Well, Steve. Your tracks continue to astound me. First of all, a pristine mix. Actually, that's not astounding at all for you, but so nice to hear. You are right. Need decent headphones to really appreciate the nuances I think. Second of all, you continue to forge ahead, exploring/creating innovative compositions. (I seem to be heading backwards, retreating into older comfort zones.)
Like Angel Eyes, I particularly enjoyed the part starting around 3:53. But, frankly, the entire track was engaging and masterfully executed. As usual.
"(I seem to be heading backwards, retreating into older comfort zones.)"
Exploring the past can sometimes be an amazing fountain of creativity to expound on what was created in such a fast-paced time experience and no one has sat down and unfolded and unpacked what made these genres successful (i.e. Disco) I love deconstructing genres and adding nuances and modern features. Roxy Music when they came out were masters of making you feel the future and yet reclaiming the past (50's) as their own. If you look at it from that perspective you will stop trying to clone the sound but just embrace the sound and make it your own.I like Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies in the Studio. You may pull a card and it will say make a disco tune that represents the Color Blue. Thats where your creativity takes off mate!
Hi, Dean! So, I know I've said this previously in comments on other tracks here on LM, Trance is my favourite EDM genre. It was a treat to hear this track from you. Totally enjoyed it. I suck at making Trance. You clearly have figured out how to do it right.
I have read about the EQ issue on the kick. Frankly, I'd like to hear it come through even more, but at some point balancing the sounds in a mix comes down to a matter of taste, which is inherently subjective I think. The suggestion that perhaps you should find another kick sample was interesting. At Point Blank, our instructor told us that if we had to do a lot of EQing on a kick, we had the wrong sound to begin with. (Advice that I rarely follow, but probably has merit.) Synth work was excellent and I really admired how you got the bass pumping. I still can't do that properly.
Again, is a great track and well worth the 6 weeks effort.
Hi Eric, many thanks for your comments. they are very constructive indeed. I switched the kick to use Ableton's built in EQ kick setting after the comments about the kick on here. As for the track structure, I have figured that the Trance genre works better if there is at least 2 builds and drops sections within it, followed by an outro which should basically consist of a variation of the intro. Previously I was focusing on just 1 build and drop in the track, which I found listening back was missing a lot. Thanks again.
I usually don't listen to a lot of hip hop, but your comment about cincocent helping you figure out what you are best at got me intrigued. This is a really cool track! I think the vocal you added works fantastically with the backing track you did. Backing sounds "rich" and the mix is really nicely balanced. I'm feeling in a mellow mood this evening and this track fit right in perfectly.
It's getting on in the evening here. Saturday night andI am feeling mellow, winding down and found this track, Danke. So, mellow. Great vibe. Sax, bass, and Rhodes worked great. Nice clean mix. Hit the spot!
Really great RnB feel to this track, CC. Really enjoyed it. Probably is meant for late night listening, but it worked perfectly for me this sunny morning in Ottawa! :)
You are really good at doing this kind of track. Definitely one of my favourites. I have no comments on composition or mix. It sounded great on my computer display speakers and also my new studio monitors.
I thought the bass and mid-low frequency content (which sounded really rich and creamy) was just a shade too prominent when listening to the mix on my headphones, but when I listened to the track on my studio monitors (finally got a good pair), it sounded great. So, might be time for me to replace the headphones I guess! :)
I am pretty much blown away by this track, Mark. Amazingly good work. The drums were outstanding. Actually, that's a serious understatement. I was a drummer once upon a time, but never at that level. That's a great example of percussion not just keeping time, but intricately weaving part of the tapestry. Don't hear that at all I think in EDM, and pretty rarely in pop, at least in my opinion. Let me also comment on the sax part. Doing a convincing sax using any VST is, in my experience, really really difficult. I find it impossible and have given up trying. You nailed it! And finally, the bass part was on the same level as the drums. You clearly have spent some time mastering the more advanced features of Trillian, creating a pass part that, frankly, didn't sound at all like it was coming from a virtual instrument. It sounded like it was played live by a skilled bass player.
Greetings Eric. Thanks for taking out time and giving your impressions on what you heard. From the way you reacted to the drums, drumming is still in your bones! It never goes away! Thanks also for the sax mention. I've waited a long time to up my sax game. I appreciate that mention as well. Trilian just about a month ago, got a minor update, and that for some reason made it even more ferocious. The VST instruments all have great starting points, but the real fun comes in with side chain compression, reverbs, delays, saturation, and automation. It takes a combination of different effects for fine-tuning. Anyway, we should pick up this conversation at a later date. It's really been great having you stop by.
