Interesting topic,

I've actually given it some thought since I've tried to give my music a bit of distinct feel - whether I've actually managed to do so I'll leave up to others.

But with Eion Flow, the following must be there:

* An epic "feel", a cross between a soundtrack and a more normal "song" - hence my description "cinematic electronica".

* Strong melodic progressions, chord arrangements with a trademark "melancholic feel" (i can't get rid of it, it's just there, so I might as well make it part of my sonic identity)

* Song structures that have kind of an ebb-and-flow - the song can vary quite substantially in style from one part to the next so as to not be too predictable.

* Discrete but painstaking sound design - I put a lot of work into subtle details that (I hope) people will notice only after repeated listening.

* Dynamics!!


Sometimes tracks just kind of naturally take on the above attributes, but mostly there's a lot of trial and error involved. I quickly lose interest in projects that don't move in the above general direction.

My two yen...

some people tell me I have my own sound but who knows, I don't really try to so much.

I admire both musicians that have wildly varying sounds from piece to piece, and musicians that keep the same general sound form piece to piece, so I haven't decided which way I'd like to go yet (I'm still very new to writing).

I think at the very least I'd like to keep a similar sound per-album, but I don't know beyond that.

I try pretty hard to move around a lot, stylistically. I don't think that I have more than a few songs that could fit in the same genre (if you really feel the need to classify them that way).

Even so, I've been told more than a few times that it's pretty easy to spot a 3am track, no matter what. That's easy for me to believe, because I made them all and I know what my tracks sound like.
I am always interested to hear what people think are the common threads in my music. I mean, I know it's not melody or musicianship.
It would be funny if the one thing all of my tracks have in common is that they make people think of farts. Or if my music actually made people fart! That would be amazing!

used to be a typical 303/acid sound with 4/4 909 drums and usually some movie vox

i would say that was prob what i was best known for around these parts back in the day

i never limited myself to that, but it was def my biggest output.

I think you're referring to Fatboy Slim.

And it was not enforced, he wanted to switch over to Live. Keeping old Atari STs alive is not exactly productive.

Sorry, not able to correspond for few days .. Thanks for the input, folks.

Kriminal, what happened? You found a new sound and stopped playing it publicly?

And justin3am, gotta say I enjoy your 'drugs and drums' style. You got plenty of interesting sounds and nice tricks - but would love to hear what you would come up with making a basic ABABA-song structure with this kinda ingredient (now it's more like ABRACADABRA).. I guess it's not your cup of tea, but I imagine you could really make some music never heard before and that could fascinate a lot of people.

Yea, it was Fatboy Slim alright I was thinking about.. Here's the link to the interview again and I still get the impression his change of equipment wasn't really his own idea, even though he seemingly enjoys it after getting to know it ..

Gotta say one reason I really enjoy making music, is not only the self-expression but self-evolution - the way we can really see and hear ourselves progress after years and years of button pushing, string plucking, whatever .. There are common elements that are in our music pretty much from the first track we come up with to the latest - yet there's still progress, whatever it's just a more practical way to record or some mind-blowing revelation regarding music theory. Music is quite challenging, and people have unique ways to react to challenges .. Partly it's just experimenting but then there's the chance to take an experiment even further - all the way to your own unique sound.


Anyone else care to share more thoughts on the subject, how you come up with your own sound? Would like to hear someone more 'guitarhero' type a guy also chiming in..

Well, I've only been producing for just shy of four years, and still experiment a LOT with different sounds and styles, but in a sense, I've known, to some degree, my "sound" since day one. It just took me until recently to realize this, as before this point, I'd always make tunes that had something about them I liked, but where never, aesthetically speaking, exactly what I wanted to make. I've kind of developed my signature sound from different sounds and techniques that I enjoy hearing in other songs.

I enjoy the use of dark, clear tones (ex. Pads with most of the highs filtered out and lots of detuning, Rhodes electric-piano type sounds, heavily reverbed grand pianos (as I am a pianist myself), extensive use of filters, deep, sub-heavy basses, etc.), but also enjoy the contrast between said darker, clearer tones and the noisier or grittier tones (ex. manipulated noise and ambiance, the occasional heavily-distorted synth or gritty FM synth, thick, layered drums, etc.). I also really enjoy the extensive use of reverb, chorus and delay, and use them (sometimes in small or moderate amounts, sometimes in large amounts) on most of the elements in the mix. I find most music nowadays is far too dry, and lots of music from the 80s was far too wet, so I try to strike a respectable balance so that my music isn't drowning in itself, but at the same time, isn't so dry that it's boring or unpleasant to listen to.

In terms of structure and arrangement, most of my tunes tend to follow a slightly modified verse-chorus structure. I find it really depends on the song though, I let it dictate how it's going to go.

Well my sound - to me - feels like it has evolved and continues to do so as I progress through my musical journey, but...then again, I am still fairly new (in comparison to a lot of the artists here).

I have noticed lately I love large string sections Can't seem to get enough of them. String sections in minor keys.
I try to write different drum patterns but 4 on the floor seems to be glued to my heart.

