drumnbass.be forum » Production » Production questions & answers » What's wrong with this release? What's wrong with this release? Author Post RedWormAudio Tourist Registration Date: 23-12-2010 Posts: 18 Hey guys, Time for you lot to do your favourite thing... point out and criticise what's wrong. Anyway, this is the track: http://soundcloud.com/redwormaudio/jackal-night-mixed-mastered-redworm (Battledrone: Fixed broken link) I want to hear everything you think is wrong in regards to mix, master or composition. But primarily the former. ... Some things that are good might be nice to hear too . But not as important! I'm hoping to get some extra knowledge, experience and to be aware of how I need to improve. Thank you for any time you can give. Oli. 26-12-2010 21:32 BattleDrone 2161... the future. Registration Date: 30-12-2005 Posts: 6,413 Helpfulness rating:  The bass is on the boring side with the constant long notes. They cause a constant pressure on the ears which feels like a relief when it disappears. Too much church organ. Church organ isn' t very DnB, I like it a bit out of the box, but church organ is right into the boring box. The piano notes are soo loud they take up all the space and the vocals and the break are so much in the back of the mix that it doesn't feel good at all. Also the piano seems so compressed that the person playing it must have used a hammer to smack it this loud. The hard slow piano combined with the slow long bass notes give the tune zero drive. And the amen is a pretty safe choice. I'm not a fan of the glitchy pitchy vocals, but that's a question of taste and so it isn't "wrong". Near the end the bass comes to life which is so much better. __ Check my soundcloud (exclusive tracks on there) 26-12-2010 23:03 RedWormAudio Tourist Registration Date: 23-12-2010 Posts: 18 Perfect. Just what I was looking for. Thank you. I can hear what you mean too. Specially about the Piano taking out the drive from the rest. Perfect. I think I'll also put the LFO bass in the first bit with the break as well as the end. So that it hits with the amen both times. Then think of something even more kick-ass right for the end. But maybe the delay on the kit provides enough variation? We'll see! I'll defs automate the piano and add some expression also. Someone else said my mids sounded flat. What do you think? Thank you very much for your help! Oli p.s. Thanks for the post on hearing. I've had some problems myself (at the age of 18, woo hoo!) and it has really highlighted the fact I need to do something about it! 26-12-2010 23:49 Ciaran Cool Steppa Registration Date: 25-04-2009 Posts: 248 Helpfulness rating:  Well done on uploading that. It can be difficult to take criticism! Your bass, as stated, is rather monotonous. I'd advise that you either turn the volume down on it/EQ the bass a bit, or that you use long bass notes sparingly. Think about it bro; what's more interesting to listen to: a piano composition by Beethoven, or a collection of the same piano chords repeated over and over again?? I'm sure you know the answer.. so get some variation and use shorter notes, and change them a little every now and then. The bass will have a repeating pattern of course, but there should be variations that make it interesting. It's not dNb, but here's a cool tune with ace bass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4W3jIkq2hw simple yet cool bass, needs some variation though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMNYi6Di_A8 Oh yeah, do you know piano keys/scales? (e.g. E major, A minor, etc)? I'll teach you 'em if you wish. Seriously, using a key HELPS A LOT when you're makin' a tune. __ CtMc 06-01-2011 19:35 RedWormAudio Tourist Registration Date: 23-12-2010 Posts: 18 Thanks for your help! Yeah some people on these forums are dicks! But hey, it's a good way to learn - one of the best ways I think actually! Like the most recent mixes I did I really though a lot more about what I wanted and what I was doing. So it's already made a valuable impact on me after only one post! But yeah having heard both these comments I can hear what you guys mean about the bass now. I like the idea of rolling off some of the lows, should allow for some relief to the listener! Maybe a high pass very slightly and gently sweeping the low frequencies could be an idea. I'll give that a shot. I'll also write some variations for it. Like note length variations or maybe little ghost notes or 7ths leading into the notes. Thank kinda thing. I do know scales, not many. I sometimes work things out on a guitar. Like I know if I'm playing a scale or not, or what type of scale I'm doing. But I wouldn't be able to say the name of it. If that makes sense. But if you want to tell me what you know I'd be more than open! PM me or something? And thanks for the links to the tracks. Cool to hear other influences. Thanks. Thanks alot for your post, I really do find critical input very valuable. So thank you. Oli. p.s I'm also fishing around for unpaid work experience/placements at studios in London. So if you know of any that would be willing to take me then any information would be very happily received! 11-01-2011 01:55 Ciaran Cool Steppa Registration Date: 25-04-2009 Posts: 248 Helpfulness rating:  haha yeah.. dicks n' bass!! sounds a bit gay actually.. anyway, moving on! What's a 'ghost' note? Just a quieter one? I'd help you with the London thang, but I live in Wales ha ha. Anyway, 2 formulas/patterns I used to work out the scales (quicker than writing them all out). I'm gonna assume that you know the keys on the keyboard are A to G. Minor: 'nxxn'xnnn'xxnx' n = note, x = ignore So if you wanted the key of E minor, then you'd start off by looking to E, which is an 'n'. move up to the F and it is an 'x', meaning it isn't included. move up to the F#, that's also an 'x'. move up to the G, that is 'n' - therefore it is included. You have worked out the first 2 notes in the scale of E minor, using nxxn. Continue to do so using the rest of the formula!! Major: nxnx'nnxn'xnxn' __ CtMc 11-01-2011 02:05 RedWormAudio Tourist Registration Date: 23-12-2010 Posts: 18 Haha. Dicks'n'Bass! Classic! But yeah I get what you mean. The whole tone, tone, semitone thing. Nicer looking at it with nxx's though for some reason. I like it! N OMFGZ, I'm in Wales too! Weird coincidence! Carmarthenshire area. Do you have a studio?! 11-01-2011 02:31 Impact Wicked Producer Registration Date: 29-08-2010 Posts: 439 Helpfulness rating:  it was me who said the mids sounded flat. and they do, on my monitors. __ Quality DNB clothing Co founder of Instinct Audio ImpactMastering: Affordable Digital Mastering/Mixing service 11-01-2011 09:18 Ciaran Cool Steppa Registration Date: 25-04-2009 Posts: 248 Helpfulness rating:  nah.. my bedroom suffices though ha ha __ CtMc 11-01-2011 17:16 drumnbass.be forum » Production » Production questions & answers » What's wrong with this release?