Layering

What is Layering?

Layering is the practice of charting each instrument in a song separately, one at a time. It's a tactic used to help the chart follow a coherent structure, and to help make sure the charter can comfortably keep charting the same sounds the same way. It's something every single good charter you like does, whether subconciously or not.

When it comes to layering, there are many ways to approach it depending on your intent, but I will mainly just discuss my way to approach it. This way is to chart the PR first, and then slowly layer the sounds on top of it one at a time, individually. I'll show an example below.

How do I use Layering?

For me, the best way to get a solid base, or, as some charters call it, a "skeleton" for a chart, is to start with layering down the PR for the main melody, usually as single notes, like I did in the above image. If you plan to make any of the melody into holds, you should place those down first instead. After that, you're free to choose whatever instrument you want to focus on next.

I normally focus on the main backround instrumental afterwards, then begin to layer in more details stuff after that. I won't go too in depth, as everybody has their own unique way of layering - but this layering style is ultimately what makes charters have a unique style in the first place, since every charter will layer their stuff in a different way, using different elements to bring out what they want to express. It's all about experimenting and finding what you enjoy doing the most.

When starting out, you should study other charter's files and see how they layered things, try to deconstruct the layering and structure, so you can better understand it, and from there, you can apply it yourself. It's perfectly fine when learning to try out new things and try different methods, find what works best for you.

If you wish to see my own process in a super simplified way, I made a video where I chart a specific section of a song to show my layering process for that song. Check it out below: