I've been listening to a lot of my many tracks made over the years this last year and I have to say this has been a real standout. I can just sit back and enjoy the whole thing. No real errors or problems and I love the flow.

Another standout one made in the last year is this:

Honey Mango Heaven.

http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/162441

They would sit well together on the same album though maybe I will put them on different ones. Not sure yet.

Hi again.

Thanks - groove is probably my greatest inspiration in music. Then far out and beautiful sounds and probably then badass riffs though it's hard to rank these things (and I don't really need to).

I'm actually a pretty crap musician without a groove so I kind of need to knock good ones up in order to really feel a piece of music and play something good along with it. So, if any of my tracks don't have a good groove, I've probably failed.

You are the first to mention any vocal shouts. There are just occasionally brief bits of that same female vocal instrument from my heavy track Valvedriven. Remember that one?

You can also hear them in my track Reckful:

http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/160356

Yes, the filler strings melodies perform an important function. Good fun getting them to fit here and there. They're excellent as a background element though I, of course, had to bring them right up front at times, especially the last 90 secs (my favourite section).

I think that gritty synth is somewhere around 2:00-2:30, where things get a bit more bombastic and I have a few synth layers, all playing nearly the same thing. Plus rock guitar on top (which I strongly considered removing).

No more new tracks from me for a few weeks as I'm working on some difficult heavy ones. One is a jazz metal one that used to be part of this track. Just as well I removed those sections as they would make this a weird trip and I prefer it as a more streamlined dance-chill thing. Best not to go off in jazz and metal directions in this one.

Thanks again.

Greetings. Good to hear that you interest was kept over the whole piece. Here's how it works for me:

Working alone, as I do, I'm forced to trust my judgment. I believe I have good taste in music and understand when something works or doesn't work. So, if a piece still interests me as it continues, I believe there is a good chance it will do the same for others. I certainly don't always get this right and the tracks whose sections I just can't get right do really piss me off.

But I don't really hear any obvious weak sections here. As always, it's only long because I felt there was enough good stuff to justify the length. I could have put a lot more in and resisted recording a whole bunch of varied guitar parts in the second half's breakout section.

I don't know if it is is the same riff/chord structure throughout. Quite possibly as I'm terrible at changing key but good at introducing loads of changes and variations using other techniques. If you listen again, maybe you 'll get some of those string melodies stuck in your head. They're still stuck in mine,as are some of the bass parts.

The bass is the same Reason patch I have used in probably something like 10 tracks on this site. I just keep reusing it as it's so very powerful and warm. Here's another good track featuring it prominently (also the track this one came out of):

The Beast That Could Always Be Tamed

http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/154691

At least 90% of my synth work is from Reason. I just use the software's synths and samplers plus various sample-based instruments and patches I have collected since I started using it in 2001. I'd love to have Kontakt and use some of the great sampled-based instruments but I just haven't got round to it yet.

You didn't give me any time references so I don't know where you think the drums need more attack and bite. While it's obviously a major chill track, I've kept the drums quite powerful ie no gentle brushwork here. I think you're saying you want them to be more powerful in places but I'm not really sure.

A track similar to this, though with much more slide resonator guitar is:

Honey Mango Heaven

http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/162441

That's even got slide trance and dream swing slide jazz in it and I think it will be your sort of vibe.

Thanks again!

Greetings.

You're doing well if your head's bobbing by two seconds in as I didn't think that Rhodes part was particularly groovy. But I think it is a few seconds later when the bass and drums arrive.

Not sure what you mean by "switches that add the woodwinds" as there aren't any woodwinds in here though there are strings (especially violin) so maybe that's what you mean. I can't really tell.

Glad you liked the guitars. Not so much guitar in this for me though I have also done a good few pure electro tracks over the years ie no played acoustic instruments, just pure synth work.

While some people do complain about the lengths of my tracks (something I'm consciously working hard to improve), quite a few have said something similar to you ie that they don't always feel the track lasts the actual running time. Probably because there's always so much going on and no time to get bored before something else arrives and other things disappear.

Yes, I think the steady feel throughout comes from the use of the drum loops (and mostly the same synth bass sound). While I use loads of drum loops, there's a real focus on just a few, especially the first one heard in the track.

It's my great yet difficult aim to never induce a sense of monotony in the listener. Saying that, it's important to use good sounds and sections enough as sometimes it's annoying when something's good but not repeated enough.

