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the first track phenomenon ( former times were better...)
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| Trancevision |
I have browsed lots of my old and beginning productions with Reason. Although technical quality of my tunes is improving from month to month the musical originality hasn't developed itself in the same way
my first productions seem to be more original and my own style, but they 're less commercial in melody and sound compared to my latest sounds.
As time went by I seem to have orientated my sounds on actual released professional productions step by step without really recognizing it.
How is it with your productions ? Do your first productions have somehow more originality and energy although they're less professional in sound ?
Trancevision |
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| DJ-Fuq |
| Its not really possible to be original any more, which is why ive now given up producing. |
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| cyrus2k2 |
man, i know exactly what you mean!
i think the problem is, that today everybody can achieve some pro-sounding results with a good sequencer and some softsynths. it's so easy to copy the sound and style of the 'pros'.
when i started making music, i used screamtracker. there were no vst or dx plugins, no effects, no synths. just some poor sounding samples. you had to be very creative to make a good tune.
listen to some old tracks from FutureCrew (Purple Motion - Starshine, for example) or some other tracker groups, and you know what i'm talking about. THAT's what i call original. |
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| Peter Campbell |
Hi Trancevision, good thread.
Most of my Tracks are improving technically on the melody/structure area's mostly because this is the area I find most important overall when composing. It all so helps not to try and sound just like everyone els producing this type of music, not just Amateur's but professionals also seem to be stuck in a rut and nothing new is being developed, being original should be the goal of every composer other wise sooner or later it will be just like the top 40 charts, same thing year after year.
One of the reasons for this must be the money factor, the fact that in creating something sounding the same as before increases the chances of it being successful, because it has done so in the past, but creating new/different iders in music compostion very much increases the chances of being unsuccessful dew to the fact that its unknow in what your creating is likerball, meaning that most people are playing it safe.
But also I feal most composers would be unable to accomplish this mainly because with everything in life the majority of people are born to be followers, Pop music performers is a fine example of this, ever noticed the difference to Michael Jackson's music, He is what I would call a true creator, Olny a small percentage of us are and can be the true creators.
The ways I find best in creating original compositions is forget whats happening in the style your producing and take iders from other styles not related to your music, or better still create music from things that are happening around you or recreate environments/atmospheres but as a musical pice . Step out side, whats the weather like......... you got the ider
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| Trancevision |
| quote: | | One of the reasons for this must be the money factor, the fact that in creating something sounding the same as before increases the chances of it being successful, because it has done so in the past, but creating new/different iders in music compostion very much increases the chances of being unsuccessful dew to the fact that its unknow in what your creating is likerball, meaning that most people are playing it safe. |
you're right but the results of this way of thinking is the rising amount of bad cover version stuffed up with JP8000 ( and wannabe ) supersaws.
| quote: | | and take iders from other styles not related to your music, |
I wonder what your music is sounding alike today...
Trancevision |
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| Eugene |
I disagree completely.
All the time I hear this whining that there's nothing original anymore, that this or that melody is primitive or formulaic, etc.
BULL.
As a professional producer in a certain genre, you work in that genre, and you produce tracks in that genre. Simple as that.
Certainly it's commendable if you stray into "unknown territory" and write something unusual or experiment. But face it: people who recognize your name will be expecting a particular style, and they'll be completely right. That's what having a job as a producer is all about. You write music for others, and not just for yourself. This isn't a hobby anymore and you can certainly do some "self-development" but professional tracks always fit into a category and that's the way it should be, for the music market.
Moreover, you should enjoy working in that genre. |
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| Fatboy |
| quote: | Originally posted by Eugene
I disagree completely.
All the time I hear this whining that there's nothing original anymore, that this or that melody is primitive or formulaic, etc.
BULL.
As a professional producer in a certain genre, you work in that genre, and you produce tracks in that genre. Simple as that.
Certainly it's commendable if you stray into "unknown territory" and write something unusual or experiment. But face it: people who recognize your name will be expecting a particular style, and they'll be completely right. That's what having a job as a producer is all about. You write music for others, and not just for yourself. This isn't a hobby anymore and you can certainly do some "self-development" but professional tracks always fit into a category and that's the way it should be, for the music market.
Moreover, you should enjoy working in that genre. |
I don't agree. First and foremost IMHO you should make music for yourself. If I were the only person in the whole world that would ever hear my music I wouldn't quit because of that. We are obviously fans of trance and that reflects in what we produce, hence the product falls into a category. I don't think that you should refrain from doing stuff you would like just because it wouldn't fit the genre. That's when the stuff you do can sound forced, at least to yourself. What defines a genre changes all the time and if no one moves outside those definitions music would be very stale.
