It's an alright track. I don't know if I would call it a "masterpiece" though. Increased volume isn't what you needed. What you needed is a more clear mix. As it sits now, the wavetable is a brick, but it's still muddy and hard to hear anything distinctly. Everything sits on top of each other and fights for space.
Increasing the bass just caused the other frequencies to duck. Not in the clear sidechain pump sort of way, but because it's dominating and won't let anything breathe properly.
I don't know if you're using loops, or if you have control over every element to this track. (Kick, snare, synths, pads, etc.), but either way, they should all be routed to their own mixer track, EQ'd, balanced in levels. stereo separated, and compressed (the right way).
If you don't know how to do any of that, and would like some guidance, I can help, and if others know you want to learn, I'm sure they would chime in too.
Knocking tracks out in 3 hours doesn't mean you're a pro. Quality wins over quantity every time. Fortunately for you, being a member of this site could benefit you greatly, if you choose that route.
Let me know if you're interested. If you're not, that's fine too.
Take care.
V.
Hey, glad you liked the track.
I've been trying to make my track contain a bit of a distortion, and i think i overused it. The sound of the bass is a bit muddy (I mean, it's so damn loud, did not expected to be this loud) and the whole track came like it's been in a washing machine. I also might decrease the distortion of the whole bass section and probably give an each instrument it's own place in the music. It'll be really nice if you'll help me or give some advice because i'm not so experienced music producer.
Where I am, at the moment, it's 20 degrees fahrenheit outside, there's snow on the ground, and it's still coming down. Aside from the cat, I'm the only one awake. The house is warm, and the coffee is hot. This is a perfect soundtrack for such a morning. Thanks for sharing, man.
Take care.
V.
You've come a long way with your voice, Kay. You seem much more relaxed and comfortable with it now. What you've been putting out over the last few months has been top tier. Between you and Oli, you've come to create some exceptional productions. Good work. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.
Once you mentioned the Minecraft influence, I could totally hear it. Before that, it sounded to me like it could be in a film noir type of game. Definitely a detective game vibe. It sounds like the room you walk into after you've been wandering halls in otherwise silence, and then once you enter, the music starts playing letting you know you made it to where you need to be to start a new quest, or puzzle, or whatever. Good job, man. I like it.
Take care.
V.
Alright, man. So far, this one is my favorite of yours. Such a crystal clear mix. With the amount of reverb and delays in this, it's incredibly clean. I have to ask, what did you use for distortion on these synths?
I can only imagine what your FL Playlist looks like. I'm guessing it's Automation overload! But the arrangement is nice and tight, plenty of change ups and transitions, but not so much that it looses it's theme.
Excellent work, Dan. I look forward to hearing more like this one!
Take care.
V.
Dan, thank you for giving such a detailed response. I always enjoy knowing someones creative process. It really helps me enjoy the end product even more. Considering I build all of my tracks from absolutely nothing, (no presets, no pre-made loops) I know how labor intensive it can be, so I definitely have a deeper understanding and respect for the work you do. Not that I didn't respect it before, you're very good at what you do.
Funny how you can put 50 hours into a product that ends up only being 3 minutes and some change. But while you're in that 50 hours of work, it doesn't feel like it's that long. Or even like it's work.
Thanks again for a great response. My hat's off to you!
Take care.
V.
I like the fusion here. It doesn't make an unintentional mockery of either genre, but blends them well. Your choices with the guitars don't suggest that you're trying to be metal. The riffs you created aren't the traditional "metal" riffs. While they do have their own melodic element, you use them more as another form of percussion. The tight chugs are far more rhythmic than melodic, and it works well.
If you don't mind me making a suggestion, in the section starting at 4:20, it could use some background pads, and maybe a lead at a higher octave. Whether it's guitar, or synth doesn't matter. With this being so percussion heavy, there are a lot of choppy elements, (that's not a bad thing), But with it being such a long song, it could potentially cause ear fatigue in lesser mortals. (HA!) A nice smooth ribbon of a melodic lead would give the listener something to slide on for a minute. A breather, if you will.
Anyhow, that's just my opinion. Take it for what it's worth. It's still a great track as it is, man. Keep em comin'.
Take care.
Aaron
Hey Dan,
This is really cool. Im curious though, if the Godfather person handled all the melodies (including those in the drop), and the vocals are by a female artist, which parts were yours? Did you focus on the arrangement, percussion, or maybe the mix? Im genuinely interested in understanding your creative process, because whatever your approach is, its clearly working, and you consistently put out quality sounding work.
