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JHolmes

JHolmes

Clifton, United States
Joined : 20th Dec 2008 - 16 years ago
Comments on JHolmes tracks

Other users have posted 86 comments on tracks by JHolmes

Comments 51 - 75 of 86
Rockym778
Rockym778 19th Aug 2009 04:50 - 16 years ago

on God of the Gaps v2-0 by JHolmes
I admire your choice of words here great tune your very good, love the way you put this together
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
Thank you. I appreciate the feedback.
lkproductions09
lkproductions09 13th Aug 2009 09:28 - 16 years ago

on Hapi by JHolmes
i thought i should review as i love tracks that have been created and composed by the user rather than just loops the drum sound has a really nice metal tone that is really laid back and relaxed. I also love this tune as it is one of my fav genres which most of my tracks are this genre.

lk productions 09
lofthouse
lofthouse 10th Aug 2009 18:53 - 16 years ago

on Waiting by JHolmes
This is an exceptionally haunting piece of music.
Beautifully orchestrated-A fantastic balance of rythm and piano.
It has a movie soundtrack feel to it and I think it has potential to go very far.Love it.A def fav!!
CONEYISLANDRECORDS
CONEYISLANDRECORDS 3rd Aug 2009 06:20 - 16 years ago

on Waiting by JHolmes
Wow dude that is crazy! Never would have guessed that. Awesome job! Thats the way to layer some loops! Excellent job man!
CONEYISLANDRECORDS
CONEYISLANDRECORDS 3rd Aug 2009 05:53 - 16 years ago

on Waiting by JHolmes
Man this is way cool! I digg this one alot. Great work man and kudos to you on a cool track. Faved! Man the drum work is awesome! What are you using to do these drums?
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
The intro part is a chillout drum loop (or four) I rearranged to fit the right kind of swing (I think it started as a four on the floor beat). When the next kit adds in, it was a very plain chillout loop at the same low speed. I started doubling hits on the loops, moving elements around, and generally changing the sound to match what I had in my head.

The last set of drums to add in was a Drum and Bass loop at twice the speed of the chillout ones. I mostly left this one alone, only doing a few minor tweaks to get it to overlay the other kits more naturally.

All in all, I think it's eight or nine loops I sliced and chopped and rearranged. I've been using FL Studio's SlicerX plugin for my slicing, if that's helpful to hear.
CONEYISLANDRECORDS
CONEYISLANDRECORDS 3rd Aug 2009 05:50 - 16 years ago

on Song for Erin by JHolmes
To bad the recording wasnt better! The peice sounds great but the recording! Great playing ont he piano! Im a sucker for piano work like this! Rain is always cool as well very calming! would love to hear a better version!
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
Thanks man. I sat down and this came tumbling out of my fingers. If my piano was tuned better, I might bother getting a mic, but since I leave town for 9 months in a week, I don't think it's worth the investment right now.

I appreciate the review.
Spivkurl
Spivkurl 27th Jun 2009 21:53 - 16 years ago

on Hanging Out v1-1 by JHolmes
I think this tune sounds suspenseful, like it should be in a movie. I like the unusual percussion. Nice work!
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
Thank you. I've been trying out a new minimalist approach to rythm, which seems to work better than my usual "puke notes onto the pattern until I get into it" method. I appreciate the review.
oskarssonPL
oskarssonPL 27th Jun 2009 21:23 - 16 years ago

on Hanging Out v1-1 by JHolmes
short but nice:))
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
It's longer now.
victormusic01x
victormusic01x 18th Jun 2009 18:02 - 16 years ago

on Sore by JHolmes
Hey man, didn't expect this track to develop the way it did, I really like the bridge(?) that comes in around 2:00 - 2:05 or so,I wasn't expecting that, cool vocoder/synth pad blend...i also noticed a little bit of a reggae feel with the keyboard grooves too...nice!
thanks for sharing your track!

victormusic01x...in the nyC..jammin'!
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
Reggae, eh? I can definitely hear it now, but I most definitely did not write it with that in mind.

I just sort of... write tracks. Development usually happens when I find an interesting voice and try to make it fit. The bridges are usually spawned from my playing around on the piano and then deciding to include it on a whim. I'm glad this one worked out.

Thanks for the review.
FrenchKid18
FrenchKid18 17th Jun 2009 20:45 - 16 years ago

on God of the Gaps v2-0 by JHolmes
Another nice track you've got there!
I reallly love the general atmosphere of the song.I had already downloaded your "Waiting" and I think you're developping your own style.
Cheers
French Kid
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
I'm always happy to hear when my music is appreciated. It definitely puts a smile on my face.