Hats off to you too and thanks for the review.

Yo. Is a Cellovangelist someone who gets up on TV, does a bit of bowing and plucking and then asks viewers to donate so that they can gain entry to musical heaven? Y'know - to hang out with Hendrix and Mozart etc

Would not have expected you to get much from this one. Too much sleepytime, not enough badass.

Anyway, the odd keys thing (it's Rhodes) is because of one chromatic note in there which makes things a little unusual though still quite melodic, I believe. In trying to come up with some changes, I decided to explore that chromatic note and then the track ended up being dark swing jazz. And then metal, with a big emphasis on the tritone (the flattened fifth).

But, as you can hear, I've since removed all the jazz metal though I'm still far off finishing that strange track.

I think you find the bass 'twisted' because of the wobbling from the LFO (low frequency oscillator).

Yes, I agree with your accurate phrase about that guitar flashing its stuff briefly then walking out the door. Probably to my next track as that's pretty standard sort of playing for me. I really considered getting rid of it entirely as I didn't want the track to be too rocky but decided that didn't matter so it should stay. Just a brief bit because sometimes that's best. Not extending some cool bits is all part of what I have to do to prevent tracks being 20 mins. Inevitably there will be bits that some people would prefer to be longer. I had to resist playing a whole load of guitar in the second half, just going with one slide solo. That seems to be enough.

Yes, 3:03 delicate clean funk is some groovy shit. Take note of the high grooving bass g entering a bit later.

"Your parting movement sounds a bit,......Asian"

As I said to FreeRad, I do some intentional Asian stuff (not that I actually know any of the scales/modes, I just make them up) but sometimes people get an Asian feel from stuff I do that I have not noticed. I can still barely notice it in this track. I love that end string stuff and somehow the Rhodes fifth chords underneath remind me of some Tool song sections.

I had never heard of Teddy Ruxpin so looked it up and it's a toy bear. Presumably that plays tapes. The final two notes in this are an export error and will be removed when I get around to it.

"Plenty to dig here"

I like to think there is in most, if not all, my tracks. Last thing I want is to make boring music. I'll try not to even in old age. Will just have to get more badass then.

No new uploads from me for quite a while as I'm working on a few difficult heavy ones.

I am taking care. You do likewise.

Yo. Is Crucehole an ass reference or the type of hole in the ground that a Crucethus usually lives in? Or the type of cartoon hole made when he is thrown through a window?

Was waiting for your review, partly cos I thought this might be one of your favourite ever tracks of mine.

That first Rhodes part was the foundation of the track and I vary it for a while before returning to it in the second (uptempo) half (with further variations).

I will go back and check the bass levels as I have to return anyway to remove those final two "export error" notes.

Yes, the synth sounds are magic - Nomadgic. My own unique brand of magic and not to be confused with no magic. I try to sprinkle a little Nomadgic on all my tracks. Alas, sometimes it does not stick.

No idea why 1:50ish has brassy synth sound but I hear it now you and Midisparks have mentioned it. Just a preset I dialled up and modified slightly.

No resonator guitar in that rocking section, just regular electric. Resonator only in one section - slide solo on 7:02.

4:10 I can hear no synth sax. Lead part there is the arppeggiated, bowed violin so not sure how you're hearing sax. There's mega evil synth sax in my unfinished jazz metal track so you'll like that.

Chime arpegg is cool though I don't read or watch any Harry Potter but can imagine what you mean.

3:40-4:10 is some mega chill funk. Check the high bass g.

"Now I am hand slapping the drums"

What else would you slap them with? Dick gets painful after an hour or so when I do it.

5:45 approaching "a cool zone" with new bassline that reminds me strongly of New Order's fantastic Blue Monday. Such a clever and timeless track.

I did listen to Is Your Love Strong Enough (no, thanks for asking) when you sent me the link. Don't know why the mixing here is like it.

9:20 is a freeze stutter effect I have used occasionally in many tracks, Into The Out There being a good example.

Thanks for the words. Now retreat back to your hole, slap your drums, polish your MS-20 and caress its wah porn joystick.

OK, cool, thanks.

I think there's quite a lot that can be said about this (as there's a lot going on) but it's always up to each person commenting how little or how much they say.

Hi again.

Yes, I like the slide solo here. It is much more of a focused solo than the guitar playing I normally do, which isn't usually about making one solo but a load of different playing that I edit together to provide different textures and moods. But this is a focused, kind of planned solo that seems to echo some of the earlier themes.

