ValveDriver
Not every song requires vocals
Portland, United States
Joined : 25th Sep 2012 - 13 years ago
Last Online : 8th Feb 2026 - 1 week ago
ValveDriver comments on tracks
ValveDriver has posted 522 comments on other peoples tracks.
on 2020x by Boon
I think this would fall under the Cinematic genre more than the chill out, buf either way, it fits here just fine, as it is definitely chill.
It kind of reminds me of the meditation type stuff that was real popular in the 90s. Enigma, Dead Can Dance, etc.
Good job, man. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.
on Beige Minds by dvnmusic
This is a pleasant piece. I like what you have. My only real suggestion would be to bring the bass loop forward in the mix just a little bit. Not by much though. Right now, I can hear it, but it's a little buried behind the keys.
An idea to toy with just for the hell of it: Try bringing in some loose jazzy drums to lay over the top of it. Lots of brush snares and rides. Maybe put a vinyl emulator on the master for that vintage crackle.
Again, just suggestions for a different perspective.
Take them for what they're worth.
None the less. I still enjoyed it as it is. Keep up the good work!
Take care.
V.
on Azathoth by Stereonomicon
I really enjoy your style. The depth of you comes out in your work. Much like the words you choose to communicate verbally, your music, even these experimental pieces, are very articulate and deliberate.
Much like my own work, (More so in my early works that aren't posted here anymore.), you have the ability to tell a story with sounds. It's a far cry from the standard formulas that most pop follows. Allowing freedom for creative expression.
I am impressed that this is all mostly from apps. It's interesting how far technology has come. And to think that we're still only at the surface.
This piece reminds me of early Pink Floyd. Obscured By Clouds era. Just...more cosmic. (Therefore, aptly titled, "Azathoth"). It's fluid soundscape is chaotic but still orchestrated under a grand plan.
The drums, while being exactly where they need to be, almost seem like they were an accident. Like they were floating by, and were pulled into the vortex by the gravity of oscillating energy.
Even if you were just playing around, this still paints a picture. Nice job, man.
Keep 'em coming.
Take care.
Aaron
A warm greeting
Marco
on Ah - Ronabo2020 by ronabo
I didn't hear it before the edits on the sax-breaks, but I can tell that you made the right choice by following DJ's advice.
I really like the chimed intro, and how it continues on through the piece. It sets a good foundation.
The beat is superb as well. It's really quite impeccable in how it seems to fumble, but never drops the ball.
The "Hey" that comes in, and repeats until the end is a nice touch as well. The long slow fade out works here.
Overall, this truly is, even in it's jazziness, a chilled out track!
Awesome, work. Keep it up!
Take care.
V
Ronabo
on Sameold by JJIreland
All of the levels sound good to me. Everything sits well in the mix. The only thing I would have done differently is use the Stereo Shaper on the sub, with all 4 sliders set right around 6.0 db. That would still keep it mostly centered, but spread the edges out just a little bit to fill in the space between the drums and the piano. Speaking of piano, the delay reverb and stereo effects are good. Nice and dynamic.
I know you said you plan on making some adjustments, and I don't know what they are, so I'll suggest this anyhow...
at the 1:08 mark, I would introduce some pads, or strings in the background to fill it out a little bit more. Right now, with just the drums, bass and piano, it gets repetitive. It's a strong foundation for what could be a much larger piece.
But, then again, I don't listen to hip-hop, and I don't know what you're going for, so take my opinions for what they are.
Overall, excellent work. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.
on CTHULHU CALLING third version by Stereonomicon
I listened to this the other day, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to sit down and fully listen with intent. Today, I had the chance to revisit, and I'm glad I did.
There are a few things I really like about this track.
I use a lot of sound effects in my tracks to help build an ambiance, so using the water sounds in the beginning was a definite plus.
I particularly enjoy how the sequenced bassline stays steady through the entire track, yet all of the other synths fade in and out of each other. Like elements mixing in water. The entire piece is very fluid and seamless. The combination of arps, sequences, and droning pads perfectly represent submarine-scapes. I particularly enjoyed the fact that it could be a much busier track, but it stays quite reserved, and with what you do have in there, it's not crowded. Everything about this song is the perfect representation of underwater life.
The only thing I don't fully understand is the airy outro. For the entire track, we were submerged, but then it was a dry wind-like exit. To be clear, though, it's not a bad ending, or displeasant in any way. I still enjoyed it thoroughly. I just wasn't sure if we were being transported up and out of the water, or not.