I've been writing music in one way or another since I was about 10 (used to be just piano, then I started writing MIDI stuff in Cakewalk, and finally discovered the more modern studio tools sometime after discovering Fruity Loops 3). It's only recently I've started learning how to make a sound I can really be proud of. I'm glad it's cohesive with my other works.
SLAPJOHNSON
SLAPJOHNSON 16th Jun 2009 22:28 - 16 years ago

on Happy Song by JHolmes
Elevated! Great lift music as you say. Nice progression and melody, this is indeed a happy song. I have to congratulate you on this creation in 10 minutes, it really is a catchy tune...

Thanks for getting involved in this daft idea,but some great music has come from it, so I feel we all are winners...

Cheers Slap...
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
I really enjoyed throwing something together so quickly. Since I had to do everything live, it threw a huge wrench in my normal process. Instead of trying to force my work into 4 and 8 bar loops, I just... had fun. I think it worked out better, musically speaking, than my normal method.

In short, I think I might write the initial versions of my new songs like this. Your "daft idea" opened a new door for me; thanks for putting such an interesting breakout idea.
johnthebhoys
johnthebhoys 14th Jun 2009 14:49 - 16 years ago

on Love Filter by JHolmes
enjoyed this track, plenty of mood i had visions of walking down darkening streets looking for someone or something
good piece of movement- j
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
Thank you for the review. I definitely feel what you're saying about walking. Now this track makes me think of a [probably famous, don't remember the name though] oil painting of a lamplit street in Paris around a bistro.
alividlife
alividlife 6th Jun 2009 22:24 - 16 years ago

on God of the Gaps v2-0 by JHolmes
again, i do have to say that your piano needs to be fuller!!!

but goddamn! this is fantastic, love the tension and release!

have you tried recording the sound of your speakers playing the piano part? and then placing that on top of the midi track?
you know what i mean? that might add some more character!

really cool.. damn love the disnonant bridge! gave me chills.

i hate christians and muslims, and everybody for that matter sometimes, but I hate I HATE, how they self-proclaim faith, and they bait the end of the world to prove their religion is true.
Armageddon and whatnot. idiots.
end of days makes about much sense as martyring yourself for a thousands virgins in my opinion.

we are moss covering a big ball of dirt in space and time at best. life will continue.

love the track!
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
I recorded directly from my Roland keyboard via the headphone jack to the line in on my computer. I think it fattens the piano a bit...

... then I promptly deleted all my working .wav files by accident, so I haven't gotten to play with effects on the piano. But anyway, it might sound a bit better now.
alividlife
alividlife 6th Jun 2009 22:17 - 16 years ago

on Love Filter by JHolmes
i knew when i saw the title and the genre i would love it.

really great bass!!
high five yourself!

no criticisms except the piano is a little thin for my taste.

i can't get over that bass!! sounds soo good! voyetra?? huh..

wow dude, i really enjoyed this! just needs vocals.. like every track on looperman ;)

i am really impressed actually, you have a wide taste in music, and i like what you have to say man!
i know it is in bad taste to spam tracks, but this made me think about an old track of mine, and it directly relates to yours.
https://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/13592
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
Thanks for the enthusiastic review.

The bass is all synth work (Toxic Biohazard, a vanilla bass from their bass pack with some mild adjustments) and placed by hand in a sequencer. I think I also have a few effects on the channel to boost the sound and clean it up a bit.

The Voyetra USB sound card I used to use broke (picked up my old laptop with it still plugged in and ripped the board in half), so there's no soundcard post processing going on. Sadly, I don't have the setup to try to record instrumentation.

I would try to put vocals on my tracks, my by voice is too low for the sound I really want to hear. Also, lyrically I get stuck in ruts. I tend to write four on the floor tracks with very similar ABAB structured verses. If I could find a singer/lyricist though...
JDOT2006
JDOT2006 30th May 2009 00:22 - 16 years ago

on Wicked Trout Solo by JHolmes
Dude, love the feel of this track. It definitely puts you in a chilled out zone. The piano work you did is brilliant. Good work my friend.

J DOT ~ 2006
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
teejay
teejay 24th Apr 2009 03:33 - 16 years ago

on Don't Try by JHolmes
I like the style of this almost as like; an intro to the song and then a swell to an 'over-distorted' crunchy elec guitar part on a chorus and then maybe, (oh god please forgive me for this {knees shaking}) ..................linkin park-ee screaming lyric. I'm sorry, I hate those guys too, but it seems like it would fit here... Any way, great job on the tune, I enjoyed it!!! I'd love to help you work on the guitar and vox, just throw me a line, he11 I need somethin to do, LOL
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
That's actually the sort of sound I was going for. In theory, there will be a chorus, another verse/bridge/whatever, maybe a solo, and then whatever else you do in this genre in a produced radio-hit style emo-rock song. Unfortunately, my guitar playing skills are rather meek (unless it has four strings, I can't do anything), so I settled for a terrible FL Studio distorted "guitar." I have a pretty low voice, relatively speaking, and my screaming leaves much to be desired, so I kind of stalled and haven't touched the project in a week or two.