Thank-you so much for making and posting this, Doudei! It was...lovely. A real treat. You played it beautifully. I always wanted to be able to play this composition, one of my very favourites, but never got the chance. Now, of course, I could not even manage the right hand part alone. Listening to it here on LM, for some reason, I am paying much more attention to how Debussy varied the voicing of the chordal sequence, mostly played in the left hand, in parts where the melody line was basically the same. I also think maybe actual chords, not just voicings of the same chords, were varied somewhat as well. It is a composition that you can just get lost in as a listener, but also explore and analyze from a composition perspective as well.
Thanks Eric, appreciate you taking the time to listen and comment. I agree, its worth to listen closely and analyze, but also equally to just let go and be taken by it. never gets boring! warmest greetings from switzerland
Thanks for the info on the instruments, ZM. I'm on a Mac so can't use Sytrus or Directwave, but I do have equivalents in my arsenal. The key information you gave me, however, is that the bass sound I've been searching for is actually an 808 sound. I'm totally useless at discerning different EDM genres and, frankly, recognizing an 808 or 909 or whatever when I hear it. So, it was more helpful than you can imagine to learn from you that I should be focusing on searching for the 808 sound I want. I definitely can do that now, so thank-you for the guidance on that.
I was reflecting on this exchange with you last night and it occurred to me that we really could use a specialized forum area here on LM where members could ask for advice on how to do various things. I decided yesterday to experiment with side-chain compression on a sustained bass note (1 full bar), ducking the bass (triggered by the initial quarter note kick). I know how to do do this, at least I thought I did, but regardless of which compressor I use, I get a "click" sound from the bass at the outset of each "duck". I don't know what I'm doing wrong and there's no place to get advice on that from LM members who know more than I do. We need the LM forums back I think.
This track has such a dreamy, laid-back flow to it. Works really well. I liked the lo-fi treatment and the mix sounded great. Very well-balanced and different sounds/instruments were nicely distinct in the spectrum.
I would really like to know how/what you used to produce the bass sound. It's pretty much exactly what I've been trying to create myself, but haven't found the right VST or patch yet. Very smooth. Was perfect for the track.
Hello Eric. Thank you so much for your comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it as it means something to me.
You might be surprised to hear that I use only Sytrus and Directwave for all of my instruments. As for the 808 bass, Sytrus was used for the samples and Directwave was used to store them as a "program"
I would be more than happy to send it your way if it could be useful to you. Simply send another comment through and ill send it posthaste.
Definitely turned out to be catchy! :) I guess it is kind of lofi, but for me it's got an 80's synth pop feel to it - and I'm becoming more and more immersed in exploring that era and genre. I know that melodies have become far more complex in current releases, but there's also something to be said for simpler melody lines that are memorable and singable.
Anyway, obviously I really liked this track. Is that you on the spoken word vocal? Great voice. I'd love to find a way to use something like that on one of my tracks.
My only quibble with the track, and I do hesitate to say this given your background in audio, is that I think the various sounds/instruments blend together too much. I think perhaps it's the amount of reverb on the synth pads, or maybe just the level of the pads in the mix. I'd also like to hear the bass part more distinctly in the mix. But, that's all because it's got that 80's feel to it for me and that's the kind of mix they would have done for a track like this I think.
Hi Eric, thanks for the reply. Yes it's me doing the spoken voice at the beginning and the end. Unfortunately it was in the middle of the night and I did master the track with too loud headphones only. You could not listen on Speakers or just set it to mono :-) My mistake. Redone the track now, will reload it and it should all be fine. I like the 80s melodies too but I found that sometimes less is more. If you need some spoken voice of me just get in touch. Cheers, Oli (obviously not native English)
Hi, Dean. I really like trance and definitely enjoyed this track. Trance is my favourite EDM genre for sure.
I did feel, however, that the mix needs some refinement. I think the high frequency content was too prominent and there seemed to be a general background fill of what sounded like white noise to me. I don't know if that really was a purposeful use of noise or if it was reverb tails from other instruments in the mix.
Also, I really thought the level of the bass needed to be significantly louder in the mix. That would help with the overall balance of the track I think.
