Half of being a good producer is to realize when you suck. That means you at least have taste, but you don’t posses the technical skills to reach a good production. Technical skills are technical - can be learned with (a lot of) work. Taste is cultural, very hard to learn, takes the biggest amount of effort to do it, is the vision that shows the path to go to.

Taste must always be ahead of your technical skills. The moment taste and skills meet, you either are a very accomplished producer, either is going to be very very hard to advance anymore because you basically have no vision to point you the path forward.

That’s why a lot of producers reach a point when they know the song is not quite right but they don’t know why. And then they try to apply every “technique” known to man, and eventually one of them (or a certain plugin) will make the things better. However, that technique will work just on that specific song and the next song will be the hell over again.

when you ask for feedback you have no vision. When you show “this is how i want my art to be” that’s vision.

(Hypotetically) If you didn’t hear that your 300 Hz is way too loud htf you will learn anything if I tell you to reduce it? If you can’t flow your melody in a nice manner, how does it help to say that is not ok? The only real thing that helps is do the fucking work.

Show me your 200th song, not your 20th. You have no clue what difference that makes. And judging by what I read on these forums, most have no idea how is to have 200 finished songs, and everything transforms in a reciprocal rimming between the underachievers.

i give zero fucks if you consider or not my advice. I basically told you to work more and show less.

 

...........

a little detail that may have slipped your attention span..
he is not, a producer

he is just a guy starting out making his first tracks. you windy overbearing prick

 

When I started making tracks in 1994 I was doing exactly what you are doing. A song started, it went for a few minutes and then it ended. It takes years to "get it" and to get it, is from my experience, to make your track a journey. Plan the trip. Imagine you're scoring a four minute train ride. People milling about, then they get on. The train starts moving. It builds momentum. You see things out the window. Make all of these elements a musical motif. People are the arpeggios, the train is the beat and the bassline. The melody is the scenery. These things happen slowly and purposefully. Not all at once. Forget about mixing for now. That is a totally different skill, but what good is a good mix of a track that has no purpose?
That is all I know.
I hope it helps.
Enjoy.

 

All true, but good mix of a track with no purpose (other than generating revenue) explains about 90% of good mixes.

 

But you are "putting the cart before the horse" and for somebody starting out with music, it is not going to help them on the journey of making music to first learning to mix music, then make music. I am simply trying to create a framework to enable a new composer (perhaps that is too grandiose a term, but let's go with it) the mental attitude to build a piece of music that is more structured than the one he presented for us, which rambled aimlessly. It could be remixed and sound much better, but it's still not a good, nor a memorable track.

 

I think your piece is fine as cinematic background.
With some screaming, sirens, gunfire, explosions and nuclear holocaust rending the cosmic fabric i think it would be fine.
But yeah-more bass.
And, as always, the snare sucks.

Seriously though, I am just a hobbyist, and although others may be right about the technical quality, my taste is not bad and there is a reason i wrote "cinematic background". It is no worse than much of what I hear and better than some. It did not annoy me as i worked on a spreadsheet.

Harsh criticism might be taken as constructive.
If it IS taken as constructive, it likely will BE constructive.
If one resents it, it will likely be DEstructive.
That much is up to the one receiving the criticism.
The same is true with much of one's experiences in life.
“Out of life’s school of war—what doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.”-Friedrich Nietzsche
It is nice to hope for that, but of course it often not true.
What doesn't kill may often cripple, so take care in life's adventures...

BUT, we ARE "anti-fragile" in many ways, and our own attitude can determine if that includes our emotional being.
Adversity, is the only way to GET stronger in most ways.
To avoid being traumatized, the best thing is to practice facing adversity willingly and in a safe manner.
What is learned may be technical in many ways, but the most important thing learned is emotional.
That is: Bravery. Feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
And if you have no choice but to face what may kill, cripple, or make one stronger, facing it squarely and voluntarily usually produces the best outcomes. Running away is the worse choice, and usually produces a worse outcome.
Never turn your back on a dragon, run away and lead it to your home...
Better seek out the dragon in its own lair to learn how one might conquer it.

Posting here is doing just that.

 

Last edited: Jul 1, 2022

What I like about your track is that I'm hearing things I never heard before (together with things I heard many times before).
But musically, after a minute or so, the song doesn't evolve much, and imo, it should.
I'd end this project, move on to the next, and then the next.

 

The most important thing is that you finished a track.
Many struggle with turning their 8 bar loop into a track and have nothing to show for their efforts other than folders of unfinished DAW sessions.

The second most important thing is that you felt the track had enough about to not be embarrassed about sharing it.
Maybe the thought of sharing it inspired you to put a little more effort into completing the track before you shared it?

If your goal is that this is just a hobby, then continue as is. You will improve over time, and your songs will start to resemble "proper" tracks.

However if your goal is much higher than that, then a little bit of a reality check is needed at this stage as you have likely years of learning and practice ahead of you before you reach such levels.

 

It's kind of aimless and unfocused, but I agree, it's not bad for a beginner and as ambient background or soundtrack, it's pleasant enough to listen to. There's much worse out there. It's quite inoffensive.
Maybe that's the issue that others are lashing out at...it kind of doesn't go anywhere. It's all setup and no punchline. The track needs more creativity and direction. It needs to find itself.

 

Ya its pretty much a hobby at this point. Even though im a classically trained pianist hah so I guess that took up like most my life im still young and you never stop learning, only growing. Im glad everyone has a different opinion on this thread. Im not saying im even a good producer yet im just happy that it wasnt the worst thing that could have came out of my brain lmao.

 

you could probably start a thread on its own here asking for the results of the things people have blown up and burned down.

good job.

 

Funny, 1408, 14. 08. is my birthday. If you don't mind can you tell me how did you come up with 1408? Maybe we have same birthday?

Sorry for the OT, but I'm curious.

 

Holy shit ..that is a weird coincidence. I mean, what are the odds that could happen?
Wait a minute...
Holy shit it took me 14 minutes and 8 seconds to read this thread!

 

haha its from the book by Stephen king 1408 where the guy stays at this haunted hotel and its pretty much symbolism for purgatory.

 

Perfect for the song and this thread!

 

it sounds like it deserves to be in a soundtrack to a very futuristic city scene... hmm something like limitless. that's where this piece goes for me. but that's because I love and pay attention to a lot music
if you show this to someone else they might think you have learning difficulties as lxfsn is trying to say

 

I missed this one. Would reading the Shining and listening to the Eagles save me 10 bucks on the book? Sounds like it. Mr.Mercedes was more my speed.

 

ITS A MOVIE NOW TO! its so good you have to watch it haha a trip especially if you smoke pot you will be like wtf.

 

totally fair opinion.


but i dont see that, if i did i would have made just one comment and just left. im allergic to aimlessness. i see something else. to begin with lets agree in that this is not meant as chart pop-music and that its a beginners attempt right

I find in this piece something interesting and hopefully that something is premeditated and characteristic for his style.
there is melody, and the theme comes back, enough for me to recognize it and keep me interested, he moves exactly on the edge between very loose "aimless" and melodic, and he is in key, all that kind of signs of diamond in the rough. if its the result of conscious decisions obviously.

and that oriental-like feel that simply fits perfectly... am i imagining all this? in my mind no. that's why i find it interesting.

would love to hear from @iseeghosties if that may be a conscious take or just by chance.

Cheers to all

 

Last edited: Jul 1, 2022

Well honestly its inspired by Tycho and his music is pretty loose I would say. Alot of different melodic things going on and forming. Now its not perfect by any means I agree it needs work but its something I guess haha and yes it was a conscious decision.