Showcase - January 24-30, 2022
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Sole Element
ILLIEN
Battle Points: 1
Hadoq
Producing weird shit since 2002
Hi all, sorry I missed a few feedbacks on last week's thread so I'll post them there along with the new ones
@jaakkopenttilae you guys are good, but this isn't my jam. it feels like it's more a showcase of your skills than an actual thought out, refined track production. I think with more intent towards message, groove, vibe and musicality, it has the potential to be proper awesome !
@nonameswifi I don't know why, this kind of has a "metal" feel to it, good production, a bit long although not boring, good elements throughout. I do like the 2nd part better tho
@Manfreezey "bump" open hats sound kind of agressive, stylistically, I don't know, there is a lot going on, my main issue is with the sound selection, they are very static sounds that sound a lot like presets. You should work on filters, eq, automation, and sound variation throughout your track. The mix sounds clear enough, but the sounds that are used sound uninspired. Arrangement doesn't really have much variation in energy either, everything feels "60%". so to sum up I would 1. spend more time selecting interesting sounds that I could make evolve. 2. manage the energy with more amplitude throughout the track
@Nfinity beats "relax" nice 6/8, the kick is a bit too present and wet and mids-heavy. I love the melody/harmony. The drumbeat is a tad bit simple but effective. I really like some of your sounds here, the guitar layers work great !
"free hip hop beat" not a fan of this one, this doesn't sound like it's made from the same person at all, actually. I think with this style of beat, you might want to make them "lighter", maybe shorter notes, use foley percussions, the drumbeat is very basic, it would benefit from more percussion and things going on.
@Otaavetti nice track, nothing to say here, well produced. I'm not familiar with the genre enough to comment further but everything sounds in place, order, and taste.
@2GooD Productions "WIP" again on this track, I'm not a big fan of sounds selection, everything is front and center in your face, all square and right on the dot. It kind of "sounds like midi" if that makes any sense, like a video game music composed on a tracker.
I'd start by the drums, re-select better/dryer sounds and maybe play the beat on pads or a keyboard to have that human groove. Then, instead of keeping adding up elements, work more with muting them, switching them around, add automation on fx, pan, volume to create more depth. There are good things going on in there, so definitely worth working further on them.
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onto the current week
@Rah.sool yea man, this is very good, you know what you're doing here
@Sole Element this is intense, man, very original and out there but properly executed, props for trying something new and different and running with it !!!! loving it
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didn't know I could post a couple of beats
first is a collab with a UK rapper
something simple & basic
@jaakkopenttilae you guys are good, but this isn't my jam. it feels like it's more a showcase of your skills than an actual thought out, refined track production. I think with more intent towards message, groove, vibe and musicality, it has the potential to be proper awesome !
@nonameswifi I don't know why, this kind of has a "metal" feel to it, good production, a bit long although not boring, good elements throughout. I do like the 2nd part better tho
@Manfreezey "bump" open hats sound kind of agressive, stylistically, I don't know, there is a lot going on, my main issue is with the sound selection, they are very static sounds that sound a lot like presets. You should work on filters, eq, automation, and sound variation throughout your track. The mix sounds clear enough, but the sounds that are used sound uninspired. Arrangement doesn't really have much variation in energy either, everything feels "60%". so to sum up I would 1. spend more time selecting interesting sounds that I could make evolve. 2. manage the energy with more amplitude throughout the track
@Nfinity beats "relax" nice 6/8, the kick is a bit too present and wet and mids-heavy. I love the melody/harmony. The drumbeat is a tad bit simple but effective. I really like some of your sounds here, the guitar layers work great !
"free hip hop beat" not a fan of this one, this doesn't sound like it's made from the same person at all, actually. I think with this style of beat, you might want to make them "lighter", maybe shorter notes, use foley percussions, the drumbeat is very basic, it would benefit from more percussion and things going on.
@Otaavetti nice track, nothing to say here, well produced. I'm not familiar with the genre enough to comment further but everything sounds in place, order, and taste.
@2GooD Productions "WIP" again on this track, I'm not a big fan of sounds selection, everything is front and center in your face, all square and right on the dot. It kind of "sounds like midi" if that makes any sense, like a video game music composed on a tracker.
I'd start by the drums, re-select better/dryer sounds and maybe play the beat on pads or a keyboard to have that human groove. Then, instead of keeping adding up elements, work more with muting them, switching them around, add automation on fx, pan, volume to create more depth. There are good things going on in there, so definitely worth working further on them.