As for the track itself, it's no exception, it sounds great. The mix is clean, everything feels well-balanced and dynamic. The whole thing moves with that energy and motion that good dubstep should have. The vocalist, whoever she is, fits the vibe perfectly.
I'm glad you are interested in process :)
So, first we acquired vocal, than we worked around it at bpm we choose. Godfather recorded few melodies for intro and few for middle of song on synthesizer (some classic freestyle balkan melodies). Then i opt which i gona use, decided and cut them to fit places where i needed em and tune em. Then i made percussions and recorded basses for song. For drops i chopped his melody and added tons of effects to sound like this. After that i layered all of that (for example just snare have 5 layers) Than i worked on final arrangement, overall effects and at the end of course mix. Maybe i forgot something, but that's roughly it. Maybe i missed something idk.
Usually Godfather is doing jazz and he is live performer in band, but sometimes i talk him into something like this lol
So Godfather recorded raw melodies for this and i did rest of it, let's say like that. I had around 50 hours of working on it alone and few hour of work with him. Thank you for comment and listening and i'm glad u liked it.
Cheers!
You've got an interesting style. Based on the two tracks I've heard, anyhow. I like it. I don't know if there is a genre for it, but you could call it "Gardencore" if there's not.
I think, though, and this may just be my earbuds, but the vocals are a little buried under everything. They could come up in volume just a touch. Everything else sounds great, and like I said, it may just be my ear buds, so take it for what it's worth.
Take care.
V.
I love your comment mate. Since I start to make music since, Since 1998 on Music PS1, I was looking for the category style of music I was making and now I know, It is GardenCore I love it bro LOL.
Cheers
It's a little muddy on the low end, and the "screech" in the high peaks of the wah effect can be a little harsh in a few spots. Maybe tone back on those a little and notch the 150hz-200hz for the overall mix. Other than that, sounds good!
Take care
V.
Hello Kay.
I don't know if you took a trip down to the crossroads, or what, but over the last few tracks your voice has improved so much! You sound much more relaxed and confident. You're showing a lot more range and ability without sounding uncomfortable.
The track itself is good. I don't know if the ##### was a nod to Ella, or just to jazz itself, but I'm going to tell myself it was a nod. ;)
Oli, as per usual, put together a fantastic backing track. The whole thing sounds good, you two!
Take care.
Aaron.
I like it. It reminds me of some of the old late 60s/early 70s sci-fi thrillers. Good use of panning and stereo effects, too.
Good work. Keep it up!
Take care.
V.
I think you achieved what you were looking for. It sounds warm to me. Your mix is impressive as well. Everything is nice and wide, spacious, and full. Good use of panning and stereo imaging. Good job, man. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.
Chris, how are ya, man?
I gotta say, I have yet to hear something from you that's less than stellar. I love the contrast between the busy (by comparison) bassline and the ethereal guitar. It kind reminds me of The Orb from back in the day. That's a compliment.
Fine work, my friend.
Take care.
Aaron.
All good here mate. At a surf comp. I don't know whether to be proud or annoyed that my son is almost surfing better than me...Anyway, you're far too kind but much appreciated. This one came together real easy, I like it when that happens. Cheers Chris.
"There's nothing else then forest and birds."
Living in the Pacific Northwest, I know exactly how that feels, and how inspirational it truly is. I don't know if you ever listened to my track Moss Mother pt.1, but that's what it's all about. So, I can totally relate to your situation, and I'm glad you found that!
"I'm not feeling alone anymore."
That pleases me to no end, brother. When I found this place, I felt like the "Bee girl" at the end of the Blind Melon's "No Rain" video. Everyone was so accepting and supportive. Most of what I know I learned here, from some of the old timers back in the day. I think I can safely speak for a lot of people here when I say that you're a valued member of this little community, and we're glad that you're here.
So, here's to many more, brother.
Take care.
Hey Lu. Welcome back, man. I'm glad to see you've been busy working on more music. I've always liked your work.
This is a good one. I really like the way you've used the synths throughout the whole thing, but their so cleverly placed that you almost don't notice them. But if they weren't there, you would definitely miss them. They're like a sonic ribbon that weaves in and out, tying everything together.
