Music created with U-he synths

[aaron aardvark]

neverbeeninariot,
Thank you for checking out my music; I appreciate it! I am not a pro audio engineer; I just do the best I can. The 28 most recently posted songs of mine are all me, though there are a few with female vocal phrases from some software I own. I am not a real drummer. I have used drum software since 2009, and other drum gizmos since 1982. I occasionally collaborate with others. For example, I collaborated on a couple of songs with Jeremy Cubert (Jeremy has collaborated with two different members of the band Yes, including singer Jon Anderson). I would guess about 95% of the songs I post were done all by me. I like all of the bands you mentioned, though only some of them are influences. Now listening to Dub Synfony: very dub-by! I can picture this as background music in an older European movie. I like it! Sounds very good! Nice melodies.

[rACatkvr]

I put a new song in my music website called “Cowabunga Cucamonga”. Cucamonga is a city in Southern California roughly 40 miles from the Pacific Ocean. But how long will that last? This song has plenty of Presswerk compression and some ZebraHZ synth (and some non-u-he synth). Please tell me how you like the song, and how it can be improved, and I will return the favor. Here is my link:

https://www.soundclick.com/aaronaardvark

Aaron
“Cowabunga Cucamonga” comments. overall I like it. It and whatever of yours I am listening to while I type this comment both seem a bit muddy in their mixes. Back to CC - I’d would suggest cutting the first bar of the intro. And raising the lead guitar line when it comes in - it seems overly buried in the chugging. Ditto cut a bar out of the drum break at about 1:05. Same thing about the guitar at about 1:13 through 2:08 bring it out front.
“It’s not expected 2” really good but the extra voices are unbalanced with the lead voice (I’d suggest turning them down).
Here’s a couple of links to some of my stuff:
https://on.soundcloud.com/Jz9Kj

https://on.soundcloud.com/oBEwJ

[neverbeeninariot]

I'm not sure why you'd want to cut the 1st bar of a 4 bar drum intro? Are you suggesting cutting the intro to 3 bars?

[neverbeeninariot]

neverbeeninariot,
Thank you for checking out my music; I appreciate it! I am not a pro audio engineer; I just do the best I can. The 28 most recently posted songs of mine are all me, though there are a few with female vocal phrases from some software I own. I am not a real drummer. I have used drum software since 2009, and other drum gizmos since 1982. I occasionally collaborate with others. For example, I collaborated on a couple of songs with Jeremy Cubert (Jeremy has collaborated with two different members of the band Yes, including singer Jon Anderson). I would guess about 95% of the songs I post were done all by me. I like all of the bands you mentioned, though only some of them are influences. Now listening to Dub Synfony: very dub-by! I can picture this as background music in an older European movie. I like it! Sounds very good! Nice melodies.

Thanks! I was quite happy with how that one turned out, esp. considering the VSTs that we were allowed to use that month (Synful Orchestra and VSCO Orchestral Percussion). If you want to hear something very different from my usual OSC entries, try "Cooper's Dream"... some Twin Peaks/Noir vibes going on in that one. But I digress...

I'm not a pro audio engineer either, although I was a mix engineer in a local studio a long time ago. Now I just hack away at dub nonsense for fun : ) Like everything, mixing takes some structured practice - If you're not doing it already, using reference tracks to A/B against while mixing or mastering can be very revealing and educational. I still use them (though not as much as I should...) : )

I did a quick search for Jeremy Cubert - is he the guy that plays the Chapman stick? I'll have a listen to some of his stuff later, always good to hear music I wouldn't normally be exposed to.

[rACatkvr]

I'm not sure why you'd want to cut the 1st bar of a 4 bar drum intro? Are you suggesting cutting the intro to 3 bars?

Yes I am.

[neverbeeninariot]

Fair doos. I'd disagree, but horses for courses and all that : )

[rACatkvr]

Fair doos. I'd disagree, but horses for courses and all that : )

My idea is that the 3rd bar leads to the expectation of a 4th and without it there is more of a tension build up. But as you say horses for courses.
BTW did you try my efforts? Because I really want comments on them.

[aaron aardvark]

neverbeeninariot,
Yes, Jeremy Cubert plays Chapman Sticks. That's the main reason I wanted to collaborate with him. He plays keyboards and other instruments too. Both songs ("The Expectation" and "Comprehend Me Now") we did together have Chapman Stick.

[glokraw]

I put a new song in my music website called "You're The One Now"

Happy New Year! And you have tunes to prove it
You're The One Now: Punchy bass intro, crunchy rhythm guitars, multiple guitar tones back and forth, and fun synth solos, a good recipe to avoid genre paralysis! The timing on the various transitions is well done. The dive and growling synth at the finale are a fine way to finish up after an energetic solo. Uniform quality throughout.

To Be My Goal: what a fine ominous intro! Has a 'deathstar-approaching' feel to it. Very orchestral and modern. Then the transitions and backings are varried and unique, as expected. Some of the synth lines and guitar solos might benefit from a volume boost?
The percussion and bass duo are fun. I doubt they are easy to create. And getting the job done, without stealing the show. The vocal leading into the solos is cool, a nice box of tools used to create with.