As far as the mix and equalization goes. Everything sounds good to me. It's crystal clear, it's fluid and dynamic. There is a lot of motion, it's a wide expansive sound. Nothing jumps out in the mix, nor does it duck behind anything. It's not a wall of sound that's too loud to listen to, but everything can be heard clearly.
Overall, this is a high quality piece and I enjoyed listening to it.
Take care.
Aaron
on Dont Play by Butterfing4r
Good job.
Take care.
V.
on LunnchBoxx - Coin Slot 777 by LunnchBoxx
That being said, here is my suggestion to help with the mix.
Dynamics and automated motion. Right now, even though there is stereo separation, everything is still sitting in the middle. Try panning different elements of the drop to different spots on the left to right scale. With everything being in the middle it's all fighting for the same spaces and the frequencies are essentially tripping over each other and crowding up the joint.
Not only will that free up spaces for everything to come through more clearly, but it will give a much fuller, and dynamic sound. Making it bigger and and more grandiose.
As far as levels go, the volumes are all good. At least through my headphones. Everything seems to be sitting in the mix just right. Nothing really jumps out, or ducks behind. The sidechaining is a little heavy for my own personal taste, but that's just me. I've never really been a fan of that. So, take that bit of criticism for what it's worth.
The percussion is pretty good. The hats and cymbals are a little low in there. Maybe boost the volume on those. Again, if you can, maybe put a stereo separator on the claps. Widen them out. Bump the hi-hats off center just a bit.
I'm assuming that this is all original, and not a mix of loops...even though it is Looperman, home of the loops. So, again, take my opinions and criticisms for what they're worth. If they help, great. If they don't, then no harm, no foul.
Overall, excellent work. I'm looking forward to hearing what you come up with in the future.
Take care.
V.
on TRUMP-S LAMENT by terryjmhitsong
Take care.
V.
on By My Side - Dreaming - extended mix by vacacegamusic
Keep up the good work, I look forward to hearing more from you.
Take care.
V.
Thanks again for taking the time to listen :-)
A-M
on Thats The Dubstep by Butterfing4r
Maybe add a dimension expander to give it some extra size. Or some panning and stereo effect for a widened dynamic.
That's about my only real criticism.
Everything else, like I said, sounds pretty good.
Keep up the good work.
Take care.
V.
on Control by Neomorpheus
I know you're a fan of the classic rock, but what about Eddie VanHalen specifically? I can hear a lot of his style in this one. Maybe it's just me. But it reminds me a lot of "1984". Which, is a good thing. I loved that album.
Speaking of collaborations, why have you and Evisma never collaborated? Between your guitars and his bass... I mean, come on man, that's what legends are made of!
Actually I was a huge Eddie VanHalen fan. Still am pretty much. Even though I lost a lot of respect for them when they sold out and went pop. I was an EVH disciple for a while, especially after that first album. Damn, what guitar player wasn't? I spent countless hours trying to learn his techniques and how he created some of those sounds. I posted a track a few years back that was kind of a VanHalen thing. I made the mistake of putting some Dave Lee Roth snippits in it and got some backlash so I took it down.
As far as Evan goes, I mean yeah, hes awesome and I have always admired and respected his talent, for sure. As far as collabs though, I'm really not much into them. I've done a few but they tend to be uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, I love making music and I love interfacing with other musicians but working together can be difficult. Its why I quit playing in bands. So I don't really approach others for collabs but if someone asks I don't think I've ever said no.
Thanks for your constant support bro, I always appreciate hearing what you have to say in any capacity whatsoever.
on Beast - DarkLight by DJDarkLight
on MORE Just For Funsies by toddlove
This one sounds like someone took The Waitresses, The Art of Noise, Yellow, just a drop of Dee-lite. and threw them in a martini cup for that shaken, not stirred vibe.
Nice work!
Take care.
V.
on Where Is She by HeathAlexander
This track is fluid. The motion and the dynamics keep it moving seamlessly. I love the transitions between the deep "wet" ethereal reverb and dry breaks. There are a LOT of elements in this thing. Not one of them is out of place, or commanding all of the attention. I think, for my money though, the bassline that comes in at 1:10 is the real star of the show. That groovy-A-F, and smooth line just keeps everything tied together and creates the perfect surface for it all to skate upon.
2:56 - The guitar is the perfect compliment to the bass guitar. Honestly, I'd liked to have heard more of it peppered throughout the whole song. The tones, and effects on it allow it to fit right in. About the time I'm really getting into the trippy groove that it brings, it's abruptly over. That, my friend is the ONLY criticism I have of this piece.