As far as the mix goes, it sounds good to me. Everything is clear, all the levels seem to be balanced, you have good panning and stereo separation, every instrument sits exactly where it should, and your vocals come through clearly. For a beginner, man, it sounds great! I think you're closer to "there" than you give yourself credit for.
When you release your album, please let me know immediately, and point me in the right direction as to where to find it. I'll be first in line to get it.
Take care, mister.
Aaron
Thank you Aaron, you took your time and analyzed this mix. I'm really at this point where I get crazy, self doubts. I got that synth energy from nature, I moved to a little farm in the country side. There's nothing else then forest and birds. I jamed the whole summer with them. That's is my new creativ limit for stnth work. To be like in bird high up the trees. I will definitely post a link here for this album, without this community I wouldn't be the musician I am. I'm not feeling alone anymore.
I dig it, man. The guitar work reminds me a little of Mick Gordon. That's a good thing.
Have you ever tried selectively syncopating some of the chugs with the 808's? Or, something to that effect. I imagine that would give it a real hard hitting sound. Like being repeatedly punched in the chest with a Rhino. It might be good for a breakdown. Just a thought.
I know it's not mastered yet, but it still sounds good. I'd like to hear it when it's done.
Take care, man.
Aaron
Hey bro, I'm definitely glad u like it! Most of the time with similar songs I felt like the 808s were a little too overpowering so I go and change the sample I'm using or lessen the distortion and then they're not loud enough lol. Its difficult getting everything to play nice sonically, I'm sure that's one reason mixes like these arent that common. But more than anything It just takes more time to balance, I kno I've rage quit a few I was working on lol. I'll definitely try some things with this one and the next one I'm working on tho. I always appreciate ur input and ideas bro
Sounds good, brother. I really dig the lyrical content. They're poetic and real. Keep 'em coming, man! This was a good backing track to use for a foundation, too. So, kudos to you and Robin, both.
Take care.
V.
thanks for the kind words Aaron, we both appreciate it, this is the type of area i want to be in, taking street talk but with more poetic delivery and meaning, thanks for your time yet again
Listen, this is a damn fine production. You have definitely put a lot into this. As far as the repetitiveness of it, I don't think so at all. Granted, the main melody repeats through the whole thing, but you have enough other elements into play that it's constantly moving, glitching, or breaking. All of which keep it interesting and not monotonous.
Honestly, it kind of reminds of something from some old Dj Nujabes. There's something about it that's new and nostalgic at the same time. Excellent work, man. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.
WesterlyGroove, hello.
I know nothing about Jungle so I couldn't tell you if this is good or not by the genre's standards. But, as a listener with no preconceived notions as to what it should sound like, I like it. I'm just curious though, what makes it Jungle as opposed to D-n-B, or something to that effect?
I fully understand the creating "something atmospheric and nighttime". Most of my best work has come from the middle of the night, and it sounded like it.
Good work. Keep it up.
Take care.
V
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're a fellow Gen-X'r. Not only does it have a Satch vibe, but there's a lot of Billy Gibbons, EVH, Angus, and a little Vai in there too.
Excellent work. It sounds a lot like some of the stuff I was listening to back in the early 80's. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.
It does have an 80s feel. I noticed a couple people compared it to A-Ha. I can agree with that. I can also hear just a touch of Depeche Mode in a few spots.
Having been around in the 80s, and listening to ALL of the music back then, here are a couple of suggestions to consider for a more authentic 80s sound:
Brassy stabs. For whatever reason we thought the brassy stabs were gods gift to synth pop back then. In some songs they were very prevalent, in others, just an accent here and there. In this track, they'd be better as a here and there accent type.
Super synth tom rolls, Try throwing in a few tom fills that are very obviously synth toms. Another thing we thought was a good idea.
Just a couple of ideas that you can either use, or toss out. Either way, you've done a good job with your recreation.
Take care.
V.
Hi there. Thanks for the insightful feedback. I may go back to the drawing board and incorporate these ideas to see how they sound overall.
Coincidentally, the synthy brass stabs are something which feature in the most recent of the 80's style tracks I've had a go at. I'll share it here soon, once I've put a vocal on it.
on Annoying Letter by Dripig
Increasing the bass just caused the other frequencies to duck. Not in the clear sidechain pump sort of way, but because it's dominating and won't let anything breathe properly.
I don't know if you're using loops, or if you have control over every element to this track. (Kick, snare, synths, pads, etc.), but either way, they should all be routed to their own mixer track, EQ'd, balanced in levels. stereo separated, and compressed (the right way).
