Not like I'm an expert or anything but I think Neruda would've heartily approved of a music setting like this. Really fun song you've got here, pretty different than most stuff you hear on LM which is always nice!
If you'd like feedback I only have a couple of suggestions. But please feel free to disregard them if you don't agree! Honestly, the mix is really solid. I'd suggest bringing out the mids somewhat, and maybe adding a high shelf in side mode to give the track a bit more width.
I'd suggest bringing the level of the vocals down a touch. Your voice will continue to stand out well amongst the instruments while allowing you to bring up the volume of the mix. And finally, Paul is right, no need to hide your natural voice. I got the sense in a few places that you were backing off your air support a little bit, especially in the build-up to high notes. Keep the airflow consistent and your core engaged. Keep your foot on the gas as you go higher and it won't let you down.
Really great stuff! These are a few humble suggestions and please feel free to ignore them.
Those are super comments Cam! Thank you man!
- yeah I sort of didn't do anything about the mix, it's all standard; I try to get the music right before worrying about the mix too much as otherwise I get lost and frustrated ;)
You are absolutely right and I'll definitely do that. Thank you!
- the vocals are indeed way too loud, I hadn't heard that on my headphones - there's unfortunately something in my setup that makes me generally put some elements way too loud, so I need to re-evaluate that.
- love the feedback on the singing. I want to take singing lessons (now doing drum lessons) because this is the kind of advice I need. A friend also commented on phrasing, which was an eye opener.
Very much appreciated the helpful comments buddy! Keep em coming and no need to be careful - I have quite enough arrogance to handle a bit of helpful criticism ;)
D*mn, you were not kidding about this track being bass-heavy. That was a cool listen all the same though. I'm not sure I've even heard the term Phonk before now, but I loved the kinda 'horror' atmosphere you setup.
Hey Cru, this is a really cool track. The slightly out of tune piano sample and the way its edited actually makes the piece kinda tonally ambiguous. Please forgive the pretentious term but it's all I've got lol. Anyway this one challenged me and held my interest the whole time. Well done!
Back story: one of the Vlogs I watch on youtube always plays this detuned piano soft background music when she is not speaking. So to me, it's like the new elevator music. I wanted to incorporate synth sounds, even a nod to chiptune and opening with a Phonk like feel with that feelof the old-school beats and some new school mixing.
Hey Ed, really enjoyed this song. Who did the vox for you? They're super well integrated and flow through song as smoothly as silk. In fact 'silky' is a good adjective for this whole thing. I think what most impressed me was the way you were soloing on guitar (great tone btw) simultaneous with the sax and they somehow don't step on each other. Great stuff!
Yo Cam..thanks much for the listen & comments. The pella was from one of my old libraries (Sonu Media I think) and I used the same library for the sax,,,good ear on that observation about the 2 lead instruments..I hate to hear lead instruments compete with the vocal etc. I just detracts as I learned early on that its a no no...especially on vocals (which are always the star)...I likely overdid it a bit, but lived with the results anyway...good to hear from you my friend...keep on..Ed
Wow, the mind fairly boggles at how many VSTs you had to use to produce this track lol. I really enjoyed that. It almost seems a bit lazy to say this, but hearing so many instruments from different cultures that we generally don't hear in mainstream music gives this piece an almost 'mysterious' quality to my ear. I'd love to hear you continue to explore this sound world.
Hey Maj! Really cool track, I much enjoyed. The way that the bass syncopates with the shakers and the kick produce a really cool 'off-kilter' rhythmic effect that you generally don't hear in this genre. Musically, really peaked my interest.
I can see I wasn't the first one to make the kraftwerk comparison but it's what I kept finding myself comparing this track to, probably has something to do with the German lol. Really cool track Clickbait! That de-tuned (At least I think that's what it was) synth pad gives the song a dissonant, almost mysterious edge.
Hey Mark! Just back from a long trip, so please excuse my recent absence. Knew I needed to swing by and see what you've been up to. As always, the funky man with the funky music had something new.
Most folks have been remarking on the composition so I'll just mention that the mix is absolutely pristine! As always, every little element is SO well balanced with every other. The drums are especially punchy and forward while never being overwhelming. Oh and I just lived for that slippy/slidey synth solo around 4:20.
Cam, thanks for stopping through. It is good to know that all is well with you. Seriously, the funk is impossible to shake. Also, sharing your perspective is just the type of feedback I need to continually hone my skills. The compliments are appreciated big time.
