StaticNomad
LONDON, United Kingdom
Joined : 22nd Apr 2011 - 14 years ago
Last Online : 1st Jun 2024 - 1 year ago
StaticNomad comments on tracks
StaticNomad has posted 1053 comments on other peoples tracks.
on The Farcical Aquatic Ceremony by Evisma
Me be OK.
Yes, shrink-wrapped laptop for underwater Loopermanning and porn film viewing in the company of sharks (they like them too).
Horrible feeling keys indeed but protected from vomit, squid ink, oil slicks etc.
Yes, this does sound a bit, let me think...Asian? Sorry - couldn't think of another more suitable word. Don't know enough about music from that part of the world to get more specific. I was quite aware of repeating the word too many times. Asian Asian Asian.
Second half, you have indeed boarded Willy Wonka's multicoloured party barge and given me a friendly wave and bass strum as you pass by my huge sonic battleship dominating the river. It has massive double kick drums in place of a propeller (but no slave drummers in the engine room) and a 50 foot Flying V as a mast. But I think your vessel in this is more of an Asian (sorry!) junk than barge. Definitely not a gondola. Valvedriver weoukld probably have a battleship too. And sample its clanging metal for use as kick drums.
The second half has a broader sound paletter than your usual, more minimal layered bass stuff. I've wanted you for a while to expand your sound. With better synth sounnds, there's nothing to really stop you expanding your creativity abnd coming up with more unusual creations. You can certainly do the melodies and layering - I think it's just access to technology (sounds) that holds you back. And some synth knowledge.
Speaking of sound expansion, I really do need to start playing at least one new instrument. So, on Tuesday I shall be travelling to try out an electric cello. Not an instrument I've ever played but one I've wanted since age 16. I like to think I can do it. If I buy it, expect to hear some of the following genres:
cellout
cellometallo (maybe a little the band Apocalyptica, who I've seen live)
cellfunk
bluecell (sounds like a prison thing)
My joke about your inverted dong was inspired by reading that the Japanese have a specific word (koro) for fear of having an in-growing penis. http://www.cracked.com/article_22088_9-foreign-terms-that-put-english-profanity-to-shame.html
Good luck with the knee pads and dish sprayer stimulation.
"I think your vessel in this is more of an Asian (sorry!) junk than barge."
Damn. That's disappointing. I enjoy this track.
" With better synth sounnds, there's nothing to really stop you expanding your creativity abnd coming up with more unusual creations."
I had planned to spend time with the synth and get a better feel for it, but then got the guitar and it has taken up a good deal of my time getting used to the feel of it and getting more comfortable. I have shit for technique, so I've been working at that instead. I'll get back to the synth soon, I'm sure.
"try out an electric cello."
I'm excited for you! Getting something new for the music room is always something that brightens my day. I've thought of a cello as well, and looked into a violin or viola or fiddle. Theremin or a lap steel are also neat ideas. Harmonicas just suck, unless you get the whole damn case with all the scales.
Happy hunting.
Evan
on The Farcical Aquatic Ceremony by Evisma
Anyway, I can hear the farce in this watery track as there are some weird sounds and melodies. Kind of "world music"-like. Intro is quite like an alien might sound. Well, a certain type - I guess they could sound like anything, right?
Then your pan flute, which definitely says "world music". Could be start of some ceremony out in the sun. Bit like a film theme tune, with wide vistas of massive landscapes.
0:12 I feel warmth and beauty as that bass arrives. Not cheesy, which pan flute can often be.
Gentle drum loops sit nicely in the background.
0:27 pretty sort of PRS notes. Damn, I'd recognise a PRS anywhere. No, I joke - I can't honestly recognise the sound of any make of guitar! My ears just aren't that good. I have some very limited musical/sonic listening abilities but also some other quite good ones. Hard to explain.
0:57 and your first tempo change transitions quite smoothly. You're good at this tempo changin business. Now it's maybe a bit more of an Asian dance or battle going on now.
More Asian sort of melodies, partly coming from bass. Then things get motoring a lot more, with wobbly percussive bits in there that I like, as well as your little chihuahua barks eg 1:44.
1:49 definitely quite Asian with that melody and it's fun stuff you can groove to. But in a weird way. You're definitely doing something different here, really pushing your style. Bass g taking more of a backseat.
I think your eclectic, humorous character is showing through more on this one.
An unusual track defying categorization. True "fusion" music.
Sorry, don't really have any criticisms or suggestions so no shaming and thus no character building today.
Except I can say that you're an ugly bastard with poor personal hygiene and an in-growing penis. Does that help build your character at all? If so, glad to help...
Sayonara
"I got my laptop laminated"
Like a bag-phone, or like shrink-wrapped? I'll bet the keys feel horrible.
"I can't honestly recognise the sound of any make of guitar!"
Nor I. I would rather have a doppelganger that can be made to sound like anything. That was the intent with the SR600 bass.
"....more of an Asian....More Asian sort of melodies..... definitely quite Asian."
So,... does this sound a bit Asian? I never really went for that, but I can hear what you're saying. Was going, in the second half, more for the effect of a Wonka-ferry-esque party barge passing by you on the river.
"fun stuff you can groove to. But in a weird way. You're definitely doing something different here, really pushing your style. Bass g taking more of a backseat"
That has been happening since I got the guitar. I'm glad it's making me grow in a positive way. I'll focus more on the bass next time,... or not. Don't know. Nothin goin at the moment.