I'm not sure if there is any eastern stuff in that slide solo. Maybe- I'm just not sure and certainly nothing intentional. I didn't feel much of an eastern vibe while playing it.

As I said to clindsay, I don't really know much about Ry Cooder but I always hear he's very good. No doubt better at slide guitar than me.

"I try to question my role in here by posting spam comments"

I don't understand that. You post spam comments? You ssem to generally do some pretty good track reviews - much betetr than most people on here.

You're saying you avoid giving people suggestions? really - I'm sure I have seen you give people suggestions. I do that anytime I think I have spotted something out of place or think I can help in some small way.

"it may (slightly) change the actual value of the music"

I don't know why giving advice would change the value of the music. Some people uploading stuff to Lopperman are continually trying to improve tracks (me, for instance) so sometimes people's inoput and suggestions are taken into consideration.

"Do you really think your tracks will be possibly better mixed/mastered that way?"

Not sure what this means. Not sure if you're asking me about my tracks.

Good to hear you enjoyed listening again. I still like listening to this one.

Hi again.

Yeah, definitely go for a good few listens of this as there's a lot to take in - something that's pretty standard for my tracks.

Regarding the big band/rock/funk, it does get more rocking around 2 mins. You saying big band really got me thinking. That term usually to me means sort of orchestral jazz band though that's not what this sounds like. However, I listened more closely and I can hear a bit of a brass quality to one of the synth sounds in there so maybe that's got you thinking of the brass section that big bands always have.

That's given me the idea to go back and add in a complementary synth brass sound, just to accentuate that mood. But I probably won't as it's fine as it is. But, who knows, it could be cooler still. And that section is also pretty funky while the guitar brings the rock so I think you're actually pretty accurate with the genres. I was strongly considering ditching the guitar there as it works just fine without. But I managed to edit it to sound pretty cool so I'm keeping it.

Thanks again.

Hi. I agree with your review and think has some of my my best and most interesting melodies. Lots of interesting layers going on here, with the two different string instruments used sometimes subtlely and sometimes upfront in the mix (especially the violin one in the 90 second outro). The synth bass is also a major feature and gets wobbling at times through controlling the LFO.

The precise rhythms from the drum loops really tie this one neatly together and make the whole thing very tight. I make great use of one in particular - the very first one you hear. Programmed acoustic kits are used to complement the many drum loops used here though they also come out on their own during the slide solo. I use a metal kit there but it's quite versatile and not only useful for making heavy tracks (though I have also used it a lot to do that).

"The overall structure is coherent but takes you in different directions"

That's something I try to do a lot and getting the flow right is the most important aspect of all for me in track making. I want things to go in different directions but have to work hard at never making them too weird or unnecessary. I had both jazz and metal in this but removed them to turn them into their own track. I guess it could have worked but would have been pretty weird (and probably at least 15 mins long).

I still haven't listened to Ry Cooder since you last mentioned him. Will get round to it sometime but I guess there's no great rush as I seem to have absorbed some of what he does in my own way. Just how my playing comes out, I guess. I'm pretty happy with the slide solo in this one. No other use of the resonator guitar in the track though there is regular electric in two other sections (one funk, one rock).

Thanks again.

Good to hear that's what it sounds like as it's actually just one guy in a room at home jamming, enjoying his stuff. You probably guessed that.

I didn't think this one sounded so much like a band because of all the tight drum loops and synth work. Not that much guitar or live-sounding instrument playing (though there definitely is some).

I think some sections of some of my other tracks really do sound like a live band though it's always really hard to judge because I'm totally biased. I know it's not (and why it's not) so it can be hard to forget that and just hear it as a band playing together.

Thanks anyway.

Greetings.

Yes, something a bit different for me, as is always my aim Probably because of the use of all these drum loops and more of a focus on chillout dance music. But still some of my signature sounds in there eg the slide solo.

The filtered, arpeggiated (bowed) violins you can hear in quite a few of my tracks. Pretty much the same sound but always playing different melodies. Some of the very best are in here, especially in the last 90 seconds - my favourite section. That's just a return to violin parts heard earlier in the track but this time I do more with them.

"My favorite moment: ~3:00 ... this is very 80s"

Aha, I think you have chosen the funk section as your favourite. I'm not hearing it as being particularly 80s but I did enjoy playing that delicate clean funk stuff. Lots of chopping up and reordering of the bass and guitar parts but the end result is good, though not perfect.