If you don't know how to do any of that, and would like some guidance, I can help, and if others know you want to learn, I'm sure they would chime in too.
Knocking tracks out in 3 hours doesn't mean you're a pro. Quality wins over quantity every time. Fortunately for you, being a member of this site could benefit you greatly, if you choose that route.
Let me know if you're interested. If you're not, that's fine too.
Take care.
V.
I've been trying to make my track contain a bit of a distortion, and i think i overused it. The sound of the bass is a bit muddy (I mean, it's so damn loud, did not expected to be this loud) and the whole track came like it's been in a washing machine. I also might decrease the distortion of the whole bass section and probably give an each instrument it's own place in the music. It'll be really nice if you'll help me or give some advice because i'm not so experienced music producer.
on One Life Year by glennwhite6504
Take care.
V.
on Frontline by dimestop
on Louisvillain - Pnnywze by Pnnywze
on Three Wishes by Kayos2
Take care.
V.
on Music for a non-existent game by Aseoxx0
Take care.
V.
on War Is Coming by DanMed
I can only imagine what your FL Playlist looks like. I'm guessing it's Automation overload! But the arrangement is nice and tight, plenty of change ups and transitions, but not so much that it looses it's theme.
Excellent work, Dan. I look forward to hearing more like this one!
Take care.
V.
You described it right it's automation overload :))))
Thanks for listening and comment!
Cheers!
on Zbog Tebe - Because Of You by DanMed
Funny how you can put 50 hours into a product that ends up only being 3 minutes and some change. But while you're in that 50 hours of work, it doesn't feel like it's that long. Or even like it's work.
Thanks again for a great response. My hat's off to you!
Take care.
V.
especially when u are working something u love.
Cheers!
on Frailty - Pnnywze by Pnnywze
If you don't mind me making a suggestion, in the section starting at 4:20, it could use some background pads, and maybe a lead at a higher octave. Whether it's guitar, or synth doesn't matter. With this being so percussion heavy, there are a lot of choppy elements, (that's not a bad thing), But with it being such a long song, it could potentially cause ear fatigue in lesser mortals. (HA!) A nice smooth ribbon of a melodic lead would give the listener something to slide on for a minute. A breather, if you will.
Anyhow, that's just my opinion. Take it for what it's worth. It's still a great track as it is, man. Keep em comin'.
Take care.
Aaron
on Zbog Tebe - Because Of You by DanMed
This is really cool. Im curious though, if the Godfather person handled all the melodies (including those in the drop), and the vocals are by a female artist, which parts were yours? Did you focus on the arrangement, percussion, or maybe the mix? Im genuinely interested in understanding your creative process, because whatever your approach is, its clearly working, and you consistently put out quality sounding work.
As for the track itself, it's no exception, it sounds great. The mix is clean, everything feels well-balanced and dynamic. The whole thing moves with that energy and motion that good dubstep should have. The vocalist, whoever she is, fits the vibe perfectly.
Nice work.
Take care,
V.
So, first we acquired vocal, than we worked around it at bpm we choose. Godfather recorded few melodies for intro and few for middle of song on synthesizer (some classic freestyle balkan melodies). Then i opt which i gona use, decided and cut them to fit places where i needed em and tune em. Then i made percussions and recorded basses for song. For drops i chopped his melody and added tons of effects to sound like this. After that i layered all of that (for example just snare have 5 layers) Than i worked on final arrangement, overall effects and at the end of course mix. Maybe i forgot something, but that's roughly it. Maybe i missed something idk.
Usually Godfather is doing jazz and he is live performer in band, but sometimes i talk him into something like this lol
So Godfather recorded raw melodies for this and i did rest of it, let's say like that. I had around 50 hours of working on it alone and few hour of work with him. Thank you for comment and listening and i'm glad u liked it.
Cheers!
on Cloche aux fees - Fairies Bell by Evolushroom
I think, though, and this may just be my earbuds, but the vocals are a little buried under everything. They could come up in volume just a touch. Everything else sounds great, and like I said, it may just be my ear buds, so take it for what it's worth.
Take care.
V.
Cheers
on Kiss The Snake Goodnight by BickyStalls
Take care
V.
on Jazz Scribble by Kayos2
I don't know if you took a trip down to the crossroads, or what, but over the last few tracks your voice has improved so much! You sound much more relaxed and confident. You're showing a lot more range and ability without sounding uncomfortable.
