Cue Sheet Example: Breath of the Frozen Lake
Nov 10, 2025
Overview
- Concept: Ethereal folk ballad set in Finland’s midwinter “blue hour,” blending intimate storytelling with mystical nature imagery (aurora/“fox fires,” ice song, forest spirits). English-only lyrics with clear Finnish references.
- Key: D Dorian (minor color with a natural 6th; “D minor with B natural”)
- Tempo: 70 BPM
- Meter: 4/4
- Genre/Style: Nordic ethereal folk / dark ambient folk
- Mood: Quiet resilience, wonder, solitude, ancient-cold beauty
- Length: ~4:00
Arrangement Table
| Time | Bars (approx.) | Section | Notes | Harmonic Structure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:24 | 1–8 | Intro (ice drone) | Kantele-like ostinato, wind/ice field recordings, soft pad swell | Drone: Dm(add9) with Gsus2 accents |
| 0:24–1:04 | 9–24 | Verse 1 | Story begins; close vocal, sparse guitar, subtle frame drum heartbeat | Dm - C - G - Dm - Dm - F - G - Dm (8-bar cycle) |
| 1:04–1:20 | 25–28 | Pre-chorus | Rising line, add low harmonium/pump organ drone | Am - G - C - Dm |
| 1:20–1:48 | 29–36 | Chorus 1 | Wider vocals + shimmer pad; fox fires imagery | G - C - Dm - C - G - C - Dm(add9) - Dm |
| 1:48–2:04 | 37–40 | Interlude | Wordless “oo” motif answers chorus; kantele variation | Dm(add9) - Gsus2 - Dm(add9) - Dm |
| 2:04–2:44 | 41–56 | Verse 2 | Add counter-melody (whistle or bowed lyre patch), light toms | Dm - C - G - Dm - Dm - F - G - Dm |
| 2:44–3:00 | 57–60 | Pre-chorus 2 | Slightly bigger; octave vocal double | Am - G - C - Dm |
| 3:00–3:28 | 61–68 | Chorus 2 | Full lift; harmonies, extra percussion layers, shimmer send up | G - C - Dm - C - G - C - Dm(add9) - Dm |
| 3:28–4:00 | 69–76 | Bridge/Outro (blue coda) | Whisper/spoken fragment; harmony darkens then resolves to drone | Dm - Bb - C - Dm (x2), decay to Dm(add9) drone |
Keyword & Lyric Ideas
- Core images: frozen lake “breathing,” fox fires painting snow, birch and spruce, reindeer tracks, smoke from a sauna, crack of lake ice, ravens, quiet towns under long darkness.
- Finnish references in English: “fox fires” (aurora), “the long winter night,” “the old runes,” “the North wind,” “a stubborn flame that never dies” (for sisu), “the singer by the river of death” (Tuonela), “the forest’s keeper” (Tapio), “the old bard with a zither” (Väinämöinen/kantele).
- Narrative arc:
- Verse 1: The lake hums under ice; narrator walks through fir and birch, smoke from sauna, village lights far away.
- Pre: Hears the forest answer, senses old guardians in the trees.
- Chorus: Fox fires comb the sky; the night is long but tender; the land keeps its stories in the snow.
- Interlude: Wordless vowel “oo/ah” to sound like wind/ice.
- Verse 2: Footsteps on snow, a raven flees; the ice sings; narrator recalls an ancestor’s song at the water’s edge.
- Pre: The sky opens; “I will carry these names through the dark.”
- Chorus 2: Same hook, bigger vow of endurance and belonging.
- Bridge/Outro: Half-spoken line: “When the lake breathes, the old song breathes with it,” fade to drone.
- Sample couplets (use as seeds):
- “Under the birch-white hush, I learn the patient art of night / Where the frozen lake breathes slow and the fox fires comb the height.”
- “Smoke from a winter house braids with the cedar-cold of stars / In the drift of ancient runes, I hear your name in the dark.”
