Hi everyone,

I was a big fan and participant of Metapop (r.i.p.) And I miss the feedback I got there. I hope I can find a similar community here. I mainly make Dutch songs. But these 2 tracks are instrumental.

Toon
In Toon I used 2 piano samples with a different key. This is the first time I've used 2 keys in 1 song. I know little about music theory. So I think this is very clever of me. haha.



Tempo
In Tempo I tried to use 2 different time signatures. The song starts in 3/4 but changes to 4/4 in a few sections.



I would really like to hear what you think of these tracks in general.

I am still struggling with mixing songs. I now think the bas in Toon is much too loud, you too? Do you hear other things that I can improve in the mix?

All tips welcome.

JW

 

Instant like for proper 3/4
The production feels deliberate. Like the mood of both songs and, as I mentioned, extra points go to Tempo.
One thing I noticed is that both songs have a tiny excess in frequencies around 1k. Toon moreso. My hearing today is sensitive, so it's a little bit harsh. Can't listen to them more than three times on repeat without having to take a break.

 

I really like the production and writing style.
Feels like a weird mix of Lofi Hip Hop and ambient music.
Next to that it has an unique sound which hasn't been overdone, the cover seems to support that with it's minimalistic approach.
Especially the effects make this track much better because it gets an "dizzy" and distant vibe due to reverb , chorus and tremolo.

The writing style is also really good in my opinion.
You have progressions that don't vary too often but also constantly switch the bass movement and lead to other motives.
This gives the piece some nice stability but also doesn't make it repetetive .

Mixing wise I think that the bass sounds totally okay to me.
This track could be something that you would find in a 90's Point and Click Game

 

Thank you so much for listening and your kind feedback!

 

Thanks you for listening and the feedback. It makes me very happy to even think that someone would like to listen to them on repeat! I have not used a reference track in the mixing/mastering proces. I never have used a reference track, but I see it recommended in every course about mixing. Do you think that could help me spot these kinds of frequency excesses?

 

Use it as a palette cleanser. Find a professionally mixed track which sounds to your liking in a similar style and listen to it every 40-ish minutes of mixing to reset your ears. Don't try to copy it precisely. Trust your taste.
However if every single track lacks these 1k in your opinion, it might be a sign that you need to check your hearing with a medical professional. Especially since this is a range that's close to the most sensitive one and a lot of hearing issues from listening to loud sounds start there. I'm not saying that this is definitely the case, but if you observe lack of these frequencies in every commercial track you come upon - it would be a good idea to check.

 

A reference track would definitely help you hear something that is dramatically different from your track. But what would help you "Spot" (visually), issues like that, would be using a Match EQ along with that reference track. You compare one track with the other, but you do not have to apply any of the suggested changes. It will show you any differences, and then you can backtrack into the project to see why there is such a variance and decide what you want to do about it. Make sure you use a nice wav file for your reference, or at least a lossless compression format like Flac. Some of it can be even be just due to the monitoring environment/room.

 

I was going to suggest monitoring environment. I myself try to reference check in multiple listening environments such as in the car, bluetooth speaker, phone by itself (crappy phone speaker), and different stereos. It helps me pinpoint those problematic areas. Of course having a proper treated listening area makes it to where you can trust your mixes better.

 

thanks for all the advice. I'll take it with me. @justwannadownload I'm a bit shocked by your very valid tip. I definitely listened to too much music that was too loud. Not a bad idea to have this checked. whether I will do that too….

 

Never ask other producers for opinions on your music, they will always tell you the opposite of what they think: if the track is good they will tell you it sucks out of envy, if the track is shit they will tell you it's not bad, so as not to humiliate yourself .
The best feedback is from a disinterested person: play your music to children and try to understand what effect it has on them.

 

It could be.

I would add, dont ask family members that can - you know, make something up at the spot. I played some tracks to a family member, but i caught him off guard and i saw a foot starting to bounce while sitting, so i went thru 15ish of them and i remembered 2-3 were "foot bouncers", but with words they can´t say anything meaningfull really.

I think ´Toon´ is cool! For me, those breaks and changes of direction feel very natural, so thumbs up!

 

I disagree. I had some really helpfull feedback from other producers. The main thing that makes their feedback so helpfull is their ability to name the "problem" or element in the track that maybe needs some work. I do think that the non-producer's opinion is more honest. Because ultimately music is all about feeling. But I think understanding the techniques can really help to get to that feeling.

 

Yes, well said. How someone physically reacts to music is much more direct and honest than a formulated opinion. I know very well how I respond to music that I like.

Thank you for listening!

 

Really enjoyed both tracks @JW de Jong !

^
On the bass side of things try to rebalance the bass with the kick on "Toon",snare with/hi hat hit, s a few db's loud.
"Tempo" sounds awesome!
Thanks for sharing & take care!

 

They're both excellent ! Love the style and all these little details. The bass feels fine with me on Toon.
And @justwannadownload said, instant-like for the 3/4 on Tempo. Very seemless transition from one tempo to the other. Well composed.

 

Thank you for listening and giving feedback!

Thank you very much! Glad to hear the work i put in the details pays off.