"True "fusion" music"
That may be what the genre gets switched to. I just figure Rock is the closest.
"you're an ugly bastard with poor personal hygiene and an in-growing penis."
It's becoming less and less likely that you're NOT stalking me, and watch me through my windows as I try to figure out how to stimulate my inverted dong. Oddly, vibrators don't work, but water jets do. I'm installing knee pads to either side of my kitchen sink so I can hop up on the counter, straddle the sink, and let the dish sprayer blow my mind.
Or maybe I'll just get out the old chess set for a better use of my time.
Thanks for listening to this one. I really enjoyed making it and hope I do more like it in the future.
Take care.
Evan
on The alien tribes connection - Dream Dancer by joecramer
Well, it was a good guess that Anubis would probably like this.Surely he must do if it's his main beat, right? I have not seen him on the site for a long time. Maybe you should send him a message that you used his beat to make this track.
Even though it is a great beat you could do so many things with, the synths you have added are still good. I'm thinking it coukld still be a decent track if you removed the Anubis beat and made it just a pure ambient thing. I'm not suggesting you do that, just making a point about the other synth work.
If you want to do an FR track, you should definitely go for a faster tempo! When I pressed play, I thought this was going to be at least 120 BPM, probably more like 140. But this is only something like 90.
"Good to know that i not waist your time to much"
No, you didn't waste my time at all.
Good luck with any other tracks in the style of other people and I hope they all come out as different and good as this one.
I already done a track with some more sounds from Anubis
-the twelfe elf-
http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/156929
and i tryed to tell him ..... but i never hear any or see him here. Maybe i try it again.
When i sit down and start with doing a FR track, i used some samples to get into the right mood. Fast beats, drums and so. At the moment where i make the first test with some of the synth´s i played and the Anubis beat, it was, for me, absolut clear that i dont will make a FR track BUT all starts realy with the will to do so.
I have a little hyper activity syndrom thing and have a problem to concentrate me realy hard on things i dont like/love 100%. If i do in between something that i love more, then my concentration went to 110% to the more loved thing. So there is only one way to change that. I could take some pills for a better focus. (but i never done that for makeing music befor, cause normaly i can hold the focus perfect on my music) ......
I love the way my brain works :)
stay tuned
joe
on Afterlife by FreeRadical
Been meaning to comment on this for a while - since reading that JJ Weekz had chosen it as her fave Looperman track ever. I thought that's got to be at least half decent!
Anyway, it's much more than that and something different for you. Fine work and I'd like to hear you do more stuff like this. And that killer track feat Ray Koefoed. That was badass.
Anyway, this is a cool chiller and I will return to give more detail another time, when I have more time to spare for getting into the details.
Big congrats for now...
FR
on The alien tribes connection - Dream Dancer by joecramer
Big congratulations on coming up with this track. It doesn't sound like FR's stuff but that's absolutely fine. I thought some people might try to do somethng in the style of another Looper and the track not sound anything like them but still sound good. It was just a fun idea that I thought might inspire some people.
I do like this slow, tribal vibe. It has a lot of space in it so works well as deep chillout music.
I like your intro melody and then we get the big main beat. I think you could make about a million good tracks out of that beat!
This is actual original trance - not the modern electronic dance genre known by the same name. This is much closer to ancient tribal music than hands-in-the-air drug music. Definite dream state here.
Someone on the site who will definitely like this is Anubis as he makes cinematic music quite close to this.
I like all your synth sounds and this has a good length for a hypnotic piece of music. It doesn't change much but that's fine for dream music.
Very well done!
First, what a nice and friendly comment. Thanks for all the time you give to all this music.
I tryed to make a Free Radical track and failed. But maybe it sounds like a Anubis track. And if i told you i tryed to do a Anubis track then you believed that i done it realy well. But that would be a lie and i try to not to do :)
There is an easy point why this sounds so cool and deep and Anubis would (hopefully/maybe)like it - the main beat is from Anubis. I realy forgoten to tell that in the discription and changed that :)
Good to know that i not waist your time to much :)
stay tuned
joe
on Can I Touch It by Looperman
Surely one of the most commented on tracks on this site.
Proper, far out creative, trippy stuff and I just knew the beats would be awesome when they finally came in. Everything's cool and I'm not even thinking about faulting anything.
Fantastic work. Do more like this. Or something very different but just as good.
on even when it rains by rei4real
I started up a forum thread about favourite ever tracks on Looperman and Evisma chose this very track as one of his favourites. I thought you might like to know.
https://www.looperman.com/forum/thread/182742/what-are-your-favourite-tracks-on-looperman
You should check the thread out and also contribute.
Anyway: there is indeed some tasty guitar playing here and some of it reminds a little of some of my stuff. Same goes for combining guitar with electronic grooves.
Initial groove is a cool one and I like the extra percussion.
0:40 scratched vocal is good, especially the way it ends up revealing "beg your pardon".
Then we're rocking in a very controlled way.
1:05 second lead line complements the main riff well.
Drums could definitely kick quite a bit more in this. They're a bit "drum loopy" and some actual rock kits would probably give the track a boost but they're still pretty good.
I program my drums using Superior and EZ Drummer's various kits though I do also use a lot of drum loops, just for varied flavour.
The continued bits of scratching in this work well though after a couple of minutes I don't have that much more to add or comment on as it's pretty similar to the stuff that's gone before.
