Need Help With Trance Project (CD Completed)

[Delta Sign]

Watching tutorials videos can certainly be helpful in the sense that they can give you hints on what kinds of things you have to look into, but they won't help build skill.
Skill is knowledge + experience, as the old saying goes. In my opinion a healthy dose of curiosity also doesn't hurt.
You are not going to learn to play the piano from just watching videos either, if you know what I mean.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, just don't expect to become an expert in any field in a few days, weeks or even years. Just always do the best you can do at a time and you'll improve over time

[wagtunes]

Watching tutorials videos can certainly be helpful in the sense that they can give you hints on what kinds of things you have to look into, but they won't help build skill.
Skill is knowledge + experience, as the old saying goes. In my opinion a healthy dose of curiosity also doesn't hurt.
You are not going to learn to play the piano from just watching videos either, if you know what I mean.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, just don't expect to become an expert in any field in a few days, weeks or even years. Just always do the best you can do at a time and you'll improve over time

Pretty much this. I mean look how many years I've been writing music and I still suck at it.

[vurt]

i disagree.

[wagtunes]

Well, I wasn't going to post this but I realized that if I'm going to get this sounding as good as possible, I'm going to need help as in a few good sets of ears.

The music is done.
The main instrumentation is done.

This is what I'm looking for in feedback

1. Any parts you feel are too sparse as in needing additional bleeps, bloops, whatever.

2. Any parts you feel are too muddy, cluttered, whatever. Basically I'm looking for any EQ problems. Would like to fix as much of this up BEFORE I get to the mastering process. I've already EQ'd this thing to death but you never know. I might have missed something.

3. Any parts you feel need to be brought up/down in volume. On headphones the vocals sound like they could use turning up and yet on the studio monitors they sound fine. So I don't know.

4. Anything else you can think of that I've missed. Naturally, you're free to comment on the song itself (good, bad, whatever) but that's not changing. The song is the song. If you think it sucks, oh well, whatever. I'm happy with it. In fact, I happen to think it's one of my best compositions. But you know, taste and all that.

My goal with this track was not to take a 7 second loop and turn it into a 7 minute song. So this track is an adventure. There is actually very little that repeats and the end is totally un-trance like. I don't even know what sub genre you would put this in. But there are way more than enough Trance elements for this to be considered some kind of Trance, especially after some of the stuff I've listened to on Youtube.

Anyway, here goes. Fire away!

There's No Place Like Home

There's no place like home
There's no place like home

Lost inside a world that is cold and dark
Feeling like a knife's been stabbed through my heart
Searching for the truth that's eluded me
Up ahead my salvation what I see

There's no place like home
There's no place like home

Panic to the left
Panic to the right
Riding on a tornado
Is really quite a fright

All I really need
Is a place to call my own
Guess it's true they say
There's no place like home

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... e-home-wip

Let's start polishing this thing up.

[Distorted Horizon]

Well, I wasn't going to post this but I realized that if I'm going to get this sounding as good as possible, I'm going to need help as in a few good sets of ears.

1. Any parts you feel are too sparse as in needing additional bleeps, bloops, whatever.

I missed the drum track. Meaning percs, snare, hihats..
And transitions from part to another like (noise) sweeps, reversed crashes etc etc fx.

2. Any parts you feel are too muddy, cluttered, whatever. Basically I'm looking for any EQ problems. Would like to fix as much of this up BEFORE I get to the mastering process. I've already EQ'd this thing to death but you never know. I might have missed something.

Can't really comment on this.. Sounds ok in my cans, though I'd have done maybe a bit differently.

3. Any parts you feel need to be brought up/down in volume. On headphones the vocals sound like they could use turning up and yet on the studio monitors they sound fine. So I don't know.

Some things here and there attack quite surprisingly but I think it's because of lack of those transition sounds that make a wait something to be coming.

4. Anything else you can think of that I've missed. Naturally, you're free to comment on the song itself (good, bad, whatever) but that's not changing. The song is the song. If you think it sucks, oh well, whatever. I'm happy with it. In fact, I happen to think it's one of my best compositions. But you know, taste and all that.

I don't know what to say It's definitely not bad. I like it Sounds like you with trance influence.. At some point it had nice psy vibe, and later it sounded like something that would include hobbits?
My brains just jammed and I'm staring at the screen and I don't know what to say

Okay maybe I have something to say about the bass. Maybe some sub layer would be nice and that mid bass could be a bit softer, now it sounds a bit dominating. Though it's just my taste, not a "you need to do it like this".

