I'm creating a track for a bigger artist, someone who has worked with the likes of Alicia keys, etc. Planning to send her team some demo's of mine as they liked them in the past, but ironically I can't nail THAT sound. The instruments, or "wavy" pads which sound like they're stuttering.

I'm guessing its an effect on the chords which is almost like sidechain compression, or tremolo...

The artist I'm sending these demos too has a sound very much like the song above. But a lot prettier with a live band (I'm a mostly in the box producer but her biggest hits were made by guys like me ;)

Just trying to pin it down so I can apply something familiar to one of the demos. Thanks!

 

to me, its less about the sound, and more about how its arranged with the other instruments. the way it sucks into the snare then cuts out abruptly. It creates tension and groove. Sidechained too maybe, could also just be a longer attack.

 

Tempo 110 ish something like that
Find a Chord Synth (sytrus in FL studio has some Great ones)

Create the drums ( or you can breakdown the song into parts using Vocalremover.org using the splitter )

then After you break it down sync it to the tempo in your DAW

try to recreate the sound in your own signature way

Trial And Error Brings the Best results