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onto the current week
@Rah.sool yea man, this is very good, you know what you're doing here
@Sole Element this is intense, man, very original and out there but properly executed, props for trying something new and different and running with it !!!! loving it
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didn't know I could post a couple of beats
first is a collab with a UK rapper
something simple & basic
Heres one from me, was going to save it for a battle, but fuck it.
@Hadoq, thanks for the feedback, yes I know what you mean by on the dot, robotic and quantized. Its still very early days with that one, hence the name a wip. Was just a quick end of week post tbh. Lots of omnisphere instruments in that one and they tend to be very wet. I usually quantize my beats, I aint got no rhythm.
Devils Calling. Mix wise I think the emcee is slightly back in the mix, or more so that synthy sound is a little too loud. Its putting the emcee, the drums and the bass back in the mix. This is a great example of the unquantized beat you were talking about. I think the kick could have a little more punch and the emcee just a touch more presence, maybe just a small eq boost just to bring it out a little more. Im talking small adjustments, nothing major.
Off Season. This is the most chilled track Ive heard in a bit, i like the panning and mixing on this one, on this id give the snare a little bit more presence, a little eq boost, love the way you filter it out, dope touch. Im smoking a jay right now and if I close my eyes Im at the seaside enjoying icecream. But nobody else is there and its cold because you know, its off season.
@Sole Element reminds me of SWV Right Here a little. Not really a fan of the drums, a bit far back and a little washed out. Like @Hadoq said, its different. I think it could work with different drums.
@Rah.sool Another dope beat, makes me realise i need to be digging up some more old drum breaks instead of programming them all the time. Dope drum break, dope samples too, great work.
@Hadoq, thanks for the feedback, yes I know what you mean by on the dot, robotic and quantized. Its still very early days with that one, hence the name a wip. Was just a quick end of week post tbh. Lots of omnisphere instruments in that one and they tend to be very wet. I usually quantize my beats, I aint got no rhythm.
Devils Calling. Mix wise I think the emcee is slightly back in the mix, or more so that synthy sound is a little too loud. Its putting the emcee, the drums and the bass back in the mix. This is a great example of the unquantized beat you were talking about. I think the kick could have a little more punch and the emcee just a touch more presence, maybe just a small eq boost just to bring it out a little more. Im talking small adjustments, nothing major.
Off Season. This is the most chilled track Ive heard in a bit, i like the panning and mixing on this one, on this id give the snare a little bit more presence, a little eq boost, love the way you filter it out, dope touch. Im smoking a jay right now and if I close my eyes Im at the seaside enjoying icecream. But nobody else is there and its cold because you know, its off season.
@Sole Element reminds me of SWV Right Here a little. Not really a fan of the drums, a bit far back and a little washed out. Like @Hadoq said, its different. I think it could work with different drums.
@Rah.sool Another dope beat, makes me realise i need to be digging up some more old drum breaks instead of programming them all the time. Dope drum break, dope samples too, great work.
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@Rah.sool Another great boom bap from you. I like those drums. It's a simple beat, it leaves a lot of space for a potential rapper but it's also nice to listen to on its own. Personally, I like to play with vocal samples in the way you did it in your beat. Actually, whenever I make a beat based on a sample it's usually made off of some vocal chops so your production is really close to my approach and therefore it's easy to listen to for me. I think you did a good job when it comes to arrangement. Despite the fact that this drum loop is basically going over and over throughout the beat, it's not boring to me.
@Sole Element For me there's too much high end here. Like there are a lot of sibilants in vocals, those synths also contain a lot of high frequencies and when you added hihats to me it was too much of sizzling in this track. It's different from your other remixes. It's original for sure and it's good that you're trying something new but as I said for me there are too much high end. Anyway, it's just my opinion, so keep doing what you're doing and take it with a pinch of salt.
@Hadoq I prefer Off Season out of these two. Very cool and laid back beat. Smooth bass, smooth melody. Good lo-fi vibe. Composition is on point. It's something that could fit well in all those playlists on YouTube for example "Music for studying" or something.
@2GooD Productions Typical 2GooD Productions Type Beat If I heard it without knowing it's you I would have known it's your beat. Drums are on point, good heavy low end, nice arrangement, I like these strings in the back and also the melody. One thing I would change or even remove completely is that melody that appears for example at 2:32.