I did like the overall composition and melody lines. Vocal part was very good and sat well in the mix.
Hi Eric, thanks for your comments and suggestions for improvements. I think the white noise you picked up on so well is a by-product of one of the plugins I used. It tends to emit some noise if used heavily. I should really have picked up on this, as it is a mistake I have made previously on another track, so thanks for reminding me.
I really enjoyed this track Alien. Mix was really well-balanced. The bass was perfectly done in my view. Filled the track with a really solid foundation. It made me with I still had speakers in my set-up. I sold them a while ago and am working only with headphones currently. Bass was great on the headphones but I know it would have been much, much more if I could have felt it with decent speakers.
Very nice job. Track has a great spirit to it and just made me feel, well, happy! :)
This is a very interesting track. I will take some time to listen to the others you have uploaded here on Looperman.
In this track I do hear some distinctly Chinese music influences, I think. I haven't really analyzed what they are, but I think they come from the timbre of some of the instruments, the intervals that they play, and what sounds to me like some micro tuning. Anyway, they made the sound of the track very distinctive, unique, and it all works really well.
I see that you also use Synthesizer V in some of your tracks. I am learning to use it as well. It seems to be a very promising tool for making good vocals. I just wish they had voices in French and Italian. Maybe that will come with time.
I do have some suggestions about the mix of this track. I agree with Danke that you should raise the volume on the drum track)s). But, I also feel that the various sounds blend together too much. I think perhaps there is too much reverb being used. I think as you work on refining the mix, you should try to make each instrument/part stand out more distinctly in the mix, both in terms of its place in the frequency spectrum and spatially (e.g., panning, and very careful use of reverb settings to place different sounds closer or further in the soundfield.)
Thank your useful advices on mixing! Starting to carry them out now.
For the sv part, although Dreamtonics mainly support Ch/Jp/En now, it's still possible to make much more voices(yet with much more works & effort, sadly). One of those crazy producers here in China(or in Bilibili, lol) turned a song with 28 different languages((((((
I definitely enjoyed this track. It conveys a very engaging spirit, infectious beat. To my ear, the percussion parts give it a North African feel. I think it would be a good backing track for a vocal, or at least the start of a backing track. Mix is very nicely balanced. Lots of dynamic range, which is something I really like. And, the bass part is very nicely done, which makes sense since you are a bass player! Good work on this track! :)
Very annoying! NO, not the track. Track is great dubjoka! What's annoying is that I had written a nice lengthy comment and when I tried to post it, "an error occurred" and I lost everything I was trying to say.
Which was: This is really nice sounding track. I definitely enjoyed it. I know you said you have more work to do on it, but I did want to say now that the mix is excellent. Nice balance. Warm, full foundation. Vocals were tastefully used. I particularly like the drum parts. So, you do think that the ending requires work, which I agree with. Endings are a real challenge for me, so I'm very interested in hearing what you some up with. Maybe some side-chain compression to get a "pump" going? I realize that's been somewhat overdone in EDM, but might work in your ending for this track.
Anyway, very nice work. Looking forward to hearing the next iteration.
This track has a great, laid-back feel to it. Instrumental backing was really nice. I especially liked the bass part. Guitar was really nicely done as well.
One of my pet peeves is that there are so few male vocalists these days singing in a lower register. I really enjoyed hearing this vocal, in your normal range. That works really well for you. Has a really good R&B vibe.
My only quibble is that I think the level of the kick drum in the mix is a bit too high. I feel the same way generally about snares on the backbeat, although I thought that wasn't an issue with your track. I do realize, however, that I'm somewhat out of step with a lot of contemporary music mixes in that opinion.
Finally, I think it would be worth the effort to expand the lyrics for this song. It's got real potential.
Loved this track. Such a fun spirit! Vocals were excellent, as was the guitar work, as usual.
BUT, I really want to comment on the piano work by Angelica. WOW! That's seriously good piano stuff. I would have liked to have heard it more prominently in the mix I think. Actually, I think the track might be a bit over-produced.
As you know, I really do recognize and appreciate the excellent musicianship of everybody in the Olafs Jazz Combo. Horns are great. But, for this track, I would have been very happy to hear just you, Angelica, bass, and guitar I think. An arrangement and production that reflected, perhaps more closely, what one might actually hear at a dance in a school gymnasium.
Sometimes, less is more. But, that's just a personal reaction.