Hey Rob! Sorry I've been MIA for the past few months, spent much of the summer trekking around up north. Two things:
1. Bassface is an objectively awesome title.
2. Obviously the mix, and the sounds are fantastic. I think I was most impressed by your use of the stereo field, with the instruments being relatively stationary and the voices moving so rapidly, it makes the whole track seem so "live", if that makes any sense.
I think we both have a tendency to go on hiatus
from time to time. Life happens.
I think I either over or under think titles. I don't
have the poetic gift for titles.
Recently I have been stressing over the "Media Medium" a
listener might use when listening to my tracks. I wonder if they are car, monitor, headphone or cellphone listeners.
I use all of the above, sometimes it's a nightmare but...
I like my sound to be wide with Vocals left and right sometimes if I'm in a mood Female left Male right. Bass and Keys dead center unless the Rhodes is just an accompaniment.
Cymbals left and right Kick center Snare slight left.
Then I just insert notes and rhythm voila.
So far so good I hope things have been going well for you up in the Great North.
Thanks for giving the track a listen and for your encouraging comments.
Oh so that's what Vonnegut sounds like! Cool. Not quite I expected. The e-piano and sax sounds are perfect for this track, gives it a very jazzy, smokey, atmosphere. I actually disagree with V, I don't think the bass synth is too much. Though panning it around might be a cool effect. The combination of that and the instrument voices create the effect which makes the song unique.
Hey Killick - thanks for the warm feedback - the electric piano is from Air - velvet - one of their presets then double tracked each track treated differently and panned left and right. The Vst sax is from decent sampler and there's lots of guitar in there too (with multitracked Neural DSP plugins on the guitars giving some lovely different sounds). The bass synth is from a modular synth present with some percs, there is another bass line using outlooks substance bass engine (as well as outlooks exhale) and then there is other percussion from Akai mpc drums ...
Well that was full of surprises! Nice work mate. That was a very cool effect you made with the dragging rhythm and that synth sample in the parallel minor key. Made the track feel a bit 'wrong' but in a very intentional way. You could use that in a movie soundtrack.
Hey! To my ear your vocal processing sounds very unique, that blend of the male and female voice isn't familiar to me at all. And it's always fun to hear new things.
It's hard to know how to "rate" vocals without knowing the full musical context of the song or what you're trying to do with it. But they seem to fit the rest of the track well. So do what you want to and the critics be d*mned, I say!
Thank you very much, I could imagine the Tom Waits using a similar sort of beat (sixteen shells from a 30-06 maybe), but it would be full of him banging tin lids etc! Thanks for the listen and comment.
Hey Michael, great track! Apart from just the vox, I really enjoyed the interplay between the synth and guitar leads. That made for a cool interplay. And in general the production was very subtle. Well done!
Hey Man! Been away from LM for a while but had to stop and check in to see if you had anything new! And not only is the answer to that yes, it's a collab between two of the most outstanding people on this site! F*ck yeah!
You two meld so well together! Not to mention I was picturing a night cityscape full of neon lights even before I read your description of the song, so you definitely hit the nail on the head with this one. As usual your synth lead was pitch perfect but I think my favorite part was around 2:23 when Mark is going nuts on kick and you just kept the e-piano, bass and pads going underneath it. It's almost like the car is stopping and spinning around for minute before continuing on its way. Awesome effect!
Mark is the reason I started playing from back when we were in high school. He was already an accomplished Drummer in the Concert Band as well as a Band him and a couple of friends put together.
I always enjoy doing tracks with him.
Were it not for DAW's and platforms like LM we probably wouldn't have done any more music together. We've been trying very hard for the last couple of years to get the bass player up to speed with the latest technology, sadly our lead singer passed away a few years ago.
Thank you for stopping by and giving our track a listen and for the encouraging comments.
I'm kinda parroting what Wayne has already said here, but I can't think of a better adjective for this piece that 'raw'. I don't speak Spanish but I can still hear the emotion in every moment of the vox. And the guitar, so full of passion but sounding... just slightly... laboured...? If that's the right word. Well done. Very well done indeed.
I love the incredibly old-school vibe of the recording. Feels like I've pulled out a record from a long forgotten cabinet. Also the guitar feedback near the end of the song gives the song a moment of noise rock quality... sorta. Anyway cool stuff!
Hey Maj, this is DEFINITELY my fav of the tracks you've made so far. I'm not certain what it is exactly, your production is always on-point but your melodic sensibility and bold harmonic choices really click with me. Just out of curiosity what does Afrocinematic mean exactly? Not sure I've ever heard that term before.
