Hi there Maff - great to see you here!
Keep it going for 6 more minutes? Haha I'll see what I can do about that. I'm slowly - very slowly - working on a prolonged version of this but I'm not in the music making mood really right now so it's going to take a while.
But thanks for the feedback!
Lovely. Really pretty, perfect mix and very heartfelt.
You have a beautiful voice.
All I would say is slight harmony glitch at 2:06 (its flat), and would be nice to get a backing strings in at 2:08 with the drum return...and odd string loop cutoff at 3:12 (nice cello though)..but I'm being really picky as its really really gorgeous!
Ha, thank you. Not picky at all, as I said before, it's nice to put a track here and get some advice/tips on details. Thank you for listening!!
-Charlene
Hey mate - great work. A real song, nice riff and a story which is actually *about* something.
Perhaps ease up on the compressor to give it room to breathe and punchier dynamics (?), although the Rough Draft sound actually suits the song and feels very real.
Lot's of work here - interesting thoughts and rhymes about science and religion (I think there might be a 'third way' personally!) - but you brought it all together really well - musical, intelligent stuff. Upload more!
Hey mate, appreciated the comment. You're right about the compression, I never learn with that stuff. I agree about the 3rd way but sometimes you play devil's advocate lyrically to get various points across as you know. : )
With regards to uploading more:I actually have a lot of stuff on here from 5 years back but I've hidden it all. At one point had about 8 of the top 20 tracks on the whole site but just gave up and went away. No one knows me on here now though. I recognise about 2 people from those days on the forum and that's it. Can always un-hide some if you're interested.
Great you stopped by and had a listen to this track. Yes , five plays and six comments so it would appear to be one of my least popular tracks. It's actually one of my favourites!!
Glad you liked the track and pleased you found time to listen to some others of mine too. Thanks for the compliments on the production quality too. Much appreciated.
Yes beautiful. Less is def more, letting the vocal shine in simplicity and clarity and very restrained. I always want to to fill in the gaps too much, so nice to hear the space in this...although a distant sax somewhere...? :)
Yes a distant sax somewhere would have been good but I felt maybe a bit predictable too. The guitar solo was a challenge and I didn't want to overpower the song in any way. Nice you have commented on the space and "less is more". Many thanks for stopping by and posting comments. Much appreciated.
This is just great. Real epic authority, with such a powerful clean sound...full spectrum rich and tight.
Everything dead on the groove...only 5 mins....blimey - was there a power cut? :)
I love the simplicity of that Eastern semitone tune, and that kick back in at 3.30 is like a sledgehammer. Fabulous dynamic range and clarity.
What was different about the system you had then? - you said you actually did only a little mastering on it, but the sound is so huge and bright it sounds like £250,000 worth of kit.
Maybe the power comes from the fact that it's a bit 'drier' then usual, which really suits the music and mood, making it hard but not harsh...if that makes sense...and keeps the groove absolutely locked.
You should extend this because that electric guitar at 3.57 takes us to a whole new plane, and with that you could open it into your more recent guitar floats and lines with a little more reverb to widen it left and right and build it out, then take us back down again.
Can't get over that sound. Power, drive, simple, clear and epic.
Hi. This has such a huge sound and the instruments all fit together so neatly that I have trouble sometimes believing I made it. And especially all the way back in 2001. Perhaps some sort of inspired out of body experience music making.
I honestly think Simon Posford and similar people would love it, maybe even wish he'd made it. I'll enjoy listening to it for the rest of my life and doubt it'll sound dated in 50 years.
"only 5 mins....blimey - was there a power cut?"
I think I've gradually made longer tracks over the years as my production skills have improved and new tricks have been added. More ways of making cool sounds means I make more of them and then the tracks grow and grow!
"that kick back in at 3.30 is like a sledgehammer."
It's a very moving moment when that beat kicks back in as a big cymbal is introduced for the first time. Sounds a bit orchestral and that moment makes me feel amazing and like the heavens are opening up or something. Real hands in the air stuff though not in a simplistic rave way. More like the sky is parting and God is finally coming down to say hello.
