"Interstellar" Original Mix Preview

[ultimaaudio]

Hey all!

I'm new to the forums, but have been a lmms user for a while now. I wanted to share the preview of my first trance track with you all. I would love to have as much feedback and constructive criticism as you are willing to provide. Please also note that this track is not finished atm. Thanks!

https://soundcloud.com/forerunn3r/inter ... iginal-mix

[diiz]

Ok it's a good start, you have the basic concepts well in hand here. Mixing is pretty good already, although the sound does come off a bit "stuffy" - you could use a bit more room and space in the mixing.

The sounds are ok, but a bit dull - you could do much more with them. For instance the beginning with just the bassline is kinda boring, nothing much happens there, it's kind of like the track is just idling and doesn't really build up tension well. At 0:30 you introduce a pretty nice saw, but it's a bit too static in both melodically and soundwise, I can hear some filter modulation there but the effect is a bit weak, you should do a proper filter sweep that gives it that signature "emerging from underwater" sound, that fits good in trance.

The next lead that starts at 0:42 is maybe a bit too loud, and it's also way too simplistic, sounds more like a chiptune lead - and I have nothing against mixing genres, I love mixing chiptune sounds in trance/psy tracks myself, but they should be done in a way that they compliment the track and introduce something interesting to it. If you really want to mix in chip sounds, try doing some c64-like fast arps, play around with those. On the other hand, if you just wanted to do a soft lead, you should introduce some more character to the sound, fatten it up a bit - add some detuning, maybe some harmonics, something to make the sound come "alive".

The melody is nice enough although a bit nondescript, you could add a bit more variation to it, reach a bit higher with it... composing melodies is pretty much all about build-up and release, and there's not much of a release here yet - the track builds up somewhat to the end, it teases but doesn't deliver. The last segment is a pretty good lull, it's a good segment for building up the anticipation, for basing a big build-up on, you just need to fix the sounds a bit and make them more interesting. Grow the tension there, get the drums going, build them up, then wham, bring it up to the max, full energy, that sort of thing.

It's definitely a good start here, needs more work but keep going, I'll look forward to seeing what you'll do with this.

[ultimaaudio]

Thanks for the lengthy review diiz. I can see what you mean with the melody maybe being a bit too simplistic and all. I'll continue my work on it. It really helps me to have a second opinion, thanks again.

[brandystarbrite]

Interesting sounds and music track.
There is definitely alot you can do with this track though.

Personally, I found the start up to be pretty interesting.

27 to 28 the transition into the drums then into the clash was to unexpected yet abrupt.
In other words, 1 to 26 secs does not seem to go hand in hand with 27 to 28 secs.
I almost thought, this was 2 different music tracks from the way it sounded.
Was a piece of the song cut away or removed?
The rapid beating drum melody from 27 secs to 28 secs makes it sound like, if you put two different music tracks together and they sound as if, they don't go hand in hand with the 1 secs to 26 secs start up of the song.

Suggestion:
1)Make the drums build up earlier in the song then climax at 27 to 28 secs or earlier. etc.

2) Or,.... if you desire, Play around/move around the drum notes, in the piano roll to make the short rapid drum melody at (27 to 28 secs) sound as if it's part of the start up of the song from (1 to 26 secs.)



29 to 41 secs the back ground melody is nice.

But again, the synth sound from 42 secs is nice, but.... comes in to unexpected and abruptly again, making it sound as if the synth is out of place in this sound track.
Try to find a way to ease in or blend in the synth melody with the music that comes before it.
It makes it sound as if piece of the sound track is missing between 41 to 42 secs.

56 secs to 57 secs, the synth melody, sounds like if it's not a part of, or continuing from the synth melody played from 42 secs to 56 secs. Again making it sound out of place with the synth sound before it.
Lots of work needed there.

You have many nice melodies and ideas in this song.

A good bit of work needs to be done.

My suggestion is not to give up on this music track.
You have something good going for you.
You have a good grasp of what it takes to make a good Trance music song track. Yay!
You have a good music track here.

Work harder to solve these simple problems.
Yes, the problems in the track are simple ones, not difficult advanced problems.
Lucky you.

Sorry if I sounded too critical of your sound track.

But all in all, it sounded pretty good so far.
Keep up the good work.
I'll be back to hear the finished version.
LaterZ.

PS: Sorry for the longish post.

[ultimaaudio]

Thanks for the reply Brandy. Sorry it's taken me a while to respond, I didn't realize anyone else had posted to this topic.

I'm working through Rick Snoman's video tutorials on producing uplifting trance, and I have to say that they are the best tuts I've come across in terms of getting down the fundamentals. He really goes deep into each technique, and I feel that my next preview will be much superior.

Again, thanks for the tips. They are much appreciated!

[ultimaaudio]

I still have a ways to go, but I thought I would share this preview of another mix I'm in the middle of.

https://soundcloud.com/forerunn3r/untit ... ce-project