I beg to differ, I think your mixing was excellent. Godd*mn this wouldn't have sounded out of place in a Hans Zimmer score. The building tension with the percussion and the pulsating strings create a really wonderful sonic atmosphere. Perfect for film or videogames or something like that. Weirdly I also enjoyed the fact that it was quite short, like a finely crafted little gem. I also hope you keep making many more of these!
Hey thank you for your kind words! I love Hans Zimmer obviously so probably always have his sounds in the back of my head. I just think it sounded better in WAV on my SoundCloud, quality on LM seems worse.
Another nice one J. I guess it's just a matter of preference but for me the highlight was your guitar work in the background. Really tasty licks that nonetheless supported the vocals without overwhelming them. Respect!
Hey man, really cool song you've got here! Doesn't seem like there's a lot of us metalheads on LM unfortunately. If you're looking for genre suggestions, I'd humbly suggest gothic metal. There's something about your sound that I find reminiscent of My Dying Bride and maybe a bit of Lacuna Coil. As such, for vocals I'd recommend something along the lines of Nick Holm. Some really dirty low growls interspersed with clean sections. Check out Paradise Lost - Darker Thoughts if you want to see what I mean.
Yeah we are a rare breed here. Yeah that rings a bell, my friend also suggested gothic metal. Yeah the low growls would be a fantastic addition I believe. I will look it up.
Thank you for listening.
Thanks for taking a listen. I am glad you found it enjoyable. Believe it or not I get the comment "I don't like rap but I liked this" more often thank you think.
Oh sweet! It's the next entry in the ongoing -ish series! You're coming back very true to form. And yes, I'm still f*cking coveting that synth sound, I've played around with it a bit to try and replicate it but haven't succeeded yet.
Oh and I'm happy to speak on behalf of the defense if Mark presses charges. I loved the tempo change at 0:32. It might've caught me off guard if it didn't seem so organic and unforced.
I'm not sure if you intended this but to my ear, the voice clips that you use almost end up becoming a percussive element. Like the speech rhythm is becoming a counterpoint to the drum groove. That might just be me though.
Your observation skills are off the charts.
It's funny you should mention the Vocals in
a groove with the Bass and Drum. It rhythmic
result wasn't entirely intentional. I noticed
it after I listened to the track while it was
under construction. I have been using the same
Vocal samples for so long that I have them written
into the track before I finish most of the instrument
parts. I placed the Vocals in a rhythmic pattern but I
hadn't really thought about how they help the groove of
the track until after it was finished.
I'm sure in time you will build the exact Synth sound you
are working on. I think it's a on going process that you never finish. It's just tweak after tweak after tweak.
I really appreciate you giving my track a listen and for your encouraging comments.
on EP track 2 - Body of a woman - Pablo Neruda by BaoBou
If you'd like feedback I only have a couple of suggestions. But please feel free to disregard them if you don't agree! Honestly, the mix is really solid. I'd suggest bringing out the mids somewhat, and maybe adding a high shelf in side mode to give the track a bit more width.
I'd suggest bringing the level of the vocals down a touch. Your voice will continue to stand out well amongst the instruments while allowing you to bring up the volume of the mix. And finally, Paul is right, no need to hide your natural voice. I got the sense in a few places that you were backing off your air support a little bit, especially in the build-up to high notes. Keep the airflow consistent and your core engaged. Keep your foot on the gas as you go higher and it won't let you down.
Really great stuff! These are a few humble suggestions and please feel free to ignore them.
Cam
- yeah I sort of didn't do anything about the mix, it's all standard; I try to get the music right before worrying about the mix too much as otherwise I get lost and frustrated ;)
You are absolutely right and I'll definitely do that. Thank you!
- the vocals are indeed way too loud, I hadn't heard that on my headphones - there's unfortunately something in my setup that makes me generally put some elements way too loud, so I need to re-evaluate that.
- love the feedback on the singing. I want to take singing lessons (now doing drum lessons) because this is the kind of advice I need. A friend also commented on phrasing, which was an eye opener.
Very much appreciated the helpful comments buddy! Keep em coming and no need to be careful - I have quite enough arrogance to handle a bit of helpful criticism ;)
Cheers,
B.
on GRAVE ROBBER by Prodambien
on Content Provider by crucethus
on Miistake by Tumbleweed
Cam
on Emergence - Orior by Kirkoid
Cam
on Brothers by DijamMusic
Cam
How are you doing?
Many thanks for your kind feedback.
I am glad you liked it too.