"you know that the last "unwanted notes" fit nicely in the fade-out?"

I still haven't got round to removing those export error notes. Here's what they are:

Listen to 3:15 and you will hear some gentle high notes come in. That's an arpeggiated sequence heard a few times afterwards. It plays all the time, I just fade the volume up when I want it to be heard.

On export, the last second had the volume of that part mistakenly turned up so that's why it's heard. Yes, that sequence could easily fit in the outro but I'm not sure it's necessary. I have since thought of a way I could include those notes but I don't think I need to. That sequence is heard enough in other parts of the track so it's important not to overdo it.

Yes, the distinctive basslines probably do have the Nomad touch. That same bass synth patch can be heard in lots of my tracks but it doesn't seem to get boring. It's really just a very useful bass sound and it's the main bass in the jazz metal track I'm still working on (it used to be part of this track).

Bassline starting at 5:45 keeps reminding me of New Order's Blue Monday - probably one of the greatest club tracks ever made. And it's by a proper band so it's much more interesting than most dance tracks.

Glad you liked this one as I thought maybe it wouldn't be your sort of thing. I thought maybe there was too much synth and not enough guitar for you.

It may be a while till my next upload as I'm working on a few difficult tracks right now and am far off completing any of them.

See you around...

FreeRad ahoy!

Glad you liked my groovy mega chilling, though there are some rocking parts too. I tend to not be able to resist. If you listen to the rock guitar section, ending around 2:22 (with that massive drum fill) you can hear it's made by someone who likes to rock out.

Yes, I believe there are many memorable melodies in this. Loads that I can remember after making it and I'm sitting around reflecting on it, sad that it's basically finished and I won't be working on it anymore.

I hadn't really thought about there being much of an eastern vibe to it. People have said that about some of my other tracks, which I've kind of seen once they've pointed that out.

The only eastern melody I can think of here is the string part starting around 1:36, which goes somewhat with the grooving bass underneath.

There's not a lot of guitar in this but I use both my regular electric (my first electric, which I've played since 1996) and my resonator. I assume you're talking about the latter as the one with a unique sound. It only features in one section - the solo beginning 7:02.

Resonator guitars are fucking cool though people don't seem to use them much outside blues and country. I have no idea why. I do lots of mega blues tracks but I also regularly use slide resonator playing in just about any style I can manage to play - jazz, funk, metal, hip hop, electronic, whatever. This is in no way a blues track but I still stick a big slide solo in there. It's just a fantastically expressive style of instrument playing that you can really feel and put some heart and soul and attitude into.

My resonator is actually quite a crap one (Ozark BTE) as the quality ones are damn expensive (generally between 1000-2,500). It's electro-acoustic but as its body doesn't have a very good sound, I very rarely just record it straight into the mic - I stick it through amp effects and almost always delay.

I can only think of one good example of hearing the actual sound of the acoustic instrument that I've recorded into the mic and it's in one of my greatest tracks:

Right Place, Wrong Century
http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/146210

Maybe it's just that the playing is really good but somehow the natural sound seems just fine in that.

I did buy another resonator when I was in New Orleans in 2013. It is a better sounding guitar but I find it awkward to play so don't like it much. But you can still hear it in a good few of my tracks.

Yes, mega chilled outro that I absolutely love. Should be a ten minute track just of that!

Sorry about those last two notes - they were an export error. At least it shows you listened that far!

Thanks again, FR.

Good to hear from you. First time in a long time.

Yes, as I've said - last 90s secs are my favourite section and should go on forever. I used some great fun cheating on that last section (because I'm a very average keys player). I run Cubase with Reason (have done since 2001) so Reason is responsible for 90% of my synth sounds.

One quite cool thing you can do in Reason, and it's the cheat I used here, is that you can just take any MIDI notes and then randomize them. But not totally random - it doesn't produce out of key/discordant notes, it just randomly moves the notes around based on the notes that are already there. Kind of swapping their positions and lengths. I used that a lot to add variety to those last 90 secs.

But, I'm confused (and have been a lot in my many in-depth replies to people's complaints/queries on this track/my working method) as you say you didn't like the violin chops. But they're the main feature of those last 90 secs! I don't know how you can like that section without liking the violins - the lead part.