The system I had then was Cubase and Reason (same as now, though obviously the much more recent versions of both sequencers) running together though I'd only recently got Reason. Actually, I didn't even manage to run them together as one a that point so made loads of loops in Reason, brought them in to Cubase and mixed them with the guitar parts and quite a bit of Korg Z1 parts.
No EQ used and no mastering either. Almost every sound seems so clean that nothing needs to be boosted.
But note the subtle guitar parts back in the mix that probably benefit from being dull and not EQ'd (eg squeals at 1:39, 1:46).
But there's a massive metal-like guitar fill at 2:14!
Not sure if the track is drier than usual. Still various delay and reverb used. A real head scratcher why this is so damn powerful. Wish I could make something else like it now.
Don't really want to extend this. 5:33 isn't long but it feels just about the right length. Maybe someone someday will want to do a banging extended trance remix of this. Especially if it becomes an alternative psychedelic classic.
I think the way it gets brought back down at the end to those choir voices and that essential bassline makes it feel like a proper, epic trip that is neatly bookended.
Good to hear your thoughts on this one, as always.
Thanks maffin for the comment,
I see what you guys mean. I might get to changing it but do you know that feeling when you get tired after working on a song for such a long time and you are like done hearing it for a while at least haha.
Thanks for the kind words further ;)
I disagree with some of the comments here – I love the structure, dialogue and story, and you should definitely NOT be in any hurry to change things here as it’s working very well indeed IMHO.
Instantly captivating, cool and original and an absolute breath of fresh air.
It’s well mixed and restrained although the suggestion of doubling the vocal might be a good idea.
What could be nice is to re-sing some sections exactly the same but on a different note (a 5th or 4th or 3rd above or below) to create a simple harmony.
Don’t forget to really think about the lyric and story and reflect that in the arrangement. There is a little hiccup at 2.50 when the guitar doubles on the echo, and again when you take it out and go back to the single at 4.04. This might be fixed with a ‘fade in’ rather than a hard start and stop. But as the lyric is ‘false reality’ you introduce the idea that there is another level of being… ‘the dream world’ … and it’s a nice idea to highlight these words by bringing in ‘another level’ to the guitar or another instrument or voice at that point to show the listener you what you mean musically.
Illustrate the words with the music.
I don’t sing as well as you, so I over-cooked the vocals a bit on What Is Real Never Fades:
…by singing 6 times to thicken it up and I think it loses a little intimacy as a result, but play around with an additional voice in there, either as a double or a harmony, as JJWeeks says it still can be gentle even if you thicken it (..a little trick is that 3 layers together on the same note will fix the pitch variation, but 2 or 4 does not…not sure why…just a trick used by violin players :).
The idea is brilliant. The post-apocalyptic, semi-conscious vibe is breath-taking and please don’t do too much. It does sound like a kind of rock intro on first listen (we are waiting for the full rock bass / guitar / drums to crash in…but they don’t and it would make it ‘ordinary’ and like everybody else’s music if you did that I think).
Keep it cool. Less is more, as they say, and overall a brilliant little track which more than demonstrates your creativity, uniqueness, nerve and talent…to coin a phrase.
Fix that little guitar glitch I mentioned, have a quick play with the voice double, but I would definitely be tempted to leave it alone, keep it on the site, and quickly move on and do another song. It will give you a fresh canvas for a new idea and you have it in you to be brilliant I think.
Seeing a comment this long thats so full of detail makes me think that people are really listening and are actually trying to help without being rude about it. I really appreciate the time you took to type that all out.
I didnt want to pit other instruments in because i wanted it to seem like it was just a guy and his guitar in post-apocalyptic world, and thats all he had left.
I will try the layering of voices, since that seems to be a universally advised thing to do.
Im glad you think thats it IS somewhat original, and a breath of fresh air, because i myself definitely thought it was different.
I know you like the bass and it's really good, but I think it's overwhelming the track a touch, and I agree that you should look at the EQ. Less bass actually makes you hear it more clearly sometimes, and the comment about the World Drums is interesting because I can also imagine some soft conga's or more percussion to bring out the top frequencies, especially if you use that percussion pretty wide left and right on the stereo to give some open space and breadth.