I will, over the next few days, be listening to more of your work. If it's all this good, I would suggest looking into publishing and putting out there beyond Looperman.
Take care, man.
V.
on Beast - DarkLight by DJDarkLight
Ok, first, let's talk Mixers. If you're not, you need to be using one. If these are all loops, each loop should be assigned to it's own mixer track.
Now, let's discuss levels. Louder isn't always better. This entire track is too loud. Not because my volume is turned up, but because it's clipping through the entire thing. If you have these in a mixer, you need to bring all of the volume levels down to about -5 to -3 db then adjust them individually until they are all about the same...in your speakers. Not necessarily the meter. Once you get them where you think it sounds good, then check your meter. If it's bouncing above the 0db line, or peaking into the red, then it's too loud and clipping will occur. That's what it's called when it sounds like it's cracking the speakers.
Now, let's talk spacial dynamics. Everything in this track is centered. There is no panning, or real stereo effects that allow everything to sit in it's own place in the mix. When you leave everything centered in the mix, it all just lays on top of each other, crowding up the same space. Then, it just becomes a wall of noise.
Now that I was painfully hones about your track, let me reassure you that you're heading in the right direction. With more experience and practice, I have no doubt that you will be able to put out some quality work. Keep it up!
Take care.
Valvedriver
DarkLight
on Just For Funsies by toddlove
Honestly, it’s pretty catchy. Not a bad little experiment, really. Especially if you had fun doing it.
Take care.
V.
on At The Pond by Orlando51
I noticed in the featured section that none of your work was there, so I had to come dig for it on your track page. I'm glad I did. This is an amazing piece.
It seems whenever I hit a spot in life that leads me to create the dark, sloppy, raw and aggressive tracks where I just push out all of my frustrations, you have a song that is just the opposite that fills in the space left behind. This is no exception. It's calming, it's clean, it's uplifting.
I read in one of the earlier comments, (I think Joe's without scrolling back up to double check), that you need to cut an entire album. I agree with that. You are absolutely talented, and skilled enough to put one out and be successful with it.
This one gets the hat trick from me, brother. The Comment, fav and save!
With all sincerity, Take care my friend.
Aaron.
Yes, it's been awhile and please forgive me for the late reply ! Ain't so much around here as I used to be due to different reasons but I try to catch up from time to time. Otherwise I'm fine and I can deal somehow with these weird times.I hope the same for you..:)
Ofcourse there are plans for the album in the future and I'll let you know when the thing comes out...Until then I must say big thank you for stopping by and showing your friendly support...always means alot !
Take care and stay safe,
Leon
on Fatal Ocean by Centrist
Keep it up, man. So far, it sounds like you ave what it takes.
Take care.
V.
I was just kind of pleased with how it came out, figured I'd see if I'm as bad of a singer as I think I am. Thanks for showing the love though.
on Ancient Rage by StaticNomad
Yeah. It's pretty cool to hear this one again. I had almost forgotten what it sounded like. It was a pretty fun little number to work on, too.
I do hear issues with the mix. We can talk about that later.
Hopefully, Mr. E. can find Parallax. I kinda forgot what that one sounded like, too.
I guess, at some point, I should probably add my contribution, huh?
Anyhow. Get a hold of me about the mixing and whatnot's.
Mr. V.
Nice of me to be able to remind of some of your previous work. Your synth contributions (ie in second half) are perhaps my favourite parts in the whole track. Or my programmed guitar parts starting 2:01.
Damn these mix issues. I need to go back and scrutinise even more to remove the problems that other people are hearing which I'm not. A bit of a challenge.
Yes, hope he finds Parallax though I might have all the parts on my hard drive. Certainly some. You did add some synth parts to that track. Mostly just wooshy background synth stuff, if I remember correctly.
Ancient Nomad, growing through division from mania.
on Seven Centuries by StaticNomad
It's very wide open and spacial. Dimentionally, not cosmically. I think the first statement aleady covered that.
I think, while drums are a strong point for you, I also feel they are a hinderance sometimes. Like you rely too much on them as a means of badassery. This intro seems to not only widen the aural spectrum, but your own personal horizons.
Ahh. Now for those drums. I like the snare there. Kind of a glitchy snare roll thing.
Speaking of glitch. 3:53 synths. Nice use of the glitch. These pad swells are a nice lead in to the classic Nomad cello sound. Which effects do you use on these? It sounds like a Chorus with a delay, maybe a touch of reverb, and possibly EQ'd with the higher frequencies cut out a bit?