There is bass but I can't really notice it much. Definitely doing very much a supporting role rather than ever coming out and really being noticed.
Overall: some cool funk playing and I like the extra trilled notes around 4:14, just to finish things off.
Congrats!
no, seriously: a thousand thx for giving me a very detailed review!! of course my recording setup has changed in the meantime, at that time I was new in homerecording and I tried a lot of demos and freeware, I had no master keyboard or something like that.
anyway ... you can check out some of my newer tracks like "rerum natura" or "I wish I could sit here forever" ...
and I will check some of your music!!!
thank you!!
peace, rei
on Scalpel Chowder by Evisma
It is I, returning with words as they are mostly all I have to offer. I suspected you'd been cooking some shit up whilst away from the site so I guess this it - a dangerous meal only to be fed to genuine enemies.
And you're pretty quickly in goin fairly badass with that thar bass. Aggressive playing thundering away. Drums are kind of keeping up but the bass is driving it all.
0:45 and 0:53 no way - are they tiny vocal snippets? If not, what?
0:57 pretty good tempo change? How did you work how to make that happen?
1:08 pretty cheesy. Just too polite and tinkly for me. Just experiment with another sound. Unless you love it. Then ignore me.
1:19 fiddle (?) much better. Just a better sound. Melody also good.
1:40 instant tempo change works well and you're back racing away.
1:48 lead synth works just fine.
2:04 back down to the slower tempo. Those changes work well - not always an easy thing to do.
2:47 final end chord is a neat touch. Much better than just letting it drift off lazily into nothing.
Yes, there are problems with the drums - snare and also the main cymbal you use. Stereo widening might indeed help a bit though won't solve everything. Better drum sounds would but I've said that too many times so don't want to be a bore.
Overall: pretty rockin stuff though I didn't experience any anal devastation. Shit speed cannot have been sufficiently high.
"0:45 and 0:53 no way - are they tiny vocal snippets? If not, what?"
No vocal snippets, though I can see why you thought that. They are bass guitar hits using my pedal's wah. Not the Auto-wah. Played pretty high on the neck on either D or G.
"0:57 pretty good tempo change? How did you work how to make that happen?"
Thanks. Before there was anything written for a chorus, I listened to the first part leading up to the change and just played what seemed right. Can't really explain it. I've just erased about 30 sentances trying to explain it. There was no math involved. I tried three or four BPMs before deciding 90 was the feel I was going for. I had the guitar in my head and just tried to match the speed.
"1:08 pretty cheesy. Just too polite and tinkly for me."
That's fine. I figured you would find them thin and weak, but I do like the xylophone type sound it gets. The actual Xylophone synth I have is more percussive that tonal, so I like the marimbas. I could probably mix them with some lower bongos/congas and get a meatier sound.
"2:47 final end chord is a neat touch. Much better than just letting it drift off lazily into nothing."
But drifting off lazily into nothing is what I'm best at! How many tracks of mine have your disappointed outro comment on them? Anyone reading them must be saying "When the fuck is this guy gonna quit fadin his shit out?!?! Been gettin shamed for over a year. Laziness." It is something I need to do a lot less of. I appreciate the shaming.
"Yes, there are problems with the drums - snare and also the main cymbal you use. Stereo widening might indeed help a bit though won't solve everything. Better drum sounds would but I've said that too many times so don't want to be a bore."
It will happen. I guess it's hard for me to spend money on anything virtual. I don't buy games or anything like that. My DAW is really the only thing, and even that seemed wrong. Several hundred dollars for a disc. Made me sick. I'll get over it and probably get Superior Drummer when/if I upgrade my recording desktop. I refuse to get a new desktop without Windows7. 8 is total shit. Great for a tablet, infuriating for a desktop.
Thank you for the feedback and the ideas. I'll be going in soon and working on the drum sound. I also have an issue with cymbal sounds being really short, no matter how long the MIDI note is. Also, the just sound muffled and hoaky.
I hope your bass heavy track is treating you well. You said it was being a bitch. Looking forward to it!
Under and In.
on A new Dawn - Preview by AngelDragon5359
My big problem with it, and I suspected this just from seeing the waveform, is that it's so damn loud! Please turn it (the master?) down and it can still be just as powerful.
Anyway: fun little melody to kick things off. Next thing to catch my attention is the brass. Powerful sound that I hear a few people on the site using. Must get that sampled instrument into my musical arsenal.
0:42 nice string melody. Very graceful. There's a slight problem with the transition at 0:42. Something sounds a bit cut off.
0:48 guitar is a surprise. Probably better to turn down the strings behind it as they're a bit overpowering there.
1:18 bass is cool and a surprise. Brass on top complements it very well.
Overall: a skilful, very busy track that packs a hell of a lot into a short time.
So: just turn various things down and find a way to come to some sort of neat conclusion and you'll have a fine piece of cinematic music.
AD
on Amorphism - Where a Thousand Roses Bloom by fotisg
Those intro strings are immediately appealing.
0:20 bass enters a bit awkwardly - could be made much smoother.
But it's a cool bass tone and line. Drives the whole thing, along with those seductive strings.
Your backing noise bed is OK for a while but I'd definitely drop it after a minute or so as it's then gettng in the way.
There's some great scratching stuff in here. How are you doing that? Or is just all samples? I'd like to get more scratching into my music.