My goal with this track was not to take a 7 second loop and turn it into a 7 minute song. So this track is an adventure. There is actually very little that repeats and the end is totally un-trance like. I don't even know what sub genre you would put this in. But there are way more than enough Trance elements for this to be considered some kind of Trance, especially after some of the stuff I've listened to on Youtube.

It's definitely an adventure and what genre? No idea.

From what you've posted I think I like this the most Seven and half minutes went fast.

[excuse me please]

This is actually a decent track with some surprising stuff in it. I really like the flow of it. I am not going into details, no time atm, I have to listen to it for a few times. Later!

[wagtunes]

Well, I wasn't going to post this but I realized that if I'm going to get this sounding as good as possible, I'm going to need help as in a few good sets of ears.

1. Any parts you feel are too sparse as in needing additional bleeps, bloops, whatever.

I missed the drum track. Meaning percs, snare, hihats..
And transitions from part to another like (noise) sweeps, reversed crashes etc etc fx.

2. Any parts you feel are too muddy, cluttered, whatever. Basically I'm looking for any EQ problems. Would like to fix as much of this up BEFORE I get to the mastering process. I've already EQ'd this thing to death but you never know. I might have missed something.

Can't really comment on this.. Sounds ok in my cans, though I'd have done maybe a bit differently.

3. Any parts you feel need to be brought up/down in volume. On headphones the vocals sound like they could use turning up and yet on the studio monitors they sound fine. So I don't know.

Some things here and there attack quite surprisingly but I think it's because of lack of those transition sounds that make a wait something to be coming.

4. Anything else you can think of that I've missed. Naturally, you're free to comment on the song itself (good, bad, whatever) but that's not changing. The song is the song. If you think it sucks, oh well, whatever. I'm happy with it. In fact, I happen to think it's one of my best compositions. But you know, taste and all that.

I don't know what to say It's definitely not bad. I like it Sounds like you with trance influence.. At some point it had nice psy vibe, and later it sounded like something that would include hobbits?
My brains just jammed and I'm staring at the screen and I don't know what to say

Okay maybe I have something to say about the bass. Maybe some sub layer would be nice and that mid bass could be a bit softer, now it sounds a bit dominating. Though it's just my taste, not a "you need to do it like this".

My goal with this track was not to take a 7 second loop and turn it into a 7 minute song. So this track is an adventure. There is actually very little that repeats and the end is totally un-trance like. I don't even know what sub genre you would put this in. But there are way more than enough Trance elements for this to be considered some kind of Trance, especially after some of the stuff I've listened to on Youtube.

It's definitely an adventure and what genre? No idea.

From what you've posted I think I like this the most Seven and half minutes went fast.

Thanks for the listen and the feedback.

In regard to the drum track, going on close to 200 trance tunes listened to, I've heard plenty with nothing but a kick. That's what I went with in this track. I guess some of the less dense parts I could add hi hat, cymbals or some sort of additional percussion. I'll give it another listen and see where they'd fit without detracting from what's going on there.

[wagtunes]

This is actually a decent track with some surprising stuff in it. I really like the flow of it. I am not going into details, no time atm, I have to listen to it for a few times. Later!

Thanks for the listen and the feedback. Appreciate it.

[Tj Shredder]

Like your track, diverse and most important different!

In general I would work on balance in the mix and what needs more love is how you work with the space. The kind of repeating base (where the kick resides) seems to be through out pretty dry, then there are different parts which have space mixed in with that remaining dry. That does not give the feeling of a real space, its a bit odd. I would play a lot with a single reverb and mix the sends and the reverb time, but feed everything in...
Maybe draw an emotion curve along the piece, some up and down and adjust the bits accordingly...
The kick sounds a bit muddy for me, could have some smack... But that is a matter of taste...

Thanks for sharing it. I appreciate that...

[wagtunes]

Like your track, diverse and most important different!

In general I would work on balance in the mix and what needs more love is how you work with the space. The kind of repeating base (where the kick resides) seems to be through out pretty dry, then there are different parts which have space mixed in with that remaining dry. That does not give the feeling of a real space, its a bit odd. I would play a lot with a single reverb and mix the sends and the reverb time, but feed everything in...
Maybe draw an emotion curve along the piece, some up and down and adjust the bits accordingly...
The kick sounds a bit muddy for me, could have some smack... But that is a matter of taste...

Thanks for sharing it. I appreciate that...

Okay, you just threw a ton of stuff at me and I have no idea (technically) what you're talking about. Well, almost no idea.

Here's what I got, leaving the kick out as you said it's a matter of taste and I like the way it sounds.