The track is great. We are lucky to have all of you here on Looperman.
Hello Eric, you are absolutely right! My little sister (10 years younger than me) is a great pianist. She has already proven her virtuality, her flexibility and her uncanny talent coupled with her joy of life, which is transferred from her playing to the listener, in other songs. For example with "For Manuela", (she wrote this song for me when my health was very bad) with which she has already encouraged many other musicians to compose their own additional melodic tracks for this song. There is already a Russian version, one Italian, a Korean and currently an American musician is also working on a version with an Indian flute. There is also a notable violin version. We keep getting emails asking whether this piano game can be used for other productions. And that even though we hardly advertised this little song and this song is only available on LM. But that also says something about LMs international reach. This is often underestimated. But in Under the Moon and If we hold on together among others, she showed what she can do. (I hope Angelica isn't reading this. She doesn't want me to praise her like that*smile. Mein Schatz, falls du das liest, ich liebe dich). In addition, she is also a good guitarist (you can hear it in the song "2 Sister"), sings even when you force her *laughs and is in charge of most arrangements, including this one. This song, like many others, has its own story. I actually sat in a jazz club in Berlin years ago. Was a bit melancholy. A song by a big band came out of the jukebox and behind the bar there was a metal poster (don't know if you're familiar with that) with a picture similar to the cover picture for this song printed here. This poster advertised a school prom. It all came back to me when I read these lyrics, which no one knows who wrote them. Angelica then had the idea of a big band, which we tried to implement here. But there will definitely be more songs in the future in which Angelica's piano playing will be more dominant again. Kind regards, Manuela
I share and totally agree with your attitude about the value and importance of the music that LM members post here. I have long felt that its the creative effort that is so important, regardless of the genre, selection of instruments, use of technology, production skills, etc.
And you are right, support and recognition are really important. It does take some courage to post ones creative efforts here. But, helpful, constructive feedback from LM members is one of the most valuable benefits that this site offers to all of us.
I really have never seen harsh criticism of anybodys tracks here. I think LM members, from across the world, are very respectful of each other, which makes this a really nice place to be. :)
Hi, 2nick8. I think this is your best track yet, although I must admit I haven't listened to everything you have posted here on LM! Anyway, this track has really nice vocal delivery. For some reason, I heard little flavours of George Michael coming through. He was amazing, so that's a high compliment from me.
I liked the intimate approach to vocal delivery you had on the track. I think you should definitely do more of this. It suits your voice.
As is usual, this track from the 2Sisters is a joy to listen to. Your group is, frankly, a bit of an anomaly here on Looperman because you have very accomplished musicians playing real instruments in a real band! Amazing! A very funky track. Your vocals, as usual, are great. Mix was nicely done. I saw that there has been a bit of back and forth in the comments about the balance with the vocals and the bass. I thing the vocals are sitting perfectly in the mix. I liked the bass. Might experiment with some compression to tighten it up a bit, but I'm not certain about that. I must also comment on the very tasty guitar work and, most definitely on the trumpet. Trumpet was great! It put a very satisfying finish on the track.
Thank you Eric and best wishes to Ottawa. I hope you survived the snow chaos? Actually, we don't fit here. I'm aware. On the other hand, perhaps this contrast we offer here is good for LM. And there are also some other good musicians here who play "real" instruments and are very good at it. But I have also often said that I have great respect for every single person here who has the courage to not only realize their ideas, publish their songs and also face criticism! I know there is a lot of heart and soul in every song. No matter what music they make, no matter how they make music, no matter if there are big mistakes in the mix and master, no matter... no matter... Every single person here deserves recognition! Sometimes I feel sorry when I criticize. I know that every artist thrives on applause. Maybe sometimes I choose my words too harshly. This may also make me sound arrogant. But it is not like that. I just try to help in my own way. Always with nice but also honest words. I just wanted to get rid of that. *smile Eric, those sentences were general and not really for you. I just hope it gets read and maybe says something about my attitude here. Best regards Manuela
Hey, Zivon! I agree with Manuela. A very beautiful composition. I don't know how most LM members listen to tracks here, but on my headphones (which are pretty good) the music just envelopes you like a warm blanket. Piano melody line was excellent and I especially like the cello parts, which really added to overall mood and feel of the music. Mix sounded great. I really like to hear dynamic range in tracks, not just everything jammed up to the brick wall limit. That variation was evident just from looking at the waveform display.