On headphones it's ok, but on my monitors the bass is a bit heavy, but it's a lovely song, a great idea and nearly there...!
Hi Maff!
You brought a bunch of good advice - I'm getting the picture now. Next step is to remix this with monitors, had no idea that the bass came through that heavily!
Noted about the percussion - a lot of inspiration, thanks!
Redoing...
Hey - just listened to this and can't believe there are no comments and only a few listens so far as it's very good indeed and you have a great voice, full of soul and character.
I guess you did not comment on others tracks recently, as doing so will push this towards the front page of 'featured' where it deserves to be, given the quality here, and I think many people would enjoy it.
You seem to have a reasonable quality mic, but there are some pops and clicks which might be on the piano loops, but I hear some definite thumps from being too close to the mic in places. Easy to fix and does not undermine the track really, as it grabs the listener from the start and has compelling direction and journey.
Do you have a pop shield? They are cheap and work wonders, but you achieve a real intimacy here and the effect is simple and powerful.
Just wanted you to know there are people all over the world listening to this - and you have a real impressive talent.
This comment really means a lot to me, and i appreciate all of it. I do have a pop shield but didnt use it in different parts of the song. Ive never really done any vocal mixing or mastering (idk how to,) and this was my first real attempt.
Very interesting and definitely want to hear how this progresses. You have a seriously musical mind, and real talent for innovative composition ideas which really grab the listener.
As others have said, the levels and reverbs just need a bit of thinking about, but that's just technical. The important thing is the idea and inspiration, which are priceless.
Hey thanks Maff!!
Really encouraging words from you, means a lot for a newbie like me.
=D
Maybe I'm on to something here then; to be continued.
And thank you for listening, I need to catch up with your Music!
Very good indeed. I think this is one of my favourites of yours, and with a proper ending...:)
Seriously, I think when people see ‘jazz’ they run a mile without realising that it refers to form and mode of expression rather than a set of instruments or rules, in other words, improvisation as a bedrock rather than pre-planned composition, and what makes this work so well is that you manage to use such a wide range of instruments, sounds, grooves and moods, techniques and methods, drawing on so much, but delivery something so well blended and musically logical.
It does everything utterly organically – almost like there were no computers involved, but underneath you are actually cutting loops and being highly technical to create it. The piano is especially good, you can almost smell the furniture polish and hear guys jamming in an old rehearsal room, but all done in the lab. I love the way you use technology to free yourself from the traps (like drum loops) which technology can sour things with.
If I’m being really picky, I wonder if you have groove quantised the programmed drums, there’s a touch of the Logic 16C about that swing, and I like it to feel looser personally, especially as your live playing is so brilliant and seasoned; you can just rely on your ability and humanity and stick your neck out. Let the tempo and pattern drift if it wants to like you do in the instrument parts. There are also tiny places where I waiting for another…er…’lead’ or ‘theme’ on top somehow, like a real melody to emerge out of such a living liquid bed, but again, that's a very personal taste.
The only criticism, if that's the right word, as that you open so many routes through the forest, so many possibilities, teases and suggestions, you can't pay them all off (no one could) and although this is a great feature as it allows the listener to imagine the rest, it makes me long for an album length exploration of the same bass lick, or at least about 30 mins, so that things can be planted, grown, allowed to intermingle and then be revisited in their natural time frame...'more' is definitely more with you!
This is a very successful trip and a real joy to hear music so worked and considered, but retaining so much vitality and verve, but when you're onto something like this, I just want you to keep going, and then, keep going...!
Great to bring things to a neat ending, but perhaps there's more of this story to be told...?
Such a great review that's a real challenge to answer! You display such empathy and really hear it as I hear it and understand some of the issues I struggle with (how long it should be, are there enough lead parts etc).
It does feel like no computer was used though there certainly was and it's as much cut-up sample stuff as any hip hop track.
Main bassline is allowed to play as it was recorded for the first 45 seconds, then it's chopped in all sorts of ways to make new riffs. Lots of work doing the crossfades between each cutup part.
