<WIP><Pony><Remix> Becoming Popular (collab)

[Matthew N.]

http://soundcloud.com/matthew-n/matthew-n-becoming-popular
Updated on 31.05.2012

Note: Bad quality (noticeable especially during the intro) due to the conversion by the soundcloud system.
Going to attempt to get rid of that "auction hammer slam" in the vocal part nearing the end of this WIP later on.

Collab between me and EmpUbermensch.

To everyone: We could use some of your feedback on how do the specific instruments sound on your speakers/headphones. I want to make sure it is equalized properly.

[bartekko]

Whoa, Clubby. Reminds me of David Guetta's F*** me I'm famous 2010
Do you plan on adding more synths after the buildup? (Should I write in polish?)

[Matthew N.]

Whoa, Clubby. Reminds me of David Guetta's F*** me I'm famous 2010

Didn't use any track for reference. This literally came out of nowhere. Mine and my collaborator's idea was to stay out of the original melody pattern and come up with something unique.

Do you plan on adding more synths after the buildup? (Should I write in polish?)

We do plan it, yeah. The intro is also semi-finished.

And this will answer your second question: Learning English since the age of 5, now studying it for 4 years at the university.

[Matthew N.]

Since the post fell off the first page: BUMP.

To everyone: We could use some of your feedback on how do the specific instruments sound on your speakers/headphones. I want to make sure it is equalized properly.

[the4thImpulse]

What you showed here is a good foundation but its still missing all the sounds that fill in the empty spaces behind the mix. Your mix is alright, there is nothing wrong with it but it could use polish with the leveling and eqing (keep cutting away frequencies). The main pluck is a little 'blurry' (for lack of a better word) its not sharp and hangs around a little too long. Try making it 'pluckier', I guess, or change up the synthesis behind it as it sounds like saw waves where some squares will give it more sharpness.

[Matthew N.]

What you showed here is a good foundation but its still missing all the sounds that fill in the empty spaces behind the mix. Your mix is alright, there is nothing wrong with it but it could use polish with the leveling and eqing (keep cutting away frequencies). The main pluck is a little 'blurry' (for lack of a better word) its not sharp and hangs around a little too long. Try making it 'pluckier', I guess, or change up the synthesis behind it as it sounds like saw waves where some squares will give it more sharpness.

Yes, this is quite early. We still have 3 weeks to work on it (we're gonna throw it into the Lesser Knowns album.)

There's only a very few instruments that don't have a second EQ set to cut off super-low and super-high frequencies. I am aware of that. Is there anything that sounds like it has too much low/high freqs, though?

Which main pluck do you mean: the one that acts like a semi-bassline or the melodic one? I assume you meant the melodic one, as the other one is powerful as it is. That said, we don't wanna go too sharp on the other one. It might result in complete distortion of the main body ("trancy" bassline near the end of this preview + chorded bassline + "plucky" melody.)

BTW, would you suggest a more fitting open hi hat; perhaps some regular hi hat (maybe with a sample?) I reeeeeally don't like the current one, but the intro has already used a nice hi hat and I don't want the entire track to sound too monotone.

Oh, and of course, thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming!

[the4thImpulse]

Yes, this is quite early. We still have 3 weeks to work on it (we're gonna throw it into the Lesser Knowns album.)

There's only a very few instruments that don't have a second EQ set to cut off super-low and super-high frequencies. I am aware of that. Is there anything that sounds like it has too much low/high freqs, though?

Which main pluck do you mean: the one that acts like a semi-bassline or the melodic one? I assume you meant the melodic one, as the other one is powerful as it is. That said, we don't wanna go too sharp on the other one. It might result in complete distortion of the main body ("trancy" bassline near the end of this preview + chorded bassline + "plucky" melody.)

BTW, would you suggest a more fitting open hi hat; perhaps some regular hi hat (maybe with a sample?) I reeeeeally don't like the current one, but the intro has already used a nice hi hat and I don't want the entire track to sound too monotone.

