Chromeo "Lost And Found" Serum Tutorial & Breakdown

Hey there, funk lovers! Today we're diving into the world of Chromeo, one of our top 5 favorite bands, with their groovy track "Lost And Found". Chromeo is Canadian duo Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) and P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel), a pioneering force in modern funk, and "Lost And Found" comes from their album "Adult Contemporary". Below we remake every element in Serum: the bass, the bridge keys, the swell pad, the chorus synth, the stab, the bell, the slap bass and the arp, with audio and settings for each. Let's start.

Want to learn the techniques behind it? Check out our Courses.

RELATED BREAKDOWNS

• Chromeo "Juice" Breakdown
• Chromeo "Clorox Wipe" Breakdown
• Purple Disco Machine & Chromeo "Heartbreaker" Breakdown

The Bass

Let's kick things off with the amazing bassline. For our funky bass, we used a Basic Mg waveform with frequency modulation in oscillator "A". In oscillator "B" we added some punch with the ICanHasKick, plus a Saw wave in the sub oscillator. To make it plucky, envelope 2 modulates the filter cutoff. Don't forget to set the pitch bend range to -12 semitones, as we'll use it later. Lastly, in the FX tab, we applied multiband compression and distortion for added texture.

To get the signature bend you hear at the end of every four bars, open your MIDI clip's Clip View, select the "Envelopes" tab and automate the pitch bend control.

The Bridge Keys

In the bridge we have these captivating keys, layered with a unique pad that's sidechained every quarter note. Let's hear the first layer.

Layer 1

Chromeo use this sound a lot in their music, and we strongly suspect it comes from a Rhodes electric piano. To recreate it, we used an FFT_Add_2nds waveform in oscillator "A", with some frequency modulation for grit, and a Sine wave in both the sub oscillator and oscillator "B". For a drifting effect, an LFO modulates the fine-tuning.

Layer 2

This layer adds movement and high end. We start with a Basic Mg wavetable in both oscillators, but at different wavetable positions: 166 in oscillator "A" and 15 in oscillator "B". The filter cutoff gets slight movement from LFO 1, and LFO 3 modulates the level of all oscillators for a sidechain pumping effect every quarter note.

The Swell Pad

This element is pure ear candy, adding just the right amount of tension right before the bridge. The patch uses a Basic Mg waveform in oscillator "A" and an ICanHasKick waveform in oscillator "B". The key is its subtle opening, which creates the swell: LFO 1 modulates the filter cutoff while also moving the wavetable position of oscillator "B" and the Sync of oscillator "A", adding high frequencies as the patch opens up.

The Chorus Synth

As we enter the chorus, we hear a synth Chromeo use in a lot of their songs. It combines an SQR_SAW_Wrd wavetable and an ICanHasKick wavetable. For the brassy attack, envelope 2 has an 80 ms attack and modulates the filter cutoff. For the vibrato, an LFO modulates the fine-tuning. And there you have it!

The Stab

Now for one of the funkiest parts of the track, the chorus stab, which was an absolute blast to make. We go back to the SQR_SAW_Wrd and ICanHasKick wavetables. Set envelope 1 with an 80 ms attack and a release of 0. For the exciting part, use LFO 1 to modulate the fine-tuning and detune of both oscillators. In the Matrix tab, assign envelope 3 as an aux source, which gradually increases the LFO modulation for a smooth buildup.

The Bell

Now let's add the bell that enters at the end of the chorus. It's very straightforward. Start with a Harmonic Morph waveform in oscillator "A" with the wavetable position at 190, paired with a Reese waveform in oscillator "B". Use the sub oscillator for a Saw wave one octave higher to brighten the sound. Use envelope 2 to modulate the filter cutoff, with the MG Low 6 filter for a gentle slope that lets some high frequencies through. Finally, in the FX tab, add generous reverb and delay for space and depth.

The Slap Bass

In the second half of the chorus, the slap bass joins in. We recorded a "C" note on our bass and loaded it into the noise oscillator. The key is to use sine waves in both oscillators "A" and "B", with frequency modulation coming from the noise oscillator, so they take on the character of the one-shot sample. This layers the patch and gives it a more authentic, realistic vibe.

The Arp

As we reach the climax of the final chorus, a captivating arp emerges. It's just a square wave in oscillator "A" and an SQR_SAW_Wrd in oscillator "B". An LFO modulates the level of both oscillators for that plucky quality, and more LFOs routed to the pan of each oscillator add movement to the stereo image.

Make your own Lost And Found-style track.

You've heard how the bass, keys, swell, synth, stab, bell, slap bass and arp are built. The Future Disco Pack has sounds like these ready to load in Serum.

Want the whole palette? The Disco Bundle brings together all 8 of our disco and funk packs, including Future Disco, Nu Disco, Italo Disco and French House, for $49.90.