Composition Tips & Motifs
- Scale palette: D Dorian for verses/choruses (D E F G A B C), briefly touch D natural minor (flatten B to Bb) in the bridge to darken before returning.
- Vocal motif: 5-note shape around D–F–E–D–A (start on D, rise to F, sigh back to E–D, leap to A). Keep intervals mostly steps; save bigger leap for chorus entrance.
- Instrumental hook: Kantele/harp ostinato repeating D–A–D–E–F (quavers), lightly varied between sections.
- Rhythm: Keep percussion sparse; frame drum heartbeat on beat 1 (occasional 3+3+2 accents to create gentle Nordic lilt).
- Call & response: Let a whistle/bowed-lyre line answer the last bar of vocal phrases.
- Lyric technique: Concrete images first, myth second; avoid naming Finnish terms outright—describe them in English.
Arrangement Ideas
| Section | Dynamics | Transition | Arrangement Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro | pp | Wind/ice field fade-in | Start with D drone, add kantele ostinato bar 3, pad bloom bar 5 |
| Verse 1 | p | Gentle breath intake to pre | Add soft guitar fingerpicking + low harmonium at end |
| Pre | mp | Crescendo via pad and tom swell | Sub octave vocal double; lift with suspended chords and rising line |
| Chorus 1 | mf | Let shimmer tail bridge to interlude | Backing “oo” pad wide L/R; add low whistle shadow on last 2 bars |
| Interlude | p | Cut drums; leave drone + ostinato | Wordless motif; small reverse swell into Verse 2 |
| Verse 2 | mp | Tom pickup fill | Add bowed-lyre patch counterline; subtle shaker on offbeats |
| Pre 2 | mf | Noise riser from wind sample | Higher harmony on last 2 lines; prepare for full chorus |
| Chorus 2 | f- | Long reverb tail to bridge | Add octave guitar, soft cymbal rolls, widen pads, stronger frame drum |
| Bridge/Outro | mf→pp | Tape-stop the drums; field recordings forward | Brief borrowed Bb color, whisper line, end on long Dm(add9) drone |
Stylistic Characteristics
- What it is: Ethereal folk blends traditional/acoustic folk instruments and modal melodies with ambient textures, long reverbs, and spacious mixes. Nordic variants lean on drones, pentachords, and mythic-natural imagery.
- Harmony: Modal minor (Dorian, Aeolian), drones on tonic/fifth, suspended/add2 voicings. Occasional borrowed chord (e.g., flattened 6 from natural minor) for a darker turn.
- Melody: Narrow range in verses, breathy delivery, ornamentation via small slides and neighbor tones; wordless pads in interludes.
- Rhythm: Sparse pulse; frame drum or toms rather than full kit. Air and silence are musical.
- Sound world: Organic plucks (kantele/harp/dulcimer), bowed timbres (lyre/strings), wind-like pads, field recordings (ice, wind, footsteps).
- Brief background: Finnish folk draws from runo-singing traditions preserved in the Kalevala; the kantele zither and jouhikko bowed lyre are central. Modern Nordic “dark/ethereal folk” was popularized globally by artists blending roots timbres with cinematic/ambient production.
- Notable references: Auri (Finnish ethereal folk), Värttinä (Finnish folk), Tenhi (Finnish neofolk), Wardruna and Garmarna (Nordic folk lineage), Agnes Obel and Aukai (ethereal chamber/folk adjacent).