Essentially you're telling me to take my reverb (I am using only one as a send throughout the tracks that have reverb) and adjust the sends and reverb time.

Now, the sends I can obviously adjust differently for each track as far as how much reverb goes to each instrument. But the reverb time itself, if I adjust that on the FX channel, it will be the same reverb time for every track. Maybe that's what you want. I don't know. But let's assume it is. And let's assume that basically I am doing just two things.

1. Adjusting the send level for each track.

2. Adjusting the overall reverb time.

Here's my questions, because I'm not hearing the "problems" that you're hearing.

1. How much send level do I do for each track?
2. How much overall reverb time do I set for the reverb?

Mathematically, there are an infinite number of combinations and possibilities. Where do I start? What do YOU think I need to do? More reverb time? Less reverb time? How much? How much send for each of my 43 tracks?

Do you see where I am going with this? You're sending me down a road that I can be on for months just trying to find the right combination and sends and times that you're happy with, given that I have to rely on your ears since I hear nothing wrong with the reverbs.

And then after I've pleased your vision of how the reverbs should sound, somebody else will say "That's too much reverb" or "That's still not enough reverb" or whatever.

So unless you can give me more specific instructions such as "The pad needs to have the send turned up about 10% and the reverb time has to be increased by 1.5 seconds" I wouldn't even attempt to go down a road that I'll essentially be walking down blind.

I'm sure you can understand that because, on my own, I have no idea where to begin.

[wagtunes]

Okay, I made some significant changes.

1. Added hi hat to certain parts. Really improved the groove there.

2. Against my better judgment, I went in and inspected all the reverb sends and made a number of adjustments. I think the all around space has been improved significantly. I did not touch the reverb time, however. It is still at 2.54 seconds, which I feel is more than enough. But okay, I'll ask. What is the typical reverb time for a Trance track?

Anyway, here is the updated version.

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... e-home-wip

[Distorted Horizon]

What is the typical reverb time for a Trance track?

Can't speak for everyone but I have at least 2 reverb sends. A short that is mostly aimed for drums and one huge/long that is for synths. Then I might have different flavors etc some more modulated or distorted or...

[wagtunes]

What is the typical reverb time for a Trance track?

Can't speak for everyone but I have at least 2 reverb sends. A short that is mostly aimed for drums and one huge/long that is for synths. Then I might have different flavors etc some more modulated or distorted or...

But then doesn't that defeat the purpose of having everything in the same space?

[vurt]

What is the typical reverb time for a Trance track?

Can't speak for everyone but I have at least 2 reverb sends. A short that is mostly aimed for drums and one huge/long that is for synths. Then I might have different flavors etc some more modulated or distorted or...

But then doesn't that defeat the purpose of having everything in the same space?

but in a space you have different depths.
think of a band. drummer further back than the others but closer to the wall...
its about adding depth to the space.

track sounds good. as distorted horizon said, it sounds like you with trance influence.
still cant say im fond of the vocaloid sound, but it does work a little better in this kind of arena.

mix sounds pretty good really, are there things that could be done differently? of course, but like the kick they are a matter of taste.
im sure trance experts can find more faults than i, but i like the way you've just took trance elements rather than creating a psy or goa or hard style type track. you've allowed yourself to be influenced by something that was pretty alien to you until recently, and you've done a good job

onwards and upwards. but take five mins to enjoy the feeling

[wagtunes]

What is the typical reverb time for a Trance track?

Can't speak for everyone but I have at least 2 reverb sends. A short that is mostly aimed for drums and one huge/long that is for synths. Then I might have different flavors etc some more modulated or distorted or...

But then doesn't that defeat the purpose of having everything in the same space?

but in a space you have different depths.
think of a band. drummer further back than the others but closer to the wall...
its about adding depth to the space.

track sounds good. as distorted horizon said, it sounds like you with trance influence.
still cant say im fond of the vocaloid sound, but it does work a little better in this kind of arena.

mix sounds pretty good really, are there things that could be done differently? of course, but like the kick they are a matter of taste.
im sure trance experts can find more faults than i, but i like the way you've just took trance elements rather than creating a psy or goa or hard style type track. you've allowed yourself to be influenced by something that was pretty alien to you until recently, and you've done a good job

onwards and upwards. but take five mins to enjoy the feeling

Yeah, I get what you're saying about the different depths in a mix. In that respect I think I've managed that with the rework.

But would you say, put a plate reverb on a kick and at the same time put a hall reverb on a pad in the same track? Wouldn't that clash?