HALF FINNISHED, trying to get it all right , First track tho views plz

n.minas

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Location
Currently Northants / Home is Hackney
My first ever DNB track (well first full stop) and would realy like some views on the different aspect of it.

It not finnished and i havnt done that much arranging, it more the quality and choice of sounds i would like you guys to comment on and possible what part i should focus on improving.

Cheers

http://soundcloud.com/knowledgehungry/first-impressions-fixed-bass
 
Last edited:
all your elements except the hi hats are lacking in high frequencies.
Work on improving your mixdown, that's it.
But hey, the way you're doing the song is way very interesting, many changes each 4 or 2 bars, with coherence between them.
Even thought the sound, commercialy talking, is not good, it's still an interesting and variant track that even some top producers lack of.
 
First off thanks for your responses people, there are apreciated.

focus on improving your drums mate ;)

Could you elaborate a lil please mate. Do you mean the quality of them or the arrangement i know they need work but im interested in what aspects of them your refering to so i can jump all over them :)


logikz, is it that bad mate? lol. No worries man i will improve and try again

Neomind, your comment made more sense to me interms of what i needed to know and thats, what im doing right as well as what im doing wrong so thanks bro. Im going to be back on this track over the next few days, i hope, so i will take what you all said into account and post back the results.

safe
 
gota agrree with every1 else. you need to layer up and eq ur main kick and snare. and then add some breaks too to give it that shuffling sound, to make it roll better!!
 
Hi people, ive had another go at this but as always with me its a completely different track as i lost direction and moved on. Im much happier with this version and i have taken all advice and then some to try an better my efforts.

Here is the link to the track that i would realy like you guys to try an help me with....

http://soundcloud.com/knowledgehungry/first-impressions-fixed-bass

I Know i have improved a lil but my tune stil lacks things that im hoping you guys can help me identify, so please, please hit me with all the criticism you can afford ;)

I think ive got the sub ok but i and got a woofer to tell so a second pair of ears here would be great.
Also i havnt sidechained the kick so i want to know how you guys think it is sitting in the mix, along with the other elements of the track of course.

Anyways its late and my ears are bleeding so hopefully i will check in tomorrow and find some constuctive criticism to reflect on.

Bless
 
Last edited:
hmmm your sub is having some phasing problems with the bass, it goes stereo all the time, to one side to the another and it's kinda annoying.
On the other hand, kick and snare can't be that lost, up the volumes on these, or lower the volumes of the bass.
Very nice try for a first try =) keep on it man
 
hmmm your sub is having some phasing problems with the bass, it goes stereo all the time, to one side to the another and it's kinda annoying.
On the other hand, kick and snare can't be that lost, up the volumes on these, or lower the volumes of the bass.
Very nice try for a first try =) keep on it man

Thanks for your input mate, You have given me food for thought and arroused a few questions also.

In regars to the subb i need a little advice, I have read that the subb needs to be mono but im not quite sure on how to make it so?? The sub itself was made by simply EQing my mid bass sound made in massive. The idea was that i could keep the same lfo pattern on the sub as my mid bass so i just EQued and then bounced. So My questions are...

Can i still make use of the subb and somehow change it to mono?
If not how do i go about making the sound mono in massive so i can re-bounce?
Lastly when making subbs via VST instruments is there an effect i can put on them to set them to mono or is this normally acomplished from within the vst?

As for the kick and snare, i too am having a lil trouble. If i notch the snare up any more the fruity peak level goes red so maybe i will have to turn the other elements down a you suggested.

The kick i thought was sitting ok and in its own frequcny range so maybe that just needs a notch up in volume or maybe it will be fine once i turn down and sort out the bass. On the other hand it might need sidechaining but i dont want to add stuff just for the sake of it.

Do you think i should sidechain the kick? an do you guys do it in your tracks or in some cases does it just not need it?

Anyways thanks again, i will await replies in regards to the subb before i move on.

Safe
 
i disagree with the others here. The drums are ok. Worry about the eqing stuff after everything else is already done (tune is arranged nicely and progresses etc already). Right now the arrangement and flow feels weak to me. In other words it doesnt seem like ur tune is all that deep like something people can feel and relate to. Overall I think ur notes and melodies need to change up and flow or something. Work on that first because its a lot more important than having a "perfect" sounding snare.
 
i disagree with the others here. The drums are ok. Worry about the eqing stuff after everything else is already done (tune is arranged nicely and progresses etc already). Right now the arrangement and flow feels weak to me. In other words it doesnt seem like ur tune is all that deep like something people can feel and relate to. Overall I think ur notes and melodies need to change up and flow or something. Work on that first because its a lot more important than having a "perfect" sounding snare.

