KVR Audio

so what · Post by **so what** » Fri May 29, 2020 12:20 pm

@wagtunes

Lifeless is hard to explain. Your song sounds like taking a well made record and putting it through some kind of filter that takes out all the dynamics, richness, fatness, movement, everything from it. It's like looking at thin tissue paper. In short, it was boring to listen to. It just didn't do anything.

This is a good feedback for me, thank you. I will try to find a way to bring a bit more fun then

I'm not sure to be able to convince you since I already did my best to avoid monotony

so what · Post by **so what** » Fri May 29, 2020 12:26 pm

Thank you again for all your comments. I will try to post a new version as soon as I can, probably on Monday.

By the way :

Chicken Tikka Masala is a dish that originated in England, not India...

A lot of stories like this exist around the world. For example, the Döner Kebab is said to have been invented in Germany, not turky. On the contrary, the spritz isn't from Germany, but from... Italy.

ANVILMESA · Post by **ANVILMESA** » Sat May 30, 2020 5:35 pm

Nice track! Perhaps the percussion is a bit poppy and the instrumentals are a bit tame? Best regards!

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Sat May 30, 2020 7:38 pm

I apologize to so what...no one should derail a thread like this was in the music cafe...ftr I removed 22 posts and suspended one...please dont try for more...again, apologies to so what, anymore issues just let me know

Mushy Mushy · Post by **Mushy Mushy** » Sat May 30, 2020 7:41 pm

Yes, my apologies so what.

This does sound really good. Do you perhaps have a reference track against which we could compare? I'm not overly familiar with the genre so it's hard to critique without that background.

so what · Post by **so what** » Sat May 30, 2020 9:39 pm

I don't understand why everyone apologizes, I probably missed something ? Be sure I don't feel offended in any way. But thank you for protecting my precious thread

Perhaps the percussion is a bit poppy and the instrumentals are a bit tame? Best regards!

I'm not sure to understand "poppy and tame" ; do you mean it lacks of character ? Not enough gritty ? It is a bit mainstream old fashioned, yes. I think that's something I have to consider for the next tracks. Thank you !

This does sound really good. Do you perhaps have a reference track against which we could compare? I'm not overly familiar with the genre so it's hard to critique without that background.

Thank you for listening and commenting ! Your question concerning a reference track is hard to answer. I mixed most of my track without any reference because I couldn't think of a good reference track. However, after a while, I felt unsure because I was mixing in an unfamiliar environment. I used two tracks to compare my mix to :

the first one is the one I already posted : Habibi Min Zaman by Balkan Beat Box. I chose it for the nice dynamic range and the exemplar clarity. The kick however isn't specialy upfront - which is a propriety i was after for my track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNXzxQL5tLM

I also used "like it" by Cardi B for approximatively the same reasons. And also because it features a sample as background instruments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTlNMmZKwpA

To answer the second part of your question I couldn't really give you the name of a band doing exactly that (sample traditionnal music + hiphop beat), but there's a few bands or dj mixing traditionnal balkan music with edm or hiphop. In addition to Balkan Beat Box, the german producer Shantel would be a good example of this style. That track for example was probably an unconscious inispiration for my remix :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVWu50_UljI

There's definitively some bands dooing things like me, but I just don't know them ! If I think of someone else I will give you the name

Bansaw · Post by **Bansaw** » Sat May 30, 2020 10:51 pm

When you speak about the lack of compression, do you mean that my mix has too much dynamic range

Yes. In some music like Orchestral its OK to have a lot of dynamic range, but in electronic music generally compression is good. To beef up the low end (kick and bass), look up "new york compression" on Youtube. That adds a nice thickness you can control to the low end.

Heavenly Sounds · Post by **Heavenly Sounds** » Sun May 31, 2020 6:27 am

I think a multibandcompressor could also enhance the the low end but I could be wrong ofcourse.

so what · Post by **so what** » Mon Jun 01, 2020 2:31 pm

Yes. In some music like Orchestral its OK to have a lot of dynamic range, but in electronic music generally compression is good. To beef up the low end (kick and bass), look up "new york compression" on Youtube. That adds a nice thickness you can control to the low end.

I think a multibandcompressor could also enhance the the low end but I could be wrong ofcourse.

Thanks for the precision. !

so what · Post by **so what** » Mon Jun 01, 2020 2:47 pm

Ok, I spent my week end thinking about our feedbacks and trying to enhance the mix and I have to admit that I'm not not able to make a lot better. It's a bit of a deception^^. What I win on one side, I loose on the other. It perhaps mean that I'm at the limit of my actual skill in mixing ? Or that my composition / arrangement isn't perfect and my mix can only bring me so far ?

Anyway. I decided to restrict myself to a only few (hopefully clever) changes.

-I tried to find a balance between more low end and clarity
-a bit more dynamic and groove in the hi-hat (subtle but I think it worth it)
-I used a bit of NY comp on some buses. I'm not sure it's best but it seems a bit better

Unfortunately, I didn't find any remedy to make the song less boring^^. But I think this will be my first priority for my next project ! It's time to finish that one.

Here's the final song :
https://soundcloud.com/user-98227970/so ... ec-remix-1

Heavenly Sounds · Post by **Heavenly Sounds** » Mon Jun 01, 2020 3:03 pm

I do not think its really bad to be honest, sounds good to me. Its not boring in my opinion, its just hard maybe for some people to follow it because they do not understand the lyrics. I do not understand them eitherino, but I think the song has more variation then some of the songs I also heard on here. I think you did a good job!

so what · Post by **so what** » Fri Jun 05, 2020 3:00 pm

Thank you, I appreciate. I share your thoughts about the language. As a french speaker, it's totally normal for me to listen to music without understanding the text, as most of what I heard as a kid was in english. But perhaps is it not so common for you in America / England.

However, I think there's some truth in the criticism too. And I'm not sure my second mix is better than the first one... I have to improve my skills

I thank you all once again for the time you gave to help me

Bye !

Any feedback on my mix ?