Pauses in the beat are effective and provide some variety. That's a damn cool beat though the pauses stop it from getting boring.
Maybe some variation in the strings would help though I'm guessing that's a sample so you're maybe not able to come up with a complementary variation on that sting part.
All the same, good work. Probably better under hip hop' though the genre name doesn't really matter.
on No Sleep Tonight FT BunnieRabbit by brillbilly
I started up a forum thread about favourite ever tracks on Looperman and MrWolf14 chose this very track as one of his favourites. I thought you might like to know
https://www.looperman.com/forum/thread/182742/what-are-your-favourite-tracks-on-looperman
You should check the thread out and contribute too.
Anyway - yes, they are extremely trippy vocals.
I like this but would have gone with the piano as intro from 0:09 rather than the drum intro.
0:48 is where it starts to get cool with that killer bassline. Great tone and the sort I'd like to use. But it takes 48 secs to get to that. Would be only about 40 without the drum intro.
1:26 a good but laid back beat kicks in plus some simple rising guitar notes. This is all sitting nicely. Perhaps industrial psychedelic chill is the genre?
3:55 good weird, crazy rising noise though I thought the beat might kick in and get a bit heavier for variation. Still a good trippy vibe.
It's really quite a chilled lazy, trippy track. Kind of futuristic.
Congrats!
on Amazing Love by BradoSanz
However, the mix is so very loud that I'm finding it uncomfortable to listen to. So, in that sense, it's definitely not chillout music.
Have a look at your waveform - it's a pretty thick tube of toothpaste so there's a real lack of dynamic variation.
Ask me if you're not quite sure what I mean by that. Maybe you just boosted the levels far too much at the end as you were finishing things off.
It's also much more like pop music than chillout (even if were not such a loud master).
Remix it and make it less loud and I'll give some more detail as there's some good work going on here.
on Chunky and Funky featuring Allen V by FreeRadical
This is a strange, ballsy mix of a few different genres.
Latin style piano, crashing breakbeats and loads of bitchin lead rock guitar work, with lots of little evil screams comin from that axe.
It's all pretty damn loud, hence the squished waveform, but maybe that's what you're going for. Still sounds like a pretty good mix.
1:44 breakdown I'd turn the lead widdling down there as it's interfering a bit with the backing variation. Not so much of a breakdown with that guitar still right upfront.
2:54 new busy synth bass is cool.
Around 3:57 guitar goes totally mental. Massive delay + high feedback level on it?
I think I would have preferred a few more guitar riffs rather than so much lead work but that's just my taste.
Mental track, shame about the stroke and here's to a full recovery! It he only partly recovers, maybe he'll just have to play a bit slower. So: 5,000 notes a second rather than 10,000.
I posted it more for the sake of getting people to check out Alans stuff as he is far more talented than me.
Cheers for stopping by and commenting.
FR
on january by promenade2239
Sitar there is also perfect. Lots of little things moving around and the bass underneath is solid too. This could play around on a loop for a long time and I would still like it. Some strings in there too. Lots of lovely keyboard touches and I wish I could play like that.
My only problem is with the drums. They just sit there not doing much and also don't sound very powerful. Like a loop except you have EZ so you can/should do more with them. Maybe try putting a stereo widener on them plus EQ to get a fuller, brighter sound. I know you make these tracks so quickly that you don't bother going back and adding details to your drums. I wish you would.
I hear these as four separate tracks but will return to say more about the others later.
For now, here is your new favourite cool, modern jazzy song. You're going to love it! Jazz band with DJ as lead player. Amazing piece of music.
Lund Quartet - Sequoia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKmfiLB-03I
I used to play a lot the acoustic piano when studying at conservatory in warsaw (graduated 2008, Im 30). All the current work Im doing now on looperman is entrely based on my former experiences as a classical trained kb player. I am working as a church organ restorer here in poland, not as a professional musician though.
Anyway I just discovered some great stuff like bebop 251 piano licks so this year I will take some time to internalize more 'jazz patterns' for sure. I think doing things in a proper way is some excellent way to go beyond of what I am actually performing here as a keyboard player. It is very limited - I am fooling around the DAW and just profiting from all that but I know there's really no shortcuts when comes to make good music...
I saw your latest forum thread and thought it was excellent - I just made 2 new tracks thinking about how to produce sounds corresponding with your music. I do not listen to rock and like so basically I might use the drums totally different. Anyway that's how I can possibly 'go creative' right this moment...
I listened to the other songs from Lund Quartet and found they play some kind of nu-jazz or something on the top of jazz, not the proper jazz at all but definitely I can feel the connection with that kind of music. There's just a little touch of 'soloing' and the overall jazz improvisational factor in their music, it is played very let's say very 'safe'.
Here's some organ recordings I made earlier, just to let you know:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92jrrSfwWNM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SW8dbD5W-M
I was thinking about producing e-piano sounds that could fit your vision and maybe I will send you something useful in the near future.
I am happy you found this particular track interesting and thanks again for some very useful suggestions. It is much appreciated. Best to you, Alex.
on Red On The White by ValveDriver
Feelin' the Pink boys here and entirely independently of any other comments.
Your most Crazy Diamondy track yet. Very skillfully done.
First criticism which isn't even really one is for you to pick up some other EZ packs as the drums here are almost identical to a few other tracks. Not a problem in this at all, just my desire to hear more varied drum sounds from you.