"raging DnB piece with wobbles or something"

Sure, I could have done something like that but I'm trying hard to keep things under about 11 minutes these days. Y'know, just neat little pop singles ready for the radio and all that.

You can hear the synth bass doing wobbling at various points in the track, starting quite early on, actually.

Yes, I'm not really a dance guy but almost everything I do is based around deep grooves so I guess you can dance to it. I just don't make specifically dance-oriented music but am very influenced by it. Any music with a good groove, really. I like jazz, swing, funk, metal, blues, shuffle grooves etc and use all of them. Country trainbeat is cool too and so on...

This is probably my most obvious dance track on the site. One of my few pure electro ones. Not guitar, bass or banjo. Synths only.

P For Pneumatic

http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/156638

Happy looping!

Hi. Glad to hear you felt I kept the sounds closer together on this one as that's what I was going for. That's why I didn't really understand Soundhound vaguely talking about it taking a left turn and hitting a brick wall or something.

I've done that much more in other tracks and somettimes that's the idea - to find a way to introduce something interesting and surprising that somehow is made to fit.

But I established the sound palette on this in the first few minutes and then kept using the same sounds, whilst occasionally introducing some complementary ones as things progressed. I don't think the slide solo is out of place. I tied things together a lot using the same drum loops (the first one you hear in particular). Even though there are something like 10-15 drum loops in this, I've tried to choose ones that are kind of similar.

I'm fascinated by the choice and collection of instruments used on a track. Once you've established them, I find you can kind of do anything with them and it doesn't sound too strange. Even if that collection of instruments is pretty strange, once you've let the listener know that's the sonic world they're in, you can just keep exploring different combinations of them.

As written in other replies, I came up with jazz and metal whilst making this but decided to take those sections out and make a crazy jazz metal track. I guess I could have made it work here but it would have been pretty bizarre and I preferred to stay focused on this more beautiful chill dance trip rather than getting jazzy, heavy and dark. Jazz and metal "aren't supposed" to be mixed but I'm confident I can make it work though I can't say when it'll be done as I'm currently working on something else.

The end section (last 90 secs) is merely a return to a previous string melody, Rhodes and drum loop that are all already in the track - no new elements. I could listen to that section for hours! All the same, I had to end it after a while as I try hard these days not to make things too long. It's still way too long for some people but I do understand that many people have short attention spans. I don't make music for those kinds of people!

"I am sure you have way more stuff to be heard"

I never really know how much more stuff I have! Hopefully a lot but I don't know if I'm capable of succesfully producing all the things I want to. I don't play enough instruments, for a start, so need to do something about that. Might start playing electric cello soon as I'm trying one out hopefully tomorrow.

Good to hear from you.

Take care.

Oh sure, I agree not everyone is going to like every section of the long stuff I do. That's why I just do it to please myself. I do try hard to only include the sections/parts that I think deserve to be included.

"most would have chopped this down to 4:00 put
a fade on it and been done with it"

Yes but I'm not most people ie I don't go for conventional music making or just one or two genres. I do longform, evolving stuff and some people get that and appreciate all the different directions. I'm not exactly making commercial music and only ever expect a small audience for what I do.

Yes, I could make 2 tracks out of it. Or 10, whatever, as I could stretch out lots of these sections.

But I like to think the sections flow somewhat logically and fit together comfortably enough.

I actually also do a lot of splitting tracks into sub-divisions rather than going with one massive thing. In composing this, it also turned into jazz and then metal and I've removed those parts and am turning them into a separate track. Basically, I have a lot of musical ideas and find it quite easy to generate more and more material. The difficulty then is trying to choose what goes with what and it's impossible to know if I always (or ever) get it right.

Musically, I quite like the idea of a left turn into a brick wall, as long as its done tastefully. I like tracks to take me different and interesting places though I also have no problem with one straight genre if it's done really well. I don't think this track has that many surprising twists and turns. I've tried to keep it all in the same sort of mood, using the same collection of sounds that I hink work together.

OK, I don't know why the violin part at 8:23 doesn't work for you. It's just a return to an earlier theme (and drum loop), now explored a bit more. It's my favourite section so I'll keep it.

I still have no idea what "Clid" is but it doesn't matter. It that is a word, it's not one I've heard before.

Anyway, good that you liked some of it. Not a problem that didn't extend to all of it.

Hi. Thanks for the praise ("Over all this has class") though I'm not quite sure what you're saying at times. Let me try to work it out.

