New Member...First Time Post. Critique Appreciated!!

[ChrisTop1]

Hey All
I joined Taxi this fall. You've all inspired me to get my music up to your professional sounding level...or at least try. Below is a SoundCloud Link to one of my cues I thought of submitting for a licensing opportunity. The song is complete, but I'd like your thoughts on the mix and mastering please. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

- Song Link - https://soundcloud.com/christopher-spoo ... em-130-bpm

Kind Regards,

CSpooner

[ttully]

Hi CSpooner,


Well, it could be made into a great track but.... currently, there is no feeling to it...it sounds very quantized and sterile.
It sounds like a bunch of loops and samples....... I could be wrong of course!
I see you play the bass....where is the funky Latin bass line?


Remember....this is just my opinion, someone else may say I'm completely wrong!!!

Tim

[nicotina]

Tim is completely wrong Just kidding (mostly), Tim - you asked for it

I thought it had a nice groove going, but I agree it lacks energy/variety in the middle- around 1:46 I was wishing something the chord would change.

If this is a cue, it's probably not a bad thing to keep the same groove, and avoid chord or mood changes. BUT... cues like to have edit points. If you're going to keep to a one chord vamp for the whole tune, try dropping instruments out and stripping it back down to congas, or one other instrument. Maybe even find a way to add a one bar or half bar rest with silence? You want some contrast in there.

If it's not a cue, but an instrumental? Then maybe you want a couple chord changes, or a Latin percussion break. Something to add contrast and variety.

My two cents,

Vince

[ttully]

Hey Vince,

I knew I was full of ......!!!!

Thanks,
Tim

[ChrisTop1]

Tim
Good, bad, or indifferent...I appreciate your thoughts. I'm making all the efforts to get my song writing to "that level". Yep...I play the bass and often want to go off on my basslines. But maturity has got me thinking towards serving the song which often results in a more conservative bass line but I digress. Great point Tim, Thank you!

Hi CSpooner,


Well, it could be made into a great track but.... currently, there is no feeling to it...it sounds very quantized and sterile.
It sounds like a bunch of loops and samples....... I could be wrong of course!
I see you play the bass....where is the funky Latin bass line?


Remember....this is just my opinion, someone else may say I'm completely wrong!!!

Tim

[ChrisTop1]

Ha..thanks Vince. I respect your feedback - Tim's too!! Great stuff.

You're correct - the track's target is to be a cue. So you've made outstanding points. This song, and others that I'm working on could stand dynamics...but tastefully in the span of a two minute cue. Your two cents have gone a long way....thank you!!!
Kind regards,

Tim is completely wrong Just kidding (mostly), Tim - you asked for it

I thought it had a nice groove going, but I agree it lacks energy/variety in the middle- around 1:46 I was wishing something the chord would change.

If this is a cue, it's probably not a bad thing to keep the same groove, and avoid chord or mood changes. BUT... cues like to have edit points. If you're going to keep to a one chord vamp for the whole tune, try dropping instruments out and stripping it back down to congas, or one other instrument. Maybe even find a way to add a one bar or half bar rest with silence? You want some contrast in there.

If it's not a cue, but an instrumental? Then maybe you want a couple chord changes, or a Latin percussion break. Something to add contrast and variety.

My two cents,

Vince

[ttully]

Hey Chris,

I'm also probably the toughest person to please on this entire board!!!!

You track reminds me alot of the stuff I was writing when I started....
They were good..... but not getting forwarded...
I slowly figured it out....
My volume levels were all the same.... no variation in the theme.
No edit points... too repetitious (etc).


Tim

[pianodanno]

I think this would do well in a video game!

[ChrisTop1]

I'll take it....thanks!!!

I think this would do well in a video game!

[ChrisTop1]

Hey Tim
That's fair...and appreciated. Boy I'm learning!!!

Thank you!!

Hey Chris,

I'm also probably the toughest person to please on this entire board!!!!

You track reminds me alot of the stuff I was writing when I started....
They were good..... but not getting forwarded...
I slowly figured it out....
My volume levels were all the same.... no variation in the theme.
No edit points... too repetitious (etc).


Tim