@Sole Element For me there's too much high end here. Like there are a lot of sibilants in vocals, those synths also contain a lot of high frequencies and when you added hihats to me it was too much of sizzling in this track. It's different from your other remixes. It's original for sure and it's good that you're trying something new but as I said for me there are too much high end. Anyway, it's just my opinion, so keep doing what you're doing and take it with a pinch of salt.
@Hadoq I prefer Off Season out of these two. Very cool and laid back beat. Smooth bass, smooth melody. Good lo-fi vibe. Composition is on point. It's something that could fit well in all those playlists on YouTube for example "Music for studying" or something.
@2GooD Productions Typical 2GooD Productions Type Beat
If I heard it without knowing it's you I would have known it's your beat. Drums are on point, good heavy low end, nice arrangement, I like these strings in the back and also the melody. One thing I would change or even remove completely is that melody that appears for example at 2:32.This week I have something totally different to everything you'd usually hear from me. I've been into some cyberpunk/dystopian themes recently. I watch a lot of movies and play games in this genre. So this week I have some industrial/cyberpunk/darksynth for you. It's the first time I've made something like this so let's call it an alpha version.
It's the first time I've made something like this so let's call it an alpha version. Nothing here yet.
Hadoq
Producing weird shit since 2002
@2GooD Productions listening right now, intro is nice. I'd definitely would like more nuanced sounds and a clearer mix, but it's not bad by any means. I'd say the weakest point are the drums sounds that don't hit hard enough.
listening more closely, maybe you would want a shorter tailed bass sound, the rythm section is -IMO- too "full of noise" to really be as dynamic as it could be. The track also, is far too long for how little variation there is in. I prefer this one tho. Maybe try different sounds, plugins etc... create your own
@Memento Beats sorry man, not really my vibe, I do like synth stuff, but the sound has to be huge (moog fanboy here), energy is good, but same feedback as above, the sounds would gain a lot to be more nuanced. I checked out your other beats on here, more up my alley, you got talent, work is the easy part
I hope it doesn't come off the wrong way, but if only on the things I touched on, mainly the nuance and timbral variations, I know for sure I can help, so don't hesitate to hit me up.
listening more closely, maybe you would want a shorter tailed bass sound, the rythm section is -IMO- too "full of noise" to really be as dynamic as it could be. The track also, is far too long for how little variation there is in. I prefer this one tho. Maybe try different sounds, plugins etc... create your own
@Memento Beats sorry man, not really my vibe, I do like synth stuff, but the sound has to be huge (moog fanboy here), energy is good, but same feedback as above, the sounds would gain a lot to be more nuanced. I checked out your other beats on here, more up my alley, you got talent, work is the easy part
I hope it doesn't come off the wrong way, but if only on the things I touched on, mainly the nuance and timbral variations, I know for sure I can help, so don't hesitate to hit me up.
nonameswifi
Member
Wow thats super interesting you mentioning it having a "metal" element to it...
I totally didnt see that until you said it! WOW its kind of stuck in my head now haha!
Thanks for the feedback! Highly appreciate it man!
Thanks for the feedback!@2GooD Productions listening right now, intro is nice. I'd definitely would like more nuanced sounds and a clearer mix, but it's not bad by any means. I'd say the weakest point are the drums sounds that don't hit hard enough.
listening more closely, maybe you would want a shorter tailed bass sound, the rythm section is -IMO- too "full of noise" to really be as dynamic as it could be. The track also, is far too long for how little variation there is in. I prefer this one tho. Maybe try different sounds, plugins etc... create your own
@Memento Beats sorry man, not really my vibe, I do like synth stuff, but the sound has to be huge (moog fanboy here), energy is good, but same feedback as above, the sounds would gain a lot to be more nuanced. I checked out your other beats on here, more up my alley, you got talent, work is the easy part
I hope it doesn't come off the wrong way, but if only on the things I touched on, mainly the nuance and timbral variations, I know for sure I can help, so don't hesitate to hit me up.
It's a total experiment so I was prepared for some critique but I'm not really sure what you mean by "nuance and timbral variation"? If you could elaborate on that, that would be helpful. Thanks!
Nfinity beats
Newbie
@Hadoq Thanks for the feedback bro! i'm just starting as a producer i was always into music and know some music theory but the producing is a whole other world. Learning every day and have a feeling i'm slowly making progress. Also i think youre absolutly right about the fact that my title is sht and drums are simple. i would love to make some passionate beats spends more time on every element, but for now i'm trying to push beats out, and try to get a following on youtube. Don't know if i'm doing the right thing but i'm learning as i go. please give me some more feeback Thanks for listening!