This is of course different when talking about big pop artists that get millions of dollars to back them up by financers. Obviously those who invested has to get an input in what is being done. I know that trance labels often ask for changes and such in tunes and that I can understand. They also put money into it and want to make it back, but hopefully they signed you because they liked what you do. I'm not saying that "unoriginal" artists (meaning artists that don't have a very unique sound) are worse than original ones (artists that try to be original just for the sake of it can be annoying), but that one should not think too much about what other people would like. That's what works for me at least:)
Of course, if you are making a living out of the music you must consider other people, but then it can become more of a job then a hobby and passion.
About the intial topic, I also had a "weirder" and more unique style when I started out. I hadn't listened that much to trance and just made music with a lot of different influences. I then became a real tranceaddict and obviously that affected my productions a lot. While it's a lot less original than the stuff I started out with it's the music that I like and that's most important to me.
Peace |
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| Flotser |
Great reply Fatboy
and Eugene, i think you missing something... Trance is still a very wide genre, you dont have to use he same patterns of producing to create what's called Trance.
If i undersatnd it correctly what people say here, I'm also getting tired of those JP800 sounds and supersaw athems, and when you say
| quote: | | As a professional producer in a certain genre, you work in that genre, and you produce tracks in that genre |
i dont agree with you perception of trance... again because tarnce is a very wide genre of music, and i think the best example would be Ralpie B - with all his uniqe productions he opened a new window in trance without repoducing the same popular stuff - and people realy love him , everybody get crazy about midway stuff :) , the same is with solar stone, and the same with the amazing remixes of greg murrey. also you can find amazing Trance stuff coming from Hybrid, Deep Dish & bedrock...
if you wanna be a real Trance loving producr, you need to create new bounderie and never never saying:
| quote: | | This isn't a hobby anymore and you can certainly do some "self-development" but professional tracks always fit into a category and that's the way it should be, for the music market. |
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| ABSYNTH |
| quote: | Originally posted by Trancevision
I have browsed lots of my old and beginning productions with Reason. Although technical quality of my tunes is improving from month to month the musical originality hasn't developed itself in the same way
my first productions seem to be more original and my own style, but they 're less commercial in melody and sound compared to my latest sounds.
As time went by I seem to have orientated my sounds on actual released professional productions step by step without really recognizing it.
How is it with your productions ? Do your first productions have somehow more originality and energy although they're less professional in sound ?
Trancevision |
I totaly agree, i looked back myself not so long ago and yes production wise my sound is better but i feel that with out knowing it when i make a track now i seem to have give myself a set of rules:(
But i am trying to break them:haha: |
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| Eugene |
Fatboy, that's the difference between being an amateur/hobbyist and a professional. I am being a realist here: As a producer, you work in a certain genre and of course you make music for yourself but, equally important, for others.
If the artist's music sounds "forced," then this is a bad artist, it's that simple. Nobody forces the artist to work in a specific genre, because, re-read the last sentence in my first post: The artist should enjoy working in, and being associated with, that genre.
If the artist decides that he no longer likes that genre, and wants to go somewhere else, fine. From the point of view of those who loved that genre - his loss. Case in point: Tiesto. |
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| Trancevision |
| quote: | | people who recognize your name will be expecting a particular style, and they'll be completely right. That's what having a job as a producer is all about. You write music for others, and not just for yourself. This isn't a hobby anymore and you can certainly do some "self-development" but professional tracks always fit into a category and that's the way it should be, for the music market. |
Most professional producers might think this way, because they got to pay the bills, keep up your flat / house, their car...whatever...
I believe that you can have success which something really original and new, it just has to fit into the taste of people a little bit...
It is clear that if you want the DJs of a certain genre play your track that you have to keep some basic common structures ( basedrum for trance )somehow.
I don't like adapting my style to the needs of music market too much... :gsmile: otherwise my creations loose their energy.
Trancevision |
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| Pjotr G |
Interesting topic
Quite a few musicians try to be original for originality's sake. Personally I take quality over originality. Better to listen to something that's been done before that gives me goosebumps than to listen to random noise that's original and sounds like crap. No wonder it's original; those who make music with their gut hear it's a crap style before they even finish the song.
I'm not saying it's wrong to search for new forms. However I believe that forcing yourself to be "original", and do really unlogical things is not the way new branches of electronic music are made. It's people that make music from a gut feeling, and do whatever the hell they want to do, without necessarily trying to be original, sometimes land on some new ground.
As long as it makes my head go up and down to the beat -it's all good :D
(needless to say, all my humble opinion) |
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