Really nice work on this track, Alien. Loved the feel. Definitely created a feeling of being probably on a beach someplace like Ibiza at sunset. I think Sade-type vocals would be great. Or, perhaps, a Barry White, laid-back smooth baritone vocal.
This is a really good track, Yanov. I'd say the genre is trance, but I am really not good a distinguishing all the different types of EDM. But, I know what I like and I definitely liked this one. Vocals were excellent. Did you do the vocal?
I did not, however, think the mix was as good as it could be. I've got pretty good earphones and I thought the bass and mid-range frequency content was not sufficiently prominent in the mix. There was a lot of reverb on some of the backing instruments which were also working at the same frequency range as the lead vocal. That's always a tricky problem in a mix, but I think dialing back on the reverb and also cutting back on high frequency content of the backing instrument parts would improve the overall sound of the track. I'm not sure about compression choices. Would need to sort that out as part of the re-mix process but I suspect some adjustments would help there as well.
That said, it's a really nice EDM track and I did enjoy listening to it a lot. Hope you are keeping safe, and well.
I definitely enjoyed this track. I have a few quibbles with the mix, but generally thought it was a really nice composition. I assume, since you do not mention vocals in your profile, that the vocal was done by a program such as Synth V or Emvoice? I think I'm hearing much better vocals here on Looperman than in the past. Either we've got new members who actually can sing, or people are getting pretty good at using the latest vocal creation software.
Mickey: Am listening to all your tracks, now that I've discovered Startravels. So easy to miss some really excellent stuff on Looperman if I don't sign on regularly. Anyway, not trying to comment on all the tracks, but just had to say that the lead synth work on this one was really, really good. You guys must be pros. Musicianship is truly exceptional. I did check your profile to see what background information I could get. But, of course, fittingly, it's "full of stars" :)
Commented on X is Broken by crucethus
Well, Steve. Your tracks continue to astound me. First of all, a pristine mix. Actually, that's not astounding at all for you, but so nice to hear. You are right. Need decent headphones to really appreciate the nuances I think. Second of all, you continue to forge ahead, exploring/creating innovative compositions. (I seem to be heading backwards, retreating into older comfort zones.)
Like Angel Eyes, I particularly enjoyed the part starting around 3:53. But, frankly, the entire track was engaging and masterfully executed. As usual.
Eric
Commented on Take My Breath Away by deanp
Hi, Dean! So, I know I've said this previously in comments on other tracks here on LM, Trance is my favourite EDM genre. It was a treat to hear this track from you. Totally enjoyed it. I suck at making Trance. You clearly have figured out how to do it right.
I have read about the EQ issue on the kick. Frankly, I'd like to hear it come through even more, but at some point balancing the sounds in a mix comes down to a matter of taste, which is inherently subjective I think. The suggestion that perhaps you should find another kick sample was interesting. At Point Blank, our instructor told us that if we had to do a lot of EQing on a kick, we had the wrong sound to begin with. (Advice that I rarely follow, but probably has merit.) Synth work was excellent and I really admired how you got the bass pumping. I still can't do that properly.
Again, is a great track and well worth the 6 weeks effort.
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on sprinter fka comfort zone by BONEZONMARZ
I usually don't listen to a lot of hip hop, but your comment about cincocent helping you figure out what you are best at got me intrigued. This is a really cool track! I think the vocal you added works fantastically with the backing track you did. Backing sounds "rich" and the mix is really nicely balanced. I'm feeling in a mellow mood this evening and this track fit right in perfectly.
Nicely done!
Eric
Commented on Day off by Danke
It's getting on in the evening here. Saturday night andI am feeling mellow, winding down and found this track, Danke. So, mellow. Great vibe. Sax, bass, and Rhodes worked great. Nice clean mix. Hit the spot!
Eric
Commented on STAMINA RMX by CINCOCENT
Really great RnB feel to this track, CC. Really enjoyed it. Probably is meant for late night listening, but it worked perfectly for me this sunny morning in Ottawa! :)
You are really good at doing this kind of track. Definitely one of my favourites. I have no comments on composition or mix. It sounded great on my computer display speakers and also my new studio monitors.
I thought the bass and mid-low frequency content (which sounded really rich and creamy) was just a shade too prominent when listening to the mix on my headphones, but when I listened to the track on my studio monitors (finally got a good pair), it sounded great. So, might be time for me to replace the headphones I guess! :)
Anyway, very nice work!