"Tried that slide guitar in there, it worked but I don't know
where the end came from, a left turn Clid... :-)

I have no idea what "Clid" means or if it's just a typo. And then something about not knowing where the end came from. Don't know what you mean. If you mean 8:21-9:40, that's a reprise (return) of the string melody on 4:10 though I do more with it this time. That's my favourite section (the end 90 secs).

"I find it a little to light after all that funk, it's like your rolling
down the Cross Bronx Express way...Blink and you end up in
the Smokie Mountains somewhere..."

I don't know where the Cross Bronx Express way is. For a start, I don't live in the US.

I think the rest means something like you didn't think going into the slide solo was a good idea after the delicate funk middle. A little too light? Well, when the slide enters, that's also where a heavier drum kit enters so I don't think it's light. If anything, a bit heavier as things get a bit more epic and upfront after all the groove chilling.

I had a whole bunch of other guitar parts (funk, metal, blues, rock etc) I was planning to use in the breakout section beginning 5:45 but I'm trying hard not to make tracks that are too long these days so decided just to go with the slide solo. It seems to be enough. I don't mind if you don't like it (or don't think if fits this track) and will try to work out what's perhaps wrong with it.

Thanks.

I'm not sure what to say now as I think we're perhaps talking about different things.

I don't understand what you're saying about EZ Drummer except I do agree that it has some excellent jazz MIDI files. And metal, rock, blues, country and many more. I have most of the expansion packs and make great use of the fine and varied drumming.

"adding more additional instrumental layers make it sounding quite 'generic', like a computerized rock 4/4 drum pattern"

It looks like you're saying that adding other instruments on top of EZ drumming makes the drumming somehow sound generic. I don't know why that would be. Anyway, I always add layers of other instruments and I think the drums remain sounding fine.

Sampled instruments have improved so much over the years and they make it really quite easy to make good music. They're not perfect but there are so many available (I'd like many more but I don't have Kontakt) and I have great fun using them. I'm certainly not complaining. I just get on with using and enjoying them. It's as simple as that...

Hi.

I am still a bit confused about Spivkurl's problems with programmed acoustic (sampled) drums. I'm not really trying to make the drum parts sound like one drummer playing in real time on one kit. I'm just trying to do whatever I can to make a good, interesting and unique drum track. I think I've done that in a lot of my tracks and I would say that if you were to listen to all of them, you would hear a different feel/"sound image"/feel in every track.

I sometimes wonder how I'm going to keep coming up with interesting drum parts/sounds in, say, 20 years from now. I don't know but for now I just go with what sounds good to me. Some parts are like one drummer at a kit and others are more layered - as if there were two drummers playing. And then I sometimes add lots of different sounding drum loops, as in this track.

I was watching Pink Floyd live last night from 1989 and they have two drummers there. I've seen that quite often in big concerts. I suppose my tracks are a bit like that.

Finally, if I didn't use acoustic drum software, the only other way to get acoustic drums would be to actually use and record a real kit. But that would be almost impossible for me - I'd need a good sounding room at home and all the microphones, different snares etc. Oh, and I'm a very average drummer so I'd have to get someone in to play them. So that's not going to happen. I'm quite happy with Superior and EZ Drummer and, as I say, so are lots of other people and I'm still proud of my drum tracks. Everything can always be better but there are limitations in life that you just have to deal with.

I'd like a better guitar sound, better bass sound etc etc but I work with what I have and am generally quite pleased with the results. I may be getting a new bass soon so that might fix my bass guitar problem.

Regarding MP3s, my ears are not very good so I think my tracks sound OK at 128K. Yes, I can notice the difference between 128K and 320K when I listen to my MP3 collection. But 128K is OK just for people to hear the track on Looperman. Of course I wouldn't give anyone a 128K MP3 of my music - one of many reasons I don't allow downloads on here.

I can't remember your comment about too much compression on my drums. I don't use compression much, partly because I still don't understand how to use it.

There are some great sampled real piano instruments available to buy (eg for the Kontakt player). Maybe you should look at getting one (or more).

Thanks again for your thoughts. I also like this track, despite the presence of layered, sampled acoustic drums.

OK, I don't really know what to say now. It's kind of all technical what you're getting at and I don't know much about the technicalities of drums' waveforms so don't have much to say about that.