This is actually totally far out and damn hard to review because there's so much going on all the time but it's totally consistent in vibe. No veering off down crazy cul de sacs.
0:50 low guitar fading in is very cool and I tone I like and meshes with synths. But it's the pad work on top that is the star of the whole thing. Very beautifully done.
2:40 new little lead is great and the balance between the speakers makes everything wide and spacious and very rich.
3:52 nice soaring pitch bend to make things more psychedelic. I don't actually find this track at all dark. Guitar solo is really cool so no need for you to worry about your lead guit key fiddlin'. Many people will have no idea it ain't a real, played instrument.
Soaring, epic and those P Flunkers would probably be happy for this to be on an album of theirs. In that sense it could be said to be a bit of a ripoff but it's just so well done I don't think it matters.
My only real complaint is coming back for a touch more at 6:32. Should have just left the previous decaying notes sliding away into the distance.
Excellent work and a great progression of your sound.
Here's the greatest Crazy Diamond ripoff I've heard and it's 19 mins. Get the album!
Cinemascope - MLK Shadows
http://www.beatport.com/track/mlk-shadows-original-mix/2026010
I will eventually get some more drum stuffs. But most likely not Toontracks. I don't really care for their business ethics. I'm sure I'll find something better. Until then, you'll just have to be bored.
I take your compliment on my pads quite seriously, as I don't use presets. ALl of my pads and synthwork are custom built. Generally per track. There are a few that I use more than once, but generally, new each track. Same with the little lead at 2:40.
" Many people will have no idea it ain't a real, played instrument. "
They will now! Which is fine. I'm not trying to hide that it's VST.
"Soaring, epic and those P Flunkers would probably be happy for this to be on an album of theirs."
I'm pretty sure that if those boys heard this they would probably scratch their heads and say, "is this supposed to be music?" and then sue me for resembling their vibe.
I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a rip off, as much as it is unapologetically based on Pink Floyd's style, as an example, for the sake of learning how to build good music.
I appreciate the positive and encouraging feedback on this one. I've finally decided to get serious about making tunes. So, I guess it means I'm on the right track.
I'll go check the link now.
Take care, man.
on Hangin Round Aceldama by Evisma
I'm sticking this track in my Not Bad Evisma folder rather than my Badass Evisma folder. There is no Bad Evisma folder and I don't envisage creating one.
Unless you start rapping. In the voice of a Thai prostitute. And proclaiming that you will shortly defeat evil climate change once and for all using only your breast milk.
Except that might get at least in the Not Bad Evisma folder just for its comedy value.
Yes, I appreciate this track for not being an uptempo rocker though you do have quite a few on the sadder, gentler side of things.
I still think you're being fairly half hearted with your synth work. Too often those elements are pushed right back in the track as though you're not at all confident about them and almost ashamed of them. You should get bolder and go for a thousand ninja space laser show or something.
Or do something like the synth work in Jason Only Gets Two Hits. That was upfront and badass.
Some of the piano stuff you come up with is good and not at all simple so I don't see why you can't do much more of the same with a variety of synthstruments. Maybe you just don't have many good synths. I don't know.
End of additional thoughts.
(Evan quickly deletes track presently being created) Yeah, no worries there, man! Not me! That's the last thing I'd do. I don't even drink breast milk anymore. Only the finest Cambodian goats milk.
"Too often those elements are pushed right back in the track as though you're not at all confident about them and almost ashamed of them."
Good assessment. Really, the sounds and VIs I have are probably just fine. I just get into trouble messing with envelopes and attack, decay, release, sustain, all the controls. I find a sound that is close to what I want and start trying to mold it, but it ALWAYS goes bad. In this track, the violas recorded in real time are being bent with my pitch wheel. The bends don't sound right. I erased it and played it again, fingering the bent note instead of using the wheel. Worse. Rerecorded with the wheel again and it's better, but not 100 percent. In short, I'd love to use the synth aspect more, but if you think the auto-wah was cheesy, everything I come up with seems to sound like I've got nothing but a bunch of fucking toys to work with. I try to be patient. It's depressing to know that I have the same thing that other people have and are making sound really good. Someone besides me could make what I have sound the way I'm wanting it to. Then I spend two hours on a synth sound and it's garbage. I'm not ashamed, I'm disenchanted.
"the synth work in Jason Only Gets Two Hits. That was upfront and badass."
Played through my controllers arp. That, and the second half of Spired and Weapons Of Mastication are probably the best I've done. Weapons is my favorite. Worked exactly how I wanted with the slow frequency change of the bridge synth riff.
I will take all of your words into consideration. I'll also work on the violas.
Thank you again for the awesome help and general honest feedback with my tracks. Makes the whole music experience better.
Evan
on Hangin Round Aceldama by Evisma
And you're getting back to the guitarless, bass-is-the-place Evisma roots. None of those silly little 6 strings.
This is quite a lazy, sad, low key little track. It must be the 4 string sound you weeping for Judas. I'd never heard of Alcedama before. Still don't know what it is. Google may have some suggestions.
Put my nice studio headphones on for this one. Normally just use my crappier MP3 player headphones. Must use the better ones more often for Looperman. Especially as my Valvedriven track sounds pretty shit played back off these latest cheap headphones.
Anyway, some of the wah I like (eg in intro) some I find a touch cheesy.
Lazy groove sits quite nicely and your lead bass meshes just fine with your mid range main bass riff.