Eric
Commented on Flight 77 Mastered by kingmt77
I am pretty much blown away by this track, Mark. Amazingly good work. The drums were outstanding. Actually, that's a serious understatement. I was a drummer once upon a time, but never at that level. That's a great example of percussion not just keeping time, but intricately weaving part of the tapestry. Don't hear that at all I think in EDM, and pretty rarely in pop, at least in my opinion. Let me also comment on the sax part. Doing a convincing sax using any VST is, in my experience, really really difficult. I find it impossible and have given up trying. You nailed it! And finally, the bass part was on the same level as the drums. You clearly have spent some time mastering the more advanced features of Trillian, creating a pass part that, frankly, didn't sound at all like it was coming from a virtual instrument. It sounded like it was played live by a skilled bass player.
Just totally impressive.
Eric
Commented on claude debussy - clair de lune by doudei
Thank-you so much for making and posting this, Doudei! It was...lovely. A real treat. You played it beautifully. I always wanted to be able to play this composition, one of my very favourites, but never got the chance. Now, of course, I could not even manage the right hand part alone. Listening to it here on LM, for some reason, I am paying much more attention to how Debussy varied the voicing of the chordal sequence, mostly played in the left hand, in parts where the melody line was basically the same. I also think maybe actual chords, not just voicings of the same chords, were varied somewhat as well. It is a composition that you can just get lost in as a listener, but also explore and analyze from a composition perspective as well.
Again, well done!
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Recovering Overthinker by Zivonmusic
Thanks for the info on the instruments, ZM. I'm on a Mac so can't use Sytrus or Directwave, but I do have equivalents in my arsenal. The key information you gave me, however, is that the bass sound I've been searching for is actually an 808 sound. I'm totally useless at discerning different EDM genres and, frankly, recognizing an 808 or 909 or whatever when I hear it. So, it was more helpful than you can imagine to learn from you that I should be focusing on searching for the 808 sound I want. I definitely can do that now, so thank-you for the guidance on that.
I was reflecting on this exchange with you last night and it occurred to me that we really could use a specialized forum area here on LM where members could ask for advice on how to do various things. I decided yesterday to experiment with side-chain compression on a sustained bass note (1 full bar), ducking the bass (triggered by the initial quarter note kick). I know how to do do this, at least I thought I did, but regardless of which compressor I use, I get a "click" sound from the bass at the outset of each "duck". I don't know what I'm doing wrong and there's no place to get advice on that from LM members who know more than I do. We need the LM forums back I think.
Eric
Commented on Recovering Overthinker by Zivonmusic
Hi, ZM:
This track has such a dreamy, laid-back flow to it. Works really well. I liked the lo-fi treatment and the mix sounded great. Very well-balanced and different sounds/instruments were nicely distinct in the spectrum.
I would really like to know how/what you used to produce the bass sound. It's pretty much exactly what I've been trying to create myself, but haven't found the right VST or patch yet. Very smooth. Was perfect for the track.
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Still For The Moment by VintageNights
Hi, VN:
Definitely turned out to be catchy! :) I guess it is kind of lofi, but for me it's got an 80's synth pop feel to it - and I'm becoming more and more immersed in exploring that era and genre. I know that melodies have become far more complex in current releases, but there's also something to be said for simpler melody lines that are memorable and singable.
Anyway, obviously I really liked this track. Is that you on the spoken word vocal? Great voice. I'd love to find a way to use something like that on one of my tracks.
My only quibble with the track, and I do hesitate to say this given your background in audio, is that I think the various sounds/instruments blend together too much. I think perhaps it's the amount of reverb on the synth pads, or maybe just the level of the pads in the mix. I'd also like to hear the bass part more distinctly in the mix. But, that's all because it's got that 80's feel to it for me and that's the kind of mix they would have done for a track like this I think.
That said, well done. Very well done!
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Elysium by deanp
Hi, Dean. I really like trance and definitely enjoyed this track. Trance is my favourite EDM genre for sure.
I did feel, however, that the mix needs some refinement. I think the high frequency content was too prominent and there seemed to be a general background fill of what sounded like white noise to me. I don't know if that really was a purposeful use of noise or if it was reverb tails from other instruments in the mix.
