Wagtunes Production Music

[swartzfeger]

This is very important to me, so please. Be as brutal as you need to be. Hopefully, with each suggestion, I can improve over time. And maybe I won't improve. As somebody said in another thread, maybe I'm never going to be any good at doing this. But at least I'm going to try.

Thank you for listening and your support.

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... -mysteries

There's great stuff there, and some stuff that doesn't work... just like a lot of professional stuff that I hear. I would only echo a lot of the constructive stuff that was already said here so I'm just going to part with some general thoughts...

Please keep doing this. Music matters. Your music matters to others, and more importantly matters to you. "Good" is relative... I was a prog rock guy for many, many years and could play more notes in more odd time signatures than I could shake a stick at... and I'm sure if my old band mates heard the ambient stuff I'm writing now, they would probably think it's sh*t. Good is relative.

We all need to remember the 10,000 hour rule. Keep writing, keep sharing, keep putting yourself out there. I heard too many good things in your track to think you're never gonna be good. You're ahead of 95% of everybody else because you're writing.

I don't believe in the "innate talent" BS. Inspiration is work. Writing is work. We only get better by writing, and YOU'RE WRITING!

Thanks for sharing Wag

[wagtunes]

This is very important to me, so please. Be as brutal as you need to be. Hopefully, with each suggestion, I can improve over time. And maybe I won't improve. As somebody said in another thread, maybe I'm never going to be any good at doing this. But at least I'm going to try.

Thank you for listening and your support.

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... -mysteries

There's great stuff there, and some stuff that doesn't work... just like a lot of professional stuff that I hear. I would only echo a lot of the constructive stuff that was already said here so I'm just going to part with some general thoughts...

Please keep doing this. Music matters. Your music matters to others, and more importantly matters to you. "Good" is relative... I was a prog rock guy for many, many years and could play more notes in more odd time signatures than I could shake a stick at... and I'm sure if my old band mates heard the ambient stuff I'm writing now, they would probably think it's sh*t. Good is relative.

We all need to remember the 10,000 hour rule. Keep writing, keep sharing, keep putting yourself out there. I heard too many good things in your track to think you're never gonna be good. You're ahead of 95% of everybody else because you're writing.

I don't believe in the "innate talent" BS. Inspiration is work. Writing is work. We only get better by writing, and YOU'RE WRITING!

Thanks for sharing Wag

Thanks Swartz. This was really nice to read. I assure you, after doing music for most of my life, I'll never stop writing and putting myself out there.

[Michael L]

^^^. Audio Hijack is software that records any audio entering your computer, such as tracks from a production music website. Demo available.
Reference track is simply someone else's library music that you think is mixed better than yours, AND you want to improve by comparing that track and yours (rather than trial and error).
MetricAB from PA is software that compares your track and that reference track across various mixing parameters, so you can mix your track to have characteristics of that track. Demo available, and tutorial videos.
This process is focused on mixing, but by going over the mix you learn other things by osmosis.
If that works for you, give it a go. But there are many Ways to do what Etienne suggested (analyse the best...) This may not be Your Way.

[wagtunes]

^^^. Audio Hijack is software that records any audio entering your computer, such as tracks from a production music website. Demo available.
Reference track is simply someone else's library music that you think is mixed better than yours, AND you want to improve by comparing that track and yours (rather than trial and error).
MetricAB from PA is software that compares your track and that reference track across various mixing parameters, so you can mix your track to have characteristics of that track. Demo available, and tutorial videos.
This process is focused on mixing, but by going over the mix you learn other things by osmosis.
If that works for you, give it a go. But there are many Ways to do what Etienne suggested (analyse....) This may not be Your Way.

Let me look into it and first see what the cost is going to be. Right now, funds are a little tight.

** EDIT ** Just looked up Audio Hijack. It only runs on MAC. I'm on PC.

Will Audacity work? I have that.

** EDIT ** Just looked up Audacity. It won't do what I need it to do. And MetricAB is $199.

I think I'm going to pass on this for now at least until I start making some money.

[Michael L]

^^^ You may not need it. You have good ears. FYI There is also online info, eg
https://www.soundonsound.com/music-busi ... sic-part-1

[wagtunes]

^^^ You may not need it. You have good ears. FYI There is also online info, eg
https://www.soundonsound.com/music-busi ... sic-part-1

Hey, if there's something out there that can help me, I'm not against getting it. I've spent 10s of thousands of dollars on everything I have as it is. Just right now money's a little tight.

[Michael L]

That 4-part SOS series on the production music business is free.