I only ever go with layering of anything that feels right. No technical considerations involved and that goes for all my music making. I do everything by ear and feel. I think I have pretty good taste in music and knowledge of a lot of genres. Therefore, I believe that if I am moved/inspired by something I have come up with, then it is good and should be explored and enhanced and, often, lengthened (that's how I make my tracks).

Are you aware that my technical knowledge of sound as well as my music theory are both very poor? I'm just a dumb, groove player with a strong imagination and feel for far out sounds.

I don't see what the big deal is about drums being composed of similar waveforms. I generally layer fairly different snares together but sometimes layer very similar ones. The effect produced is a good one, I'd say. If things aren't right, I do things like vary the velocity of the drum hit as that makes a big difference.

I always remember watching on the Terminator 2 DVD a load of stuff on the sound design. Arnold Schwarzenegger's main sawn off shotgun sound consisted of a few different gun sounds as well as something like a lion's roar to give it some distinct character. Again: these sound design people are layering anything that sounds right and gives character and that's just what I do.

I use lots of drum loops here to give the track some quite different character for me. No technical thoughts about clashing sounds and waveforms and fundamentals and frequencies and harmonics and so on - just whatever sounds good together.

Oh, looks like I did have something to say.

Thanks for explaining yourself again. You think technically about sound, I don't/can't. Maybe that's my failure but I can't see it changing anytime soon.

Hi. I hope this was an epic enough recording for you, EpicRecord. Those are the type I tend to do.

I think the sound you're talking about around 4:50 is a gentle, deamy, arpeggiated, evolving synth sound that can be first heard at 2:55. 4:50 is kind of its return. Some nice notes, indeed.

Glad you enjoyed the beautiful work. I also found it beautiful so it's a shame to not be working on it anymore. I could make it far, far longer but I'm trying to make thing shorter these days so only around 10 mins is how it came out.

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Hi Spiv.

Yes, 2:00 is the bass heavy rocking part. Just a brief rocking section with a bit of guitar in what is much more of a chilled track. Lots of bass work in this for you to check out, including high bass guitar as well in the middle funk section, though it's mostly one synth bass patch used here (and in many of my other tracks).

I'm still a bit perplexed by your attitude to sampled drums so will just have to put it down to your very particular preferences. I really don't see what the big deal is about layering them. I layer anything and everything so percussion is no different.

There's always a skill to successfully layering anything (even just two riffs playing the exact same thing) so if it's not good enough, that's because I haven't done it well enough, not because there's something inherently wrong or bad about layering.

I haven't noticed any phase problems with my drum parts. I also don't EQ them much but try to get them all working together in one way or another, using various techniques. You say/suggest I fail but I do a lot of drum work that I greatly enjoy. Some others also enjoy it.

I actually like a conglomeration of drum sounds. Again, I think a lot of what you're telling me is just your preference though I do take it all into account as I try to constantly improve.

"the drums will almost always be fighting for dominance"

Yes, but how is that any different from any other parts? I've always got a variety of sounds fighting hard to be heard, and I sort of want them all to be at the same time. Bringing things in and out and getting the balance right between everything is just a fundamental skill of music making and production so I don't see what special point you're making about drums. It seems like a basic point about all music production/arrangement.

You could also talk about how layering bass parts sound bad because of things fighting for dominance but I do that too. Hey, most of Evisma's tracks are built up mostly of layered bass guitar parts. Again: there's a skill to doing it well.

Yes, you generally hear my stuff on here as only 128K MP3s. I have no idea if WAV or 320K MP3 would make much difference to your dislike of my drum parts. Probably not. If so, then I don't know what to say - you have some very particular ears. The tracks on my Soundcloud page are all 320K MP3s.

Hello again.

Yes, you're right about the unwanted sound at the end. That was just an error when exporting the track that I didn't notice. I will re-export and remove it.

I'm listening to the Tycho track now and really like some of it so understand why you mention Tycho. Yes, more commercial than my track but then I never seem to do anything that sounds like a radio track. Not sure why - probably something to do with my character (I like deeper sounds and moods and not just catchy melodies).

Well done noticing the passing chromatic Rhodes notes (no surprise that a classically trained person would). Actually, it might be just one note.

When trying to find changes, I noticed that darker sort of note and then the track turned into dark, swing/shuffle jazz and then into metal, with a lot of emphasis on the flattened fifth (the tritone). But I decided that should be its own track so I'm working on that now and am glad I removed it as it leaves this track much more beautiful and consistent rather than turning into strange dark jazz-metal.