0:48 highest bass part is a gentle, melodic little thing and then there's a key change with some other single percussive hit added to the kit.
1:36 that's the cheesy wah part. Not a part I like (maybe OK without the wah) and it takes away from the Judas sadness here.
2:25 strings (viola?) enter though in the background. Might work better forward in the mix, push the bass out of the way and make the track bigger and more powerful.
On that note, the drums are a bit unadventurous, just kind of sitting there without taking things bigger or better. 2:25 could do well to take them up bigger to make things more pulsating. Maybe to ride or crash. Or maybe kit change. Just something to give the track a boost.
And then you give up on having an ending and just let it fade to nothing at all conclusive.
Not one of my favourites of yours but still some good sadness and beauty on display. Better drums would make it better, as would better strings pushed forward in the mix.
Over and temporarily out.
"I'd never heard of Alcedama before. Still don't know what it is."
Not really ever spoken of or referenced. It's the field or land bought by Judas after he gave up Jesus. It is where Judas hung himself,... therefore, Hangin Round Aceldama.
"some of the wah.....I find a touch cheesy. "
Some of the wah,... is meant to be a bit cheesy and sarcastically sympathetic. Like mocking tears for a fairytale tragedy. Ooh, "Fairytale Tragedy" is not a bad track name. The wah is meant to be like a chorus of mice in a Disney movie, off to the side, singing the woes of the character.
"the drums are a bit unadventurous"
I did nothing to them. I didn't want them to be focused on, but they seem to drag the track instead of propel it. I will work on them.
"And then you give up on having an ending and just let it fade to nothing at all conclusive."
Didn't feel like it needed an ending. The fade worked alright for this situation, but I'll go in and see if I can give it a sense of finality. I name the project tracks with the pedal preset, guitar electronics and picking style/position so I can go back in pick up where I left off on a riff months later. Learned to do that the hard way. Wound up deleting a project that was going rather well.
Buy (Bye)
on JAweGuy - Eterna by JAweGuy
"I dislike over doing it when it comes to this type of track"
I know - you're great at minimal, emotive chill. I'd like to get more minimal like that but generally can't help just piling on more layers and complexity.
Thaks for letting me know about that Spitfire piano - it's a lovely instrument. Shame I don't have the Kontakt player.
But hearing instruments like that is really tempting me to get it as I know there are just so many great sample packs available for it. Could really expand my musical repertoire. If I had some of your sounds I might be able to do something a little like what you do.
Shame I had to remove a drumless cinematic piece called Visible Aura from the site a while ago due to reaching the 50 track maximum as I think it might be the one piece by me you'd be into. Maybe I'll upload it elsewhere sometime and send you a link.
I also need to get some good brass sounds and CineSamples CineBrass sound like a good one.
Congrats on another lovely piece. Bet you're working on another right now!
on Vespertide by Evisma
Shatner has a track up that's excellent and a favourite of mine with over 100 plays and only 2 comments. And it's hip hop - much more popular than bass-driven rock, right? Sometime there's no explaining it but maybe your intro is putting people off. Who can say?
Surely me not knowing the Vacation movies can't really hurt you deep inside. Many people haven't seen them and surely you don't hurt each time you meet one. That would be a lot of pain. Maybe you just can't accept that someone as outrageously cool as me hasn't seen those films.
Your lemon scented moist towelette washing routine sounds a little like what is known as a "trucker's wash" - spraying a can of Lynx under the armpits and at the balls.
Your video idea is an excellent one I think I may have had ages ago but fogotten about. I'm terrible at remembering how to play most of my riffs and don't read music so have no way of recording what I actually played (apart from the audio, obviously). A low quality video trained on the instrument neck could be very useful. And you could even use them to make music videos, if so inclined.
Must post you a link sometime to people who can play killer drums off the keyboard keys. Search Youtube and you'll find some awesome examples.
No, still don't get the Ratridge-Jesus reference. Decent enough guitarist (though often crap tone) but a vocal style I generally really dislike. 10,000 light years off being a badass rough rock vocalist like John Fogerty (see Born On The Bayou for the greatest example of that) or Howlin Wolf. Mark Lanegan is also way, way classier.
I did listen to your stiff arming update but seem to remember not hearing much more of interest so didn't comment. I will check back and add anything that springs to mind. Probably just consult my 10 stock reviews and copy and paste something from one.
Pasta urethra, baby (like hasta la vista).
Well, I extricated that motherfuckin intro last night and have it as just an outro. It is gone. It's ok if I don't get comments. I'm happy with where the track is right now in the raw. It's mostly just polish from here.
I'm going to leave the guitar on the stand for the next track. I made the last two with the PRS and added bass after,(I guess like how most songs are written), and I'd like to get back to the bass being the star and the guitar coming in for highlights.
"seem to remember not hearing much more of interest so didn't comment"
That alone says it all. No need to listen again.
I guess we can just use this track's comments area as a chat page. Any time you have something to say, you can come here to Vespertide.
Take care.
A ream of dirt cheese(arrivederci)
on Vespertide by Evisma
First, I have no idea who Clark W. Griswald is so don't get the ass-kissing line.
"guitar line was a bit original and undiscovered for me"
I know what you mean as it does have some weirdness about it and can see why you'd find it interesting.
"Your words helped me make the intro to "Cold And Hollow Bravery" better,... and they were almost the same words."
