractive EQ to clear space
Use light bus processing for cohesion
Preserve dynamics instead of squashing everything

Compare your mix with minimal reference tracks to avoid overcomplicated processing.

✂️Ruthlessly Arrange

Minimalism demands discipline. Every element needs to earn its place:

Try removing three layers from your current project
If the track still works, leave them out
If not, you've identified exactly what needs improvement

The Essence of Minimalism

Minimalism isn't cutting corners—it's an artistic approach that demands intention and creativity. When you focus on fewer, better elements and use space and subtle evolution effectively, your music becomes more powerful and emotionally resonant.

Often, the most memorable moments in music come not from what you add, but from what you choose to leave out.