tookatooka
2155 posts
Feb 18, 2011
3:41 PM
|
Another track I've been working on. Got the basics down, just need to make some space for the harp.
Jean Michelle Jarre walks into a Blues Bar and ...... Well the soundfile says it all really.
Sorry to all the Blues purists out there, you got to share and share alike.
----------
Last Edited by on Feb 19, 2011 8:21 AM
|
didjcripey
38 posts
Feb 18, 2011
4:13 PM
|
You're right, I didn't like it; but it did make me laugh and its a clever concept, well executed. I used to be a Jean Michelle Jarre fan (what was I smoking back then?!) and can appreciate the tribute.
----------
Lucky Lester
|
phogi
512 posts
Feb 18, 2011
11:57 PM
|
You are right. A suggestion:
This kind of music requires more variation on a large and small scale. Minimalism is driven by subtle changes that occur within phrases, and holds interest with changes that are more drastic that occur over large sections.
Check out the three big minimalism guys: Steve Reich, Phillip Glass, and John Adams.
Also, techno music has ALOT of stuff going on in it to keep it interesting. Your work already shows some knowledge of this.
Also, actually play the parts. Don't just rely on an arpegiator. That to me is the biggest thing. There is no variation in the velocity in many of the parts.
As for the ultra happy, while I don't like it, I do think it's kinda cool.
But the only reason I listened all the way through was so that I could give you some decent feedback. Where did you loose me? At the first pitch sliding sound effect. Makes me think of things I want to break.
Lastly, you may find it useful to explore other chord progressions.
Keep it up Tooka, this one is better than the last, and I'm curious what the next one will sound like.
|
tookatooka
2156 posts
Feb 19, 2011
7:45 AM
|
@didcripey. Thanks.
@phogi. Thanks a lot for your valuable contribution, it means a lot to me that you took the time to listen to the piece and comment. Some of the guys on here have given me some good pointers and advice and I had tried to incorporate some of that advice where I felt I could.
You are right about the lack of variation on velocity, this is something I will address. I did play with the velocity settings on the snares but missed almost every other instrument. Well spotted and thanks.
I didn't use the arpegiator though, I was tempted but saw it as a sort of cop-out. I did play (program) each instrument but once again the lack of velocity may be what made it sound like an arpegiator.
Variation too is something I need to get to grips with but I'm not sure how to go about that yet. It's still all rather new to me.
At the moment, I just need to make a six minute soundtrack for a video project I'm working on. When you have six minutes to fill with interesting stuff it seems quite a daunting prospect. I may have been able to satisfy normal expectations by condensing what I had, down to three minutes.
Yeah chord progressions is my next hurdle. I have very limited musical knowledge (apart from the little bits I picked up learning the harp) so I only know some of the easier blues progressions at the moment. As I make progress this will come and believe it or not, I'd also like to be able to use some of the black notes to play some minor music but I've only used the white notes so far.
Thanks for your comments phogi. It has given me a lot to think about and work on. It is much appreciated.
I'm enjoying this. I have a natural tendency towards technical matters rather than musicality. Seeing some of the tools available to musicians now, I thinks it's difficult to imagine there are many musicians who have the technical know-how or desire to get to grips with a lot of todays technology. Unfortunately for the public (and others) you may only get to hear it from a geek who has a limited musical knowledge.
----------
----------
Last Edited by on Feb 19, 2011 8:28 AM
|
thechangingcolors
41 posts
Feb 19, 2011
9:36 AM
|
it needs some "ye hees!"
|
tookatooka
2157 posts
Feb 19, 2011
10:18 AM
|
You obviously didn't listen to it right to the end. Deduct one merit point.
----------
|
thechangingcolors
42 posts
Feb 19, 2011
10:20 AM
|
it needs more "ye hees!"
|
KingoBad
618 posts
Feb 19, 2011
10:35 AM
|
I did like the boogie-woogie section very much. I wished you had upped the percussion with it.
I think that - like live looping - no one wants to sit around while you build up your layers. It gets nice and complex, but I guess I would rather have some variation on the musical ideas. This would probably be solved through singing or an added solo instrument i suppose.
I did like the percussion breaks. They added to the dynamics of the piece. Maybe you could try backing in and out of your layers with some volume changes for more dynamic movement. Either build it up, take it down, startle us, something to make us want to stay with you for the whole song.
I think the 12 bar format delivered in a mechanical fashion can be cool but can be monotinous, and it can lose the fun if it stays on the rails.
Perhaps you could throw in a funky section? (just an idea)
I do like how it is progressing!
|
tookatooka
2158 posts
Feb 19, 2011
12:20 PM
|
Thanks very much Kingo. I'm noting all these great suggestions. Hopefully I'll be able to build some of them into my next piece.
By the way I realised I posted a version which had a channel turned way too low. I've fixed it now and there is more variety in this version than the previous one. Very many thanks. Oh! I also tweaked the percussion a bit.
----------
|
Hobostubs Ashlock
1399 posts
Feb 19, 2011
3:06 PM
|
this reminds me of alot of the stuff on acid planet,Im not big into it but i can respect the work it takes to work with the type of stuff,Ive played around with loops some and you have to have patience and a feel for what you trying to build,I know some musicians that say loops ae not making music but I tend to disagree.what ever floats your boat,cause its all good;-)
----------
Hobostubs
|
tookatooka
2160 posts
Feb 20, 2011
9:54 AM
|
Thanks Hobo I'm gonna take a look at the stuff on Acid Planet. Looks interesting.
----------
|
Hobostubs Ashlock
1404 posts
Feb 20, 2011
10:13 AM
|
I like acid planet its where I store anything thats on the net,its my home base,I use there free acid express recording soft ware with my 8 track it works good,and every week they give a 8 pack of loops I try to download them every week I seldom use them but its nice to have some if you need em, and after awhile those 8 packs add up to alot of loops for free.
----------
Hobostubs
Last Edited by on Feb 20, 2011 10:13 AM
|
nacoran
3834 posts
Feb 20, 2011
10:15 AM
|
It's catchy.
If you're looking for some techniques for variation, try Bach. Bach would invert intervals, play themes backwards, modulate the key, switch octaves, harmonize things them with themselves and all sorts of other crazy things. The only trick I have in my bag for creating variation is to whistle, hum or play a single part over and over and see what different ways I can change it.
You might try listening to a couple Bach fugues to hear some of the weird ways he deals with variation. I'm partial to his 'Little Fugue'. There are specific names for the different techniques, but I don't remember them.
Take one melody line and see what it sounds like if you play the intervals backwards. Then try playing it with the opposite intervals (so play a 4th instead of a 5th), then try both and try mixing them into rounds and moving them around in octaves. It's over my head, but I think that's the theory at least. :)
I wish I didn't owe the local University thousands of dollars. I'd love to take some of their electronic music courses. :(
----------
Nate
Facebook
Thread Organizer (A list of all sorts of useful threads)
|