@2GooD Productions Bro your beat... is a bit midi indeed but i still like it i can feel the flow u def got a rythm and i like the drops, the melodie is sweet 2. Maybe try to put some more live feeling in or beat with less quantizing and try to mess with the velocity or randomize it. Anyways give us another beat!
And then ofcourse, kind of nervous now after all this positive critisism my latest beat "knock me down" Feel free to comment! (also very simple drums don't hold it against meXD)
@2GooD Productions Bro your beat... is a bit midi indeed but i still like it i can feel the flow u def got a rythm and i like the drops, the melodie is sweet 2. Maybe try to put some more live feeling in or beat with less quantizing and try to mess with the velocity or randomize it. Anyways give us another beat!
And then ofcourse, kind of nervous now after all this positive critisism my latest beat "knock me down" Feel free to comment! (also very simple drums don't hold it against meXD)
Rah.sool
Beatmaker
Thank you everyone for the feedback. Here's mine:
@Sole Element This is definitely very unique in all aspects. I think it's a bit hectic and crowded at times. Also the drums feel kind of off to me. Also, the glitchy sounds you're using are making this feel weird for me. However, I really enjoyed the piano at 2:04, and the harmonies are very nice. Props on you for trying something unique and interesting. I think you did a great job considering how out there the sounds are! Great work.
@Hadoq Wow man. Both of these are awesome. The second beat "Off season" is exceptional. Love the vinyl warp effect and other processing you added to make this sound lo-fi. Honestly, these are perfect, no criticisms here. Excellent work!
@2GooD Productions Dude this is exceptional. Seriously love this vibe, sound selection on the synths, drum patterning, all top notch. and as always mix is perfect. 2 feedbacks:
1. the string sound at :41 sounds a little flat, maybe some reverb, convolution, or stereo widening to make this feel wider.
2. the swing on the piano notes at 1:26 are unquantized which contrasts the quantization of all the other elements, that stuck out me (Might have been your intention)
Fantastic work as always chief.
And by the way, yea drum breaks are powerful, especially if you chop them up into pieces that contain hi-hats, for example (kick followed by hi-hat), (snare followed by hi-hat), etc. then you can reprogram the patterns but with the natural feel/timing of the breaks.
@Memento Beats Ahha this is wicked. I love this. Feels like the TRON soundtrack. Love the sound selection on all the synths. Also the percussion is perfectly executed. No criticisms here. Awesome work.
@Manfreezey Good job on this brotha. Love the way you utilized the sample. I think the thing that could take this to the next level is drum selection, get a harder snare sound, and a boomier kick sound, also unquantizing the hi hats a little bit would be my personal preference. Great work brother!
@Nfinity beats Clean work brotha! Clean sounds, clean mix. Also I enjoyed the layered harmonies between the different guitar sections. Great work. No criticisms here.
@Sole Element This is definitely very unique in all aspects. I think it's a bit hectic and crowded at times. Also the drums feel kind of off to me. Also, the glitchy sounds you're using are making this feel weird for me. However, I really enjoyed the piano at 2:04, and the harmonies are very nice. Props on you for trying something unique and interesting. I think you did a great job considering how out there the sounds are! Great work.
@Hadoq Wow man. Both of these are awesome. The second beat "Off season" is exceptional. Love the vinyl warp effect and other processing you added to make this sound lo-fi. Honestly, these are perfect, no criticisms here. Excellent work!
@2GooD Productions Dude this is exceptional. Seriously love this vibe, sound selection on the synths, drum patterning, all top notch. and as always mix is perfect. 2 feedbacks:
1. the string sound at :41 sounds a little flat, maybe some reverb, convolution, or stereo widening to make this feel wider.
2. the swing on the piano notes at 1:26 are unquantized which contrasts the quantization of all the other elements, that stuck out me (Might have been your intention)
Fantastic work as always chief.
And by the way, yea drum breaks are powerful, especially if you chop them up into pieces that contain hi-hats, for example (kick followed by hi-hat), (snare followed by hi-hat), etc. then you can reprogram the patterns but with the natural feel/timing of the breaks.
@Memento Beats Ahha this is wicked. I love this. Feels like the TRON soundtrack. Love the sound selection on all the synths. Also the percussion is perfectly executed. No criticisms here. Awesome work.