Piano doesn't stand out to me but you and Crucethus have both remarked on it. That's why detailed feedback is great as people notice things I take for granted or wouldn't choose as highlights.
Drums: not sure which ones you're talking about.
3:45 we get hip hop drums. They're not quantised.
All other acoustic drums have no quantise. I have many EZ Drummer expansion packs so take advantage of the performances. I mostly used MIDI files from Jazz pack (though not for rock breaks and end section). Lots of parts copied to timeline, layered and blendedplus bits that interfere with groove removed.
Don't know Logic 16C quantise. Think I've kept the original drum timing.
"Let the tempo and pattern drift"
Nearly all my tracks are fixed sequencer tempo though no1 seems to notice or complain. I'd like to change this but may need Ableton to get job done.
Yes, instrument playing is loose and lazy (but tightened up through editing - not quantise just the take I use). But loose and lazy can be cool and provide some real humanity.
"a living liquid bed" = awesome phrase. I did wonder about not having enough cool leads but maybe there are enough and this is as much about enjoying groove+atmosphere as hearing tunes and melodies. I think that main bassline provides groove, melody and bass.
"you open so many routes through the forest".
Another killer phrase. It's hard to "pay off" all my routes and one reason I take so long on tracks is scratching my head trying to work out how much longer I should go on for, how many different forms a riff should appear in etc.
You seem to want the track to be longer! The last minute section is too short and should probably be extended by a minute.
I don't do 30 min tracks cos I suspect no one would want to listen to all of each one.
It might be annoying if you were thinking of some killer riffs on 25 mins but then had to sit through so much other stuff just to hear them!
"'more' is definitely more with you!"
Yes, stuff is changing all the time. There are no sections that are a simple repeat of a previous one. Stuff is only returned to to do more: pack more riffs in, vary the groove, apply new effects etc.
I also want to keep going but have to end some time!
This track was part of another featuring actual sax. You'll hear some shared instruments, hip hop drums etc. It's much shorter than this and has even got banj-metal in it!
Hi Maffin :)
Well, I did my best but Janis was the best blues singer ever and though I tweaked it a lot, I'm just an ant looking at the sun, ya know .
Thanks a lot for your appreciated positive words .
This is very nice. Great construction and lovely synth work and I think the echo timings are pretty tight. The filter cut offs are smoothly opened and closed and blend beautifully.
I like that every idea comes and goes about the right speed, with hardly any flat spots where nothing new happens, which holds the attention throughout. Solos are top notch.
Not sure about that skip at 6.35, others might disagree :)
It's a good mix of genre as others have said...I get that totally, and it reminds me a little of Steve Hillage's greatest ever piece called Cyberboogie, for a long forgotten computer game, but is just fantastic...
Hi Maff...thanks for the great detailed feedback makes putting work up on looperman a real pleasure when you get people really listen and take the time to comment...yea the glitching near the end has stirred some feedback...I just wanted to shake it a bit as it was heading towards 7 minutes and the fear of boredom was growing!! Thanks again..Steve
This is so smooth. Great musicianship and you captured a such a chilled mood in sound. Agree about sharpening the edge on the guitar, without losing the warmth mebbe, but the mix really shines in all areas.
Great work - tune has big potential for vocalist I reckon.
Very nice swells and journey.
Only thing is the master is a little maxed out mebbe? The bass and synth work so well around 2.55 but when the kick comes back about 3.12 it pushes things back on the compressor just a touch. Mebbe that's what you wanted, but it's really good bit of work!
on Angel and a Demon by MOONLYTE
Cheers and well done.
Maff
on UPDATE Thinking Of You Ft Felicia Santilla by SeriouslyJoking
Great bass too in the right places. Keep altering the beat and make it go for 6 mins plus !!
Cheers Maff.
Keep it going for 6 more minutes? Haha I'll see what I can do about that. I'm slowly - very slowly - working on a prolonged version of this but I'm not in the music making mood really right now so it's going to take a while.
But thanks for the feedback!
