Tame Impala is the live band/production alias of multi-instrumentalist and producer Kevin Parker. The Australian native has been making music since the early 2000s. Parker’s hometown Perth has a vibrant music scene where he began performing in 2005. In the years since, Tame Impala has blended shoegaze, electro-pop, and downtempo funk into a unique sound. Learn to use Roland Cloud to create a track in the group’s signature dreamy style.
A Layered Approach
From a young age, Parker became obsessed with recording himself. He started making multi-track tape loops when he was only 12. This process is the foundation of how Parker would create Tame Impala albums. Although Tame Impala performs as a live band, he records the majority of the material by himself. As an artist, Parker prefers the sound of what one person can do by layering themselves multiple times.
Tame Impala’s style mixes psychedelic rock, psychedelic pop, synth-pop, disco, and electronic music. Beginning with its 2010 debut Innerspeaker, the group changed the alternative pop landscape. Tame Impala did this by fusing shoegaze, electro-pop, and downtempo funk into an electronic-organic blend. These soundscapes create a dreamy background for Parker’s ethereal vocals.
The artist considers his recording process an electronic approach to “live” music. He uses a range of pedals, synths, and processing techniques to make the live instruments on his records resemble samples.
Tame Impala continues to receive critical acclaim for their albums. This mainstream success enabled Parker to collaborate with A-list artists. These include Rihanna, Travis Scott, Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, and Kanye West. Using instruments available with Roland Cloud, let’s see how we can create a track in the style of Tame Impala.
Drums
In Parker’s earlier years, he would start most of his recordings by layering drum grooves. Many Tame Impala tracks feature a driving drum pattern. For our track, the TR-909 will provide the foundation. Let’s create a driving drum groove that will work for the many sonic textures we’ll lay on top. For this track, the drums are based on the tom-heavy pattern from “Breathe Deeper.”
Guitar/Bass
In essence, Tame Impala is a rock band produced like an electronic pop band. Strong melodic basslines and washy guitars propel most of the material. For bass, we’ll use the SH-101 “BS Low Bass” preset. It gives a biting sound that will cut through the other instruments.
Kevin Parker became famous for his pedal setup for guitar sounds. Using a mixture of phasers, reverbs, and distortion, Parker blurs the lines between synth and guitar. For the guitar parts, the Tera Guitar “Wash” preset creates a similar effects chain to his pedal setup.
Tera Guitar has a built-in effects chain. It contains flanger, chorus, distortion, doubler, stereo delay, EQ, reverb, and a dynamic compressor. The guitar sound on this track uses a combination of the flanger, chorus, doubler, reverb. In addition, the distortion is set to the “Tweed” preset.
There is also a second guitar track to double the bassline. This guitar part uses the “Noisy” preset and set the distortion to “Thrash.” Adding a doubler gives the instrument more body and makes it sound closer to an electric guitar.
Keys/Synths
Now that we have the bulk of our track it’s time to add some colors. Tame Impala blurs the line between shoegaze and dream pop. We can add a nice pad using the JUNO-106 as well as some other synth textures.
Parker is a fan of ’80s-style synth-pop. To achieve that sound, use the arpeggiator on the “1984 Synth Pad” preset to give the synth some forward momentum. An added synth stab digs into the retro aesthetic. Once again, using the JUNO-106, manipulating the “1984 Reso Rise” preset gives a warm, punchy synth sound.
Complete Track
Now that we have all the elements together let’s hear our completed track. The only thing missing is Parker’s ethereal vocals. They are difficult to replicate, but included are some ideas to get your creativity flowing. Download the track sans vocals to create your own Tame Impala-inspired song.
Tame Impala Production Techniques
Below is a summary of Tame Impala’s production techniques. In addition, you’ll find a full list of the Roland Cloud instruments used to create this track.
- Driving, psychedelic rock-inspired drum patterns
- Strong, melodic bass riffs
- Washy guitars that blur the line between guitar and synth.
- Vocals with a healthy dose of reverb
- Warm synth pads (often with arpeggiator)
- Lead guitar riffs
- Reverb-heavy ethereal pop vocals