@Manfreezey Good job on this brotha. Love the way you utilized the sample. I think the thing that could take this to the next level is drum selection, get a harder snare sound, and a boomier kick sound, also unquantizing the hi hats a little bit would be my personal preference. Great work brother!
@Nfinity beats Clean work brotha! Clean sounds, clean mix. Also I enjoyed the layered harmonies between the different guitar sections. Great work. No criticisms here.
Sole Element
ILLIEN
Battle Points: 1
@Hadoq I love the vibe of these beats!! You did a really great job on the timing of your drums along with the melody. Everything fits nicely, no complaints.
@2GooD Productions I like everything about this beat!! The only thing I don't favor is the drum pattern, don't get me wrong they're not bad, it just felt like you should have gone a different direction when the beat comes in IMO. But other than that it's all good.
@Memento Beats I like that you tried a different style, just wasn't feeling this particular one that much compared to your others. But I do like the fact you tried a different path on this one. I do like some of the synths though.
@Manfreezey I like this track, it's simple and I love the way the drums hit with the bass. Still holds up nicely!
Adding one more for the week if some of you don't mind listening again. Just need some opinions on this one as well.
@2GooD Productions I like everything about this beat!! The only thing I don't favor is the drum pattern, don't get me wrong they're not bad, it just felt like you should have gone a different direction when the beat comes in IMO. But other than that it's all good.
@Memento Beats I like that you tried a different style, just wasn't feeling this particular one that much compared to your others. But I do like the fact you tried a different path on this one. I do like some of the synths though.
@Manfreezey I like this track, it's simple and I love the way the drums hit with the bass. Still holds up nicely!
Adding one more for the week if some of you don't mind listening again. Just need some opinions on this one as well.
Hadoq
Producing weird shit since 2002
@Manfreezey dope classic vibe ! second (third?) golden age of hip hop, loving the hook !
@Nfinity beats listening, if you're just starting out, it's a good start, you have a good sense of musicality and structure, the thing with music production tho, it can be as simple or complex as you want, but one isn't necessarily better than the other.
Listening to your beat, it starts of well but then kind of falls flat, I'm gonna try to get more into it, as there are many different aspects.
So I'll start with the good
the way the several musical parts interact with one another is really nice, musically, this is good, and this is important, you have story telling elements
The first thing you can fix easily is the pacing, 4 minutes is too long for what's happening in there
the transition at 39" is well placed and reasonably executed, but then, after that, it's almost flat until 2'30" ish when the drums get cut.
what I would do, would be to cut part of this section off, and add more variation by removing, for example, parts of the drums like the hats (easiest as your beat will most likely still hold without them for a while)
btw, nice hats.
when you bring in the second guitar, you want it to be a little more dramatic, maybe have a transition, or have the new part better exposed by removing an element out and letting it stand out for a while before bringing back the main breat and elements.
You may also want, each time you bring an element again for a second or third time, have it a little bit different.
what I notice many beginners do, is they only use one of each of their instruments. for instance, you could have your guitar parts doubled by a different sounding or different pitched (usually octave) instrument, maybe have them both panned differently, have one dry and the other filtered etc... having different instruments for the same part allow you to bring out variety while preserving your melodic and harmonic patterns.
I will break down my own beat for reference (off season) as it has a very clear structure, each part is approximately 30. first part is the intro. beach FX, and the main guitar is coming in first with an automated hi pass filter, giving the impression that it comes from afar. The main melody comes and is also filtered. then the main beat comes in along with the bass. The bass also brings in a variation in harmony, bringing it to a slightly different place than the intro would lead you to expect, this is a pretty basic harmonic trick, I could get into it and explain it if you want, it's very easy to understand and do.
So that first part with the drums, it's there to establish the track, everything is there, you got the melody, the harmony, the main track is presented
the following section brings in the bridge, the melody goes away, the drums get faded away (automated low pass filter), then the guitar gets filtered as well while the ocean fx come back. then you have a slight transition with a cut / cute voice and the main beat is back fully. Only the melody there is doubled by a different synth that is more into higher frequencies and harmonics. The last part isn't as interesting as I would have liked it to be, but it's still a little more dynamic than when the beat got introduced at the beginning, and ultimately it doesn't last long before the track ends (also there's a little trick in there to make the second part a little more dynamic, the tempo is slightly accelerated and the overall pitch of the track is slightly higher as a result, not in a noticeable way, but it takes the energy a tad bit up)
Now back onto your beat, you can imagine having different sections for different goals, have a gradual progression, you start low with the intro, then go up with the introduction of your beat and melodies, then back down for the break, and then at the highest for your last round of beat melody before finishing back down for your outtro, don't stay too long on a part unless you have a very good reason to.
then onto the mix and the sound
I'm more comfortable with the arrangement but there are a few things that can help
first off, your kick, your bass, and to a lesser degree, your snares and hats, they have to be centered, EVERYTHING else is either off to the left or to the right. this is the first thing you can use to separate your elements and add depth to your beat. You can also move them around during the track using automation.
