Explore Jaden Smith's Electric Sound: A Guide

how to sound like jaden smith electric

Jaden Smith's 'SYRE: The Electric Album' is a unique guitar-centric rework of his studio album 'Syre', influenced by Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles' 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. The album is presented in its original 432 Hz format, which means that the notes on the record correspond to A=432 Hz, a pitch that is slightly flatter than the typical A=440 Hz used in commercial music. This pitch standardisation has been a topic of discussion among musicians and audio product companies, with some arguing that it enhances the spaciousness of the songs and allows for more creativity in sound experimentation. In addition to its unique pitch, 'SYRE: The Electric Album' features layers of guitar and vocals heavily affected by pedals and plug-ins, creating subtle distortions and an overall dreamy vibe.

Characteristics Values
Genre Jaden Smith's music spans multiple genres, including pop, punk-trap, rap, hip-hop, and ballads.
Influences Kid Cudi, Kanye West, Kurt Cobain, Tycho, and his father, Will Smith.
Production Smith's music often features heavy use of guitar and vocal effects, such as distortions, reverb, and autotune.
Mixing Smith's vocal mixing may involve the use of tools like iZotope VocalSynth and Ozone Dynamic EQ to enhance certain frequencies and create a spacious sound.
Tuning Smith's album "SYRE: The Electric Album" is tuned to A=432 Hz, which is slightly flatter than the standard A=440 Hz tuning.

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The use of guitar and vocal effects pedals and plug-ins

Jaden Smith's album 'SYRE: The Electric Album' features heavily affected guitar and vocal tracks, with layers of subtle distortions and reverb. Mix engineer James Chul Rim used Ozone with EQ, Dynamic EQ, Vintage Compressor, and Maximizer on the lead vocals, enhancing the spaciousness of the songs and adding a subtle shine.

To achieve a similar sound, guitar pedals and plug-ins can be utilised. For example, EarthQuaker Devices' utility pedals are built to last and offer a smooth-operating pedalboard experience. Additionally, a analog delay pedal can add a psychedelic effect to your sound. Soldano's rackmount tube preamps and the Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger/Filter Matrix are also worth considering for modulation effects.

When it comes to vocal effects pedals and plug-ins, a vintage compressor and maximizer can help shape the vocal track. Subtractive EQ can be used for the final polish, making the song jump out of the speakers.

It's worth noting that Jaden Smith himself might not be the best person to ask about setting up a pedalboard, as one commenter on Reddit joked that you'd have to first explain to him what a pedalboard is. However, Smith has been spotted with some impressive gear, including a psychedelic Fender Strat and a rainbow-colored Orange amp rig, as well as Earthquaker Devices and MXR pedals.

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The influence of Kid Cudi

Jaden Smith is an American rapper and actor who made his film debut with his father, Will Smith, in the 2006 film "The Pursuit of Happyness". Jaden Smith has cited Kid Cudi as one of his influences and has worked with him on multiple occasions.

Jaden Smith's musical style is heavily influenced by Kid Cudi. Smith has described Cudi as his "mentor in life and that's my big bro forever". The two artists have collaborated on Smith's album "Erys", where they worked together on the song "On My Own". They also appeared together on Instagram Live, where Cudi previewed his new single "Leader of the Delinquents".

In terms of musical style, Jaden Smith's music, like Kid Cudi's, incorporates elements of drama and emotion. Smith's music also makes use of reverb and light autotune, which are techniques often employed by Cudi. Additionally, Smith has been known to experiment with different genres, jumping from sunset-drenched pop to screamed ragers, similar to how Cudi explores different sounds and styles in his music.

Jaden Smith's work ethic and willingness to experiment with different sounds and genres are also influenced by Kid Cudi. Smith has stated that he has looked up to Cudi since he was 12 years old and has always wanted to record songs with him. While Smith has been criticized for being too influenced by his idols, including Cudi, Travis Scott, and Childish Gambino, he has also been praised for his range of talents and his willingness to take risks with his music.

Overall, Kid Cudi has had a significant influence on Jaden Smith's musical style, career trajectory, and personal life. Smith has not only modelled his sound after Cudi but has also sought his mentorship and collaboration.