Hope you're not getting flooded by aerial rivers! We had an arctic party followed by freezing rain, minor damage, but still up and running. The woodstove was great, 15 degrees and howling winds outside, and 85 degrees with hot tea inside A giant Spruce across the street was snapped like a twig by a massive wind gust, took out all the lines, but a firestation down the street meant we had power much faster than the rest of the city. The ISP was not so nimble But having acoustics insured that music was still available. Didn't need the headphones
Cheers

(heres an all U-he tune, background music for cooking or dishwashing etc)

https://youtu.be/Gnh4emHdD3U

https://open.spotify.com/track/4O3W1NbD ... 988ecd4b90

[aaron aardvark]

glokraw,
Thank you for the elaborate reviews, I appreciate it! Just moderate rain where I am at, nothing out of the unusual for the area. Glad your weather related issues were not any worse than they were! Now listening to "A Destination At Peace"; regarding the jet plane photo: I have been into planes for most all of my life. In my previous job, I helped design a a system to boost wing production for the Boeing 737 (I designed no part of the 737 itself). Every 737 assembled since mid 2015 was partially assembled by stuff I helped design; same story with the Poseidon P-8 that is like a military version of a 737 that can take out a submarine. Your song has energy, yet is relaxing at the same time. I liked it! Now listening to "Witness For the Prosecution": sounds kind of trippy, spacey, yet relaxing at the same time.

[aaron aardvark]

rACatkvr,
Sorry about the delay in replying; somehow I missed your entry. Now listening to "4Gavin": parts of it reminded me of the Korean guy Psy that had a huge youtube sensation song, that had over a billion listens: Gangnam Style. Some of the synths are low in volume; I think some Presswerk compression could help the mix? I liked parts of it. Now listening to "A Quiet One": overall, I like this song a bit better, though it's rather bizarre also. I think it could work as background music in a movie; same audio comments as the other song.

[glokraw]

regarding the jet plane photo: I have been into planes for most all of my life. In my previous job, I helped design a a system to boost wing production for the Boeing 737 (I designed no part of the 737 itself). Every 737 assembled since mid 2015 was partially assembled by stuff I helped design; same story with the Poseidon P-8 that is like a military version of a 737 that can take out a submarine.

How ironic that you might make a purchase at the Hollywood Guitar Center, and the guy
processing the sale would have no clue!
My late older brother was one of the world's great pilots, flying Cessna 140/150/172 at age 14, solo rating at 16, and each further rating on the nearest birthday allowed. He flew me flew upside-down over the top of Mount Hood...he wasn't kidding when he said, "Buckle up!"
In the military, they would take their F101 Voodoo's vertical, once away from commercial flight areas. He had a great airline career, semi-retired to Maui, and captained whale-watch tours to pass the time on the waters. The movie 'Jet Lag' is delightful, and the music at the finale may be the happiest/best match ever in a movie score. Off-topic sundries galore, but I enjoy your bio as it unfolds!

[aaron aardvark]

glokraw,
Thank you! I thought I wanted to be a pilot when I was in junior high school, but I know now I am better suited as a mechanical engineer. Back then, there were lots of American pilots that had flown in Viet Nam (was your brother one of them?), and they had lots of expensive jet time. I am a bit prone to motion sickness, so I probably couldn't have handled doing crazy stunts. I like the Top Gun movies a lot. I have a friend of mine that has owned a Cessna 152 (with his father) at age 18, and later bought a Cessna 172. I've flown in his 152 a fair amount, but that was long ago. Pulling negative g's in just a Cessna was very rough on me. I have flown in a biplane from the 1930's once. Flew in a hot air balloon once (scorching hot if you're tall like me). I am into WWII planes the most. That Voodoo was made by McDonnell Douglas: that company gave me some carbon graphite composite: I did a senior project with testing the fatigue strength of that material. Took a tour of the plant in Long Beach (all jetliners when I saw it); really cool; Boeing later bought that. So your brother was in the Air Force or something else?

[glokraw]

Hi. my brother was 3rd in his class at Air Force pilot school, wouldn't brown-nose like the guys above him. Was a member of the Air National Guard. The school was by a bayou in Mississippi, and during night flights, locals would gather by the bayou at the end of the runway, and the pilots would kick in the afterburners on the way by if you flashed some headlights during takeoff The local night insects, birds, amphibians, and wild weather inspire a fair number of my songs. The F-101 was a pair of rocket engines, with tiny stubby wings bolted on, and oddly, many airlines used the size of wings in one's flight experience, as a criteria for hiring, cannons and missiles, not so much. Eventually, Delta Airlines hired him, and the career took off. We did a flyover of the Pebble Beach golf courses at Monterey once, such a beautiful part of the world. Then enjoyed the CanAm races at Laguna Seca, and have some fun driving tunes in the wilds Have you been to the Reno Air Races? Lots of WW II's finest!

https://youtu.be/-qFVKPkhP80

[aaron aardvark]

glokraw,
Since I know virtually nothing about the Air National Guard, I researched that briefly on wikipedia. I have never been to Reno period. But I have gone to roughly a dozen air shows in my life (and various air museums), but never been to an air race; looks pretty cool; looks like they are going quite fast for a prop plane. Those WWII prop planes sound really cool. There is a community of WWII planes in Chino, California not far from where I live. Several times a year, I see WWII fighters, flying in close formation with several planes flying by where I live. Those WWII planes have a distinct sound. I go running outside if I hear them coming. About a year ago, a B-29 flew about 1,000 feet right over my condo; very surprised by that; very rare for a prop plane to get bigger than a B-29. That Cessna friend of mine got a ride in a P-51 once; I watched while I was on the ground. Nowadays, with the airshows I have been to, the WWII planes do less daring stuff compared to airshows I've been to in the 70's. Those planes are getting old; probably more fragile now. I shot this brief video (not sure if it will play for you) at Huntington Beach, California back in September; not sure if it's a F-35 or F-22. In my previous job, helped design a small-ish hoisting assembly for lifting missiles for the F-22's in Hawaii.