I'm not sure if you're using it in your track, but do use sidechain compression, basically it's a technique you use with a compressor (I know ableton basic compressor can do it, most others can also) that is triggered by your kick and will have at least your bass and main harmonic element's volume to duck whenever the kick plays.
then onto drums sounds selection, this is a tough one and even after almost 20 years doing this, I still struggle with it.
I totally get it, when you have that fat, long tail, imposing kick from the sample pack, and you want to use it. But your kick here, it's far too present and becomes very distracting. You need to feel it more than hear it, shorter tails will work better, and also use filters to get rid of all the frequencies that aren't necessary, basic high pass to remove ultra low frequencies, basic low pass to remove everything that isn't absolutely necessary. Don't hesitate to cut the samples or fade them out to make them shorter.
the snare, you want it to hit harder, layer it with other snares, or a clap, or some foley percussion.
I remember a long time ago when I started off making beats, a guy told me "the kick has to punch you in the gut and the snare has to make you flinch", I don't really apply it to the letter, I like my snares to be more on the low/mids side of things and have more body, but the gist of the idea is that the snare/kick combo is extremely important and will make or break your track. I do like the other percussive elements, the kind of off clap is real nice, the hats are easy going and non intrusive, but the kick is far too present and the snare not enough. Don't worry tho, it's all a process.
So to sum up
- shorter sections
- more variation in the drums (try removing hats on occasion, and also the occasional 1 or 2 steps cut)
- pan your elements left and right, center is for kick, bass, snare and that's it (not engraved in stone, but you can consider it so for now )
- layer your melodic as well as rhythmic elements, have two or three instruments play your melodies and chords, swap them out with one another and/or stack them on top of each other (and don't forget to pan them)
- use automation, filters, volume, pan
- SIDECHAIN !
this is stuff you can implement right now and see a huge difference right away
on a side note, and a personal opinion, I feel tempi between 80 and 95 are pretty difficult to make sound modern unless you really take out your sunday production skills. I know 70/83 is a sweet spot of mine as well as 50/70 for the really atmospheric stuff.
just look, I've been making beats for the better part of the last two decades, and music ever since I can remember, and I'm still posting here looking for advice on how to get better, having kids half my age teaching me stuff I had no idea about.
don't shy away from learning all you can learn, post your beats, read feedbacks, adjust, apply, correct, improve and grow as a musician and as a person. You obviously have that itch to make music, this is precious and sacred, because it allows you to reach people very deeply. it's an honor and a priviledge to be able to do that, ensure you make your best effort so that you are worthy of that gift and use it to impact as much people as you can throughout your life.
it'll never be good enough, it'll never be 100% of your ultimate potential, but tomorrow can be 110% of what you've done today. We've all started somewhere and with online communities, it's really easy now to learn and improve.
just keep doing it, keep improving, you won't recognize your beats from today when you listen to the stuff you'll be making just a year from now.
@Nfinity beats listening, if you're just starting out, it's a good start, you have a good sense of musicality and structure, the thing with music production tho, it can be as simple or complex as you want, but one isn't necessarily better than the other.
Listening to your beat, it starts of well but then kind of falls flat, I'm gonna try to get more into it, as there are many different aspects.
So I'll start with the good
the way the several musical parts interact with one another is really nice, musically, this is good, and this is important, you have story telling elements
The first thing you can fix easily is the pacing, 4 minutes is too long for what's happening in there
the transition at 39" is well placed and reasonably executed, but then, after that, it's almost flat until 2'30" ish when the drums get cut.
what I would do, would be to cut part of this section off, and add more variation by removing, for example, parts of the drums like the hats (easiest as your beat will most likely still hold without them for a while)
btw, nice hats.
when you bring in the second guitar, you want it to be a little more dramatic, maybe have a transition, or have the new part better exposed by removing an element out and letting it stand out for a while before bringing back the main breat and elements.
