Feedback on Retrowave needed

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Paulie
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Re: Feedback on Retrowave needed

Post by Paulie » Mon May 31, 2021 9:48 pm

Sounds great, lots of energy! An edit point or two would help, you don't need a huge space, just a clean spot where a music editor can slip in to create a clean ending, or clean start. I sometimes just kill beat 4 at the end of a phrase to create that small space...something like a drum fill or bass fill that hits hard on the 3rd beat, or sometimes on beat 2. Also, you can remove synths, pads, etc. from the last two measures of a phrase leading up to the edit point to make the break seem more natural.

Really cool track!

PC
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Re: Feedback on Retrowave needed

Post by superblonde » Wed Jun 02, 2021 4:12 pm

I like it in general though I think this track is missing something. Not sure what. Maybe it is the too-simple drum beat, I don't hear any drum fills on the section transitions (well, okay there is maybe 1 or 2 towards the end). Maybe the drums need more humanizing. Maybe the background synth which is doing the arpeggio can be brought up a bit louder (the one which is most audible in the intro).
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Re: Feedback on Retrowave needed

Post by blakeminnerly » Thu Jun 03, 2021 8:21 am

This seems right on target for the genre. Really nice job. These are all small picky things, just because you want feedback.
1) the synth melody at the beginning is great, but a bit more 80s pop than retro wave. A little movement (detuning, phaser etc) to make it a bit 'quirky/dirty' might help. It also seems a bit forward in the mix. When it cut out, your chugging bass and rhythm parts really opened up and shined. Just cutting the high end a bit might do it.
2) the snare could use a little more muscle. Maybe a bump at 1-2 k and a bit more compression?
3) the ending feels just a bit sudden (I know they want a button - it's just a bit of a "it stopped" feeling) I'll admit I'm not sure what would be better, though.

Like I said, these are all picky points, basic reaction is great job! I could def hear it as a professional cue.

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Re: Feedback on Retrowave needed

Post by OwenGrech » Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:43 pm

Paulie wrote:
Mon May 31, 2021 9:48 pm
Sounds great, lots of energy! An edit point or two would help, you don't need a huge space, just a clean spot where a music editor can slip in to create a clean ending, or clean start. I sometimes just kill beat 4 at the end of a phrase to create that small space...something like a drum fill or bass fill that hits hard on the 3rd beat, or sometimes on beat 2. Also, you can remove synths, pads, etc. from the last two measures of a phrase leading up to the edit point to make the break seem more natural.

Really cool track!

PC
Thank you for your feedback Paulie - will surely give those edit point suggestions a go in future tracks!

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Re: Feedback on Retrowave needed

Post by OwenGrech » Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:55 pm

blakeminnerly wrote:
Thu Jun 03, 2021 8:21 am
This seems right on target for the genre. Really nice job. These are all small picky things, just because you want feedback.
1) the synth melody at the beginning is great, but a bit more 80s pop than retro wave. A little movement (detuning, phaser etc) to make it a bit 'quirky/dirty' might help. It also seems a bit forward in the mix. When it cut out, your chugging bass and rhythm parts really opened up and shined. Just cutting the high end a bit might do it.
2) the snare could use a little more muscle. Maybe a bump at 1-2 k and a bit more compression?
3) the ending feels just a bit sudden (I know they want a button - it's just a bit of a "it stopped" feeling) I'll admit I'm not sure what would be better, though.

Like I said, these are all picky points, basic reaction is great job! I could def hear it as a professional cue.
Thanks for the detailed feedback! I think there are some nice suggestions in here.
Re the endings - I am on a mission to improve on them as they have been mentioned in my returns feedback more than once - but just like you said, on some tracks I just get stuck as I can't think of a different ending without killing the natural feel ect. I am currently doing more research on this, both in this forum and in general. Hopefully this will become more second nature as time goes on.

Once again thanks :)

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Re: Feedback on Retrowave needed

Post by OwenGrech » Thu Jun 03, 2021 10:02 pm

superblonde wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 4:12 pm
I like it in general though I think this track is missing something. Not sure what. Maybe it is the too-simple drum beat, I don't hear any drum fills on the section transitions (well, okay there is maybe 1 or 2 towards the end). Maybe the drums need more humanizing. Maybe the background synth which is doing the arpeggio can be brought up a bit louder (the one which is most audible in the intro).
Thanks for the feedback!

Not sure I agree with humanizing the drums in this genre (although I could be wrong!) but maybe I could have used more drum fills (gotta be careful to not make it busy though so I erred on the side of caution).

The arpeggio synth suggestion could have worked I guess but since the deadline has passed I guess I will have to try these on future tracks :)

cheers!
owen

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Re: Feedback on Retrowave needed

Post by Telefunkin » Fri Jun 04, 2021 2:53 am

Hi Owen,
In your research on endings I hope you've come across this.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjhUaGx3Dvw
Its all you need to know from MVB, the guy that knows :)
Graham (UK). Still composing a little faster than decomposing, and 100% HI.

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Re: Feedback on Retrowave needed

Post by OwenGrech » Fri Jun 04, 2021 10:44 am

Hi Graham,

No I didn't!! Thanks so much for sharing! Anything MVB says gets my ears wide open :)

Thanks again

rgds
owen

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Re: Feedback on Retrowave needed

Post by Telefunkin » Fri Jun 04, 2021 11:46 am

You're welcome. Keep those tracks coming!
Graham (UK). Still composing a little faster than decomposing, and 100% HI.

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