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The influence of Kanye West

Jaden Smith has cited Kanye West as one of his musical influences, along with Frank Ocean and James Blake. Smith has also named West as one of his fashion icons, along with Batman, Robin, Nightwing, and Superman. Smith and West have been in the same social circles for several years, with both having strong ties to the Kardashian-Jenner family. Smith is friends with Kylie Jenner, and was in attendance at West's wedding to Kim Kardashian in 2014.

In a 2017 interview with Complex, Smith said that West was one of the three most noticeable influences on his album 'Syre'. However, in a later interview with the same publication, Smith revealed that his relationship with West had changed as his own career progressed. According to Smith, West grew distant and no longer encouraged him once he was no longer seen as a 'Little Homie'. Smith said:

> "I always felt like Little Homie before and that allowed me in all of their circles. But now that I’m on the charts next to them, I’m not really Little Homie anymore."

Smith's attendance at West's Yeezy show during Paris Fashion Week in 2022 caused some controversy. Smith tweeted that he had left the show, presumably due to disagreement with the statement made by West's collection, which included "White Lives Matter" shirts. Smith's tweet read:

> "I Don't Care Who's It Is If I Don't Feel The Message I'm Out. Black Lives Matter."

Smith's tweet was liked by Kendall Jenner, sister of Kim Kardashian, as well as by several other fans.

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The use of iZotope VocalSynth

IZotope's VocalSynth is a vocal synthesizer plugin that offers a range of creative vocal effects to enhance and transform vocal arrangements. It provides five blendable creative effects modules and stompbox-style studio effects, allowing users to colour and shape vocals to their desired taste.

The plugin offers an experimental effects playground, enabling artists and producers to craft their signature vocal sound. One of its notable features is the ability to layer vocals with effects such as shred and delay, adding a unique colour to the mix. This feature has been praised by producer Steve Levine, who worked with The Beach Boys and The Clash, as it allows vocals to cut through a dense mix with ease.

VocalSynth is also useful for pitch correction and creating textures. Producer and engineer Khaliq Glover, who has worked with Michael Jackson, Prince, and Justin Timberlake, attests to this, stating that it is "instant Vocal Effects Magic".

The plugin is versatile, catering to a range of musical styles. For example, Jonny Hawkins of the alternative rock band Nothing More uses VocalSynth for powerful and aggressive vocal textures and effects. In contrast, synthpop producer and singer Computer Magic uses it for ethereal textures and vocal manipulation presets.

IZotope offers a free, fully functional demo of VocalSynth 2, allowing users to test-drive the plugin and explore its features before purchasing.

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The use of 432 Hz tuning

Jaden Smith's album 'SYRE: The Electric Album' is presented in its "original 432 Hz format". This means that the notes on the record correspond to A=432 Hz, which is different from the standard tuning of A=440 Hz. When played alongside an instrument in standard tuning, the songs on the album will sound dissonant.

Proponents of 432 Hz tuning argue that it offers a variety of health and wellness benefits. Some listeners report that it helps them feel more grounded and less stressed, promoting relaxation and spiritual well-being. There are also claims that 432 Hz music can be used as a remedy for anxiety and pain, improve sleep, and promote physical healing. However, it is important to note that there is limited scientific evidence to support these claims, and the benefits may be due to personal preference or the placebo effect.

In a double-blind cross-over pilot study, researchers found that music tuned to 432 Hz was associated with a slight decrease in blood pressure and a more marked decrease in heart rate compared to music tuned to 440 Hz. The study suggested repeating the experiment with a larger sample size and introducing randomized controlled trials to further explore these potential health benefits.

Ultimately, the use of 432 Hz tuning is a matter of personal preference and artistic expression. While some musicians stick with the standard 440 Hz tuning, others experiment with 432 Hz to explore different emotional effects and sounds in their music.

Frequently asked questions

Jaden Smith's *SYRE: The Electric Album* is a guitar-centric rework of his previous album, *SYRE*. To make your music sound like this album, you can try tuning your guitar to A=432Hz, which is what Jaden Smith did for the album. This is slightly flatter than the standard A=440Hz. You can also try using lots of layers of guitar and vocals with heavy effects, creating subtle distortions, and adding lots of reverb.

Jaden Smith's influences include Kid Cudi, Kanye West, Kurt Cobain, and Tycho. He also considers his father, Will Smith, an inspiration.

Some of Jaden Smith's notable songs and albums include his collaboration with Justin Bieber, "Never Say Never", his debut studio album, *SYRE*, and his second studio album, *Erys*.

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