You may also want, each time you bring an element again for a second or third time, have it a little bit different.
what I notice many beginners do, is they only use one of each of their instruments. for instance, you could have your guitar parts doubled by a different sounding or different pitched (usually octave) instrument, maybe have them both panned differently, have one dry and the other filtered etc... having different instruments for the same part allow you to bring out variety while preserving your melodic and harmonic patterns.
I will break down my own beat for reference (off season) as it has a very clear structure, each part is approximately 30. first part is the intro. beach FX, and the main guitar is coming in first with an automated hi pass filter, giving the impression that it comes from afar. The main melody comes and is also filtered. then the main beat comes in along with the bass. The bass also brings in a variation in harmony, bringing it to a slightly different place than the intro would lead you to expect, this is a pretty basic harmonic trick, I could get into it and explain it if you want, it's very easy to understand and do.
So that first part with the drums, it's there to establish the track, everything is there, you got the melody, the harmony, the main track is presented
the following section brings in the bridge, the melody goes away, the drums get faded away (automated low pass filter), then the guitar gets filtered as well while the ocean fx come back. then you have a slight transition with a cut / cute voice and the main beat is back fully. Only the melody there is doubled by a different synth that is more into higher frequencies and harmonics. The last part isn't as interesting as I would have liked it to be, but it's still a little more dynamic than when the beat got introduced at the beginning, and ultimately it doesn't last long before the track ends (also there's a little trick in there to make the second part a little more dynamic, the tempo is slightly accelerated and the overall pitch of the track is slightly higher as a result, not in a noticeable way, but it takes the energy a tad bit up)
Now back onto your beat, you can imagine having different sections for different goals, have a gradual progression, you start low with the intro, then go up with the introduction of your beat and melodies, then back down for the break, and then at the highest for your last round of beat melody before finishing back down for your outtro, don't stay too long on a part unless you have a very good reason to.
then onto the mix and the sound
I'm more comfortable with the arrangement but there are a few things that can help
first off, your kick, your bass, and to a lesser degree, your snares and hats, they have to be centered, EVERYTHING else is either off to the left or to the right. this is the first thing you can use to separate your elements and add depth to your beat. You can also move them around during the track using automation.
I'm not sure if you're using it in your track, but do use sidechain compression, basically it's a technique you use with a compressor (I know ableton basic compressor can do it, most others can also) that is triggered by your kick and will have at least your bass and main harmonic element's volume to duck whenever the kick plays.
then onto drums sounds selection, this is a tough one and even after almost 20 years doing this, I still struggle with it.
I totally get it, when you have that fat, long tail, imposing kick from the sample pack, and you want to use it. But your kick here, it's far too present and becomes very distracting. You need to feel it more than hear it, shorter tails will work better, and also use filters to get rid of all the frequencies that aren't necessary, basic high pass to remove ultra low frequencies, basic low pass to remove everything that isn't absolutely necessary. Don't hesitate to cut the samples or fade them out to make them shorter.
the snare, you want it to hit harder, layer it with other snares, or a clap, or some foley percussion.
I remember a long time ago when I started off making beats, a guy told me "the kick has to punch you in the gut and the snare has to make you flinch", I don't really apply it to the letter, I like my snares to be more on the low/mids side of things and have more body, but the gist of the idea is that the snare/kick combo is extremely important and will make or break your track. I do like the other percussive elements, the kind of off clap is real nice, the hats are easy going and non intrusive, but the kick is far too present and the snare not enough. Don't worry tho, it's all a process.
So to sum up
- shorter sections
- more variation in the drums (try removing hats on occasion, and also the occasional 1 or 2 steps cut)
- pan your elements left and right, center is for kick, bass, snare and that's it (not engraved in stone, but you can consider it so for now
)- layer your melodic as well as rhythmic elements, have two or three instruments play your melodies and chords, swap them out with one another and/or stack them on top of each other (and don't forget to pan them)
- use automation, filters, volume, pan
- SIDECHAIN !
this is stuff you can implement right now and see a huge difference right away
on a side note, and a personal opinion, I feel tempi between 80 and 95 are pretty difficult to make sound modern unless you really take out your sunday production skills. I know 70/83 is a sweet spot of mine as well as 50/70 for the really atmospheric stuff.
just look, I've been making beats for the better part of the last two decades, and music ever since I can remember, and I'm still posting here looking for advice on how to get better, having kids half my age teaching me stuff I had no idea about.
don't shy away from learning all you can learn, post your beats, read feedbacks, adjust, apply, correct, improve and grow as a musician and as a person. You obviously have that itch to make music, this is precious and sacred, because it allows you to reach people very deeply. it's an honor and a priviledge to be able to do that, ensure you make your best effort so that you are worthy of that gift and use it to impact as much people as you can throughout your life.
it'll never be good enough, it'll never be 100% of your ultimate potential, but tomorrow can be 110% of what you've done today. We've all started somewhere and with online communities, it's really easy now to learn and improve.
just keep doing it, keep improving, you won't recognize your beats from today when you listen to the stuff you'll be making just a year from now.
