StaticNomad

Greetings. This is really fine work.

I can give fewer words than that to express my approval but I thought you might
like a few more regarding the details.

Intro is good but 1:36 is where it really takes off for me. Those other vocals (samples from somewhere) are really cool. Nice African sort of sound maybe.

Big, powerful rich sound you have here that I will give more details and criticisms another time as I'm very busy right now.

Congrats.

Howdy, partner.

This grew on me as I listened to it a few times. It started off as 'not bad' but is now held in higher esteem than that. I didn't love it as much as Pete did but that's the beauty (I guess) of differing opinions.

It's indeed more my sort of tempo, except for when I go double time crazy (hey, you could too - it's easy).

Lots of melody here from your layered bassos. Almost a bit of a hip hop/r'n'b type of groove. Decent reverb/delay on the snare.

0:47 decent change to ride.

0:58 make the drums do more to progress that section and build up to the drop back down to the verse.

2:20 ending is probably best bit. Bit dark and mysterious and a damn fine tone on that low whack. More of that please as it's getting more badass there. Quite possibly a new track instead.

"the end is not set in stone"

You need to get that done when this nice track is finished. I get all my finished ones set in huge granite slabs down the stonemasons' yard. They can actually carve all my sonic badasssery, including effects and banjfunk, in the stone though it does take a while. These sell for quite a bit in the art world and in the area around Stonehenge. You can even get an Audio Granite Slab player to listen back to these huge slabs of madness. I might even get my best tracks set in marble.

Take care.

P.S. Was thinking of you when doing my middle bass guitar section in this latest track that you may find mildly badass. Has some layered basses in that fast section (6:26) plus a little in the funkier regular tempo section after (7:07).

Reckful

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

Hello again. I’m not exactly sure why you’re so surprised I listened to your track or liked it. Maybe you’re reading something into my musical tastes based on some track reviews you’ve read.

However, you’re sort of on the right lines – I don’t like boring, predictable, generic dance music and also often prefer things not to be minimalist but have quite a lot going on (a bit like in most of my tracks).

I’ve listened to loads of dance music over the years and do make a lot of electronic stuff. See my recent tracks Reckful, That Magical Place, 1.21 Gigawatts and P For Pneumatic for lots of use of arps.

“Trust me, there is a ton of music out there that I dont like either.”

I totally agree – most stuff bores me. There’s loads I respect and appreciate that I also find lacking any real spark or character to set it apart from the rest. I think making half-decent music (especially electronic) isn’t really that hard. But making really memorable and moving music can be very hard. Or sometimes it just seems to flow out very easily!

Anyway, your track is a good one and will be greatly enjoyed by people more into minimal dance music as it’s tightly produced and easy to move to.

Good luck with your musical experiments.

Hi. This is impressive stuff.

1st note is a surprise. Bass slide perhaps? Then some long brass notes and strings?

Maybe there's some old complete funk sample that you've used?

I'm not quite sure the new beat is completely in time with the older funk stuff but it still sounds good. This is powerful and uplifting.

Sounds like film soundtrack music - perhaps for a hip hop James Bond. Maybe if the Bond franchise goes a bit more gangsta.

2:17 I'm not keen on the sound of that string part. The melody is OK, just the sample doesn't sound very high quality.

Anyway: good stuff.

Hi. I started to like this after about 2 seconds.

That's a great bell ride cymbal there. Rhodes low notes are kind of sensual and mysterious. And the right hand playing has your nice jazz touch.

Now some extra shaker and other percussion gently arriving.

1:25 a gentle fast dance bass drum.

1:51 sax solo is a bit of a surprise but fits well. You're still just using Rhodes for bass. Seems to be panned to the left.

Vocal is good when it comes in. This needed something new after that sax playing.

I still feel a stronger bassline could help the track but not having one makes it probably more chilled out and less aggressive.

3:41 kazoo sort of synth has some problems with it. It gets too loud and then drops off suddenly around 3:55. It's not a sound I like though the playing is fine.

Even though it's a 5 min track, it still seems a bit of sketch. I know you do your tracks very quickly. I'd like you to take some more time with tracks such as this and develop them into something with some stronger themes. Maybe make them less like a live improvisation and with better structure.

Difficult to explain what I mean!

Good keyboard playing and chillout vibe.

Greetings. I liked this very early on as it's a classic sort of synth arp with a tight beat and all well produced. Definitely like Moroder.

0:33 synth fill I like.

You are right about it being minimal. However, it's really too minimal for me so I guess I need more variation and action and variety of sounds.

However, loads of people will enjoy this in a club as it has a cool, tight vibe. Easy to move to.

