That's for you the composer to decide, if you don't learn to make these decisions yourself you will never grow as a producer.
However, the 2nd attempt sounds more coherent then the first one in my opinion. So you might want to focus on that and take it to its completion.

 

Just center on your first production. Do no other production and finish the track! You already jumped to another creation! Come on!

I like your second demo though. Why don't you just stick with that one and complete it?

 

Last edited: Aug 9, 2016

Fair comment! Maybe I'll just leave it. Thanks!

 

This guy is spot on.
You will never get better at "finishing tracks" if you never finish a track.
Finish it and consider it closed, don't go back on it. It happened a lot to me too, I wanted to make "the perfect" track, but only now I realize how much stupid that was.

Just my advice to you

 

Please be so deep! Does every sound have its own character in the mix? If this was your track how would you add drums to it? and what you dislike about it. Best regards!

 

Last edited by a moderator: Aug 17, 2016

I'd kinda go deep kicks and plenty of splashy snare sounds and fx. Think sorta cascading waterfalls using white noise or something.

Oh yeah, don't worry too much about "finishing" ur tracks. Great tunes are just abandoned, after all =) Plus, it can (well for me) help 2 have more than 1 idea floating around in ur brain simultaneously. Actually, I kinda want lots of stuff competing 4 my attention, riffing off each other and fighting. It's kinda like synthesis + antithesis = higher form of truth. Or whatevs.

 

I'm not pro at drums so some more hints would be appreciated.

No abandoning, just searching for the meaningful ones. As you see, the sounds and rhythms are almost the same but doing kind of performance mode inside FL Studio.

I think just 1 idea for the entire track is insufficient and try to find further room for maneuver. Also linking them together is another problem.

Me too but if they'd be blended illogically like @The Teknomage said the overall mix would sound bad and some sounds would lose their places.

 

I sort of meant "don't worry about writing five songs at once". U might end up with (just) one (better) song cos of it? Not that u shud just throw everything @ 1 song! If ur always working on new (ie a variety of styles) ideas, u get a better idea of when 2 nip bad ideas in the bud.

Who knows where the lack of logic will take u? Maybe just 2 somewhere unexpected? I mean, it's sometimes just about making "mistakes" work as contrast 2 mathematics.

It's difficult 2 know where 2 start cos i dunno if u prefer performance or editing direct, but u can use anything as a soundsource. There's a danger in using just synth sounds, it can sound a bit sterile. I dunno, sample a car engine starting, or wind blowing thru a crack or a cat purring or whatevs & chop it up and make / feed it into a rhythm u like. U get instant organic texture, which is maybe what's missing atm? I dunno. If that fails, use somethn like Stutter Edit & throw some breakbeats @ it!

 

That's a lot better. Maybe try bringing the bass down half an octave or so, to give it better definition.

Haven't used FL since the original Acidman track 2 years ago, but I did like it for doing drums though.
Decide on what percussion elements you want. In the step sequencer set each percussion element to 1 beat. Then go to pattern view and you can paste in individual hits and remove them easily. Highlight part of the loop and set it to repeat. Add elements one at a time 1st kick, then snare etc.
For example: the kick: Place a 4 to the floor pattern on the loop selection. Now listen back and delete a kick from the loop, see how it effects the loop. If it sounds good, leave it out. If it doesn't, paint in back in and try another kick. try moving a kick to the off beat somewhere. Just play around with it till you're happy with what it's doing.

 

Yeah, that's good advice. I think FL is one sequencer I've never used. But if ur rly stuck, there's no harm in editing grooves u like. I mean, the part I hate (for me it's just drudgery) is editing rhyhmn parts. I guess it's because I'm hopeless @ playing drums on keyboard etcs. Also @ rhyhmn games! (I think it's connected). I find it easier & quicker just 2 draw quantised rhythms in, but it's like I said, rly just boring 2 do it. But it gives u quick and (too?) precise results. If ur ok with recording liek teh Mage, I'd prolly keep practising like that, tbh.