My trick is that I only have about 10 track reviews that I post on everyone's tracks so no surprise the same words would eventually crop up again. Saves so much time gojng through the track giving specific time references and no one else seems to have noticed.
I can see why you feel there needs to be an intro of some sort and that's generally how I think though my latest heavy track has none at all. Just balls out rocking from the off. Perhaps that influenced me in my suggestion. I'm sure you'll improve this one.
I never listen to mixes with pad and pen as I'm too lazy. You can leave notes saved in a Cubase track and I tried it years ago but gave about after a day of doing it. Problem is putting into words what I'm thinking. More interesting to just remember and come back to it.
I wish I could leave notes anywhere on the timeline as that would help for naming sections.
1:36-1:41 break could do with background effect as the energy does drop there. Try sticking a processed version of another riff in there (eg with heavyish reverb/delay and lower in mix).
"Boy, you really don't like that guitar line, do you?"
No, it's not that bad, just that I'd prefer to be left with the epic Tool feel rather than the spooky weirdness in that guitar part.
"Wonder what Tool would sound like with a $4,000 studio"
Probably still damn good and possibly better than their first EP. Vocals, guitar and bass would be not too much problem to record on your setup. Bass you have totally sorted! Drums would be biggest problem. Maybe Danny C would program them in though I guess he'd just hook up a decent MIDI drum pad though he'd, obviously, still be playing your inferior drum sounds so definite stepdown in overall drum track sound. He'd probably be rubbish playing those little drum pads on your keyboard but then who isn't?
I like your suggestions for my Looperdude dedication but they're all wrong and I didn't get the Jesus reference. ranDom capiTalizaTion I ceRtaiNly diD! I think that guy is a bit of a guitar virtuoso but I can't say I like any of his music.
"48 plays and just the one comment so far. "
Upon reading this, I see two. Both yours. But that's a 100 percent increase in comments! Gotta be optimistic.
I'm guessing the people who listened agree with your assessment of the intro and were turned off by it. Usually a listen-but-no-comment equates to not being a fan and not wanting to be negative,... or maybe you covered it and it would be pointless to say "What he said". Either way, I appreciate the advice and decided to lose the intro riff. I'll be doing that tonight, (1-6-15), and maybe uploading.
" I have no idea who Clark W. Griswald is"
This statement hurts me deep down inside. Clark W. Griswald is a character played by Chevy Chase in the four movies known as the "Vacation" movies. National Lampoon's Vacation, National Lampoon's European Vacation, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation. The Vegas and Europe movies are not as good as the other two. I HIGHLY recommend "Vacation" and "Christmas Vacation". My reference was from X-Mas Vacation.
"I only have about 10 track reviews that I post on everyone's tracks "
That is one way to save time. I do my entire shower routine with one lemon scented moist towelette. The secret is to clean the teeth first.
"I never listen to mixes with pad and pen....Problem is putting into words what I'm thinking"
I find it easy to put what I'm thinking into words. "More velocity on china in B section", or "Bass' low-mids too thick during flangie part". That's a few on the pad.
"I wish I could leave notes anywhere on the timeline as that would help for naming sections."
I thought it would be awesome to use a go-pro and record how a part is played, and have that video be a playable link on a track marker itself,... it that makes sense. You get to the chorus and a tiny flag comes up with the option to play the video of you playing the chorus. Would be neat for revisiting a track years later with better gear.
"playing those little drum pads on your keyboard"
You'd be surprised, they are really accurate, just not for super fast shit like "Wipe-Out" or double bass machine-gunning.
"I didn't get the Jesus reference"
Your buddy who said you had a big head. Ratridge. Good singer and guitar player, I'm just not big on all the religious stuff, and his voice seems a bit cheesy and very appropriate for getting kids into Jesus through Rock and roll. Very "character" sounding.
Anyway, thanks for checking back in on my highly unpopular track. I though I'd get your opinion on the second part I added to "Stiff-Arming Stars", but I was a bit presumptuous in my response. I've considered that one done anyway. I'll work on this track tonight.
Take care.
Evan
on Coffee at Angeliques by DrvanLansberg
There are probably quite a few people who have got track reviews because of my thread (best simple idea I've had in ages) who probably hardly use the site anymore so haven't even seen the comments.
Yes, Rhodes can provide awesome atmosphere. A lot of people find that. I've used it in quite a few tracks over the years. Here's a big chillout track in which it's very prominent:
Tiny Little Pieces
https://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/147824
You should really think about contributing to my thread and selecting some of your favourite ever Looperman tracks. Maybe you'll suggest something unusual. Perhaps something hardly anyone has heard.
Congrats again on a fine piece of music!
on Vespertide by Evisma
From 0:48, this track has officially been declared most badass!
Intro I'm less keen on and I'd actually get rid of it and kick shit right off with the killer riffage on 0:48.
0:36-0:48 is actually pretty cool (good messy bass tone) but it's the first 11 seconds I find a bit weird plus some of the timing of the playing seems a little off and laboured there. Probably just needs to groove more smoothly.
Crashing drums in your first killer section pack a punch. Good to see you're getting into the kit layering. Does help get round not having an awesome drummer on a great kit recorded and mixed beautifully.
1:12 dirty riffage ceases but there's still some good distorted stuff keeping things chilled heavy plus some nice lead melodic stuff over the top.
1:36-1:41 break is OK thought the energy dips a bit there. Probably needs a cymbal right at start to emphasise transition.