Cheers / SJ =)
on One of Those Things by Cestevens1783
You have a beautiful voice.
All I would say is slight harmony glitch at 2:06 (its flat), and would be nice to get a backing strings in at 2:08 with the drum return...and odd string loop cutoff at 3:12 (nice cello though)..but I'm being really picky as its really really gorgeous!
Well done. Loved it.
Maff.
-Charlene
on the nightime by muraskari
...Where's the rest of it ! ?
:0
Maff
on A series of riffs by FreeRadical
3:15 - Jawdropping groove.
M.
FR
on Civilian Rough Draft by phantomhim
Perhaps ease up on the compressor to give it room to breathe and punchier dynamics (?), although the Rough Draft sound actually suits the song and feels very real.
Lot's of work here - interesting thoughts and rhymes about science and religion (I think there might be a 'third way' personally!) - but you brought it all together really well - musical, intelligent stuff. Upload more!
Thanks for sharing matey.
Cheers
Maff
With regards to uploading more:I actually have a lot of stuff on here from 5 years back but I've hidden it all. At one point had about 8 of the top 20 tracks on the whole site but just gave up and went away. No one knows me on here now though. I recognise about 2 people from those days on the forum and that's it. Can always un-hide some if you're interested.
Thanks again for the comment b.
Rick.
on Leave me alone by RichieWinn
Only 5 plays ??
Anyway..nice work.
Maf.
Great you stopped by and had a listen to this track. Yes , five plays and six comments so it would appear to be one of my least popular tracks. It's actually one of my favourites!!
Thanks for stopping by. Appreciate it.
Richie
on Makin me blue featuring Patricia Edwards by RichieWinn
Take a listen to the vocal version of Always Now if you get chance...comments from you are high value :)
Cheers for now...
Maff
https://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/157107
Glad you liked the track and pleased you found time to listen to some others of mine too. Thanks for the compliments on the production quality too. Much appreciated.
Richie
on Give me the night featuring Pauline Wright by RichieWinn
Well done it's gorgeous.
Maff.
Yes a distant sax somewhere would have been good but I felt maybe a bit predictable too. The guitar solo was a challenge and I didn't want to overpower the song in any way. Nice you have commented on the space and "less is more". Many thanks for stopping by and posting comments. Much appreciated.
Richie
on Circular Motion by StaticNomad
Everything dead on the groove...only 5 mins....blimey - was there a power cut? :)
I love the simplicity of that Eastern semitone tune, and that kick back in at 3.30 is like a sledgehammer. Fabulous dynamic range and clarity.
What was different about the system you had then? - you said you actually did only a little mastering on it, but the sound is so huge and bright it sounds like £250,000 worth of kit.
Maybe the power comes from the fact that it's a bit 'drier' then usual, which really suits the music and mood, making it hard but not harsh...if that makes sense...and keeps the groove absolutely locked.
You should extend this because that electric guitar at 3.57 takes us to a whole new plane, and with that you could open it into your more recent guitar floats and lines with a little more reverb to widen it left and right and build it out, then take us back down again.
Can't get over that sound. Power, drive, simple, clear and epic.
Loved this one.
M
I honestly think Simon Posford and similar people would love it, maybe even wish he'd made it. I'll enjoy listening to it for the rest of my life and doubt it'll sound dated in 50 years.
"only 5 mins....blimey - was there a power cut?"
I think I've gradually made longer tracks over the years as my production skills have improved and new tricks have been added. More ways of making cool sounds means I make more of them and then the tracks grow and grow!
"that kick back in at 3.30 is like a sledgehammer."
It's a very moving moment when that beat kicks back in as a big cymbal is introduced for the first time. Sounds a bit orchestral and that moment makes me feel amazing and like the heavens are opening up or something. Real hands in the air stuff though not in a simplistic rave way. More like the sky is parting and God is finally coming down to say hello.
The system I had then was Cubase and Reason (same as now, though obviously the much more recent versions of both sequencers) running together though I'd only recently got Reason. Actually, I didn't even manage to run them together as one a that point so made loads of loops in Reason, brought them in to Cubase and mixed them with the guitar parts and quite a bit of Korg Z1 parts.