I listened again, I guess I expected some long John Carpenteresque bass thing 2 come in nr start, and i kinda expected either cheesy synth brass or strings instead of the thereminesque lead. But it's quite pretty as it is, quite warm and fuzzy! U cud get away with leaving it almost like an intro, and then continue the rhythm ur developing with beats, if that's what u wanted. Or u cud make the pseudo-theremin thing a bit less whistley and de-twee it maybe a lil bit? U cud worm it, and then transition into uber funk? That would make an interesting contrast? Heh. I keep wanting sudden dramatic contrast changes 2 happen! I have no idea what ur plans are tho =)

 

Drums and guitar.

 

After some re-arrangements, added drums to it (not been mastered yet. sounds good?). Also it has a second section. What's your idea about it? Can I join it to the first section?
Yes the bass is still an octave higher.

 

I'm enjoying how it's evolving. Like the snr fills! I didn't like the "snr" (klonk =) u used ~bar 13 on the 1st part, tho. Sounds like a mistake? Dunno. I kinda want the rhythmn (on 2nd section) 2 sound a bit moar liek:



Teh bottom one, u know? But that's just my take. Still not rly convinced by that theremin / tri thing, but I quite like the songs... Anyway, I'll PM u smthn. If I can work out how 2 do it?

 

You could put it in the middle. Break down the track elements, so you can put it in and then start to bring them back as it gets to the end of the second section. there's a point just before half way in the first part where it would work, but you'll need to do some rearranging to make it sound good.

 

I don't know what famouslut means but you're a good friend.
It will evolve more. I've made a lot of melodies that I'm sure you gonna love them. Again one question remains for me. How to make melodies longer? Mine are so small (2 bars or maximum 4 bars). I try to expand them but by any expansion they distance more from each other and their connection results an irrelevant output. Should I read "how to make melody" books?

About the mistake I accept your view. About the rhythm I worked alot to find the best possible one and I obliged to choose that one. It's not a good candidate for me too.

Thanks @The Teknomage .
I really loved the second part but could not find a good place for it to be embedded in the first one. I should examine your idea. Could you please give me any track that multi-rhythm in it has been regarded? I think it would be amazing to create any track that rhythm changes in it not just in the tradition points but also other places too.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Aug 23, 2016

I like that you are doing your own music,not following trends or shitty EDM.
Little by little you will craft your own sound,keep working on it

 

I can barely understand myself either 8) sometime. I just sorta copied the rhythm in ur 2nd part 2 the top (light grey, above black line) and compared it 2 how i thought it might sound (dark grey, below black line). Just ignore it, not rly important, just the use of one element slightly annoyed me a bit!

I guess u kinda have 2 get "into" the instrument, and find one that lets u make "longer" melodies. There's no real reason why u can't hold notes, other than the air available 2 humans when ur imitating a trumpet player etcs. Bit difficult 2 do when it's all oscillators/waves, but most sounds have some connection 2 real life, I guess. But tis kinda fun 2 pretend. Maybe most melodies make use of repetition 2 suck u in/push u out/rpt. Also, I can remember just doing minmalist (world's best call-response =) vibes melody with 2 notes (!) on first 4 bars, 3 (wow) on next. Kinda improvised around it on bass. Rpt. Then guitar chaos. It didn't sound too terrible. Just a bit lame =) But it worked as contrast.

Ur melodies are fine. Don't b too afraid of silence or repetition or contrast, tho. It can end up being a bit kinda too densely packed, if u keep throwing melodies @ it, if ur not careful?

 

I just made this groove using weird drum sounds (did it by myself, not using any kit). Anyway, do all of the elements complete each other well?

BTW, where to put kick? I usually can not find a suitable place for it.

 

Love the way that's sounding! Sounds very "Samus triumphant rescue" theme! U can just do dramatic thing of having trad kick pump on evry beat 2 emphasise returning melody l8r? Tis sometimes gud idea 2 lead into repeat melody by using (liek lower grace note) part of melody 1/16 or 1/4 before u rpt. U can try 2 use legato or start offset shift 2c if that sometimes makes ur melody bit sorta moar background ambient, then maybe come back with all strong attacks when u use kick, 4 militaristic feel? Dunno. Opinions! Depends what u aiming 4...

 

Like Kooper I'm for drums and big fukoff chuggin' guitar riff that shifts the whole thing up a couple of gears around 20 secs in after an inserted break.................vox to follow........err anywaze this thought is for demo 3 & 4................finding it hard to keep up