That is Harrison Ford's voice. From the title I guess it must be from Blade Runner. I'm a big Ford fan (well, back when he used to only appear in good films, which he no longer does) though I don't like Blade Runner. I can't say these very minimal vocal snippets help the track much and it's hard to work out what he's saying.

Anyway, good stuff though I need more variety and distinctive parts to set this apart from various other stuff I've heard that sounds quite similar. Additional elements could make it quite memorable but right now it's just solid and decent.

Good work anyway...

Hey, no problem.

Maybe you’re not familiar with my reviews but I tend to do this sort of thing for most track reviews (check my ‘Tracks Out’ comments to see). I like to go through and describe what I’m hearing rather than just describing my overall feeling abut the track and whether or not I liked the bassline.

Obviously, people know what’s going on in their tracks but sometimes I might describe something in a surprising way. I also point out bits I didn’t like and maybe make some improvement suggestions.

I like it when people do the same for me as I’m interested in what people make of the actual details of what they’re hearing, not just whether or not they liked the overall track (that doesn’t really bother me too much).

I’m not entirely sure what you’ve done on this track as I haven’t heard the original, but the mix is good and enjoyable so that’s why I decided to comment. Once I decide to do that, I think it’s worthwhile to let you know what I heard and why I thought it was good.

Take care.

Damn, I've commented so many times on this track (maybe a Looperman record?) but you keep giving me interesting replies and doing track updates so I'm compelled to say more. It's not even close to being one my favourites of yours.

Anyway, you're ride about too much riding though don't forget that some people like to be ridden whilst watching Easy Rider and listening to Riders On The Storm. I think it's rideiculous but each to their own.

Problem with you having overriden the riding is that the hat sounds a bit weak eg at 2:32. Maybe you could boost its volume in that section. Or double it with another. Also, you have too many of the same end-of-bar fills in the second half. Too predictable where they'll be and also too much repetition of the same/very similar fill.

I like the switch back to ride towards the end though the fade ending is a little bit of giving up, I feel.

You still need better drum software. I read about a guy in the US who sold a nut to medical science for about $20,000 so there's always that option (I'm assuming you've got two). One nut, killer drum software and some shiny new basses is better than two nuts, inferior drum software and no shiny new basses.

I liked your little Pony story. I though it was silly albeit well written* at first but then I thought it less silly when I got to the end and discovered the neat point of it all. With all the different vampire and zombie movies/TV shows these days, maybe your Pony Must Die one could be a cool take on that.

Not sure if he is the head brony, especially as I think he has nothing to do with My Little Pony these days. Still don't get all this brony bollocks but maybe the person to target is whoever brought My Little Pony back and started the brony thing. Must have been some clever marketing to get guys into such a thing. Weird.

*Maybe there's a literary equivalent of Looperman for poetry and short stories. Would be a shame if the standard review was "Nice words bro".

Yo, Spiv.

I've listened to a few mixes of this track and this may well the best. Maybe that's also related to it being the most recent I've heard. Everything sounds wonderful to me. Powerful and loud but everything crisp and clear.

Really shows what a lovely piece of music this is.

3:22 little drum break stood out for me as being particularly cool.

My one "complaint" is that every mix I've heard seems to have a very similar approach. I totally understand as it's about trying to do the best job with the material in hand. But I guess I was hoping someone like you would do something radically different. I guess that's what I would have tried. But maybe it wouldn't have worked and I would have found myself trying and failing to do something different for the sake of it whereas the more obvious thing is probably the best thing here.

Hope that makes sense.

I really can't fault this mix. And you know I always try!

Yo. Word travelling in your general direction in an upward arc.

An update so I'll say a little about the second half. But first I must say this is a damn fine mix. Everything really very clear and fairly powerful.

One main problem with the second half is that you stay on the ride too much. Should switch back to hat to break the ride monotony. 2:32 is one obvious point. But it needs to change later as well. Maybe you could try finding a way to play that same groove on the toms. That would give some definite variety and leave more space.

Simple descending riff at 3:03 I like, especially the tone. Think they might be chords. Then played with a slightly different tone a bit later.

There's some good stuff in the second half, including the key change but I think more drum variation needs to happen, especially moving off that ride.

Overall, a decent update though nothing spectacular. Definitely not badass.

P.S. Regarding bronies, it turns out that people I know personally know the inventor/creator of My Little Pony. Everyone calls him Pony. But he puts on alternative sort of music festivals these days (think I may have been to one a few times). Wish I could tell you more but I didn't get much more info than that.

Good work here, as was your last upload, which I forgot to review.

Nice initial spacey electro reverbed intro urging me to close my eyes (but I didn't as I don't always do what I'm told).

Then a beat builds a bit with some shimmering dance music hats and a nicely moving dubby bassline. Then the reggae loop drops with a good crashing hat. That loop now defines the feel of the track.