No EQ used and no mastering either. Almost every sound seems so clean that nothing needs to be boosted.
But note the subtle guitar parts back in the mix that probably benefit from being dull and not EQ'd (eg squeals at 1:39, 1:46).
But there's a massive metal-like guitar fill at 2:14!
Not sure if the track is drier than usual. Still various delay and reverb used. A real head scratcher why this is so damn powerful. Wish I could make something else like it now.
Don't really want to extend this. 5:33 isn't long but it feels just about the right length. Maybe someone someday will want to do a banging extended trance remix of this. Especially if it becomes an alternative psychedelic classic.
I think the way it gets brought back down at the end to those choir voices and that essential bassline makes it feel like a proper, epic trip that is neatly bookended.
Good to hear your thoughts on this one, as always.
on Remix colors by johnnyproducing
I'm with Ed about head-banging the limiter and getting crushed a bit from 1:20 - but it's certainly massive...(!)..and full of invention and sparkle.
Very cool listen and cheers for sharing!
Maf
I see what you guys mean. I might get to changing it but do you know that feeling when you get tired after working on a song for such a long time and you are like done hearing it for a while at least haha.
Thanks for the kind words further ;)
on Conscious by MOONLYTE
I disagree with some of the comments here – I love the structure, dialogue and story, and you should definitely NOT be in any hurry to change things here as it’s working very well indeed IMHO.
Instantly captivating, cool and original and an absolute breath of fresh air.
It’s well mixed and restrained although the suggestion of doubling the vocal might be a good idea.
What could be nice is to re-sing some sections exactly the same but on a different note (a 5th or 4th or 3rd above or below) to create a simple harmony.
Don’t forget to really think about the lyric and story and reflect that in the arrangement. There is a little hiccup at 2.50 when the guitar doubles on the echo, and again when you take it out and go back to the single at 4.04. This might be fixed with a ‘fade in’ rather than a hard start and stop. But as the lyric is ‘false reality’ you introduce the idea that there is another level of being… ‘the dream world’ … and it’s a nice idea to highlight these words by bringing in ‘another level’ to the guitar or another instrument or voice at that point to show the listener you what you mean musically.
Illustrate the words with the music.
I don’t sing as well as you, so I over-cooked the vocals a bit on What Is Real Never Fades:
https://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/153504
…by singing 6 times to thicken it up and I think it loses a little intimacy as a result, but play around with an additional voice in there, either as a double or a harmony, as JJWeeks says it still can be gentle even if you thicken it (..a little trick is that 3 layers together on the same note will fix the pitch variation, but 2 or 4 does not…not sure why…just a trick used by violin players :).
The idea is brilliant. The post-apocalyptic, semi-conscious vibe is breath-taking and please don’t do too much. It does sound like a kind of rock intro on first listen (we are waiting for the full rock bass / guitar / drums to crash in…but they don’t and it would make it ‘ordinary’ and like everybody else’s music if you did that I think).
Keep it cool. Less is more, as they say, and overall a brilliant little track which more than demonstrates your creativity, uniqueness, nerve and talent…to coin a phrase.
Fix that little guitar glitch I mentioned, have a quick play with the voice double, but I would definitely be tempted to leave it alone, keep it on the site, and quickly move on and do another song. It will give you a fresh canvas for a new idea and you have it in you to be brilliant I think.
Well done and keep going.
Cheers for now. Maff.
I didnt want to pit other instruments in because i wanted it to seem like it was just a guy and his guitar in post-apocalyptic world, and thats all he had left.
I will try the layering of voices, since that seems to be a universally advised thing to do.
Im glad you think thats it IS somewhat original, and a breath of fresh air, because i myself definitely thought it was different.
Thanks for the wonderful feedback Maff. :)
on Foggy Farm Ft Addis Branwell and Holly by SeriouslyJoking
I know you like the bass and it's really good, but I think it's overwhelming the track a touch, and I agree that you should look at the EQ. Less bass actually makes you hear it more clearly sometimes, and the comment about the World Drums is interesting because I can also imagine some soft conga's or more percussion to bring out the top frequencies, especially if you use that percussion pretty wide left and right on the stereo to give some open space and breadth.
