How much variation need my track?

[acidsmiley]

I´m at a point with music making that many of you know. I have reached this point with every track in the last month and from my point of view it is nearly impossible to make a right decision.

How many variety needs my track to be interesting and catchy?

Why is it so difficult for me to make a decision? When I make music, create a bass line or a drum groove, build synth patches and play filter sweeps, I digging so deep into my track that I realize every little variation and change of the sound. Same with arrangement, I fiddling around with every break and transition and when I close my eyes I can paint a picture of the colored bars in the arrangement view. I´m so deep into my track that every little variation feels like a big change.

Later with some distance I often realize the missing of something, something that was there when I made the track. It feels to boring and „loopy“. What I know is, that I loose the necessary distance while making music. What I do not know is, how far I have to go in the process to make a interesting and catchy track?

To give you an example. This is my current project, a smooth little track for quit hours. I like the arrangement and sounding how it is but I have a bunch of percussions and one shots that could make it more interesting. For me the track do not need more variation but what´s about the listeners?

https://soundcloud.com/psytech1/mondtage

[thecontrolcentre]

Nice track. The only thing I might add is a little more variation in the drum track once the final arp comes in. Just a couple of fills maybe. Sounds fine as it is tho' ...

[Googly Smythe]

The problems you're having are the reason most bands/artistes have producers (in the old meaning) to make those decisions for them.
The only thing I have found to help is to have a very clear vision of the music you want to make before you start making it, and a healthy dose of self-control. Not much help, I know!
One trick: when you're in the middle of a project and new ideas pop up, save the project under a new name and call it Part Two, the original being Part One. Put the new ideas into Part Two. Then you'll have a series of tracks with a related theme. Jean Michel Jarre does it (Oxygene).
Hope I'm making sense here!
As for the track you have posted... For a quiet wind-down at the end of the day, it works. I think it is complete. And pretty good, to boot.

[xoxos]

this is kind of what production is all about - too much, too little.

you notice how sometimes when people do a remix of something, or you work on something at a different time, the feeling is lost, not the same, even if the patches and stunts are more neato.

imo cultivating the awareness and energy ("mood"?) for production is more important than having good policies. sometimes a track works better when there's no variation. sometimes i feel like, i've been working on this track and my energy has changed.

so imo your own mood, tone is as important to create as the thing you are working on. as important as having a strong idea of the intent of the production. imo, cultivating your senses about yourself, or sensing how and when to best translate them, so that you have the right consciousness for production, is kind of like, the more essential canvas.

[acidsmiley]

Nice track. The only thing I might add is a little more variation in the drum track once the final arp comes in. Just a couple of fills maybe. Sounds fine as it is tho' ...

Thanks for the nice feedback. I will try out your tips. Drum variation is one of the things I to often forget. It´s just to easy to duplicate the drum parts.

... The only thing I have found to help is to have a very clear vision of the music you want to make before you start making it, and a healthy dose of self-control. Not much help, I know!
One trick: when you're in the middle of a project and new ideas pop up, save the project under a new name and call it Part Two, the original being Part One. Put the new ideas into Part Two. Then you'll have a series of tracks with a related theme. Jean Michel Jarre does it (Oxygene).
Hope I'm making sense here!
As for the track you have posted... For a quiet wind-down at the end of the day, it works. I think it is complete. And pretty good, to boot.

To have a clear vision is not easy. My tracks came up from jamming and the challenge is to decide when to stop the jam and bring the track into a direction. Do I have enough sounds and variations at this point and can I hold the current inspiration when I have to add more variations later in the process. I hope you know, what I mean.

The idea to create a new project from new ideas is good. I did it for my last track, came up with the second project and dropped the first one.

Thank you for your track feedback. Seems like I'm on the right way.

[DJ Warmonger]

Later with some distance I often realize the missing of something, something that was there when I made the track. It feels to boring and „loopy“. What I know is, that I loose the necessary distance while making music. What I do not know is, how far I have to go in the process to make a interesting and catchy track?

My workflow is no not start arrangement until you have all possible track pieces on your disposal. Also prepare instruments for automation before you start playing them. In Ableton both goals can be handled easily.

This particular track has nice and smooth flow, but not enough content for my taste. Only one simple synth all over...

[acidsmiley]

this is kind of what production is all about - too much, too little.

you notice how sometimes when people do a remix of something, or you work on something at a different time, the feeling is lost, not the same, even if the patches and stunts are more neato.

imo cultivating the awareness and energy ("mood"?) for production is more important than having good policies. sometimes a track works better when there's no variation. sometimes i feel like, i've been working on this track and my energy has changed.

so imo your own mood, tone is as important to create as the thing you are working on. as important as having a strong idea of the intent of the production. imo, cultivating your senses about yourself, or sensing how and when to best translate them, so that you have the right consciousness for production, is kind of like, the more essential canvas.

Good point. Creating the "right" mood or re-create the mood you had when you start a track and translate this in a creative expression is a kind of knowing yourself. And it needs learning and trying and trying and trying. For me it is really a long way but it is part of the challenge.

Later with some distance I often realize the missing of something, something that was there when I made the track. It feels to boring and „loopy“. What I know is, that I loose the necessary distance while making music. What I do not know is, how far I have to go in the process to make a interesting and catchy track?

My workflow is no not start arrangement until you have all possible track pieces on your disposal. Also prepare instruments for automation before you start playing them. In Ableton both goals can be handled easily.

This particular track has nice and smooth flow, but not enough content for my taste. Only one simple synth all over...

What do you mean with preparing for automation? Assign to a MIDI Controller or select the parameter in the arrangement view? What could you recommend for the track. Another synth for the bass-line or another melody?

[MogwaiBoy]

Neat little track. That bass arp is really warm and lovely - what synth is that? I like the vinyl crackle on the side channels - a nice characterful touch.

I'd probably drench a couple of things in reverb but that's just me.

[Lejurai]

I have a friend who can make an interesting song from 2 bar loop.

Lots of movement all the time with automation and effective soloing and muting. And of course some fx like reverb and delay (automated again) and stutter.

Tried to do that by myself. My songs suck xD

[donkey tugger]

As a general rule, for me it's 3 parts with differing amounts of shite piled on top at various points, until the computer gives up.

[acidsmiley]

Neat little track. That bass arp is really warm and lovely - what synth is that? I like the vinyl crackle on the side channels - a nice characterful touch.

I'd probably drench a couple of things in reverb but that's just me.

Thank you. Thats motivating. I´ll try some reverb. Thought so much delay is enough.

The Bass Arp is a Roland Promars PlugOut. It´s all made ITB with Repro-1, Diva and Monark. The warmth comes from the D16 Group Repeater. I used it for all delays and as tape saturator in the master bus.

[don1thedon]

As a general rule, for me it's 3 parts with differing amounts of shite piled on top at various points, until the computer gives up.

I gotta try that approach donkey, if nothin else, made me chuckle.

[don1thedon]

I quite like the track, its kinda hypnotic. I know what you mean about being able to detach yourself from a track to make more effective creative decisions sooner, I find my decision making tends to become sharper when I play tracks to others.

[acidsmiley]

I quite like the track, its kinda hypnotic. I know what you mean about being able to detach yourself from a track to make more effective creative decisions sooner, I find my decision making tends to become sharper when I play tracks to others.

Yeah thats really helpful. Your feedback allows me to take a more neutral position. I decided to make some arrangement tweaks and variate the existing sounds but give up adding new sounds.

Thank you all!

[acidsmiley]

Here is the final track. I added a vocal, made little tweaks and some mixing. Hope you enjoy.

https://soundcloud.com/psytech1/mondtage