Cool and funky now with lots going on.

1:-1:36 is an excellent, exciting building fill to take us into a decent guitar solo that is probably too quiet. Voices keep going around it and the beat gets more inistent. Lots in common with my music, I'd say.

Simple, blippy, stabby keyboard part starting on 2:18.

And then it kind of dwindles away with some elements being removed and that blippy keyboard part becoming more prominent, as does the additional percussion.

Probably too short but it's a fun little, far out trip. Certainly not straight dub/reggae and definitely more on the spacey side, which is very much what I'm into.

Congratulations.

Hello again. Thanks for the good reply.

“ I started working with synths in the mid 90s.”
I was pretty sure your track couldn’t be made by someone who was a total beginner. I’m guessing you used synths in the 90s, maybe played in some bands but, as you say, didn’t actually work on your own stuff.

I guess all the learning you did back then helped a lot when you started making music again in 2010.

I only ever took a weekly lesson on bass playing for 18 months aged 15-16 and am mostly self taught on using a DAW. I think loving music, thinking deeply about it and listening very closely to recordings and watching live bands helps a lot. I listen to everything thinking how I would do it better, or at least differently, and pay attention to which sounds work really well together.

“I can only produce one or two tracks per year”

That’s a shame. If your other tracks are anything like this one, it would be good if you could work on many more.

“the sound appearing at 2:35 is a dulcimer.”

Cool – I would not have guessed. I have used dulcimer a little in a few tracks but it didn’t sound like yours does in this one. Try these tracks of mine for two different types of dulcimer:

https://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/152434

https://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/152913

I’m not able to listen again to your track right now but will probably return with some more words on the rest of it when I’m able. I think it’s worth discussing more.

Greetings from London.

Big congrats on your second song. An excellent effort that sounds good right from the wobbling, modulating intro.

Drum loop filters/fades in nicely.

Slightly different complexion to it on 1:07 when the new, bigger loop comes in.

1:21 I like that loop and you've done well to combine them. Good drum layering and movement that's providing more interest than the riff itself.

2:06 break fills take us nicely to the breakdown and some organ-like pads.

2:35 melodic spinning plate sound. That's great but what is it?

2:43 new high melody quite beautiful. Your bassline hasn't got boring yet. Perhaps because of everything else you're doing around it (doesn't always work that way).

3:33 another high arp riff. You've done enough for a whole track. But why not continue for a while? That's what I like to do!

This is really very professional-sounding so outstanding work if it is really your second track (I'm not sure I believe you).

You have a lot of talent even it's your millionth track.

I may well return and comment on the rest.

Hi. I think this may have some of the most favourites and comments of any track on Looperman. Not surprising as it's fine work.

What a shame most of the many, many comments don't say much more than that the person listening likes it.

Anyway, if you would like a more detailed track analysis, I can do that so just let me know.

I think you've got the idea now that this is a good and well liked piece of music and I'm another who enjoyed listening.

Congrats.

Yo. This is much better than I thought it would be and really quite musical.

I didn't really like the piano intro but things got cool when the beat entered. Great bassline there and the cello melds really well with it. Great buzzy, bowed tone on it.

The high piano tinkles are good too and this is well mixed. Drums are simple and sit nicely.

Without any rapping on it, I'm not quite sure that it's actually hip hop, though the genre name doesn't matter.

It's just good and skilfully made music.

But do a proper ending and finish this one up in some cool way.

Hi again.

"what kind of speakers are you listening to this on"

Actually, I never listen to Looperman tracks on proper speakers. I mostly just use not very good earbud headphones plugged into the laptop.

Sometimes I listen back to my own tracks out of the laptop's shitty inbuilt speakers (the kind with pathetic bass). My tracks have a lot of bass in them so it's interesting to hear a track played back with almost no bass that still manages to sound pretty damn good.

"I know most pop songs have the octive bass in it."

I'm not so sure. I think it's more of a feature of funk and disco. Anyway, it makes sense in your track. I hope you can get a better mix of this. It sounds pretty good but could be better.

Good luck.

Greetings. This has the kind of vibe I like. I do love all sorts of eastern sounds.

1:28 and the guitar riff reminds me a little of Tool. If you don't know that legendary, very special band, I suggest you check them out. Try a track called 46&2.

Main riff in this is a compelling one and you work it well throughout on different instruments. Clanging percussion is good and then that's joined by other metallic grooves.

Good music to soundtrack a Mongolian landscape.

Special link in case you've never heard my favourite Tuvan throat singing group, who have something in common with this track. Just listen to the first piece of music in this performance and I expect you'll be blown away.

Huun-Huur-Tu - Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0djHJBAP3U

I also checked out Promenade's track and I think it's great. Can't help but say I prefer it to yours as he's done more with that main riff. And I love the groove he used.

