Kaibutsu (BEASTAR OP S2) by YOASOBI - Song Analysis

Kaibutsu (怪物) by YOASOBI - Song Analysis

Intro

Yo! Today I'm analyzing the song Kaibutsu by the duo YOASOBI (singer/songwriter Ikura and music producer Ayase). This song is the opening of season 2 of the anime BEASTARS (that I haven't watched, should I!) and it's an absolute banger! I decided to remake the music by ear to improve my music production skills. I will share my work process and some things I've learned through that article! 

Song Structure

Verse 1

Verse 2

Pre-Chorus

Chorus 1

Chorus Synth Solo

Verse 3

Verse 4

Synth Riff

Dubstep-y Bridge

Synth Riff

Chorus 2 (light)

Chorus 3

Chorus 4 No Lyrics + Guitar Riff (first half)

Chorus 4 Altered Harmony (second half)

Final Synth Riff

Pretty solid structure isn't it! This is so structurally rich and that is partly why this song is such a masterpiece!

The song's BPM is 170.

The song starts in B major (G# minor).

Verse 1

Lasts 8 measures.

Instruments

- Kick: on every beat

- Synth: Brassy, rugged, rough

I used the plugin HELM to create the synth. I combined a ‘saw up’ waveform with a ‘square’ waveform and I added a sub ‘3 steps’ waveform with 68% of shuffle which made the sound cracky.

- Synth (replacing the vocals): I wrote the melody on a simple square waveform synth.

Characteristics

- Starts 2 beats before the actual measure 1.

- Synth: played on the off-beats: gives bounciness and catchiness.

- The synth plays the harmony.

- No synth on the last measure: transition to the second verse.

- Transition sound before the second verse.

The beginning of the song is quite simple, it's all about a straightforward kick, the melody, and a crunchy catchy synth melody pattern. The listener is instantly drawn into the fast-paced and catchy track.

Verse 2

Lasts 8 measures.

Instruments

- Kick

- Synth

- Melody

- Claps: panned right and left to give a nice stereo effect, on beats 2 and 4.

Characteristics

- Starts an eighth note before the first measure of the verse.

- Metallic reverberating sound on the first beat of the verse (impact sound).

- Riser before the pre-chorus.

Verse 2 is similar to verse 1 with a few new elements.

Pre-Chorus

Lasts 4 + 4 measures.

Instruments

- Kick

- Synth

- Melody

- Piano: the notes of the first chords are played from the top to the bottom

- Hi-hats: 2 closed hi-hats per beat (eighth notes) the second hi-hat’s velocity is a bit lower

- Crash cymbal

- Riser 

Characteristics

- The synth is played on the off-beats, it gives a catchy sound.

- The kick plays the same rhythm as the synth.

- Double clap on the beat 2.

- Last measure: everything is muted except the melody and the kick.

- Last beat: the melody already plays the chorus.

The piano comes in, it's Ayase's hallmark! With that build-up, we know an epic chorus is just about to come!

Chorus 1

Lasts (4 + 4) + 4 + 2 measures.

Instruments

- Kick: on every beat.

- Snare: on every other beat (beat 2 and 4).

- Hi-hats: 2 closed hi-hats per beat (eighth notes) opened hi-hat every other beat (beat 2 and 4).

- Piano: diatonic chords.

- Piano 2: side melody, the notes are being played in octaves.

- Bass: quick octaves (eighth notes), one quick riff

Characteristics

- Modulation: up a forth (now in E major).

- Crash cymbal on the first measure and on the 9th measure.

- Snare fill, 4 snares (16th notes), transition to the second part of the chorus.

- The second part of the chorus only lasts 6 measures.

- Last beat: empty, transition to the chorus synth solo.

Chorus Synth Solo

Lasts 4 + 2 measures.

Instruments

- Kick

- Snare

- Hi-hats

- Piano

- Piano 2: removed.

- Bass

- Solo Synth: ‘4 steps’ waveform oscillator + ‘square’ waveform oscillator + ‘square’ waveform sub (quieter than the other two) + mono sine wave LFO that goes up and down a few cents to get a slight vibrato. I duplicated the notes an octave lower to get a fuller sound.

- Crash

- Riser

Verse 3

Lasts 8 measures.

Instruments

- Kick: on every beat.

- Snare: on every other beat.

- Open hi-hat: on every off-beat.

- Main Synth: is back with the same pattern as in the beginning.

- Piano: chords.

- Synth: synth side melody. I used the HELM plugin again and chose a simple ‘sine' waveform.

- Bass

Characteristics

- Modulation: down a forth (back to the initial key).

- Kinda the same melody as in verse 1 but the other half is different.

- The harmony is different.

- Last measure: two melodies (two voices), the melody is being harmonized.

Verse 4

Lasts 8 measures.

Instruments

- Kick

- Snare

- Hi-hat

- Main Synth

- Piano

- Bass

- Solo Synth: plays a side melody in the background.

- Synth side melody: Removed.

Characteristics

- The melody has now 2 voices.

Synth Riff

4 + 4 measures.

Instruments

- Everything removed.

- Main synth: does a kick-ass riff.

- Claps: every other beat (beat 2 and 4).

- Bass: same riff as the synth.

- Riser

Characteristics

- In the second half: drums

- Last measure: kicks accelerate.

- Last beat: everything removed but a powerful snare.

Dubstep Bridge

Lasts 8 + 8 measures.

Instruments

- Kick: on the 1, 4, 6 and 1, 4.5, 6.

- Dubstep Snare: on beat 3.

- Hi-hats: 2 per beat (eighth notes).

- Yeahs: on every beat 2 and 4.

- Main Synth: every other measure.

- Sub Bass: plays the same as the synth.

- Riser

Characteristics

- Wood sound fill, transition.

- Synth on off-beats.

Synth riff

Lasts 8 measures.

Instruments

- Kick: on every beat.

- Hi-hats: 2 per beat, opened hi-hat on every other beat.

- Snare: from the second half.

- Guitar: chords + little melody.

Characteristics

- Drum fill in the last measure (transition), bend pass, mute all other tracks.

Chorus 2 (light)

Lasts 8 + 4 + 2 measures.

Instruments

- Piano: chords, bend pass.

- Drums: on the second half.

Characteristics

- Modulation: up a major second (now in Db major).

- The last 2 beats are muted except the melody.

- Bend pass on the piano.

Chorus 3

Lasts 8 + 4 + 2 measures.

Instruments

- Same as in Chorus 1.

Characteristics

- Modulation: up a major third (now in F major).

Chorus 4 No Lyrics + Guitar Riff (first half)

Lasts 8 measures.

Instruments

- Same as before.

- Guitar: riff in the background, I used a combination of ‘metal’ preset + ‘big fuzz’ preset and I duplicated the track an octave above.

Chorus 4 Altered Harmony (second half)

Lasts 4 + 2 measures.

Characteristics

- bV chord

- Riser

- Last beat: muted except the melody.

Final Synth Riff

Instruments

- Kick

- Snare

- Hi-hats

- Crash cymbal

- Main Synth: riff

- Piano: chords

- Bass: riff

- Guitar: chords + little melody

Characteristics

- Last measure: removed drums, added piano.

Conclusion

I learned a lot by remaking that track and I really enjoyed doing it. I of course hear the difference between the original track and my remake, the former is way fuller and the sound quality is top-notch. Nevertheless, I'm very proud of the end result and I look forward to learning more about music production!

Screenshot of the whole track.

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