Instrumentation
| Instrument / Sound | Role | Notes / Preset Suggestions |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Vocal | Narrative driver | Close, breath-forward; double selectively on choruses; soft HPF ~80 Hz |
| Backing Vocals (oo/ah) | Ethereal pad | Layer 3–4 takes, spread L/R; send more to shimmer |
| Kantele/Harp/Dulcimer patch | Ostinato + arpeggios | If no kantele, use harp/dulcimer; short decay, bright transient; pluck D–A–D figures |
| Acoustic Guitar (fingerstyle) | Bed + rhythm | Nylon or steel; capo for bright D shapes; mic 12th-fret blend |
| Bowed Lyre/Jouhikko (or viola/cello) | Counter-melody drone | Sustain on D/A; slight bow noise adds realism; slow vibrato |
| Harmonium/Pump Organ or Soft Reed Pad | Low drone | Hold D and A throughout verses; lightly modulate for motion |
| Soft Synth Pad (Juno-style) | Air and width | Warm saw with gentle chorus; low LPF; long hall send |
| Low Whistle/Soft Flute (optional) | Answer phrases | Simple 2–4 note replies; breathy tone; low in mix |
| Frame Drum / Tom / Granular Percussion | Heartbeat pulse | Beat 1 emphasis; soft mallet; occasional 3+3+2 phrasing |
| Sub/Sine Bass | Foundation | Very subtle; follow roots; fade in chorus 2 only |
| Field Recordings (wind/ice/footsteps) | Atmosphere | Highpassed; sidechain to lead vocal slightly |
Sound Design & Production Techniques
- Drones: Layer harmonium (D/A), sine sub (D), and a filtered noise bed (LPF ~3–5 kHz). Automate slight volume swells on scene changes.
- Kantele/harp patch: Fast attack, short decay, minimal sustain. Add transient shaper (+10–20%) and a gentle tilt EQ (+1 dB/8 kHz, -1 dB/200 Hz).
- Pads: Juno-style saw with chorus I/II, LPF set ~1–3 kHz, 20–30 ms pre-delay hall. Automate cutoff to breathe with phrasing.
- Shimmer bus: Send only backing vocals/pads (not the lead). Chain: Hall (pre-delay 25 ms, 15–20% wet) → Shimmer (shift +12) → HPF 200 Hz → LPF 8–10 kHz → compressor with slow attack, GR 2–3 dB.
- Percussion: Frame drum close-mic’d with soft mallet. Parallel a crushed bus (1176 all-buttons, HPF sidechain) mixed at -20 dB for weight without click.
- Field recordings: Layer wind (wide, mid/side), ice cracks (spot FX in transitions), snow steps (low-level foley). Sidechain a gentle ducker keyed by the lead vocal (1–2 dB).
- Vocals: Record intimate (pop filter, 6–8 inches). Two takes for lead comp. Add a whisper double in chorus at -15 to -20 dB. De-ess pre-reverb. Use a slapback (80–120 ms) very low for thickness.
- Bridge color shift: Briefly flatten the 6th (B→Bb) in pads and backing harmonies; roll some top end for a darker hue, then open back up in the final drone.
Mixing & Mastering Notes
- Tonal target: Warm low-mids, gentle top air. Avoid boomy 150–300 Hz buildup (guitar/pads collide here).
- Space: Keep lead vocal upfront. Duck long reverbs with sidechain or dynamic EQ to maintain intelligibility.
- Low end: Minimal sub; highpass most tracks (vocals 80–100 Hz, guitars 60–80 Hz, pads 80–120 Hz). Let sine/sub carry only on chorus 2.
- Dynamics: Aim for -14 to -12 LUFS integrated, -1.0 dBTP ceiling, retain transients. Minimal bus compression (1–2 dB GR, slow attack).
- Stereo field: Pads and BGVs wide; lead, bass, frame drum center; kantele mid-left, guitar mid-right for organic width.
- De-ess: 6–8 kHz band, gentle. Tame whistle harshness (if used) around 2–4 kHz with dynamic EQ.
- Master sweetening: Broad shelf +1 dB @ 12 kHz for air if needed; tiny low-shelf -0.5 dB @ 100 Hz to keep clean.
Practical Tips
- Write at the instrument you’ll feature (kantele/harp or guitar) to keep the ostinato idiomatic.
- Describe Finnish elements in English: “fox fires,” “river of death,” “forest’s keeper,” “long winter night,” “smoke from the sauna” (avoid Finnish words to keep lyrics fully English).
- Silence is your friend—let reverb tails and drones carry emotion between phrases.
