LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK/ADVICE ON HOW TO IMPROVE MY "MUSIC

How-To's written by members of this site... Don't know how to do it? Stop crying and read.

Moderators: PEPCORE, SweetPeaPod, BreakforceOne, JohnMerrik

Hardcore Member
User avatar
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:00 am

LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK/ADVICE ON HOW TO IMPROVE MY "MUSIC

Postby jimmusician » Tue Sep 08, 2009 4:01 am

Hey Guys, I'm looking to sort of overhaul my music. I'm pretty new to "electronic music" altogether. I've been trying to put together my own stuff (semi-successfully) for my own project, "Jimmy G and The Chocolate Factory". A lot of what I've started has been midi-grind focused, and it remains a lot of what I want to do with my music (as I want to "front" my music with vocals), but I think overall what I've been writing sounds pretty flat.
I use FL studio (it's easy, plug and play, and my POS computer which is limited to certain programs works with it) a lot, but I'm trying to get into reason (as I hear it's a "MUST HAVE").
I'm looking mostly to find out how I can get boomy sounds that'll really help my mix without drowning out the things I do (which some of my style I realize I'm gonna have to change.) I've been looking into a ton of gabber style kicks and stuff, but I'm still having trouble figuring out exactly what to do (and how to write with) these distorted pitched kicks.

Also, I've been trying to work a lot more with samples but I don't know how to really place loops in samples (so I can hold a certain cool sounding pitch without dumb sounding repeated samples or have other problems).

This is my music myspace www.myspace.com/jimmygfactory .

I'm influenced a lot by these guys (even if they are tight lipped about their techniques)
www.myspace.com/abeautifullotus

www.myspace.com/xrinarmsmotherfucker

This is prettymuch my primary project and I want to take it out sometime, so ANY help you can offer would be appreciated.

free pwny ridez!
User avatar
Posts: 1075
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:00 am

Postby producer_snafu » Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:12 am

if you wanna sound like a beautiful lotus all you have to do is.

snare rush all your samples

scream into a cheap pc mic

turn up all the mids

and bounce yer songs to 128 kbps mp3


and there you have it.

Drukqs wrote: like training wheels on a bike. People move to something better and more advanced once they get sick and tired of FL Studio


damn where did i hear this before?!!!?


oh now i remember

producer_snafu wrote:
people use the amen as training wheels, some mutha fuckas just don't grow up.



few people tha i know of that us FL studio who are ace as fuck

Flashbulb
Current Value
Spor
Arsenic
Techdiff
Toe cutter
Skymall


current value needs to grow up!!!!
\((( "D )))/ Yay clouds! ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁

teh_pwner
Posts: 793
Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:00 am

Postby S2K08 » Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:03 pm

Thats class that they all use FL, I thought in the real world that peeps only used Ableton (or whatever)

Here's my beef with FL, I spent about twenty minutes changing all of my samples in a project to Pro Default from resample, to maintain their original pitch, it decided to change about half of them to basically inaudible pitches, wasting my time like that is the only drawback of FL, for me anyway.
just memes and donks these days
http://www.soundcloud.com/sherekahnn

Elite!
User avatar
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 12:00 am
Location: hardcorvallis, oregon

Postby cuttingagent » Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:55 pm

from what i've heard, reason is definitely not a must have. if i was gonna switch programs (from FL) i'd probly go with reaktor. but there is very little you can't do with FL, provided you've deleted every sample it comes with, built a collection of other ones, and have plenty of 3rd party plugins.
([agent.)]

Hardcore Member
User avatar
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:00 am

Postby jimmusician » Tue Sep 08, 2009 6:52 pm

producer_snafu wrote:if you wanna sound like a beautiful lotus all you have to do is.

snare rush all your samples

scream into a cheap pc mic

turn up all the mids

and bounce yer songs to 128 kbps mp3


Ok, I know his vocals are put on the tracks shitty, but hell, the dude's got like how many fans??? and he's playing shows at least, so I cant say it's a bad thing.

snare rush?

and what difference does bitrate really make anyways?

Hardcore Member
User avatar
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:00 am

Postby jimmusician » Tue Sep 08, 2009 7:01 pm

cuttingagent wrote:from what i've heard, reason is definitely not a must have. if i was gonna switch programs (from FL) i'd probly go with reaktor. but there is very little you can't do with FL, provided you've deleted every sample it comes with, built a collection of other ones, and have plenty of 3rd party plugins.


I'm not really planning on changing programs at all. just I keep hearing how cubase and reason are "the shit" and i want to get better stuff coming. Cubase I've tried to get going on my comp. I wasn't too thrilled that it uses up most of my CPU.

I've got a shitload of samples these days. I want to find a way to use them the same way I use synths, but I don't know how to sample well lol.

ABL attracts my ears because I like how he writes trance music that A: sounds agressive, and B: doesn't have to play too many notes. There's other pretty good stufff he's done I'm pretty sure he's free-released (and if he hasn't people just posted it up anyways). I don't dig the vox so much considering that they're up so high.

I think I have to overplay my samples to make what sounds "full" and other people seem to know who to do that.