Also, I really thought the level of the bass needed to be significantly louder in the mix. That would help with the overall balance of the track I think.
I did like the overall composition and melody lines. Vocal part was very good and sat well in the mix.
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Somebody Like You by Alien
I really enjoyed this track Alien. Mix was really well-balanced. The bass was perfectly done in my view. Filled the track with a really solid foundation. It made me with I still had speakers in my set-up. I sold them a while ago and am working only with headphones currently. Bass was great on the headphones but I know it would have been much, much more if I could have felt it with decent speakers.
Very nice job. Track has a great spirit to it and just made me feel, well, happy! :)
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Malleable Demoscenes instument demo ver by AE03hua
Hi AE03hua.
This is a very interesting track. I will take some time to listen to the others you have uploaded here on Looperman.
In this track I do hear some distinctly Chinese music influences, I think. I haven't really analyzed what they are, but I think they come from the timbre of some of the instruments, the intervals that they play, and what sounds to me like some micro tuning. Anyway, they made the sound of the track very distinctive, unique, and it all works really well.
I see that you also use Synthesizer V in some of your tracks. I am learning to use it as well. It seems to be a very promising tool for making good vocals. I just wish they had voices in French and Italian. Maybe that will come with time.
I do have some suggestions about the mix of this track. I agree with Danke that you should raise the volume on the drum track)s). But, I also feel that the various sounds blend together too much. I think perhaps there is too much reverb being used. I think as you work on refining the mix, you should try to make each instrument/part stand out more distinctly in the mix, both in terms of its place in the frequency spectrum and spatially (e.g., panning, and very careful use of reverb settings to place different sounds closer or further in the soundfield.)
That said, I very much enjoyed the track.
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Bounce - instrumental by zipbass
Bonjour, Zipbass!
I definitely enjoyed this track. It conveys a very engaging spirit, infectious beat. To my ear, the percussion parts give it a North African feel. I think it would be a good backing track for a vocal, or at least the start of a backing track. Mix is very nicely balanced. Lots of dynamic range, which is something I really like. And, the bass part is very nicely done, which makes sense since you are a bass player! Good work on this track! :)
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Dubjoka Do To Me by dubjoka
Very annoying! NO, not the track. Track is great dubjoka! What's annoying is that I had written a nice lengthy comment and when I tried to post it, "an error occurred" and I lost everything I was trying to say.
Which was: This is really nice sounding track. I definitely enjoyed it. I know you said you have more work to do on it, but I did want to say now that the mix is excellent. Nice balance. Warm, full foundation. Vocals were tastefully used. I particularly like the drum parts. So, you do think that the ending requires work, which I agree with. Endings are a real challenge for me, so I'm very interested in hearing what you some up with. Maybe some side-chain compression to get a "pump" going? I realize that's been somewhat overdone in EDM, but might work in your ending for this track.
Anyway, very nice work. Looking forward to hearing the next iteration.
Regards,
Eric
Commented on dont you worry by BONEZONMARZ
Hi, Bonezonmarz:
This track has a great, laid-back feel to it. Instrumental backing was really nice. I especially liked the bass part. Guitar was really nicely done as well.
One of my pet peeves is that there are so few male vocalists these days singing in a lower register. I really enjoyed hearing this vocal, in your normal range. That works really well for you. Has a really good R&B vibe.
My only quibble is that I think the level of the kick drum in the mix is a bit too high. I feel the same way generally about snares on the backbeat, although I thought that wasn't an issue with your track. I do realize, however, that I'm somewhat out of step with a lot of contemporary music mixes in that opinion.
Finally, I think it would be worth the effort to expand the lyrics for this song. It's got real potential.
Very nicely done.
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Sweet Sixteen by 2Sisters
Hi, Manuela:
Loved this track. Such a fun spirit! Vocals were excellent, as was the guitar work, as usual.
BUT, I really want to comment on the piano work by Angelica. WOW! That's seriously good piano stuff. I would have liked to have heard it more prominently in the mix I think. Actually, I think the track might be a bit over-produced.
As you know, I really do recognize and appreciate the excellent musicianship of everybody in the Olafs Jazz Combo. Horns are great. But, for this track, I would have been very happy to hear just you, Angelica, bass, and guitar I think. An arrangement and production that reflected, perhaps more closely, what one might actually hear at a dance in a school gymnasium.
Sometimes, less is more. But, that's just a personal reaction.