The track itself is good. I don't know if the ##### was a nod to Ella, or just to jazz itself, but I'm going to tell myself it was a nod. ;)
Oli, as per usual, put together a fantastic backing track. The whole thing sounds good, you two!
Take care.
Aaron.
on Into The Unknown by PaperKup
Good work. Keep it up!
Take care.
V.
on Grey Station by WesterlyGroove
Take care.
V.
on Mmmmm by Zootman
I gotta say, I have yet to hear something from you that's less than stellar. I love the contrast between the busy (by comparison) bassline and the ethereal guitar. It kind reminds me of The Orb from back in the day. That's a compliment.
Fine work, my friend.
Take care.
Aaron.
on AKA CHARLIE by BananaLu
Living in the Pacific Northwest, I know exactly how that feels, and how inspirational it truly is. I don't know if you ever listened to my track Moss Mother pt.1, but that's what it's all about. So, I can totally relate to your situation, and I'm glad you found that!
"I'm not feeling alone anymore."
That pleases me to no end, brother. When I found this place, I felt like the "Bee girl" at the end of the Blind Melon's "No Rain" video. Everyone was so accepting and supportive. Most of what I know I learned here, from some of the old timers back in the day. I think I can safely speak for a lot of people here when I say that you're a valued member of this little community, and we're glad that you're here.
So, here's to many more, brother.
Take care.
on AKA CHARLIE by BananaLu
This is a good one. I really like the way you've used the synths throughout the whole thing, but their so cleverly placed that you almost don't notice them. But if they weren't there, you would definitely miss them. They're like a sonic ribbon that weaves in and out, tying everything together.
As far as the mix goes, it sounds good to me. Everything is clear, all the levels seem to be balanced, you have good panning and stereo separation, every instrument sits exactly where it should, and your vocals come through clearly. For a beginner, man, it sounds great! I think you're closer to "there" than you give yourself credit for.
When you release your album, please let me know immediately, and point me in the right direction as to where to find it. I'll be first in line to get it.
Take care, mister.
Aaron
on Chains - A Raw Pnnywze Song by Pnnywze
Have you ever tried selectively syncopating some of the chugs with the 808's? Or, something to that effect. I imagine that would give it a real hard hitting sound. Like being repeatedly punched in the chest with a Rhino. It might be good for a breakdown. Just a thought.
I know it's not mastered yet, but it still sounds good. I'd like to hear it when it's done.
Take care, man.
Aaron
on Bad Habits by dimestop
Take care.
V.
on Blood Moon by TrippleN97
Listen, this is a damn fine production. You have definitely put a lot into this. As far as the repetitiveness of it, I don't think so at all. Granted, the main melody repeats through the whole thing, but you have enough other elements into play that it's constantly moving, glitching, or breaking. All of which keep it interesting and not monotonous.
Honestly, it kind of reminds of something from some old Dj Nujabes. There's something about it that's new and nostalgic at the same time. Excellent work, man. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.
on some trash by saddassdasdasd
on Anxious Night by WesterlyGroove
I know nothing about Jungle so I couldn't tell you if this is good or not by the genre's standards. But, as a listener with no preconceived notions as to what it should sound like, I like it. I'm just curious though, what makes it Jungle as opposed to D-n-B, or something to that effect?
I fully understand the creating "something atmospheric and nighttime". Most of my best work has come from the middle of the night, and it sounded like it.
Good work. Keep it up.
Take care.
V
on Blistered Digits by Bilbozo
Excellent work. It sounds a lot like some of the stuff I was listening to back in the early 80's. Keep it up.
Take care.
V.
on Yesterday by aboemusic
Having been around in the 80s, and listening to ALL of the music back then, here are a couple of suggestions to consider for a more authentic 80s sound:
Brassy stabs. For whatever reason we thought the brassy stabs were gods gift to synth pop back then. In some songs they were very prevalent, in others, just an accent here and there. In this track, they'd be better as a here and there accent type.
Super synth tom rolls, Try throwing in a few tom fills that are very obviously synth toms. Another thing we thought was a good idea.
Just a couple of ideas that you can either use, or toss out. Either way, you've done a good job with your recreation.
Take care.
V.
Coincidentally, the synthy brass stabs are something which feature in the most recent of the 80's style tracks I've had a go at. I'll share it here soon, once I've put a vocal on it.
Thanks again for your feedback :)