Elite!
User avatar
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 12:00 am
Location: hardcorvallis, oregon

Postby cuttingagent » Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:37 am

cubase is not actually very special.
([agent.)]

Hardcore Member
User avatar
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:00 am

Postby jimmusician » Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:58 am

gee, prettymuch narrows it down to the software i have..........anyone know where i can get a whole shitload of real good tutorial vids?

Elite!
User avatar
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 12:00 am
Location: hardcorvallis, oregon

Postby cuttingagent » Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:36 am

try youtube. there's plenty. the quality of some is pretty low, but youll still find something useful.
([agent.)]

Member
User avatar
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 12:00 am

Postby Ruffatron » Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:38 am

cuttingagent wrote:cubase is not actually very special.


true, not veeery special in terms of how you can get creative with it, does have a good soundengine though. i use live, witch is pretty flexy imo but doesn't have the best sound you'll get. one good thing with fruity (on the aspect i'm talkin about) is that u can plug your tracks in to another host and finalise - master your shit there, making use of that sound engine. the whole discussion on wtch-prog-is-the-shit is quite lame, i'd say what ever gets your ideas down to practice easier & what let's u fuk things up nice and proper, good ideas really do come first compared to good sound.

Hardcore Member
User avatar
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:00 am

Postby jimmusician » Wed Sep 09, 2009 2:32 pm

anyone listened to my tracks yet?

free pwny ridez!
User avatar
Posts: 1075
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:00 am

Postby producer_snafu » Thu Sep 10, 2009 2:50 am

jimmusician wrote:anyone listened to my tracks yet?


nothing special really, they at least sound better than ABL.

the genre you make is really not my cup of tits.

yer just better off using clean samples unless you wanna go for that lofi sound.

as to up yer game, well something i have learned from making music for 8 years is

you learn something new after every song you make

just push the limits man, try something new, do some research, unless yer buddy buddy with some one then yer not really gonna get a valid reply as to how to better your music.

study what you listen to, compare songs as far as levels go.

do it because you love it.

besides, there is always youtube, i had no yoda 8 years ago and i still don't, wish i had youtube 8 years ago!
\((( "D )))/ Yay clouds! ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁ ☁

Hardcore Member
User avatar
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:00 am

Postby jimmusician » Thu Sep 10, 2009 7:51 pm

producer_snafu wrote:
jimmusician wrote:anyone listened to my tracks yet?


nothing special really, they at least sound better than ABL.

the genre you make is really not my cup of tits.

yer just better off using clean samples unless you wanna go for that lofi sound.

as to up yer game, well something i have learned from making music for 8 years is

you learn something new after every song you make

just push the limits man, try something new, do some research, unless yer buddy buddy with some one then yer not really gonna get a valid reply as to how to better your music.

study what you listen to, compare songs as far as levels go.

do it because you love it.

besides, there is always youtube, i had no yoda 8 years ago and i still don't, wish i had youtube 8 years ago!


To the clean sample comment: I'll admit I was (and probably still am) a moron with FL Studio........The characteristic sound I got was from basically sticking a FL soft clipper on every track, hence the distortion produced.
Yea, basically Midi-grind is fun, but it's becoming too repetitive. I wana find alternate ways to be aggressive. This dude http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5sMjjOHJcw is doing some massive stuff with his track as far as drum work. It may be a little to solo-ish for me (seeing as I want to put fronting vox on my stuff), but its damn creative, and really breaks shit.

Well, seeing as my trying to use ableton and scan in my vst's into my computer just failed, anyone know how to make layers that can do that sort of stuff?

Supah No0b
User avatar
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:00 am
Location: Plymouth, UK

Postby Dice Man » Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:15 pm

EZ mate, had a listen, like the other dude said, its not really my bag either. Your sound is very computer gamey, remember the old megadrive classic, Road Rash? (if it had a techno/electronic sound track). Which is cool if thats what your into. It is a good start considering you are new to it, the only way is up!! I am pretty average/poor at making tunes my self, but I love it!!!! It is so much fun, and quite rewarding when you can hear yourself progressing and your sound getting better. I use Reason 4 and I love it for what I use it for. I literally know what I have taught myself over the last couple of years through experimenting and the internet, so I am no guru AT ALL!!!

I (try to) produce a mixed bag of electronic music really, but mainly DnB and just started getting into breakcore stuff. My advice would be to keep playing and experimenting with what ever software you are using. Also generally using good sounding clean samples will make your music sound better too!! Experiment with EQing, effects, everything really!!! As for sampling, what I do is find a sample I like the sound of, whack it in a sampler (obviously!!) and simply play with it!! Tweaking different knobs, adding different effects etc (or in your case VSTs, Reason doesnt support them). I think the correct use of layering the same and different samples together is key to creating a good solid beefy sound, also panning. I found this works well with drums. I havnt finished anything properly yet so dont have a Myspace site, but have posted a couple of tracks on my Facebook, 1 breakcore (I think!!) and one DnB track, check them out if you have the time, type into the search bar: jimmy watkins plymouth, my profile pic is of a green sign saying jimmy's pies on it. Let me know what you think.

Peace Bro
Last edited by Dice Man on Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Return to Tutorials

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 62 guests