[CrystalWizard]

I like it, esp the 2nd version. I thinks it’s hard to be exact about cues and stuff. That is just being preppared to remix multiple times, cutting or adding something specific after someone expresses interest. As long as you are composing with an eye to doing serious changes when needed, or making a few versions then i think you are on the right path.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

^^^. Audio Hijack is software that records any audio entering your computer, such as tracks from a production music website. Demo available.
Reference track is simply someone else's library music that you think is mixed better than yours, AND you want to improve by comparing that track and yours (rather than trial and error).
MetricAB from PA is software that compares your track and that reference track across various mixing parameters, so you can mix your track to have characteristics of that track. Demo available, and tutorial videos.
This process is focused on mixing, but by going over the mix you learn other things by osmosis.
If that works for you, give it a go. But there are many Ways to do what Etienne suggested (analyse....) This may not be Your Way.

Let me look into it and first see what the cost is going to be. Right now, funds are a little tight.

** EDIT ** Just looked up Audio Hijack. It only runs on MAC. I'm on PC.

Will Audacity work? I have that.

** EDIT ** Just looked up Audacity. It won't do what I need it to do. And MetricAB is $199.

I think I'm going to pass on this for now at least until I start making some money.

You could wait for a PA sale, or keep an eye out for it in the sell & buy forum. But as I said in another reply to you, Melda has something similar - MCompare.

https://www.meldaproduction.com/MCompare

Much cheaper, and will always come around every so often at half-price. Not as pretty, but will do the job. Seems some advantages and disadvantages to either program. I'd suggest demoing both.

And I'm sure WIndows has options for ripping system audio. I'd be surprised if there wasn't some free options.

[donkey tugger]

Will Audacity work? I have that.

** EDIT ** Just looked up Audacity. It won't do what I need it to do.

Ere yer go;

https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/tut ... tml#wasapi

[wagtunes]

Just got up. Thanks for all the tips guys. Will check out Melda as I have a bunch of their stuff already.

[telecode]

Enjoyment is the sign of a good fit between that industry and you
You can reduce trial&error by ripping some "reference" library tracks in your genre using Audio Hijack, and then comparing those reference tracks with yours using MetricAB. I do that. It can be quite eye-opening!!

Is the goal of comparing to a reference track to match the mix and Sonic spectrum to other tracks in music library or is the goal to adjust arrangements, chords, writing to other tracks in the library?

If the latter, I think he should go with his initial instincts and try to aim for making his music as individualistic and original and like no one else's in library. I.e. aim for a specific use where he has an advantage over others.

Wag.. keep your head into how someone who is working on a film based project is thinking. They just spent maybe 6 or 12 months working on this thing. The last thing they want to do is jepordize it by digging into a cesspool of generic music that may have been used in other works. The end result is , their film work is competing for limited eyeballs and attention span of viewer. Using music that can be easily linked to another work always carries the great risk that the viewer will be lost while watching the work and their mind will go off into "where have I heard this before? Is sounds so familiar?". Once that happens you just undermined your entire work.

The other thing to keep in mind is, creative people are quasi small business owners and operators. They also know other creative people and how to reach other creative.people and they usually offload work amongst themselves. It's no different than if you were to want to release a CD and the first person you turn to is a graphic designer you already known who is in your immediate circle of aquantances or in your oommunity.

So.. spinning out generic stuff .. there is a good chance they will already know.someone who can spew it out. What they won't have is highly specific stuff that can be directly linked to the artwork they are making.

For example, someone making a doc about Quakers or Mormons... They will be very easily able to find someone who can give them moody synth pad incidental music that's original for the work they are making and most probably at a very good or even free price. What they can't find easily is going to be highly specific music that links to the narrative text in the film work . E.g. original Mormon music from the late 1800s and stuff like that.. So if you happen to be the one that knows what that is and how to make it...you probably got a client.

I say go original and dig into your own influences and.personality to find a voice that is distinctive.

[SmartCat]

If you have Ozone 8 or better the O2N2/3 bundle, you already are more than covered with what was suggested above.

[Etienne1973]

I say go original and dig into your own influences and.personality to find a voice that is distinctive.

But don't re-invent the wheel. It's a trap. Agree or disagree?

[wagtunes]

@Telecode & @Etienne1973

My mother, God rest her soul, used to say to me, "To Thine Own Self Be True."

I'm going to be me. If people like it, great. If they don't like it, that's okay too. If I try to conform to what I "think" will make me successful, I'll end up doing nothing worth anything anyway.

So while I appreciate and respect both of your advice, I'm going to do just that, be me and let the chips fall where they may.