Hadoq
Producing weird shit since 2002
@Sole Element
thanks man, listening to your new beat right now.
loving the intro and the texture of your sounds there.
not the biggest fan of the drums, especially the hats, I do like the breaks and percussive elements.
very nice bass line, damn I do love some of the saturated textures in these melodic instruments
Rhythmically, I feel it could be a tad bit more stable/steady at times, lots of different things happening and distracting from one another. but it's more the way all the different elements interact, maybe with some elements being more in the background, the wurly sounds a bit upfront.
The music is very good, I really like it
the execution feels like you're trying to push, which is good, but it's a bit confusing at times.
but man, yea I really love your musicality here, very pretty lines <3
thanks man, listening to your new beat right now.
loving the intro and the texture of your sounds there.
not the biggest fan of the drums, especially the hats, I do like the breaks and percussive elements.
very nice bass line, damn I do love some of the saturated textures in these melodic instruments
Rhythmically, I feel it could be a tad bit more stable/steady at times, lots of different things happening and distracting from one another. but it's more the way all the different elements interact, maybe with some elements being more in the background, the wurly sounds a bit upfront.
The music is very good, I really like it
the execution feels like you're trying to push, which is good, but it's a bit confusing at times.
but man, yea I really love your musicality here, very pretty lines <3
love the genre/theme myself.This week I have something totally different to everything you'd usually hear from me. I've been into some cyberpunk/dystopian themes recently. I watch a lot of movies and play games in this genre. So this week I have some industrial/cyberpunk/darksynth for you.
Nothing here yet.
we kinda living in a fucking dystopia now. I just want it to be a bit more like my beloved films. when the beat switches up a bit. i can proper feel this as the main music for a scifi digital future dystopia type thing. Player One type vibes. Yeah, man. let me hop on disss ting!
Is this a things now or it already come n gone?
Ive updated the mix on this...
@Sole Element This second beat really on an rnb vibe again. I like this one more than the other, its more cohesive, the only thing that stands out to me that I dont like is the snare, seems a bit wishy washy if that makes any sense.
@Nfinity beats the hi hats are a little out front with this and it sounds a little dry. I like the kick, I would like the snare to be a bit more upfront, but thats my personal taste. The snare just seems a bit far back compared to the hat and kick. The breakdown was a nice little touch.
@Manfreezey this is dope, I like this. Really like the drums and low end.
@Memento Beats Can honestly say this doesnt sound anything like you. I agree with @Hadoq , it could use some movement in the sounds, they are static. I would try to get a more analog sound from the sounds so that they evolve and change, even if only subtly. Sounds a little dry too, Id add a touch more reverb. The frequency filter changup you have, I think the main synth could use some subtle filter sweeping to give it more movement.
@Sole Element This second beat really on an rnb vibe again. I like this one more than the other, its more cohesive, the only thing that stands out to me that I dont like is the snare, seems a bit wishy washy if that makes any sense.
@Nfinity beats the hi hats are a little out front with this and it sounds a little dry. I like the kick, I would like the snare to be a bit more upfront, but thats my personal taste. The snare just seems a bit far back compared to the hat and kick. The breakdown was a nice little touch.
@Manfreezey this is dope, I like this. Really like the drums and low end.
@Memento Beats Can honestly say this doesnt sound anything like you. I agree with @Hadoq , it could use some movement in the sounds, they are static. I would try to get a more analog sound from the sounds so that they evolve and change, even if only subtly. Sounds a little dry too, Id add a touch more reverb. The frequency filter changup you have, I think the main synth could use some subtle filter sweeping to give it more movement.
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hosie
ILLIEN
Battle Points: 5
100%, thank you. It's a work in progress but I will change it up a bit in the chorus. I do have the electric notes cutting through, so might drop the main melody / guitar and have the electric riff with some added noise. Appreciate the feedback!
- Status
