First DnB ch00n - advise needed plz

SynesthesiaC

Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Hey peeps. MAde my first DnB tune after fixing all my old equiptment and was hoping for some feedback (I posted this in the wrong section here to begin with, and had no replies, whooops). I'm just not sure whether it just sounds weird, is OK, or is a banging tune. Youtube users seem to like it, but then again they like also like Daniel Beddingfield. I also have a few questions about the essentials for producing DnB that I may be missing.

Heres the song, I uploaded it to Utube to a simple animation of a fractal. Its quite melodic compared to most DnB tunes, got more than just drums and bass going on. And I added in some random gun sounds at the begining and end, as I didn't know how to start or finish it. Really need some tips on how to improve it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfThSVeJNJ8

I'm using Cubase SX3, a tascam US-122L external sound, and the VSTi Massive for ALL the sounds, plus Battery 3 to create the drums in midi format. And I use a midi keyboard to input all my parts as I'm a grade 8 piano player, even the drum beats, so this makes it kinda easy to write quick tunes.

So, in terms of prodcing DnB, what else would be termed as essentials? I'm thinking along the lines that I'll need:

> Drum and Bass drum loops pack (to save me writing in all the beats by hand with my midi keyboard, which takes a hell of a lot of time)

> Better synths, other than massive? any recommendations?

> Better effects to apply to my tracks?

> ummm....?
 
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is it some sort of cover of nothing else matters by metallica?
because it's got exactly the same chord progression and melody.
 
is it some sort of cover of nothing else matters by metallica?
because it's got exactly the same chord progression and melody.

Did u read my other post where I said the chords are based loosely on NEM, or u just got a musical ear?

The melodies nothing like metallica. The chords are rougly the same as NEM, but those chords are not *just* metallicas, they've been used sinse the dawn of time pretty much. Been around since the early 1900's, but yeah, metallica did use them in Nothing Else Matters, and probably what this chord progressions best known for. I am probs gonna call this Everything Else Matters when I've finished it :) Its like the chords used in the classic 'the house of the rising sun'. They're used in sooooo many songs you wouldn't belive it, just hidden behind different melodies every time. Same for the classic Amin, Fmaj, Cmaj, Gmaj progression, nearly half of the entire happy hardcore genre is written to this chord progression, just wth different melodies over it. That is, if you could even call Happy Hardcore a genre. lol.

And metallica used compund time, I think 6/8, which is pretty much impossible to get a DnB beat to. You cant really transpose a melody to sound the same between these time sigs even if u tried, the accents will be all out of time. There are a few DnB tunes that have nearly been sucessful in syncopated compound time, there's a Full Cycle track that's in 6/8 and pendulum occasionally go into 6/8 for short periods, but it really is impossible to get a beat sounding like generic DnB in compound. Try it. Its bloody hard to get it sounding like proper DnB. I tried once and failed miserably, tho i'm defo gonna give it another bash in the future.
 
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Booger. Looks like I posted in the wrong section again looking at the link above: "If you're an up and coming producer, this is the forum to showcase your latest creations for feedback"

Whoopsie. I'll get it right eventually :)
 
The melodies nothing like metallica, the chords are the same, but those chords are not *just* metallicas, they've been used sinse the dawn of time pretty much. Been around since the early 1900's, but yeah, metallica did use them in Nothing Else Matters, and probably what this chord progressions best known for. I woz gonna call this Everything Else Matters when I've finished it :) Its like the chords used in the classic 'the house of the rising sun'. They're used in sooooo many songs you wouldn't belive it, just hidden behind different melodies every time. Same for the classic Amin, Fmaj, Cmaj, Gmaj progression, nearly half of the entire happy hardcore genre is written to this chord progression, just wth different melodies over it. That is, if you could even call Happy Hardcore a genre. lol.

And metallica used compund time, I think 6/8, which is pretty much impossible to get a DnB beat to. There are a few tunes that have nearly been sucessful in syncopated compound time, there's a Full Cycle track that's in 6/8 and pendulum occasionally go into 6/8 for short periods, but it really is impossible to get a beat sounding like generic DnB in compound. Try it. Its bloody hard to get it sounding like proper DnB. I tried once and failed miserably, tho i'm defo gonna give it another bash in the future.


too much information, gotta show love for all your knowledge though :)

spock2.jpg
 
Did u read my other post where I said the chords are based loosely on NEM, or u just got a musical ear?

The melodies nothing like metallica. The chords are rougly the same as NEM, but those chords are not *just* metallicas, they've been used sinse the dawn of time pretty much. Been around since the early 1900's, but yeah, metallica did use them in Nothing Else Matters, and probably what this chord progressions best known for. I am probs gonna call this Everything Else Matters when I've finished it :) Its like the chords used in the classic 'the house of the rising sun'. They're used in sooooo many songs you wouldn't belive it, just hidden behind different melodies every time. Same for the classic Amin, Fmaj, Cmaj, Gmaj progression, nearly half of the entire happy hardcore genre is written to this chord progression, just wth different melodies over it. That is, if you could even call Happy Hardcore a genre. lol.

And metallica used compund time, I think 6/8, which is pretty much impossible to get a DnB beat to. You cant really transpose a melody to sound the same between these time sigs even if u tried, the accents will be all out of time. There are a few DnB tunes that have nearly been sucessful in syncopated compound time, there's a Full Cycle track that's in 6/8 and pendulum occasionally go into 6/8 for short periods, but it really is impossible to get a beat sounding like generic DnB in compound. Try it. Its bloody hard to get it sounding like proper DnB. I tried once and failed miserably, tho i'm defo gonna give it another bash in the future.

didn't read your other post. it just sounds exactly the same.
 
didn't read your other post.

Then you need to get your ears insured m8. lol. well noted.

I presume U mean the chords sound exactly the same? coz the melody aint anything like metallica... I can assure u. Different pitch notes, differnent time sig', different octave, different ordering, different rythm, just different. The bass is different too, they're all just structured around the same chord progression which is probably why it sounds similar.

Anyway, anyone want to give any feedback?!? I need to make it sound more drum and bassy, but dunno where to start really. I might cut the intro (infact, defo cut the intro), and the guitar parts, and just work on expanding the bassy bits.
 
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sounds like you put alot of effort into it but i think there is too much going on in the tune tbh its alot easier working in audio rather than midi as well
 
agreed ;p

I cant see how you can write a song at all without using midi :/ You cant choose note pitches, etc, with audio, so you cant really write a tune to go with your beats... unless you've got a sample of every single pitch note for your sound.... midi's just so much better. Plus some of the VSTi's out there are awesome nowadays.
 
just work on ur mastering and overall sound listen to some drum and bass and get a sound you like and try make it

sounds like ur musicly talentied just need to work on the quality :) imo
 
sounds good , you look like you have a lot of experience in music ? but you gotta work on your sound, for me it reminds me a bit to much of nem.. still great job !
 
i would say its next to imnpossible to do a tune in just audio unless ur jus playing loops that fit together. I will sometimes create summin in reason like drums then export as midi ande bring into cubase. my tunes are mainly made up of midi. My main tools r synths :D not samplers..
 
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