0:38 background noise is a rising string part. Don't know why it's like my guitar parts but it's a sound I really like. Yes, it does have a screaming effect. Actually, I suppose I do little guitar screams sometimes so that makes sense now.

synth/guitar dialogue from about 2:00 I considered getting rid of the guitar there as the layered synths underneath are quite cool and don't need the guitar but then I carefully edited the guitar parts to sound good so I left them in.

4:20-8:20 long section. 5:45 is the start of a new bassline that reminds me of New Order's classic Blue Monday - one of the best club tracks ever made. That section could have been much longer and evolved more as I had lots more guitar parts. I ended up just going with one - a slide solo. That seems to be enough. Again: I'm trying hard not to make my tracks too long!

Last outro post-section is easily my favourite section as the strings play such amazing melodies (a reprise of 4:10). Yes, you're right again about the fifths Rhodes parts though I also have some higher, twinkling Rhodes notes in there. I love fifths and do it a lot on bass and guitar, probably keyboard as well.

Thanks again for your detailed thoughts.

Hi. I hope this was an epic enough recording for you, EpicRecord. Those are the type I tend to do.

I think the sound you're talking about around 4:50 is a gentle, dreamy, arpeggiated, evolving synth sound that can be first heard at 2:55. 4:50 is kind of its return. Some nice notes, indeed.

Glad you enjoyed the beautiful work. I also found it beautiful so it's a shame to not be working on it anymore. I could make it far, far longer but I'm trying to make thing shorter these days so only around 10 mins is how it came out.

Hello. I was certain you'd like this one as it's big on the chill but also rocking at times, with lots of grooves I like.

It is quite different for me but mostly uses sounds I've used before. The amazing string sound I've used in at least four tracks, all of which you've heard. See my reply to TheRiot504 to see which ones.

I think the drum loops here are quite different for me so they give this a different character. I use new sounds in every track I make but it's cool to reuse excellent sounds. Even better to use them in new ways though no problem using them in the same way if that's what works. I'm sure we all do that. If you find a good sound/technique, why only use it one track? I've used pretty much the same guitar sounds in so, so many tracks!

This track also had dark jazz and metal in it that I came up with while trying to find some changes. But I've removed those parts and am turning them into their own strange dark jazz metal track. Just as well I removed them otherwise the track would be 20 minutes long.

I'm trying hard not to make tracks any longer than about 11 minutes these days. Partly so I can fit them on Looperman (at only 128K, unfortunately) but also because longer and I don't think people want to listen. I think it's maybe better to find a way to turn a long one into two or three separate tracks, each with their own distinctive character.

I'm sure I've heard some Tycho but maybe didn't like it/him. Maybe I will try again. If there's any particular track that you think sounds like this one, let me know and I will listen to it.

So, dark jazz-metal will maybe be my next upload. That is going to be strange and interesting fun to make.

Take care...

Hi. Glad you liked it.

I considered putting this under 'dance' as it is kind of a dance track. But more chill so I went with that. Not exactly a club banger.

The strings are my favourite element in this as I think they have a wonderful sound. That's not me praising myself, just the string samples as well as the person who made a patch in Reason using an arpeggiator which manages to make it sound a lot like they're being bowed. I just add carefully controlled effects to make the sound something really special and moving.

I've used that same string patch in at least four other tracks, all of which I would say are better than this. All some of my finest ever work. The strings probably sound quite similar in each track but they play different melodies and they're all very different tracks so have a listen and see what you think:

Right Place, Wrong Century
http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/146210

28 Levels Above Top Secret

http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/151799

The Beast That Could Always Be Tamed

http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/154691

Three Miles Late

http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/150919

I've used Rhodes many times before and I don't always like the sound but I managed to make it pretty good here. The first main, repeated but varied Rhodes riff that you hear was pretty much the start of the whole track. I came up with it while making The Beast That Could Always Be Tamed and was working a bit on that track again a few weeks ago, found that Rhodes part and some drums behind it and, three weeks later, I have this new track (having worked on some other ones as well during that time).

Regarding the drums getting harder, as you say, I actually use a metal kit in this track that I've used in many other hard rock and metal tracks. But it's quite versatile an I've also used it in a jazz track.

That kit comes in just before the start of the slide solo on 7:01.

Happy listening...