I'd love to work with you on this. I wrote it in FL, but I have no qualms trying out anything else. Let me know.
BigJoWezy
BigJoWezy 15th Apr 2009 06:42 - 16 years ago

on Don't Try by JHolmes
good job man on the beat and the lyrics keep up the good work I dropped a line in your spot didnt know you had already recorded sounds good God Bless
donatoth
donatoth 2nd Apr 2009 16:59 - 16 years ago

on Quiescent by JHolmes
like your work-remember LASER DANCE erly 90's
very simiular
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
I have to admit, I've never heard of Laser Dance. I was a youngun in the early 90s, and I mostly listened to Christian rock when I had music on.

I appreciate the compliment. Thanks for the review.
DanielGtrman
DanielGtrman 24th Mar 2009 07:42 - 16 years ago

on Love Filter by JHolmes
This review is overdue. you reviewed some of my tracks so I thought I would do what I said months ago and give yours a blast. First, sorry to hear about your split with your lady, but then you wouldn't have produced this masterpiece maybe. music composed from emotional experience has high-impact on the listener (like blues). this is what you have here. I'm thinking a sort of quiet-rap by you in reflective mood would add to this track. just an idea.
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
Thank you for the kind words.

The thing with the lady actually ended up working out.

I've really enjoyed listening to your work, and I'm glad you got some pleasure from hearing mine.
Tiltedbeats
Tiltedbeats 22nd Mar 2009 12:17 - 16 years ago

on Love Filter by JHolmes
this sounds great man!

i like the progression in this. chillout tunes are great huh!
they really get your mind working. great atmosphere, love the bassline! FL keys sounded nice too!

PEACE!
Butcha d-_-b
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
Chillout is quickly becoming my favorite genre to write. Since the tempo is so slow, you can get a more complete song without having to do as much work on the progression. I tend to get stuck in instrumental ruts, wanting to layer EVERYTHING on top instead of just using parts as drops, fills, or passing sounds.

I appreciate you hitting me back with a review; I've started reviewing every track I really enjoy listening to as fully and critically as I can, trying to piece together what makes the tracks *work* so I can learn from them while also pointing out the little hiccups along the way. It's always nice to get a listen/review back from someone who's track I couldn't even begin to offer advice on.
CONEYISLANDRECORDS
CONEYISLANDRECORDS 20th Mar 2009 20:09 - 16 years ago

on Wicked Trout Solo by JHolmes
DUDE I REALLY LIKE THIS MAN! SOUNDS REAL GOOD!
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
Cruise control... nice.

Glad you liked it.
BigPete
BigPete 9th Mar 2009 20:21 - 16 years ago

on All Filler by JHolmes
Great production but its only an idea yet, but an idea that sound very good, at least make it to 2 minutes.
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
Thanks for the input BigPete. I was happy with the sound, so I threw it up here. I'll work on it more once I finish moving.
FrenchKid18
FrenchKid18 8th Mar 2009 20:37 - 16 years ago

on Waiting by JHolmes
I really like the general atmosphere of the track.Makes me think of Brian eno or Moby.I love the sound of the piano and the different layers of I really got caught by your track instantly.Wonderful!
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
I love Moby's work, particularly his older stuff from around the time Go made it big, and for some reason his rock album really clicked with me. I haven't heard any of Brian Eno's work, so I'll have to check him out. Thank you for the review.
Gsusfrk
Gsusfrk 8th Mar 2009 01:13 - 16 years ago

on Waiting by JHolmes
def ambient
strange but well made sounds
I know how hard it is to get the right drums to make a track sound full, so props to you for that, they sound great
Paino's a real great touch as well, but its really long though, other than that, there is nothing more i'd add or take away fromt his
Nice track man, keep it up
God Bless
Steve
ECKSjoe
ECKSjoe 6th Mar 2009 22:08 - 16 years ago

on Waiting by JHolmes
I got into the groove of this track very quickly, I think it's the drums, they really got me into the feel of the song. I love the filtered piano that comes in, and the guitar[?] chords are really nice. The lead piano melodies are great, a lot of variation, really mixes the song up. The layered drum beat that starts at around 2:30 is brilliant, makes the song a bit heavier and bulky. All in all a fantastic track.
I'm glad I found this one.

Peace,
Helix

Edit: Just read the description, when I said guitar chords I was refering to the Toxic Biohazard sounds.
JHolmes
JHolmes replied Unknown
I appreciate the review, particularly because it comes from you. I love your DnB tracks; they're gorgeous.

I'm still working on how to make drums sound natural (or unnatural but awesome), so I'm basing my beats around a sliced loop, then re/moving/adding elements until I get the sound I like. I glad it didn't sound too spastic when the second drum set adds in.
Comments 51 - 75 of 86