On headphones it's ok, but on my monitors the bass is a bit heavy, but it's a lovely song, a great idea and nearly there...!
Very nice listen!
Maff
You brought a bunch of good advice - I'm getting the picture now. Next step is to remix this with monitors, had no idea that the bass came through that heavily!
Noted about the percussion - a lot of inspiration, thanks!
Redoing...
Thanks for taking your time!
/ SJ =)
on Leaving The Shadow by MOONLYTE
I guess you did not comment on others tracks recently, as doing so will push this towards the front page of 'featured' where it deserves to be, given the quality here, and I think many people would enjoy it.
You seem to have a reasonable quality mic, but there are some pops and clicks which might be on the piano loops, but I hear some definite thumps from being too close to the mic in places. Easy to fix and does not undermine the track really, as it grabs the listener from the start and has compelling direction and journey.
Do you have a pop shield? They are cheap and work wonders, but you achieve a real intimacy here and the effect is simple and powerful.
Just wanted you to know there are people all over the world listening to this - and you have a real impressive talent.
Very good - can't wait to hear more from you.
All the best.
Maff.
I thank you again for the feedback :)
on UPDATE Feeling Good Nina Simone Remix by SeriouslyJoking
As others have said, the levels and reverbs just need a bit of thinking about, but that's just technical. The important thing is the idea and inspiration, which are priceless.
Well done and best wishes!
Maff
Really encouraging words from you, means a lot for a newbie like me.
=D
Maybe I'm on to something here then; to be continued.
And thank you for listening, I need to catch up with your Music!
Take care!
/SJ =)
on Low Key Love by StaticNomad
Seriously, I think when people see ‘jazz’ they run a mile without realising that it refers to form and mode of expression rather than a set of instruments or rules, in other words, improvisation as a bedrock rather than pre-planned composition, and what makes this work so well is that you manage to use such a wide range of instruments, sounds, grooves and moods, techniques and methods, drawing on so much, but delivery something so well blended and musically logical.
It does everything utterly organically – almost like there were no computers involved, but underneath you are actually cutting loops and being highly technical to create it. The piano is especially good, you can almost smell the furniture polish and hear guys jamming in an old rehearsal room, but all done in the lab. I love the way you use technology to free yourself from the traps (like drum loops) which technology can sour things with.
If I’m being really picky, I wonder if you have groove quantised the programmed drums, there’s a touch of the Logic 16C about that swing, and I like it to feel looser personally, especially as your live playing is so brilliant and seasoned; you can just rely on your ability and humanity and stick your neck out. Let the tempo and pattern drift if it wants to like you do in the instrument parts. There are also tiny places where I waiting for another…er…’lead’ or ‘theme’ on top somehow, like a real melody to emerge out of such a living liquid bed, but again, that's a very personal taste.
The only criticism, if that's the right word, as that you open so many routes through the forest, so many possibilities, teases and suggestions, you can't pay them all off (no one could) and although this is a great feature as it allows the listener to imagine the rest, it makes me long for an album length exploration of the same bass lick, or at least about 30 mins, so that things can be planted, grown, allowed to intermingle and then be revisited in their natural time frame...'more' is definitely more with you!
This is a very successful trip and a real joy to hear music so worked and considered, but retaining so much vitality and verve, but when you're onto something like this, I just want you to keep going, and then, keep going...!
Great to bring things to a neat ending, but perhaps there's more of this story to be told...?
Well done.
M
It does feel like no computer was used though there certainly was and it's as much cut-up sample stuff as any hip hop track.
Main bassline is allowed to play as it was recorded for the first 45 seconds, then it's chopped in all sorts of ways to make new riffs. Lots of work doing the crossfades between each cutup part.
Piano doesn't stand out to me but you and Crucethus have both remarked on it. That's why detailed feedback is great as people notice things I take for granted or wouldn't choose as highlights.
