Indie Rock-ish — Critique Please

[angopop]

Hello all. Here’s a guitar based instrumental for your perusal.

Any critiques on arrangement, mixing, performance, etc are welcome.

Thanks!

-A

https://soundcloud.com/arthurpop/its-own-thing-j-mix-3-ma-ahs

[ChuckMott]

I like it. I can’t hear any issues with the mix in my monitors. Maybe a little long for what it is, meaning I would offer some shorter versions and loops out of this I think. I like the guitar sound, sounds like some clean Amplitube sots of sounds (listen to chill pill on my sound cloud page for a similar sound, was also my first full track sale on PT). I like it , think it does what it is supposed to do. Maybe a commercial sort of pitch even?

[angopop]

Thanks ChuckMott. Yes, I agree it is long for prod music, but I wrote it in my “early days”. Now I keep them shorter!

[Michael Nickolas]

Yes, a nice mix, but the track comes off a bit stiff to me. It doesn’t express emotion.

I don’t know, does production music even need to have “soul” or “feeling” or is that reserved for more artistic endeavors? Thoughts?

[Jody Friedman]

It’s a decent track stock library track. I could see this track working in some gratis background shows (bunim-murray, viacom, etc..) That said there is a lot of music out there that sounds like this but with stronger production so I think this track would benefit from some dynamics. Builds, crescendos as well as real drums instead of midi. Chuck brings up a good point about it being a bit too long. Having edits would be good. 90 seconds, 60, 45, 30, 15, 10.

[angopop]

Thanks, all valid points.

I have created multiple 30s and 60s, plus a narrative version.

As far as dynamics and feeling stiff, I’ve noticed that as my mix/production skills have improved over the years, I feel the songs are lacking some’human-ness’ in the finished songs, and I’m not sure how to get there using EZ drummer and my current methods.

It’s a continuous learning process…

-A

[Michael Nickolas]

I can’t do MIDI drums to save my life. I use loops. I find if I manipulate them thinking musically, I can get a convincing performance. Here is an example:

http://www.broadjam.com/transmit/index.php?id=7566baqa

[Vlad]

My two cents : I feel that the reverse cymbal that occurs throughout is killing the track. Always sounds the same. I would use it less AND change it throughout. OR, eliminate the reverse altogether and search for other musical elements that would achieve the same effect with more subtlety. Lastly, consider if you have heard an indie rock track with a reverse cymbal in it….I have, but carefully consider the choice to include it.

I know I focused on that one element….aside from the ‘ez drummer-ness’ of the drums, that cymbal jumped out at me.

All comments intended to help, not hurt. Hope that might help.

[angopop]

Good point. I’ve never heard an indie rock song with a backward cymbal.

I used to do some work for a music library who LOVED backwards cymbals, and wanted them on almost all of their music. I use them a lot less now, mainly on tracks that are more ‘commercial’.

Probably a good idea to create a version without it.

[MuscoSound]

I agree with the reverse cymbal, it would be great in a small dose but it kind of comes off now as a bit much. Also there is a plug in I use for drums, sounds great with ez drummer, it’s called Rough Rider. It’s a compressor that really gives the drums some life.

A lot of the time Indie Rock, and rock in general is pretty compressed and it’s hard telling from soundcloud, but my personal taste has been going more towards more dynamics and less compression. For one with production music or stock music when it’s turned down or adjusted to the visual with a less compressed track it sounds better at lower volumes. Others may disagree with me but it’s just my two cents.

I really like the track, guitar sounds cool. Arrangement is real good, and has that really popular sound that people are digging. I just think with more dynamics it would take it to the next level, cause to my ears it’s like ya this sounds good, but it could be like damn that sounds great. Hope that helps!

[angopop]

It’s good to get the positive feedback – that you guys like it. It was one of the first that I was happy with the arrangement, mix and overall sound. The constructive criticism is super helpful and I will create an alternate.

Another reason why MLR is super helpful … I’ll post another one sometime later.

Unfortunately I don’t have VST to try RoughRider compressor, any suggestions on a similar RTAS compressor? I have Waves and McDSP, using PTools…

Thanks,
-A

[MuscoSound]

Here is a link to it:
http://www.audiodamage.com/downloads/product.php?pid=ADF002

Maybe helpful to do a little research to find something similar. It’s free so you can’t beat that price tag.

[MuscoSound]

I would assume you’d just download the plug-in and save it to your VST folder in ptools. It should open up when you load it and use it on your drum bus channel. Unless I am not understanding your setup right.

[mscottweber]

A few years ago, when I was on Pro Tools 7 LE and stuck with RTAS plugs only, I was using Massey Pluggin’s CT4 compressor a lot on the drum bus for exactly that use. It looks like he has since updated it to the CT5, but you can check it here:

http://www.masseyplugins.com/#plugins/ct4

Its not free, but it has an uninhibited demo.

Also, I’d imagine that you’ve got something within your Waves or MacDSP collections that would work as well.

[Steve]

@angopop Has your SoundCloud link changed? I couldn’t open it.

[Author]

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