TAXI.com

hey there.When I saw this listing, I thought it would be a great time for a new song and also try a new approach....any words of wisdom? it looks like with a listing like this I can add some unconventional samples for more flavour.... are the tracks professional sounding enough? thanks in advance for taking the time to listen....VickyNEW LISTING -- AMBIENT/DOWNTEMPO/CHILL OUT SONGS & INSTRUMENTALS a la Massive Attack, Tosca, Zero 7, Morcheeba, DJ Shadow, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Portishead, Thievery Corporation, etc. are wanted by an Austrian Production Co. for an upcoming CD compilation to be released in Europe via a Major Label. Their deal includes a 5 year non-exclusive license as well as mechanical royalties paid based on the number of CD units sold. Broadcast Quality needed [great-sounding home recording OK]. Please submit one to three songs per CD/online, include lyrics. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI and must be received no later than Feb. 20, 2008. TAXI # S080220ELhttp://www.taximusic.com/song.php?song_id=95556&stream=1thanks again,Vicky

Vicky,This genre isn't necessarily my specialty but I do like Massive Attack quite a bit. I think you're on the right track compositionally. There's some dissonance between the synth lead and the chords that don't feel idiomatic to me, you might want to re-think that part a little bit.The groove seems to be a bit too loose in some spots, some of the clicky percussion seems to be just a tad off. In this style, I think you might want to tighten things up a bit.Overall the production is very mono. One thing you'll notice, if you listen to any of the a'la's, is that in this style, much use is made of the full stereo spectrum and also of effects. Your production and mix would improve quite a bit just by having some of the parts that come in and out panned out a ways so the ear gets a little treat when they come and go.Also the mix sounds like the bass player mixed it. The bass solo is OK to have up front but I think you need to step back and listen to all the elements you have and what is going to be featured when.Good stuff. Spend a little more time with the a'las and pick elements that are similar to ones in your piece and try to make your production of those elements more like them. You'll learn a lot and improve your piece along the way.Cheers,Mazz

Quote:Also the mix sounds like the bass player mixed it. Hmmm... would that be "Vicky The Bass Player" on the mixing board? I agree with Mazz that this has a lot of the elements for this kind of genre. I'd say that what I hear that's missing is "the beat". The percussion you have is interested (I like it a lot) but for any electronica genre you need that straight ahead beat to be the main thing and any percussion to be kind of an accompanyment to the main beat. This particular Zero 7 track I think serves as a good example of the downtempo/chill "sound"...http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSt ... =143441The main difference I hear is that the Zero 7 "beat" is unmistakable and very much in the forefront. The bass is different, maybe a little more processed (it's mellow but it takes up a lot of room) and I do hear a lot of that sound in other "downtempo" tracks.Different from the Zero 7 track, I've heard a lot of very jazz-styled "chill" tracks so your background I think will work really well with this as long as, if nothing else, you also make sure to capture the required genre "beat". HTH,Dave

Hey vickytbp,Don't know anything about this particular genre or the "a la's", so I'll be of no help there,but I like what I hear, FWIW. I think your synth pad needs to be spread out a little more... it's a little too centered...Quote:Overall the production is very mono. One thing you'll notice, if you listen to any of the a'la's, is that in this style, much use is made of the full stereo spectrum and also of effects. Your production and mix would improve quite a bit just by having some of the parts that come in and out panned out a ways so the ear gets a little treat when they come and go. I think mazz makes a good point here. You could utilize more of a stereo spread with this. It'll sound much fuller that way.I probably would've chosen some different notes to play on the lead synth in certain spots...but that's just me.As far as bass, I like the deepness & fullness of it myself. Probably could bring it down a notch or two, or cut some bass frequency down a touch, but I didn't think it was super critical. Overall, I liked it. Whether it hits the mark for the listing, I can't say. Just my .02.ibanez468

hey there....I haven't put much energy into mixing (panning etc) because I have to re record a track with a sneeky drum beat hidden in it....that's the weird click you heard(Mazz)....I will do something to the bass, as well, I didn't do anything...The bass melody was supposed to be heard as a secondary melody over the return of the A section, but I guess that didn't come through....is this a bad idea....having the bass do that there?also my percussion overdub was supposed to take the role of the hihats in your example (Dave) maybe that didn't work so well....it's very tricky to make a loop with key-pads,...any tricks?thanks....I posted this early in the process, because it was only last week that I wasted days going after the wrong thing....ibanez468....how do you widen the key-pad panning?....stereo expander tool?thanks,Vicky

Hey vickytbp,I don't know exactly. When you say keypad, what exactly are you refering to? What are you using? These aren't recorded tracks, huh? What are you using to generate the synth pad? A stereo expander tool, I think, will do the trick. But, if this wasn't the final piece, then you have time to fix the mix without question. So whatever's generating the synth pad, it needs to be spread out. If I think I know what you're talking about, you could possibly assign the synth to 2 keypads, and pan 1 to the left and the other to the right? You using a MIDI controller of some sort with keypads? Hard to say without knowing what you're using or the specifics involved. Fill me in. ibanez468

ibanez468.....I'm using audio tracks recorded from a keyboard...I was referring to the 'pads'...the sound itself....I guess I could use a stereo expander tool on that track?....also it's tricky to make loops with this soundQuote: If I think I know what you're talking about, you could possibly assign the synth to 2 keypads, and pan 1 to the left and the other to the right? You using a MIDI controller of some sort with keypads? Hard to say without knowing what you're using or the specifics involved. Fill me in I sort of know what you're talking about; I did record from a keyboard that seemed to be generating ...a bass part for example that forced me to play a certain part over the top of it....thanks....I'll post the newer version at some point....vicky

ibanez468.....i hope I didn't offend....I'm just ignorant with the lingo for these things..thanks for helping....vicky

vickytbp,Me offended?? Naahhh. Takes more than that. Maybe I'm just not good at explaining. ibanez468

Vicky,One way to loop keyboard pads that are already recorded is to add another audio track and copy the pad track to it. Now you have two tracks, you can fade between them using volume automation. Or you could put alternating chords on alternating tracks (kind of a checkerboard pattern) and crossfade between them. For stereo widening, you could just use a simple chorus plugin or send the pad track to an aux and put a very short delay on the return and pan the dry sound over to one side and the delay over to the other. How wide you pan is up to your taste and the dictates of the piece and style.Hope this helps a little,Mazz