The track is great. We are lucky to have all of you here on Looperman.
Regards,
Eric
Commented on Leave by 2Sisters
Manuela:
I share and totally agree with your attitude about the value and importance of the music that LM members post here. I have long felt that its the creative effort that is so important, regardless of the genre, selection of instruments, use of technology, production skills, etc.
And you are right, support and recognition are really important. It does take some courage to post ones creative efforts here. But, helpful, constructive feedback from LM members is one of the most valuable benefits that this site offers to all of us.
I really have never seen harsh criticism of anybodys tracks here. I think LM members, from across the world, are very respectful of each other, which makes this a really nice place to be. :)
Commented on Painless by 2nick8
Hi, 2nick8. I think this is your best track yet, although I must admit I haven't listened to everything you have posted here on LM! Anyway, this track has really nice vocal delivery. For some reason, I heard little flavours of George Michael coming through. He was amazing, so that's a high compliment from me.
I liked the intimate approach to vocal delivery you had on the track. I think you should definitely do more of this. It suits your voice.
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Leave by 2Sisters
Hi, Manuela:
As is usual, this track from the 2Sisters is a joy to listen to. Your group is, frankly, a bit of an anomaly here on Looperman because you have very accomplished musicians playing real instruments in a real band! Amazing! A very funky track. Your vocals, as usual, are great. Mix was nicely done. I saw that there has been a bit of back and forth in the comments about the balance with the vocals and the bass. I thing the vocals are sitting perfectly in the mix. I liked the bass. Might experiment with some compression to tighten it up a bit, but I'm not certain about that. I must also comment on the very tasty guitar work and, most definitely on the trumpet. Trumpet was great! It put a very satisfying finish on the track.
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Puer Aeternus by Zivonmusic
Hey, Zivon! I agree with Manuela. A very beautiful composition. I don't know how most LM members listen to tracks here, but on my headphones (which are pretty good) the music just envelopes you like a warm blanket. Piano melody line was excellent and I especially like the cello parts, which really added to overall mood and feel of the music. Mix sounded great. I really like to hear dynamic range in tracks, not just everything jammed up to the brick wall limit. That variation was evident just from looking at the waveform display.
Really nicely done.
Regards, from snowy Ottawa.
Eric
Commented on Carmelita - Ibiza Sunset Session by Alien
Really nice work on this track, Alien. Loved the feel. Definitely created a feeling of being probably on a beach someplace like Ibiza at sunset. I think Sade-type vocals would be great. Or, perhaps, a Barry White, laid-back smooth baritone vocal.
Regards from Ottawa
Eric
Commented on Yanov - Afterglow by yanovv
This is a really good track, Yanov. I'd say the genre is trance, but I am really not good a distinguishing all the different types of EDM. But, I know what I like and I definitely liked this one. Vocals were excellent. Did you do the vocal?
I did not, however, think the mix was as good as it could be. I've got pretty good earphones and I thought the bass and mid-range frequency content was not sufficiently prominent in the mix. There was a lot of reverb on some of the backing instruments which were also working at the same frequency range as the lead vocal. That's always a tricky problem in a mix, but I think dialing back on the reverb and also cutting back on high frequency content of the backing instrument parts would improve the overall sound of the track. I'm not sure about compression choices. Would need to sort that out as part of the re-mix process but I suspect some adjustments would help there as well.
That said, it's a really nice EDM track and I did enjoy listening to it a lot. Hope you are keeping safe, and well.
Regards from Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Electric Heart by CXSMUSIC
I definitely enjoyed this track. I have a few quibbles with the mix, but generally thought it was a really nice composition. I assume, since you do not mention vocals in your profile, that the vocal was done by a program such as Synth V or Emvoice? I think I'm hearing much better vocals here on Looperman than in the past. Either we've got new members who actually can sing, or people are getting pretty good at using the latest vocal creation software.
Anyway, nice job.
Regards from snowy Ottawa,
Eric
Commented on Stellar Lighthouse by StarTravels
Mickey: Am listening to all your tracks, now that I've discovered Startravels. So easy to miss some really excellent stuff on Looperman if I don't sign on regularly. Anyway, not trying to comment on all the tracks, but just had to say that the lead synth work on this one was really, really good. You guys must be pros. Musicianship is truly exceptional. I did check your profile to see what background information I could get. But, of course, fittingly, it's "full of stars" :)
Regards,
Eric