Oh, and of course, thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming!

I would say both melodic and semi-bass plucks should be a bit sharper, but the semi-bass one is what I was talking about earlier. Its less noticeable after 1:12 when you bring in more sounds but the transient still hangs around for too long.

The semi-bass could be highpassed more to let the bass come through and maybe, slightly, sidechained to the kick because its a little ebehind the mix. The kick has too much release on the low end which is making the low end unclear (not quite muddy yet), the snare has a little too much going on in the low end as well so it could use more high passing. I agree I don't like those hats all too much, they do work but if you don't like them then get it out of the track.

[Matthew N.]

I would say both melodic and semi-bass plucks should be a bit sharper, but the semi-bass one is what I was talking about earlier. Its less noticeable after 1:12 when you bring in more sounds but the transient still hangs around for too long.

The semi-bass could be highpassed more to let the bass come through and maybe, slightly, sidechained to the kick because its a little ebehind the mix. The kick has too much release on the low end which is making the low end unclear (not quite muddy yet), the snare has a little too much going on in the low end as well so it could use more high passing. I agree I don't like those hats all too much, they do work but if you don't like them then get it out of the track.

I don't want it too be on the foreground - that's why I cut it off. The main interest in the section will be put on the melodies which we are currently working on. As for the kick - I will look into it. You're most probably right here (still waiting for my new headset.)

And yeah, those are some temp ohats. I just didn't want to go with hihats again - there too many high frequencies in the track already.

As for the snare: I didn't want it to sound pale - that's why I didn't completely cut off the lower frequencies (but it lost quite a lot of its punch already.) Once again - I will give it a look.

<3 the feedback mate, I really do.

EDIT: Oh, forgot to mention: I did use some slight sidechaining for the semi-bass, but increasing the ratio almost killed the track. I'd rather lower the levels than give more power to the sc.

[Matthew N.]

Major update. Once again feedback highly appreciated!

Noticed some minor mistakes. Correcting them right now.

[bartekko]

it could use polish

OP is polish. your argument is invalid

I guess, or change up the synthesis behind it as it sounds like saw waves where some squares will give it more sharpness.

I would suggest a bit of clipping to add to these odd harmonics.



For the love of god, DON'T do too much mixing before you're finished with arranging the track, it will disturb your workflow.

[Matthew N.]

it could use polish

OP is polish. your argument is invalid

Sounded a little bit rude, but nevertheless it was a good joke.

I would suggest a bit of clipping to add to these odd harmonics.

Which harmonics are you referring to? I have not mastered out too much yet. My primary goal as far as mastering is concerned for now is to not have peaking hell.

For the love of god, DON'T do too much mixing before you're finished with arranging the track, it will disturb your workflow.

I have the whole track layout on the paper already. I know what will go where, so it's just a matter of copying it into the software. Right now I am working on fillers for the whole thing to not sound empty.


@Kyoga

Ok, that was a little bit, uh, complicated. Please do remember that I do not play any real instruments and technicalities won't do me any good (I know you know stuff.)

I haven't really seen that suggestion of yours you were talking about in the TLK thread. I definitely don't want to change the song's chord, and I do not believe it sounds "so bad." Sure it is not perfect and I agree that in the build-up section there are some off notes, but given the nature of the vocals it won't be (*read up*). I just didn't want the song to sound mainstream'ish and going with the vocal chord.

*On another note, I never did any vocal editing other than slicing. If that suggestion of yours was about modding the vocal pattern then I might have some real problems with it.

Actually, is this still considered to be a remix? Now that I'm thinking, all that it has from the original is the vocals.


Off topic: When I registered on MLR you had like 60 posts, Kyoga.