- Record multiple short ambience layers (wind outside, kettle steam) for subtle realism; keep them low and tasteful.
- Save the brightest harmony and shimmer for the final chorus so the arc feels earned.
Quick Patch Examples
| Source | Patch Recipe |
|---|---|
| Juno-style Pad | 2 saws slightly detuned, lowpass ~2.2 kHz, env attack 80 ms, release 1.8 s, chorus I/II on, subtle noise layer; send to 3 s hall |
| Kantele Emulation | Harp/dulcimer patch, cutoff open, short decay, transient +15%, EQ: HPF 120 Hz, shelf +2 dB @ 8 kHz; light tape sat |
| Harmonium Drone | Two tones D2/A2 with slow LFO to amplitude (0.2–0.3 Hz), slight detune 5–7 cents, LPF ~1.5 kHz |
| Shimmer Bus | Hall (pre-delay 25 ms, 15% wet) → Shimmer +12 semitones (mix 20–25%) → HPF 200 Hz → LPF 9 kHz |
| Frame Drum | Low-pass 6 kHz, transient -10%, gentle compression (3:1, slow attack), room reverb 1.2 s |
| Sine/Sub | Pure sine with subtle tape wow/flutter; LPF 200 Hz; sidechain to kick/frame drum if needed |
| Bowed-Lyre Approx | Solo viola/cello patch, bow noise up, vibrato slow, filter ~3 kHz; automate swells with mod wheel |
Step-by-Step Production Checklist
- Build a 70 BPM session, set key to D minor/Dorian; create markers per arrangement.
- Record/sequence kantele/harp ostinato on D; set up D/A drone (harmonium + sine).
- Track scratch vocal with click; refine melody and lyric pacing.
- Record final lead vocal takes (2–3), comp and tune subtly; print a whisper double for choruses.
- Add acoustic guitar fingerpicking; double-tracking for width if needed.
- Program/record frame drum heartbeat; add tom swells into pre/choruses.
- Layer pads and set shimmer send; automate pad cutoff and reverb sends per section.
- Add counter-melody (whistle or bowed-lyre) in interlude, verse 2, and chorus 2.
- Print field recordings (wind, ice, footsteps); automate level and position; sidechain duck to lead.
- Mix: balance, HPF cleanup, de-ess, gentle bus compression, stereo placement.
- Master: light EQ sweetening, limiter to -1 dBTP, target -14 to -12 LUFS.
- Bounce, listen on speakers/headphones/car; tweak low-mids and reverb if vocals feel buried.
- Final bounce and create instrumental/stems.
Resources
- Auri (Finnish ethereal folk) – official: https://auri.link/
- Värttinä (Finnish folk) – official: https://www.varttina.com/
- Tenhi (Finnish neofolk) – official: https://www.tenhi.com/
- Finnish folk music overview (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Finland#Folk_music
- Kalevala (overview): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalevala
- Versilian Studios Kantele (sample library): https://vis.versilstudios.com/kantele.html
- Spitfire LABS (free, Frozen Strings/Dulcimer/Choir etc.): https://labs.spitfireaudio.com/
- Valhalla Shimmer (reverb): https://valhalladsp.com/shop/reverb/valhalla-shimmer/
- TAL-U-No-LX (Juno-style synth): https://tal-software.com/products/tal-u-no-lx
- Freesound winter/ice recordings: https://freesound.org/search/?q=ice+crack
Glossary
- Dorian: A minor-sounding mode with a natural 6th (here, D minor with B natural) that feels ancient yet hopeful.
- Drone: A sustained note or chord (often tonic/fifth) that underpins the harmony.
- Shimmer reverb: Reverb with pitch-shifted tails (often +12 semitones) for a celestial sheen.
- Frame drum: Shallow hand drum used for simple, heartbeat-like pulses.
- Kantele: Finnish plucked zither; bright, bell-like resonance.
- Jouhikko: Finnish bowed lyre with raw, nasal sustain; here emulated with bowed strings.
- Fox fires: Traditional term for aurora borealis (safe English reference).