However, listening to my older, very first tunes, something about them, I feel, really made them standout and sound like more original and more inspired pieces than my new pieces...albeit their production was shite, but the soul was there.

per epic reggae, send some links, I must hear!

Now I end up writing short essays, while my intention was to spy on you guys.


This is obviously very much imho and ymmv and all that, I have no idea if this will pass you guys' epic filters but here's something I've been working on past few week: Eye strain. My take on minor chord string thing with four-on-the-floor drumbeat, so nothing really original in that department. Very much work in progress still but I think this one have good potential to turn epic, it already hold a certain meditation, I'm trying to capture certain emotional stress with this.

ntom, can I ask a favor? I post a fresh track 'cause I'd like a second opinion, I have no car to test my music in so could you do that? My excuse for loudspeakers are.. well, an excuse. Man has to do with what he has. How's the general balance of things on this one?

And even though this track might not pass your epic-o-meter, atleast me talking about the style got a few people's attention, so market research prove now it atleast might be something worth pursuing.


<some personal analysis/lament I ended up writing but not deleting>
One thing also about my music making is that I got interested in making it through hearing dub music, being fascinated with the console as a instrument and realizing that hey, I've got this computer and I can try that. It's really the mixer I want to play.

Now that was in around year 2000, obviously there was a huge learning curve first 'cause I had no experience with playing music before that, but I basically set out to learn music to have some material to mix. And from the beginning I set out with the idea that there has to be a reggae track before a dub one, instead of composing dub. In a dance it's epic when the selector plays several versions.

Now sorta sad thing is, I still don't really mix dub even though I've made up quite a catalog of rhythm tracks. Few times I've had a setup I enjoy, but this far it always end up being temporary, breaking down, being in loan, leaving at ex-woman, .. Summa summarum: Not being able to mix live is a major shortcoming in my music. Mouseclick dub isn't what I want do either. :/ So it feel like I can't fulfill my vision to fullness. (Not forgetting I'm still not much of a musician, eh.)

This been bugging me for some time now and I've really got to concentrate and organize it, those controllers aren't that expensive and do really well in place of a physical mixer/effects. Past few years I've been flirting with the idea of playing my music in a dance and can't do that now with the music and equipment I have. Cursed rearmament.
</end lament>



On topic of classic reggae education and epic feel .. Talawa.fr is a site that holds a lot of mixtapes, radio shows, session recordings and people's productions, both old and new, good downloadable introductions to reggae music. Search for the likes of Dj Stryda Sufferah's Choice, some Stevie Roots oldies selection or King Earthquake Midnight Mass and they'll play you guys plenty epic reggae, emphasis on european I guess. Also have to give a shout out to my good brothers over at Temppeli, big tunes ..


I ended up uploading another track while I was at it, something I knocked up a few days ago when I bought Sakura from IL-yardsale .. One King. Turns out I have some stuff over at box.com I didn't remember was still there. People generosity has a slight secret agent feel to it and not the usual ABABA either.





Pheew, I hope people don't get scared with long ramblings.

My sound comes from me trying to make music I'd like to listen to, but never heard anywhere. As simple as that. No magical music journeys, specifically designed elements, intricate chord progressions or whatever. I like it raw and dirty, I make it raw and dirty. I like it having drive, I make it having drive.

I think your conclusions are incorrect. Particularly, "you never get the same sound twice, and I think music loses certain cohesion". I can easily dial in the same patch, repeatedly, with cohesion. Presets is no way to get a cohesive track. You just need to spend more time with your synthesizers.

I avoid presets and I love making house music. So for me, the style comes from just my general approach towards a synth. I actually find myself rebuilding the same-ish sounds repeatedly. They are different ultimately due to effects such as a different synths, a change in processing, effects of other elements in the mix and the riff/progression it's playing. But the similarity comes from my patterns of synth programming and the other sort of production habits I express.

Yea well.. Think of it from the point of view of making an album, say, an eight track instrumental album with electric piano as the main solo instrument. Now, one can make a sound that's more or less recognizable as "electric piano" with pretty much any synthesizer, right? If you go and start every track by making that piano sound from scratch, sure you can dial in the same or similar settings every time - but how does that differ from saving the patch the first time and tweaking it as necessary on the next track? Or how about taking a different synth for every track, dialing in a "electric piano" patch from each?

I'm not saying it can't be done without losing cohesion, it really depends on the skills of the person making the sound. Heck, it can sound really interesting even, it really depends on the track how sounds work and fit together. But take a real Rhodes, there isn't much to tweak. I'd personally go for a real Rhodes or Wurlitzer instead, but I can't 'cause I'm pretty much stuck in the box at the moment - I'd then go for something that's tailored for the purpose of e. piano (ie. one damn good patch with little tweaking or.. Mokafix Blue Reeds ): the simplicity and being purpose built for me are factors I count as "cohesion", especially between tracks. The idea can sound boring, but it mimics reality, and reality isn't boring for me. And it's not like the listener has to think when the next track starts, "now this time he got this kind of piano sound", instead the listener instantly recognizes the continuity ..


I think Loki Fuego over there is on to something as well.. How about you phlake, what makes up your signature sound?