Feedback for what I can do different

[Guy Produce]

I have made a Tech-House style track, but haven't started with the mixing yet. I want general feedback of what I can do better, but all feedback is of course appreciated! Thanks!
https://soundcloud.com/0scito/tech-house/s-IPl10

[wagtunes]

My Feedback

Music - 7
Instruments - 7
Performance - 7
Mix - 6

Overall - 6.75

Comments: Think about this logically. You say you haven't started mixing yet. So what I'm hearing is just the raw tracks with nothing on them. So the answer to your question as to what you can do better is everything. Mix it first and THEN ask us what you can do to improve the mix. Right now, it's just dull and lifeless. But that's to be expected since you haven't mixed it yet. Mix it and then post the update. My scores are on the track as is.

[Bansaw]

2:40 that lead pluck needs to be mixed at a louder level, as does the pad just following it.
But you have the basis of a good song. Good beat, good bass.

[Guy Produce]

2:40 that lead pluck needs to be mixed at a louder level, as does the pad just following it.
But you have the basis of a good song. Good beat, good bass.

Thank you! Im not 100% sure if I should use that pad or not, even tho I think a pad there should be good, I just don't like the sound of it. I have made it myself so therefore it doesn't sound that great Thanks for the feedback, appreciated!

[Guy Produce]

My Feedback

Music - 7
Instruments - 7
Performance - 7
Mix - 6

Overall - 6.75

Comments: Think about this logically. You say you haven't started mixing yet. So what I'm hearing is just the raw tracks with nothing on them. So the answer to your question as to what you can do better is everything. Mix it first and THEN ask us what you can do to improve the mix. Right now, it's just dull and lifeless. But that's to be expected since you haven't mixed it yet. Mix it and then post the update. My scores are on the track as is.

Thank you for your feedback Im have really no experience with mixing, so this will be fun! Do you have any specific tips on mixing this track? Appreciated

[wagtunes]

My Feedback

Music - 7
Instruments - 7
Performance - 7
Mix - 6

Overall - 6.75

Comments: Think about this logically. You say you haven't started mixing yet. So what I'm hearing is just the raw tracks with nothing on them. So the answer to your question as to what you can do better is everything. Mix it first and THEN ask us what you can do to improve the mix. Right now, it's just dull and lifeless. But that's to be expected since you haven't mixed it yet. Mix it and then post the update. My scores are on the track as is.

Thank you for your feedback Im have really no experience with mixing, so this will be fun! Do you have any specific tips on mixing this track? Appreciated

Mixing tips. It took me 42 years to get half way decent at this. The best advice I can give you is to watch some tutorials on mixing. A great place to start is with this guy.

https://www.youtube.com/user/WarrenHuartRecording

He made the biggest difference in my mixing of anybody on the Internet. Watch as many videos of his as you can on mixing tips. Unfortunately, there is just too much involved in getting a decent mix for me to just give you a few "tips." I'll be typing for 4 hours. So start with Warren Huart and then ask questions about anything you don't understand.

[Benedict]

"I have made it myself so therefore it doesn't sound that great" - Just because you made it, it must be bad! This is the #1 thing to be fixing. Having a negative bias for your self & work can't lead to good places. Your mix is your mix and you need the confidence to make your mix YOU.

The track sounds fine as it is. So what do you think needs to be different? Are there particular things that you don't think your mix has expressed from your musical idea?

Often people think that mixing will make a track that is a bit incomplete (or lacking story) develop a magical Pro-ness. This is not the way real music works. Get the story, express that in the notes, sounds etc and then mix/present them so that all the parts are heard in the way that the story needs. If the story is compelling, the right people will key into it.

My impressions: I like the first few seconds as that is an arresting start. It goes flat for a while, then settles into that House loop thing. The sounds are all fine and par for the course. The vocal sample may be a bit "dry". I am dying for a melody & melodic development but that seems to be verboten in House so... The mix is warm which is nice. You might consider some extra brightness/presence in some sections but that has the possible outcome of losing some of the warmth so that is a personal choice. The ending seems very un-thought as it is "cold" which seems to make no sense. Even just a pad to ease it out is less shock.

You could ask someone else to mix but don't think their mix is immediately better than yours (or worse because it sounds different). I do some Mix videos so if you are open to having your track mixed and discussed, have a look at my Tutorials and YouTube.

[Guy Produce]

"I have made it myself so therefore it doesn't sound that great" - Just because you made it, it must be bad! This is the #1 thing to be fixing. Having a negative bias for your self & work can't lead to good places. Your mix is your mix and you need the confidence to make your mix YOU.

