BPM Supreme’s in-house expert, Raj Thomas, recently took Odesi for a test run. This music composition software is from the makers of Mixed In Key and was created to help producers, songwriters and DJs lay down hot tracks quickly and effortlessly. Keep reading to see what Raj had to say about the software:

“Open admission of guilt. I’m not the best with music theory. When I work on my production and remixes, I sometimes get lost and discouraged trying to create new ideas. This often has lead me to feel like a lot of my projects were sounding the same, or they just weren’t exciting enough. I was tired of spending countless hours on projects only to abandon ship in the middle of the track. It was frustrating…until I discovered Odesi.

Getting Started

Start immediately! Choose a section of the song to work on first. For example, some people like to create a beat, bass line or melody first. I personally like to lay down the chord progression first. Whichever way you choose to begin, just dive right in.

Also, I want to note that most of the main features you want from a DAW exist in the Odesi web app, but it becomes even more powerful if you download the program to your computer. There are tons of sounds already loaded in Odesi, as well as the ability to use third party plugins.

So Many Chords

There are many chord progressions ready to use within Odesi. Just select the “Add Chord Progression” and presto! Odesi automatically adds a chord progression to the first 4 bars of your song. It allows you to hear the playback of the chords that were just inserted for quick, easy review.

The chord progression is in Roman numeral notation and the actual chord name is at the top inside the measure. From there just play the track with the spacebar or the transport control on the top left of the screen. You’ll hear how the chords sound played at the tempo and key of the project.

Quick Ideas

It’s simple to power through new ideas with Odesi. Change the song key at the top of the screen and immediately get a different feeling from the same progression you have already inserted. What I loved most about this feature is that the more I played around with it, the more I found myself organically creating ideas and (accidently) learning about music theory.

Rhythmic Pattern

This box lets you select the way in which the chords are played and automatically change into a new chord progression. Just click on a roman numeral preset to search for a progression that suits your mood. The long notes and short notes box allows you to explore different note lengths and find the best fit for your project.

After you have your chord progression, you can add a melody automatically and make edits from there. The great part about this feature is that you’re already in the right key and synced with the sections you’ve created.

MIDI Notes

Odesi allows you to edit MIDI notes after the initial presets are applied, edited and made into your own. What’s more, every box has a tutorial video plugged right in, so even if you’re still confused, you can easily watch a video and catch yourself up on knowledge.

Magic Record

A wonderful new feature in Odesi is the magic record. It allows you to play a melody with your computer keyboard or a real keyboard and then print it out if you like it, or just keep going. I love this feature because I know I’ll never miss an idea when I’m deep in the creative workflow.

Audio Import/Export

This feature is a huge help when it comes to remixing songs. As a DJ and producer, the more unique edits I have at my fingertips, the better I can craft my sound. Remixing a track if you have the acapella is easy with Odesi. Import it and it will give you the song key and scale — it’s that simple. 

If you are experienced with DAWs, Odesi is pretty useful do to MIDI exports. You can create in Odesi and export the midi directly into a DAW like Ableton Live to quickly start using your composition.

Drums

There are a lot of great drum patterns in Odesi as well, and they can all be exported as a MIDI which is super useful. I like to tweak some of the existing presets, export the MIDI and use my own drum samples in my main DAW. If you are only using Odesi, the sounds are still quite nice that they give you.

Pros

• Priced at only $49, this software is a great value. I’d even call it a bargain based on how much it’s helped me.
• Odesi stores your projects in the cloud. If I leave my laptop at home, I can open Odesi on any web browser and continue working on my project.
• Tutorials galore! YouTube videos built into the application are there to answer any questions you have.
• Odesi is easy to use, and is a great option for DJs, producer and songwriters looking for quick-start ideas.
• A variety of encouraging quotes from legendary musicians appear when you open the program. This is a nice touch and provided some extra inspiration. 

Cons

• There’s no offline mode. I travel often and don’t prefer to buy the airplane wifi, so it would be great if I could work offline and then sync up when I regain internet access. 

Overall Grade:  A

Odesi has helped my production workflow immensely. If you’re a singer or songwriter, this is a perfect tool to help you create and sell your demos independently. I would recommend Odesi to anyone just beginning to work on original production or anyone that needs some help finding inspiration. It’s a fun tool that simplifies the creative workflow – and you really can’t beat the price of $49.”

 

Check out the Odesi website to learn more and let us know what you think of this music production option. We want to hear from you. Leave your comments below!