Thanks for your comment mate, it seems like there few and far between on this forum.

Ok so about the drums, i have been trying to EQ them as i add them and have now set up a basic FL template with all the beat samples linked to the mixing desk as to save time on my next project. I know all kicks and snares will have to be EQed individualy but the idea is that all the samples will be linked and named on the mixing desk and all that will be needed is a fequency sweep to find there sweet spot.

I know the tune lacks in many departments and its because this is my first track and i am struggling like a rape victim locked in a car boot :). The main reason for this is that i am lacking insparation and ideas to progress further and it is this reason why im here.

Before i go in with the scalpul and start arranging things and picking the tune to pieces i need to know if im happy with the elements of the track and at present i dont think i am???:mrpanic:

I agree with you when you say "it dont feel like something people can feel and relate to" but being a complete noob i am unsure of where to turn next?? I need constructive critasism!

Being so new to the production side of DNB makes me feel proud about what i have acomplished in this track so far but writters block has taken hold and i really need some guidence here.

Please people give me a shuv in the right direction!
 
hav a gd blaze up an jus play around for inspiration, usualy works for me, or jus take a break from it an work on a different tune, then come back to this when you have learned some more
 
Thanks for your comment mate, it seems like there few and far between on this forum.

Ok so about the drums, i have been trying to EQ them as i add them and have now set up a basic FL template with all the beat samples linked to the mixing desk as to save time on my next project. I know all kicks and snares will have to be EQed individualy but the idea is that all the samples will be linked and named on the mixing desk and all that will be needed is a fequency sweep to find there sweet spot.

I know the tune lacks in many departments and its because this is my first track and i am struggling like a rape victim locked in a car boot :). The main reason for this is that i am lacking insparation and ideas to progress further and it is this reason why im here.

Before i go in with the scalpul and start arranging things and picking the tune to pieces i need to know if im happy with the elements of the track and at present i dont think i am???:mrpanic:

I agree with you when you say "it dont feel like something people can feel and relate to" but being a complete noob i am unsure of where to turn next?? I need constructive critasism!

Being so new to the production side of DNB makes me feel proud about what i have acomplished in this track so far but writters block has taken hold and i really need some guidence here.

Please people give me a shuv in the right direction!

Well first ill say that im not expert and dont have any released tunes myself, so take my advice with a grain of salt. However, I do notice that people usually comment on little details which relate to mastering/eqing and hardly comment on the artistic big "picture" or message/emotion of the tune. Its like they are being critical on some small detail.. Its like they are focusing on the icing of the cake instead of the basic ingredients! The icing is easy once the cake tastes good. But if you focus on the icing and ur cake tastes like shit, well ur just burning out effort.

IMO the synths are cheesy. Like the intro one that comes in... u could maybe take it out altogether and use something that doesnt "bite" as much? When the tune drops with the sub and drums, it is pretty tight and I like that part, but the synth line could maybe be more creative. Like, for instance, the high part of ur line (3rd note or something) could be a totally different synth, or an effect on ur synth to change the texture of it. Also, maybe every 16 bars or 8 bars u could do a totally different synth line that changes the whole tune up, maybe a different key too.

When I say i cant feel it, its kind of like when ur jamming with instruments or getting into to zone with a song. Sometimes ull find a groove that u can improvise really easily off of because you really feel it. Othertimes its not easy to get into it, and also its a matter of personal taste too. U kind of get lost in the music, know what i mean? ANyways, hope this helps a little, Ill try to clarify more if u dont understand me hehe. Also, for ur first tune not bad at all man.
 
Last edited:
mate this is good for a first dnb track, keep producing and it will get better with every tune you make, slowly learn techniques and bring them all together each time you make a new track and they will keep getting better...

You may not make anything amazing for your first 20 tracks but keep going and progressing!! This track is very good for a first attempt, trust me you should hear mine.
 
mate this is good for a first dnb track, keep producing and it will get better with every tune you make, slowly learn techniques and bring them all together each time you make a new track and they will keep getting better...

You may not make anything amazing for your first 20 tracks but keep going and progressing!! This track is very good for a first attempt, trust me you should hear mine.

agree with this... i find it so hard to advise noobs on what to do as there is SO much that needs working on, but as said, keep going... it's taken me 4 years to get to this level - http://soundcloud.com/richie_stix - and i'm still no where near as good as i want to be, but it's well good fun getting there!
 
Back
Top Bottom