The track sounds fine as it is. So what do you think needs to be different? Are there particular things that you don't think your mix has expressed from your musical idea?

Often people think that mixing will make a track that is a bit incomplete (or lacking story) develop a magical Pro-ness. This is not the way real music works. Get the story, express that in the notes, sounds etc and then mix/present them so that all the parts are heard in the way that the story needs. If the story is compelling, the right people will key into it.

My impressions: I like the first few seconds as that is an arresting start. It goes flat for a while, then settles into that House loop thing. The sounds are all fine and par for the course. The vocal sample may be a bit "dry". I am dying for a melody & melodic development but that seems to be verboten in House so... The mix is warm which is nice. You might consider some extra brightness/presence in some sections but that has the possible outcome of losing some of the warmth so that is a personal choice. The ending seems very un-thought as it is "cold" which seems to make no sense. Even just a pad to ease it out is less shock.

You could ask someone else to mix but don't think their mix is immediately better than yours (or worse because it sounds different). I do some Mix videos so if you are open to having your track mixed and discussed, have a look at my Tutorials and YouTube.

Thank you for nice feedback! I have been unclear about "I have made it myself so therefore it doesn't sound that great", what I meant to say was that I made it, and I don't think it sounds that great (Not because I made it ), but better than any presets I could find.

Anyways Tech-House is about the beat and groove and perhaps not so much melody, but I feel it could be kinda dull without it, therefore I introduced an arp and a "counter melody" pluck after the first drop. I agree that it should end smoother. In an extended house mix, there is usually 33 bars (1 minute), of intro, this could just be a kick and a clap, and some other elements that appeals to the track.

I would love to watch my track be mixed by you! I saw your youtube page and it looked good I just have to arrange stuff and add that 33 bars in the intro and outro, then I could send the stems to you

[JCJR]

It has a bit of funk in the feel. Not the same but parts somehow remind a kraftwerk minimalist funk feel.

Yer song morphs enough to hold my short attention span.

Modifying music based on other folks advice-- Maybe a certain change could make some folks like a song more wheras that same change makes other folks like the song less?

We need to determine which factors make people like a song. Avoid messing with whatever is already "likeable". Maybe some people know how to figure that out but I don't know how.

[Benedict]

I do some Mix videos so if you are open to having your track mixed and discussed, have a look at my Tutorials and YouTube.

Thank you for nice feedback! I have been unclear about "I have made it myself so therefore it doesn't sound that great", what I meant to say was that I made it, and I don't think it sounds that great (Not because I made it ), but better than any presets I could find.

Anyways Tech-House is about the beat and groove and perhaps not so much melody, but I feel it could be kinda dull without it, therefore I introduced an arp and a "counter melody" pluck after the first drop. I agree that it should end smoother. In an extended house mix, there is usually 33 bars (1 minute), of intro, this could just be a kick and a clap, and some other elements that appeals to the track.

I would love to watch my track be mixed by you! I saw your youtube page and it looked good I just have to arrange stuff and add that 33 bars in the intro and outro, then I could send the stems to you
[/quote]

I'd be happy to. Let me know when you are ready.

I understand about the Mix Breaks - intro-outro stuff. We had it all in the 12" Hi-NRG material in the 80s. Just be aware that while people (me included) did get and listen to the 12" mixes there was usually a 7" mix for general consumption on radio etc for audiences not used to the technical requirements that weren't part of the song. Even so, when those 12" mixes were well done, the mix breaks and "exposes" (those melodic parts at the start for lacing) worked really well.

https://youtu.be/wRzpVKfzsEc

As for melody. I get that genres start to define rigid rules, but it is generally those who step past them who define something new. If melody is truly unusable then find ways to use other parts to create a narrative. Front 242 did it very well with this track which has no standard Rock structure at all but is compelling. Not that I am saying you want to do this in House. It is just the feeling that things create a flow to the story.

https://youtu.be/YW6kBRCWpJo

[Benedict]

Here's the Mix and explanation

https://youtu.be/xPA1tPHcOm4

[Guy Produce]

Here's the Mix and explanation

https://youtu.be/xPA1tPHcOm4

Wow! This really is cool Appreciate your time and effort! You really are good at mixing Learned much from watching this!

[Benedict]

Thanks.

The offer is open to others too. I do one of these every now and then when I encounter something that I like and that I think will make good information for many in the path to better success.

Interestingly the most common answer I get when I offer to do this for someone is "no". This puts you ahead of most then Guy Keep at it and stay in touch. You never know what comes up in life and if I suddenly need a Deep House person...