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[psytrance]Glassball - (to-be-named) [first production]
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| Glassball |
This is my very first production and I'd really appreciate some critical feedback. Any suggestions at all to improve this track would be great. I know this isn't such a great peace of work, I'm not deaf lol. Please, any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.
BPM: 145
Style: Full on Psytrance
Length: 6:56
Right click, save as
I don't know if this will be my final product (depends how lazy I get :p). I basically want any tips/advice I could also use for my next production. |
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| thoughtlessjex |
It's a bit simple as far as percussion goes. You have a lot of trippy sounds, though, which is good.
I think you could stand to throw a dark pad in a few places to give it a bit more atmosphere. Especially around 5:12.
For a first production, this is actually very high quality, and very well composed. I just think it could use more elements. There were a lot of empty spaces in the mix. I could stand to hear some rubber-gum zaps here and there, and most importantly, PADS. Get a trippy choral pad, or lightly FMed strings. Keymatched triangles with tons of reverb are a favorite for me. |
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| cybernetica |
Hey,
cool to hear fresh Psytrance artists here. Hope to hear much of you in the future :)
pro:
+ pretty clean mix, the elements are well balanced, and it does not sound muddy at all.
+ great layering!
+ some cool sounds.
+ I like the melody that picks up at 5:30 and harmonizes well with the bassline.
contra:
- Needs more drive to the percussions. The snare really is distracting.
- the overall mix needs to get "fuller" somehow.
Well, that pretty much sums up my thoughts on this track. Considering this is your first track, this sounds totally awesome, really. I dont want to remember what my first tracks sounded like. :D
jex described it pretty well what you could do to improve the track. I think it needs a really moving beat, maybe more warmth to the bass and maybe even some more FX and eventually some pads. Just go crazy on the layering.
Keep it up! |
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| Glassball |
Thanks for the comments guys :D
@thoughtlessjex, what are rubber-gum zaps, choral pads, FMed strings, and keymatched triangles? lol. I'm still fairly new to Cubase/production in general. And also, what's the definition of a pad. I think I sort of know, but I want to be sure.
@cybernetica, Yeah, I wasn't quite satisfied with my percussion, but all I have to work with right now is that LM-7 (or whatever it's called) on Cubase. You think I should just completely take out the snare? Or maybe just lower the volume/remove some hits? |
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| cybernetica |
| I am not sure, but would use a thinner sound for the snare (a rimshot maybe?), lowering the volume could help, and then you could go and add some additional percussive elements, like a snare on every 2nd beat. |
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| thoughtlessjex |
"rubber gum" is the term I've heard most often used to describe a synth with high pass filtering, medium speed pitch lfo, and distortion. It's very common is psy, and many producers use it to fill up space. If you throw it in at the right point without much reverb or delay, it makes for a nice percussion-like element.
Pads are the atmospheric backdrops on which most trance songs are written. Listen to a track like BT - Flaming June, which has a very dynamic pad structure. most of the first half of the track is developing this structure.
Choral pads are a bit simpler, though. Just some samples of a chorus that drift through your chord changes. It's a bit overused in psy and particularly in goa, but that's because it's effective.
You could also take a string sample, and throw an hfo on their pitch to give them some funny tone qualities.
What I mean when I say "keymatched triangle" is take a triangle sample, and tune it to the key of the piece.
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. |
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| Akia |
Iīm not a producer myself so I canīt help, but I have to say I think this sounds pretty cool! Nice melody, kick and speak, itīs an interesting listening. And this is your first..? Wow! Congrats and keep it up! :cool:
Takere!
Akia |
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| Glassball |
I see, thanks guys for clearing things up.
@thoughtlessjex, I'm still not sure what the "rubber gum" sound is, but I'm really curious as to what it is. Think you could send me a quick audio clip of it?
@Akia, Thank you for your kind words. It is my first. What's frustrating about this song to me is that I know what I should do in my head to make this track better, but I don't know what to click on Cubase to achieve these things lol. I guess it will just take time and practice. |
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| thoughtlessjex |
This is a quick example that I threw together. Familiar?
[[ LINK REMOVED ]]
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| Glassball |
| quote: | Originally posted by thoughtlessjex
This is a quick example that I threw together. Familiar?
[[ LINK REMOVED ]]
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Yes! That's the sound I've been trying to make! Thank you so much for the sample. Are you familiar with Cubase? If you are, and if you have time, could you give me a brief step by step process to create the rubbergum sound? |
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| thoughtlessjex |
| quote: | Originally posted by Glassball
Yes! That's the sound I've been trying to make! Thank you so much for the sample. Are you familiar with Cubase? If you are, and if you have time, could you give me a brief step by step process to create the rubbergum sound? |
I don't know much about Cubase, but the theory is thus:
Saw wave
High pass filter w/medium resonance
LFO on pitch
LFO on filter cutoff
I don't think it's all that different from synth to synth. |
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