Still good work from you so well done.

Hi. I think this is a pretty decent pop song though I feel the production could be much improved.

Bass and drums don't punch and kick they way they probably should. For a start (easy to fix) the bright pad synth seems too loud and is taking up a lot of space and drowning out that rhythm section.

Bass is quite subdued and also seems to be panned a bit too much to the left.

This has quite a jubilant, easy listening 80s synthpop sort of feel to it. I guess a bit of disco thrown in too from that guitar. And also the octave jumping bass guitar parts which remind me a little of ELO's excellent Last Train To London. Do you know it?

She has a good voice well suited to pop music though it's not really my kind of thing.

Good work though I hope you can make it more powerful and get that engine room of bass and drums cutting better though the mix.

Well, I kind of have to comment if I am mentioned in the track description. This could be the first time I have inspired anyone to compose a piece of music (that I know about).

I didn't think it would sound like my track though I thought maybe there would be shuffle groove led by ride cymbal.

You've chosen a different type of groove but I was sure the track would be very chilled out, just like mine.

0:24 female vocal really catches my attention. Also the snare on 0:30. That extra drum groove fades in nicely. Is that the EZ Drummer Funk kit? Also some good hand percussion and you keyboard playing is keeping everything together but just wandering around as things behind change . So, it's kind of the anchor to the track.

I find I'm listening more to all the other elements and not so much your lead keyboard jamming.

1:57 wah guitar is cool. Just another little background element.

Pretty creative, deep chill stuff that would be great for a late night club. Maybe one by the ocean as this has a good, spacious feel so you can get lost in it relaxing , deep chill mood.

Congratulations.

Hi. This is good but I really don't hear it as d'n'b. It's not fast enough and doesn't have the right groove.

First problem is that those vocals are too loud and a bit harsh on the ears.

1:00 motoring along nicely then 1:46 a breakdown to some gentle drums and then vocal in a sparse section.

The build to 2:17 sounds like it's going to be really powerful but in the end isn't. Not sure why but think you can make it more so.

Sort of sorry for what seems like a bunch of complaints but I'm just giving my opinion on possible improvements. I think it's a decent track.

Good luck with it.

Hi. I've heard you do this sort of thing with other tracks ie add some good guitar work.

It's a good and classic type of song so I guess a whole load of guitar work would suit it. Your chords early on are a simple, kind of obvious addition.

1:03 chorus guitar additions are stranger and more psychedelic and they take the track in a bit of a weirder direction that appeals to me.

This really just needs some sort of bass and drums and it will be a fine, complete song.

Well done.

This is fine work. Was it made using that Magix software?

I like that organ/pad intro. Great tone.

And then cool bass and drums kick in. Can't go wrong with them!

0:48 we get some lead stabs that work well. Not spectacular but effective.

1:12 high synth with great movement is more spectacular.

1:37 another great (legato) part joins in. You're keeping this one moving along nicely with the additions. And then you drop out the bass, which also works fine. 2:25 bring it back in.

Kind of simple, cool stuff that many more people will enjoy.

Are you playing any of these parts or is all just samples?

No real production suggestions from me. Which means I think this is very good.

Hi. I guess there aren't many tracks in the 'German electro sea shanty' genre. Maybe this is the only one!

I like the vibe and the vocals work well. The main percussive synth movement is good but I really feel the track is just too repetitive.

There are lots of fills or even proper changes you could add to make things more interesting.

Sorry I don't have much else to say but that's because I can't find many different sections to talk about.

Because it's so repetitive, it seems very long.

Let me know if you hear it differently.

Hi. I like this. Not exactly my main genre and I hear a lot of related tracks I don't like.

Intro brass has some nice delay and plays a good melody. Low piano tunes work really well off it. And then there are the high tinkly piano fills.

You've got everything really well spaced out and occupying its own frequency and sort of melody range.

0:44 that brass cuts out, giving the track a lot more space so that we get to hear those low, delayed piano notes ring out.

I tend to hate those trap hats but they sound fine here.

1:44 the lead brass returns for its final finale to the end, apart from the piano ending.

Good use of delay in the track so well done and I don't have any particular production suggestions.

Some really simple and effective stuff here.

I think an album of your last few songs uploaded on here could be quite popular and enjoyed by quite a range of people.

This sounded good within the first line or two. Backing vocals work well.

1:06 has a lot of noise on it. Not sure why. Same at 2:47.

Yes, there are a few plosives and lip sounds to iron out so perhaps need to re-record some lines.

Track is very quiet though I guess that's OK for a gentle one like this.

Not a whole lot more for me to say as it's such a sparse track. I'm sure it'll improve so good luck with that and I look for ward to giving feedback on additions and improvements.