This isn't exactly a trance song, I really don't know what genre to call it, maybe someone can tell me that too

This is the first song that I actually developed this far, and made entirely on my own and I would invite everyone to pick it apart, brutality is welcome.
I am really bad at making my own creative drum beats, as you will notice.

Basically, I would ask for everyone's opinion, and suggestions for change from any aspect. It was made in Reason 4.

The song is 'Burnt Bulb' on my MySpace: www.myspace.com/triskmusic

I played the piano for almost 10 years now, guitar for 3 years, and I've been trying to make music electronically for about 8 months.

It´s certainly electronic!
I think it was pretty cool! However, the drums were waaay too silent.
Other than that, I´d say it was a nice job! I enjoyed it.

the acid pad is too overdriven for me
the melody is not repetitive at all good point but it gets too high at some points
you certainly got method in composition and that's good
the acid pad is way too loud though, it's loud and sharp in a way that makes you unfocus on other elements and your ears can get very tired (mine did).

I know you just started making music but learn the basics of using a compressor (look into google) and level the different elements in order to achieve balance in the mix.
Even if you're not a pro (I know I'm not) and not using hardware, you can still achieve very satisfying results.

Keep it up and like I say to myself, the hardest part is not coming up with an idea but to be not too lazy to try it.

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It definitely has an industrial vibe to it and that's one genre that I really dig - reminds me of some of the Front Line Assembly side projects (e.g., Equinox, Noise Unit). Musically, it's pretty damn good IMO. But it could use some improvements to the mix, the biggest ones have already been mentioned: 1) bring up the drums, and 2) bring down the distorted acid line. As it is, the instruments are all interfering with each other. So, spend some time high-pass and low-pass filtering the individual parts to get them in their own "sonic space" and maybe work on the panning to move instruments away from each other - not a whole lot, though (i.e., <40% L/R) - you don't want to lose that "wall of sound" effect that you've got going, IMO.

BTW - I love that eery pad sound at ~2:30!

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Thank you for the reviews.

I understand the comments about the drums being too quiet and the acid synth being too loud, but concerning the sharpness, I'm not sure how to tone it down without losing the effect.

Also, regarding the interference. Just to clarify, do you mean that the frequencies of each individual track are the same in some cases, and them coming together is an interference? If so, then I get that filtering would help to stop that.
Here is a spectral image of each track separately. Now that I think about it, I don't know why i'm posting this image, but I suppose its a more visual way of understanding this:



I'll pan some of them too. I usually just use panning for reverb and delay, so I'll try panning whole tracks.
I'm glad there are elements that you guys like, these are some of my first attempts at making synths from a blank patch.

Im prob more noob that you so dont take me too seriously, but I'll give you my 2 cents anyway. I agree with other posts, and the mix does make it hard to hear all the elements clearly ( a little trick I learnt is to turn the volume right down until you can only just hear it and if you can still hear all the elements in the mix then its not far off - although the extreme highs and lows should dissapear first). Perhaps there is too much distortion on too many elements causing frequencies to clash... I wasn't sure where the song was going, might have lacked some clear progression (nice breakdown at the end, perhaps bring that forward?) Thats about it from me, although, how did you make those spectral images?

Intro:

Distorted chip like sound. Not really hearing any lower frequencies (bass/drum - they're just not.. there) makes it sound weak and shallow.


1:00+: No build up going on. Just melodies playing, sounds like the melodies don't know where to go or what to do.


2:30+: Some kind of break in the beat, kind of just happens, nothing really led to it. Some sine wave melodies come in. Sounds like the twilight zone. Bass comes in, bass seems scared to make its presence known.

Song ends rather abruptly.

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My critique
Theres so many different things you can focus on here. But rather than talk about the sounds you chose, I think its more important you work on what you are doing to these sounds to make them sound so dull.

What DAW are you using? What synths?
Because honestly, I can open up virtually any bass patch in any of my vsts and have them sound much deeper, heavier, and overall present.

Are you filtering the lower frequencies? Producing on a computer that has 15" subs?
Just from this track, what I'd recommend you do, is figure out "how do I make this sound clear and solid?"
I'm not trying to rag on you but a lot of sounds I work with BEFORE any editing sound so much sharper and clear.

I think sound quality is really what you need to focus on more than anything imho.

Last edited by DJ Robby Rox on Jan-03-2009 at 19:06

Let me give you something that you can use.

Reference Track. Pick a song that you think may closely resemble the one you are working on. Listen to the reference track and then listen to yours and make adjustements.

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