Full song in need of objective ears.

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AudiniAudio
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Full song in need of objective ears.

Post by AudiniAudio » Tue Jun 22, 2021 6:00 am

Latest full song. I feel I'm not as objective as the tune deserves in the final mixdown/mastering. Possible directions for improvement requested. https://soundcloud.com/greg-turner-5529 ... uncheedara

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crashgates
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Re: Full song in need of objective ears.

Post by crashgates » Tue Jun 22, 2021 8:24 am

soniclly sounds ok, but wow what a blend of styles, kinda difficult to compare objectively to anything off my playlist

is that a bazooki/sitar or something, sounds a tad off in places, unless your going for that de tuned or non western scale sound

also the lead instruments sound a tad too much in your face compared to the general back sound but only listening to it off my imac speakers so maybe a bit pre-coloured :?

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Re: Full song in need of objective ears.

Post by Telefunkin » Tue Jun 22, 2021 8:53 am

As the previous reply says, sonically its fine, and its a pleasant listen, although perhaps the lead instruments are just a tiny bit proud in places.

As for the content, there are a few signs that its a collage of loops (repeating identical phrases, chopped ambience tails, lack of a way out at the end). I'd seriously ditch the scratching loop (which is at least a few decades out of date)! Loop constructions are fine if you have your own unique loops and can get really creative with how you chop them up, retune them, destroy them, or whatever it takes to create something totally different from anyone else. Maybe you've already done that, and if so, well done.
Graham (UK). Still composing a little faster than decomposing, and 100% HI.

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Re: Full song in need of objective ears.

Post by cosmicdolphin » Tue Jun 22, 2021 10:36 am

I'm not really sure what it's meant to be ...ie. Is it a cue with a few vocal samples thrown on it or is it a song as per the thread title as it doesn't come across like one

Remember these pieces need to go to picture and their job is to tell the viewer what emotion feel because in the case of Reality TV or Documentaries there's usually no actors involved so it's the job of the music to set the emotion.

This track seems to have the kitchen sink thrown in so there is no clear emotional through line , it feels a bit all over the place. This is where writing to briefs really helps because they will tell you in the description and via reference tracks what the emotion is.

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Re: Full song in need of objective ears.

Post by AudiniAudio » Tue Jun 22, 2021 5:43 pm

It's not intended as a cue. It's intended for libraries which accept this kind of thing.

I'm emulating my favorite Asian Underground, Indian Subcontinent traditions, Asian traditions, ethnic, and world style producers/composers like on the Putumayo albums World Lounge, Arabic Groove, Arabic Beat, Indian Groove, Sahara Lounge, Cafe Arabica, and Turkish Groove. This stuff was really popular in the UK, India and the Middle East, The Putumayo label also helped make them popular in the US. Yes, that's a bazouki.

The scratching thing is stylistic. Buddha Bar and the Rave Chillout genre destroyed the Asian underground scene/style and it's too bad because the Asian Underground style is waaaaay better. There were only a few Buddha Bar cds with even one good track on them, usually with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. There's a lot of good remixes in this style of HIS stuff elsewhere though. The chillout cds I hear seem to be just a wash of synths primarily to my ears.

I read when pitching to libraries there's a niche for everything so I went full tilt at my preferred styles while continuing to be myself and not slavishly copy them. Stylistically if comparing to Soap Kills' track Dub4me, Pheli War by Bally Jagpal, Sabhyata by Karmix, Kunglim Guli by Yulduz Hsmonova, or Aankh Naal by Kam Dhillon I think I've nailed it and made it more modern with the use of "steam" usually associated with modern EDM. That's why I wanted to know about the production because I'm going to send it out.

Maybe if the Asian Underground artists had been able to continue to be popular they might have dropped the scratching thing too. Maybe they did drop it and that's why they're music doesn't feel fun anymore and they became irrelevant. Just a thought.

I live in Bali and I've been walking along the beach, this was about 7 years ago, when I heard some of these albums playing here, coming out from the open air restaurants with the lounge chairs and umbrellas pulled out. Also at a patisserie called "The White House" where they sold the best coffee eclairs before Covid put them out of business.

I normally use side chaining to duck the bass so as to hear the bass drum better but this doesn't have any bass. I used side chaining on the voice and the Bazouki only since they're the prominent things playing over the beat and I didn't do more because I don't enjoy doing production. I'm not really looking for the perfect mix. Just want to pass the broadcast quality bar and be done with it. Fast and easy gets me back to composing and arranging where the fun is.

I've noticed a trend in hiphop where either there's a punchy bass or a punchy bass drum but not both so I dropped the bass part entirely. No one commented they miss content in the bass register so I guess it's ok.

I don't normally only work with loops but this was made entirely with loops. I cut up the bass drum, high hat, drum fills, and scratch so that nothing ever repeats the same. Sometimes that might be undesirable but I think it works well on this track. My go-to person with "ideal" ears is my wife's Indonesian brother who also does production. He said he never got bored for the length of the piece so I can check this off as goal achieved. The cut reverb tails didn't seem to detract from the piece and struck me as stylistic so I didn't sweat them.

I like my track Kayroo also because it matches this genre and that's why I was asking before about cutting up things to be used in two places like both as a cue and as a song because I'd rather send Kayroo out as a full song in this style than just a throw away cue if I have to choose. If I could have my druthers, I'd not do cues at all and primarily do this since the style of Allan Holdsworth is probably not going to fly often enough to pay the bills. I think I could easily make 300 tracks like this and it would be fun. That very much matters to me, probably to everyone. If that will get some money coming in that's good enough for me and if I hear my song playing in the tourist areas of Bali, Tahiti, Cambodia, Malaysia, or Jamaica that would be just as awesome. If I can kill 2 birds with one stone as it were then I can also turn these pieces into cues....if it's allowed. Is it?

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Re: Full song in need of objective ears.

Post by Telefunkin » Wed Jun 23, 2021 12:21 am

Since you have all the answers, I'm surprised you asked here :).
AudiniAudio wrote:
Tue Jun 22, 2021 5:43 pm
It's not intended as a cue. It's intended for libraries which accept this kind of thing.
Good luck with it, and the other 299.
Graham (UK). Still composing a little faster than decomposing, and 100% HI.

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Casey H
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Re: Full song in need of objective ears.

Post by Casey H » Wed Jun 23, 2021 3:42 am

What a cool track! 8-) I don't know enough about the genre and I'm not a mix guy. But I could definitely see this as a Film/TV track and I think libraries would be interested as world music piece. Yes, niche is good! Lots of sections that editors could use. And you could always provide some alt mixes leaving out 1-2 sounds, the vocal, etc. If I was submitting, I'd let the library know up front that you have the alt mixes.

Best of luck with it!! Let us know how things work out! :D

Casey

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Re: Full song in need of objective ears.

Post by AudiniAudio » Thu Jun 24, 2021 4:13 am

Thanks Casey. I went back and fixed a few places primarily where the bass drum doesn't land on the downbeat after the drum fills and dialed back the overly prominent leads. Sounds really clean now. I'll take your advice and make the alt mixes then tell the libraries beforehand that I've already prepared them. Thanks for the support everyone.

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Re: Full song in need of objective ears.

Post by Casey H » Thu Jun 24, 2021 4:48 am

Also, since you said you used loops... Are the loops properly cleared such that you can use the song for Film/TV? Be careful.

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Re: Full song in need of objective ears.

Post by AudiniAudio » Sat Jun 26, 2021 12:54 am

I didn't steal them from records or tv not in the public domain. The samples came with Cymatics, Live Percussion Sample Pack and Splice "Sounds of Kashmir" Vol.3. I should be ok.

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