[Anorax]

k. so here's my analysis.
The chording you have is set in the key of Aminor aeolian. whereas the vocals you have sliced are set in eb ionian, following it's respective pentatonic set (neither the 4th or 7ths are played, this is intentional).
the thing is, you have the awkward Eb in the song that she constantly refers back to, which is NOT in the Amin aeolian scale.
This makes the occasional 1/2 step awkard noting that makes that 3rd "ghost" note, which sounds so bad...

what Kyoga is saying is... Melodyne the s*** out of everything

no, just kidding (maybe?)

for one, try to adjust the project to a key similar to the one the song is in. This song is what could be considered Eb Major, while most of your melody is, as Kyoga said, Amin aeolian. My suggestion is to first change your song to the minor equivalent of EbMaj which is Cmin? (correct me if I'm wrong Kyoga) I believe it is Cmin.
If the song was CMaj, then the Amin could work.

what he's saying is that you're writing a minor harmony to the CMaj, which [Cmin] is the minor harmonic equivalent to EbMaj.
Therefore, you're not in a relevant key


EDIT: Kyoga is a forum monster

[Matthew N.]

Once again, I do not wish to follow the original chord pattern of the vocals. If this really sounds so odd to you guys (I honestly can find only a handful of instances where it peaks out of the harmony), then the only thing I will agree to is changing the vocals... which I do not know how. As I said in the introductory thread, I am an amateur and I treat this as a hobby. I am always willing to learn, though.

[bartekko]

Which harmonics are you referring to? I have not mastered out too much yet. My primary goal as far as mastering is concerned for now is to not have peaking hell.

I didn't mean clipping on the master track, but rather inside the synth, but scratch that
Messed around a bit in z3ta+, and came to the conclusion that a saw in the melodic square lead could make the patch sound imo better. (That obviously is subjective, and it doesn't have to sound better to you, but that's an idea I have)

[Matthew N.]

Anorax, do you have melodyne and are you willing to help out?

[Matthew N.]

Never mind, actually. FL Studio has newTone which basically does the same. So you're saying that moving the vocals 3 notes higher should do the trick?

[Matthew N.]

3 notes lower.

Yeah, lower. That's what I wanted to write but for some reason it came out the opposite. lol.

Right, where's the +>9000 button for you guys? Although this will take some time to readjust in the whole track, it does sound better - AND NOT MAINSTREAM. This is going to be unique.

[Matthew N.]

can't you just highlight the whole vocal track and drop it to C?
seems pretty simple.

No, but I wish I could do that.

EDIT: DOH! Yes I can.

[Matthew N.]

...Although pitch correction made the vocals lose their fluidity. Not cool.

[Matthew N.]

I sent him a PM.

And... this is how it would sound in C. It pains me to hear it this way. Soooooo mainstream.

http://soundcloud.com/matthew-n/becoming-popular-wip-c-version

[Anorax]

I don't have Melodyne. Sorry guys
that should be read as I don't have it legally, gonna see if this ASSiGN version works.

MANESTREAM :-C

If you want the vocals melodyned to a minor key, then we'll see what we can do. If melodyne won't work, we can try it autotune-style!

EDIT: However, the "unfortunate" change in the pitch does work. However, we can still see what can be done with pitch editing

EDIT2: You'll probably need to PM me, because I don't remember every thread I post in unless I subscribe, but Kyoga has managed to deter me from subscribing to every thread...

[Matthew N.]

But... but... I did PM you.

Honestly... do you guys think this sounds better in the overused C key and that I should not bother with changing the key of the vocals?

[Rainbow_Rage]

It sounds better in C for sure, but if you want to edit the vocals to do something else cool I say go for it.

[Matthew N.]

It sounds better in C for sure, but if you want to edit the vocals to do something else cool I say go for it.

I tried, but the software I have is rather awful.

[Ed Viper]

So, do remixes often change the key that the original song was in?

Because the original song is in Eb major... That's what I wrote the chords for. I personally prefer how it sounds in the original key, plus it's easier to work it in the original key since we don't have to mess with the tone of the vocal samples. I'm just saiyan.