I really appreciate it.
Maj
on Waiting for you by ClickbaitCabaret
on NuGroove Featuring BaoBou Remastered by kingmt77
Most folks have been remarking on the composition so I'll just mention that the mix is absolutely pristine! As always, every little element is SO well balanced with every other. The drums are especially punchy and forward while never being overwhelming. Oh and I just lived for that slippy/slidey synth solo around 4:20.
Hope all is well with you and yours!
Cam
Mark
on YEAH BassFace by Jynxz
1. Bassface is an objectively awesome title.
2. Obviously the mix, and the sounds are fantastic. I think I was most impressed by your use of the stereo field, with the instruments being relatively stationary and the voices moving so rapidly, it makes the whole track seem so "live", if that makes any sense.
Hope all is well down your way!
Cam
I think we both have a tendency to go on hiatus
from time to time. Life happens.
I think I either over or under think titles. I don't
have the poetic gift for titles.
Recently I have been stressing over the "Media Medium" a
listener might use when listening to my tracks. I wonder if they are car, monitor, headphone or cellphone listeners.
I use all of the above, sometimes it's a nightmare but...
I like my sound to be wide with Vocals left and right sometimes if I'm in a mood Female left Male right. Bass and Keys dead center unless the Rhodes is just an accompaniment.
Cymbals left and right Kick center Snare slight left.
Then I just insert notes and rhythm voila.
So far so good I hope things have been going well for you up in the Great North.
Thanks for giving the track a listen and for your encouraging comments.
PEACE from the SouthEast...
on Trouts Truth by pseudoble
on obsessed - alpha by alphamusicprod
on Girls night out preview by FayeHarris
It's hard to know how to "rate" vocals without knowing the full musical context of the song or what you're trying to do with it. But they seem to fit the rest of the track well. So do what you want to and the critics be d*mned, I say!
on jesus has a mighty sword by Zootman
on Softly down broken head road by pseudoble
on you dont get to choose by phantomproduction
Michael
on So Live It FT Orion aka Bluntwrap by OMaille
on CityLifeish Featuring KingMT77-Drums by Jynxz
You two meld so well together! Not to mention I was picturing a night cityscape full of neon lights even before I read your description of the song, so you definitely hit the nail on the head with this one. As usual your synth lead was pitch perfect but I think my favorite part was around 2:23 when Mark is going nuts on kick and you just kept the e-piano, bass and pads going underneath it. It's almost like the car is stopping and spinning around for minute before continuing on its way. Awesome effect!
I always enjoy doing tracks with him.
Were it not for DAW's and platforms like LM we probably wouldn't have done any more music together. We've been trying very hard for the last couple of years to get the bass player up to speed with the latest technology, sadly our lead singer passed away a few years ago.
Thank you for stopping by and giving our track a listen and for the encouraging comments.
I'm waiting to hear your next track...
PEACE...
on lo que hicieron de mi by Ashesndreams
on halfpipe Burn by rockoff
on Spirit Of The Island by DijamMusic
Cam
Many thanks for your kind feedback.
I am glad you liked it.
Afrocinematic means cinematic track with Afrobeats.
I really appreciated it.
Maj
on Only One Can Win by aarker
https://soundcloud.com/marnieguk/only-one-can-win
on Door number 2 by JohnSmokey
Cam
I am glad it was an enjoyable listen.
Johnnie
on Berserk by ripzore9191
Thank you for listening.
on Still Slick by JohnSmokey
Johnnie
on Funkish by Jynxz
Oh and I'm happy to speak on behalf of the defense if Mark presses charges. I loved the tempo change at 0:32. It might've caught me off guard if it didn't seem so organic and unforced.
I'm not sure if you intended this but to my ear, the voice clips that you use almost end up becoming a percussive element. Like the speech rhythm is becoming a counterpoint to the drum groove. That might just be me though.
Your observation skills are off the charts.
It's funny you should mention the Vocals in
a groove with the Bass and Drum. It rhythmic
result wasn't entirely intentional. I noticed
it after I listened to the track while it was
under construction. I have been using the same
Vocal samples for so long that I have them written
into the track before I finish most of the instrument
parts. I placed the Vocals in a rhythmic pattern but I
hadn't really thought about how they help the groove of
the track until after it was finished.
I'm sure in time you will build the exact Synth sound you
are working on. I think it's a on going process that you never finish. It's just tweak after tweak after tweak.
I really appreciate you giving my track a listen and for your encouraging comments.
PEACE... From the Southeast