2:06 new killer riffage crunchin shit up. Bit Lateralusesque but no rip off. Just epic melodic power stuff.
2:54 end section is a bit of a let down. Maybe it's just the return of that slightly spooky, slightly atonal stuff whereas you've been in moving epic, Tool territory before and that's more my kinda vibe.
I am indeed still in good working order and am just finishing up my latest badass heavy effort that's actually dedicated to a certain Looperdude you know rather well. Not a parody or me trying to do a soundalike. Track description will make things clearer. I believe you will discover some tasty, epic riffage and predict you will be grooving away within the first 3 seconds. Possibly even headbanging. Triplet headbanging...
For me, this is a damn nice track bro but I know what I'd change to make it even nicer. As always, do as you please. And as you're able ie whatever you can manage.
"...the first 11 seconds I find a bit weird plus some of the timing of the playing seems a little off and laboured there. Probably just needs to groove more smoothly."
I toiled over this for a while and wanted to keep the guitar line. The kick drum gives an odd stutter that I will remedy. I felt the guitar line was a bit original and undiscovered for me, so I wanted it in there. May work better as just an outro instead. I'll take your words to heart and see if I can make it better. Your words helped me make the intro to "Cold And Hollow Bravery" better,... and they were almost the same words.
"Intro I'm less keen on and I'd actually get rid of it and kick shit right off with the killer riffage on 0:48."
I may shorten the intro but there needs to be an intro of some kind. I tried peeling it all back before and it was too bombastic and abrupt to not be led by something building. I'll mess with it again.
"1:36-1:41 break is OK thought the energy dips a bit there. Probably needs a cymbal right at start to emphasize transition."
I had that written down to do and apparently overlooked it. I listen to a mixdown with a pad and pen and take notes for when I'm in the project next. I planned to put some kind of background effect in there as well to keep the energy up. Bridge Viagra.
"2:06 new killer riffage crunchin shit up. Bit Lateralusesque but no rip off. Just epic melodic power stuff."
This makes me very happy to hear. I was worried about the rhythm of the guitars sounding like the end of Lateralus, but when I look around my music room, I know I could never come close to what Tool does. Wonder what Tool would sound like with a $4,000 studio. Probably still amazing.
"2:54 end section is a bit of a let down."
Boy, you really don't like that guitar line, do you? That's ok. It's a bit odd but I like it. I wanted there to be more of a "cool-down" after the heavy stuff, but this is a bit of an abrupt transition to the more mellow outro. Again, I'll be doing more with it this week.
" my latest badass heavy effort that's actually dedicated to a certain Looperdude you know rather well. Track description will make things clearer. "
Ah, you've decided to manipulate musical toys and do circuit bends,... or you'll call yourself "Gibson" and sing comically about Jesus,... Or sTarT Typing wiTh capiTal "T"s and call sTuff Thoroughbred while becoming a guiTar virTuoso? I can'T waiT To see/hear.
on Resistance by GalanticMusic
This is quite an odd mix.
It has a very bright and positive, uplifting, somewhat dreamy feel to it with the use of that lead arp. Like some sort of 80s fantasy film soundtrack.
And then the hip hop drums though maybe some would say this is more like trap.
Reverse cymbals work quite well.
It's a very clean and bright mix. Quite sparse so it's easy to hear everything.
I assume you'll lengthen it a bit. Or maybe not. What do you think?
on What Is Beauty by Ranmann45
Definitely a different kind of sound for this site. Nice, simple guitar riffs with solid tone to kick things off. Good reverb on the vocals, which are well and melodically sung.
This does indeed build well and I like the lead guitar part around 1:00. Meshes well with main riff plus pad. Then the drums come in and it's motoring along in a rather cool, chilled out way. Just simple quality stuff.
1:50 lead is an even better guitar part. Nice groove to it and good progression eg on 2:08.
2:11 cool drum fill.
Not many new elements for me to comment on after that point. It keeps going in the same sort of fashion but I have no complaints about that. Maybe the whole thing could be (mastered) a bit louder but it's overall well produced so no other criticisms from me.
Congrats on a good, chilled rock track.
Ian
on Waves by 15ludwicke
Waves right at the start set the scene nicely and the filtering kind of suggests the guitar might be being played underwater.
0:32 nice pad sound and sub bass hit. Following those guitar chords nicely.
1:07 good low bass tone and then some steadier kick to push things forward. Your lead 'tropical' instrument (pan flute?) is quite fun. Sort of a bit cheesy but it fits the vibe. Blissful chillout music.
I thought more of the guitar should have been included in that section though it certainly returns later but only briefly. I'd really like to hear it worked in in the second half, probably with a fatter, steadier beat.
Doesn't have to go full on into club music but you've got some moving, epic sounds here so layering everything up into something more powerful would be fitting. It could still be kind of chilled.
Just a few thoughts. If no changes, still a good track.
Glad you think that the guitar is not predictable, thats really what I was going for. As for the playing it underwater, I was going for it more so being played on the shores of a beach in the sand, but the underwater idea sounds cooler and makes me look like I was really thinking about the filtering when I was doing the song so ill go with that. Glad you liked the cheesy pan flute as well, I liked the vibe is gave the entire piece so i stuck with it. Now that you mention the whole fixing the track business, I was actually going back and reworking it and might release it again so be sure to check back for it!
Thanks for all the comments,
Rico L.