Drums: not sure which ones you're talking about.
3:45 we get hip hop drums. They're not quantised.
All other acoustic drums have no quantise. I have many EZ Drummer expansion packs so take advantage of the performances. I mostly used MIDI files from Jazz pack (though not for rock breaks and end section). Lots of parts copied to timeline, layered and blendedplus bits that interfere with groove removed.
Don't know Logic 16C quantise. Think I've kept the original drum timing.
"Let the tempo and pattern drift"
Nearly all my tracks are fixed sequencer tempo though no1 seems to notice or complain. I'd like to change this but may need Ableton to get job done.
Yes, instrument playing is loose and lazy (but tightened up through editing - not quantise just the take I use). But loose and lazy can be cool and provide some real humanity.
"a living liquid bed" = awesome phrase. I did wonder about not having enough cool leads but maybe there are enough and this is as much about enjoying groove+atmosphere as hearing tunes and melodies. I think that main bassline provides groove, melody and bass.
"you open so many routes through the forest".
Another killer phrase. It's hard to "pay off" all my routes and one reason I take so long on tracks is scratching my head trying to work out how much longer I should go on for, how many different forms a riff should appear in etc.
You seem to want the track to be longer! The last minute section is too short and should probably be extended by a minute.
I don't do 30 min tracks cos I suspect no one would want to listen to all of each one.
It might be annoying if you were thinking of some killer riffs on 25 mins but then had to sit through so much other stuff just to hear them!
"'more' is definitely more with you!"
Yes, stuff is changing all the time. There are no sections that are a simple repeat of a previous one. Stuff is only returned to to do more: pack more riffs in, vary the groove, apply new effects etc.
I also want to keep going but have to end some time!
This track was part of another featuring actual sax. You'll hear some shared instruments, hip hop drums etc. It's much shorter than this and has even got banj-metal in it!
http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/145971
on Eclipse by inklewinkle2
All your tracks show great ability with groove, melody and harmony, and look forward to hearing more from you.
M
on Cry baby-Joplin-cover by janis71
Well, I did my best but Janis was the best blues singer ever and though I tweaked it a lot, I'm just an ant looking at the sun, ya know .
Thanks a lot for your appreciated positive words .
on sang av ensomhet by Prelude
Might have a go with something on this.
Thanks for sharing.
Maff
it would be great to hear your version.
on Ill do anything for you feat Patricia Edwards by Baggadub
All the best
Maff
Peter.
on Sometimes V 2 by srbrown7
I like that every idea comes and goes about the right speed, with hardly any flat spots where nothing new happens, which holds the attention throughout. Solos are top notch.
Not sure about that skip at 6.35, others might disagree :)
It's a good mix of genre as others have said...I get that totally, and it reminds me a little of Steve Hillage's greatest ever piece called Cyberboogie, for a long forgotten computer game, but is just fantastic...
http://youtu.be/ZAUCJmMUKec
Well done anyway! Really enjoyable listen.
Maff
on SOFTLY by mackit
Thanks for a great listen.
Peace!
M
on propaganda proganga dubstep remix by zombieme
Works much better at this speed for me, and the way the synth parts make room for each other in the composition and the master is really spot on.
Faved :)
Excellent work matey.
Maff
on Mach 3 by johnnyproducing
Very nice swells and journey.
Only thing is the master is a little maxed out mebbe? The bass and synth work so well around 2.55 but when the kick comes back about 3.12 it pushes things back on the compressor just a touch. Mebbe that's what you wanted, but it's really good bit of work!
Well done and cheers!
Maff
I know the master is maxed out, I noticed it after I rendered it and was like mm well don't want to change it but I should have done it.
Well I planned that the kick pushed it back because the main part I wanted the focus on there was the drum pattern and seems it worked then ;)
Thanks again for the kind comment and will see you around
greetings john
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
Great that the mix is not too loud so draws people into the groove.
Thing is to keep it paired back if you add more I guess...so every instrument gets its own space and turn in the foreground - less is more :))
Love to hear how this progresses!
Well done my friend.
Maff
Thank you for the kind words!
Evan