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Writing and arranging songs

Multi-instrumentalist Omar, the founder of nu-classic British soul, explains how he writes a song by putting together the instrumental components in a certain order. A drum pattern on the keyboard or drum machine will give him a beat to work with. First, he writes bass ostinato-type patterns and then works hard to come up with something on the drums which locks with this. It is the drum and bass which 'make the track kick'. Keyboard patterns, often syncopated, are now added to fill out the harmony. The clip is interspersed with performance footage.

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4 minutes

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