Oh...wait..5:50-6:08. It sounds like there may be some clipping.
Nice, a return of the glitch.
Your drums in this one are a bit more restrained and subdued. Instead of the star of the show, just a supporting role. It works.
8:56- here's where we start the waves of blooming pads. Both synth and choral. Nice way to take us to the book-end outro.
I don't know, man. It sounds to me like Ms. Quail has influenced your playing. Or at least your creative process. I personally like the way it played. It has plenty of badassery in it's own style. It may not be a heavy riff laden drumfest like you used to do, but it doesn't need to be. I know you've been on a bit of a dry spell, but with this one, it sounds like you've rediscovered your voice. It seems as if you have matured as an artist.
Yup, dude, this is a very well arranged and composed piece. I look forward to hearing more. Maybe not duplicates, but at least in the same family. Or, to put it simply, Nice!!! Thats with 3 exclamation marks.
Latorzgatorz
I thought of you a fair bit when making this because of the sine wave foundation. Made me think of you sitting there, fiddling about with basic waveforms.
I don't initially find this celestial. I find it interesting but a bit cold. It gets much warmer and more sensual when the violin lead enters a while later.
You're totally right about me and my drums. I sure do rely on them too much as a means of badassery. Jo Q certainly has influenced me and she's usually my inspiration for drumless stuff as she does so much of it in a very complete and satisfying way. And I don't just mean calm, ambient type of stuff, as in the first 3 mins of this. But I'm such a slave to the groove and a bit lost without it so drums really do inspire me and conveniently hide my playing mistakes and edits. I feel I'd have to become a much better musician to become good at playing without a solid beat.
"Kind of a glitchy snare roll thing."
Yes, that's from a loop I'm manipulating.
"Nice use of the glitch."
Just a freeze stutter effect on a banjo sound. Seems quite effective, memorable and appreciated by others here.
"the classic Nomad cello sound" is rather boring and unadventurous. I have a patch saved in my 20-year-old Boss effects unit and I mostly use that for each track, with very little variation. Yes, basically just chorus, delay and reverb. Perhaps some different EQ occasionally , which usually comes from plugins.
"Oh...wait..5:50-6:08. It sounds like there may be some clipping."
I sure hope not. You can probably tell that I'm trying to progress the track there and make it heavier and darker. I bring in a crunchy, distorted second version of the violin sound to add grit. Maybe that seems like clipping?
"Your drums in this one are a bit more restrained and subdued."
Kind of. There's still a lot of detail and variety and layering.
"8:56- here's where we start the waves of blooming pads. Both synth and choral."
Yes. The cello and violin have gone entirely so it's just a little extra, more expansive synthy section before the return to the intro sounds.
"It seems as if you have matured as an artist."
Ha, it might seem like it but I certainly haven't. I'm going backwards. This track is just what someone who used to be very productive and musically creative has recently been able to come up with.
Thanks for the Nice!!! review.
on Remnants Of The Fall by Orlando51
The beauty of art is that even though the creator has a message, or feeling they want to convey, it's often still interpreted so vastly different than intended. I listened to this piece several times. (I downloaded it to add to my playlist.). Though, to you it was about Autumn, to me, it envoked feelings of a gentle spring rain. Which, is no matter, because I love both seasons.
The first couple of times through, I felt that it needed some lower end strings. Cello, or what have you. But as I kept repeating, I came to the conclusion that everything is exactly how it should be. The string work in this is definitely excellent, but the piano is the star, here. This is an amazing piece! As someone who creates pieces that are hard, aggressive, and sometimes, brutal, I truly admire artists like yourself that have the ability to create such works of soft and elegant beauty.
Fav'd and downloaded, my friend. Thank you for sharing!
Take care.
Aaron
I must say I'm pleasantly surprised by your review, not only due to autumn becoming spring with your personal feel,
but especially for granting the piano the main spotlight.
To tell you the truth I was very sceptical about it and I
still don't consider it as one of the strongest elements of the track....on the contrary, I'm even close being a little bit embarassed by it...haha...Funny how we hear things differently, but that's not a bad thing afteral.
All in all your feedback is very generous and positive and that's what counts the most for me. Thank you so much for that and for the continuous support...means alot !
With much appreciation_____Leon
on The Last War - Wake Up From Your Coma by Mosestone
Take care.
V.
Again; great feedback and thank you :D
on Memory Wave by AlleyCatLuca
For a first attempt at a full track, you did pretty good. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.
on Life Flows by ronabo
Kudos to you, my friend. Keep it up!
Take care.
V.
Ronabo