quote:

Originally posted by Mad for Brad EDM has really progressed in terms of production. That is the only new thing about it. The problem is that you are stuck in 2001. And the problem is that unlike lets say sounding like a retro 80s synth pop band which would be cool I guess, you just sound like you are behind the trends. Doing what you do will only draw comparisons from artists that just did it better. It seems like you should be writing ambient music or really cliche orchestral music. I still don't get why you try to recreate something that has been done before. Don't 'you feel sort of like you are wasting time ? What is the point of creating if it has been done better. Maybe that doesn't concern you or perhaps this is just an exercise to sound dated which I do myself with classical music but how can you find joy in just being a hack in a genre that has already been perfected. That is why genres change. At some point, people just accept that ok this has gone as far as it can go, lets do something different. I remember you saying something regarding EDM and how it doesn't have to be danceable. I think this is your problem. EDM is for dancing. PErhaps what you want to make is some really gay new age relaxation music for yuppies doing yoga. Maybe you just need to start going out and dancing. And maybe that feeling of dancing to a great tune will translate to your composition.

To me this post is spot on, and the right side of critical.

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Soundcloud

I wrote a long reply to this but deleted it because Madforbrads post really sums it up. Nothing else to say.

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Listen to and download all my tracks at www.gregnicot.bandcamp.com

As a music producer you should step back a second and think about other forms of production and how you engage with them.

Lets take horror films.

Halloween was a groundbreaking 1978 movie with an unstoppable evil menace in it. It was fresh and new and the music and atmosphere made it a massive hit.

Now lets say I suggest you watch the 50th slasher gore fest that followed in it's footsteps, lets say Friday13th part 9.

What are your thoughts at this suggestion?

I'm guessing you will think "why do I want to watch that derivative generic film, it's all been done many times".

Now to be clear I'm not commenting on your music here - actualy I liked that track of yours.

You probably hate my latest track as it is very much about drums and my attempt was to find a new sorta leed - whether it works or not I dont know, but I'm always tryinmg to find my own sound.

There area million classical orchestra players who could come up withb a melody - but people need more that a melody in EDM, otherwise it's a film score with a drum machine.

Enjoy the ride.

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https://soundcloud.com/butlerrichard

There's not a lot left to add, but here's what I think: You approach percussion as this necessity that ends up fatiguing you, so I wonder why you do it at all. It sounds to me like you're just making things hard on yourself. If you don't like creating it, then don't bother with it in the first place. The problem is that you can't return to your tracks and remove the percussion altogether from them. Unless of course you enjoy beatless EDM. (Can I even say that?)

So yeah, working from a new perspective might be in order. I agree with Mr Pitt in regards to ambient music probably better suiting your workflow.

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord To me this post is spot on, and the right side of critical.

sweet, I was debating blocking you on facebook but then realized I don't have facebook.

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"This is why Superman works alone." GC
old stuff from days gone by (2001-2004)
Mad For Brad's gay little contest

quote:

Originally posted by Beatflux No....

Name me one trance record with interesting percussion, that isn't progressive trance.

Listening to this guy's productions, the percussion sounds perfectly serviceable for melodic/epic trance.

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Mixes:
> Maximum Elevation [Progressive House]
> DI.FM 26th Anniversary Guest Mix [Progressive House]
> Live @ Dance:Love:Hub London, 11.10.2025
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24

Like these sets? Come see me play live at Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Name me one trance record with interesting percussion, that isn't progressive trance. Listening to this guy's productions, the percussion sounds perfectly serviceable for melodic/epic trance.

This is so true, I was thinking the same, pretty much what ud expect.. At the very worst could do with a little more swing/movement or even a little flanger on them.. His tunes are all about the melodic content a really wouldnt worry too much about it.
I wish I was as creative.

I understand why you like writing melodies I don't understand why you don't like percussion.

Percussion is prob my #1 favorite part of trance, then melodies #2. Percussion is the reason I will get bored of a "classic" like Robert Miles - Children after the first time I hear it.

Yet on a track like Whiplash - JFK (not the original I'm actually not sure which version I have) the percussion comes in slow, then evolves like a beast untill it slams the track into its initial break. Its prob the same reason I find most trance I hear lacking, because most trance just has the shitty open hat/clap intro that I can't fucking stand.

I'm not sure how to tell you to like something that you don't though. Maybe you just need more "appeciation" for it? Can you try not writing any melodies for a month and just work on drum grooves? If I hear a track that doesn't have a solid percussion line I loose interest before the main melody even drops. So a trance track w/out percussion to me is like a trance track w/out the main melody.

This is another reason I hate all the fucking parasites commenting on youtube that some track "doesn't start till 1:30". No, the track starts at 0, you don't like 0-1:29 cause you don't know what good music sounds like. A good track should make you not want to fast forward to the "good parts".
I wind up deleting like 90% of my tracks alone if I can't work the percussion/kick/bass out. I won't even get to my melodies unless thats done first.

Maybe you ARE in the wrong genre? lol
But on a serious note I've heard some of your tracks before and don't even remember focusing on the percussion because you always had like 50 melodies playing at once and it DID compensate in someway I suppose.
But when I turn on a track I don't really like being pulled straight into a melody, the percussion kind of "neutralizes" your mood I feel. Like if I'm in a bad mood, and a track is uplifting, the percussion is usually what helps transition my mood to the melodies. If that track had started with uplifting melodies from the start, I usually don't wanna hear it. Thats why I think percussion does a lot more than people realize. It kinda clears your head before the more emotional parts kick in, so you're not so 'bias' when they do start to play.

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Name me one trance record with interesting percussion, that isn't progressive trance.

You said it lacks groove, and that's what I was disagreeing with. I wouldn't call it interesting.

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quote:

Originally posted by dj_alfi change your avatar for fucks sake.

The ironic thing is that melodies get better with better percussion programming.

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quote:

Originally posted by dj_alfi change your avatar for fucks sake.

quote:

Originally posted by Beatflux You said it lacks groove, and that's what I was disagreeing with. I wouldn't call it interesting.

Oh come on. Trance is the least groovy music imaginable.

___________________
Mixes:
> Maximum Elevation [Progressive House]
> DI.FM 26th Anniversary Guest Mix [Progressive House]
> Live @ Dance:Love:Hub London, 11.10.2025
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24

Like these sets? Come see me play live at Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Oh come on. Trance is the least groovy music imaginable.

It's not a funky groove, but it still has a groove...

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quote:

Originally posted by dj_alfi change your avatar for fucks sake.