<Pony><Psytrance + Aggrotech>Unbound Existence

[Injustrial]

Something I'm working on with a newfound friend of mine. I love the speed and ravey feeling, but it might be a bit monotonous. What do you think?

https://soundcloud.com/injustrial/valkyrie-wip/s-6nsaQ

[Captain Ironhelm]

the FX starting at 32 seconds sounds mono, I'd try and make it stereo as that would put it in the background and mebbe sound more in place.

for the lead synth, put some overdrive distortion on it. Put some ping pong delay set to echo 1/4 with a medium to a long release and dry/wet to about half way. Set an LFO on bandpass filter so it gently sweeps and keeps the sound moving (try setting the LFO to move from 40% and 60% on the cutoff), set the LFO speed somewhere between 20 and 50 Hz.

IMO a lot of what makes psytrance what it is is the movement in the sounds themselves.

The melody itself seems a bit too upbeat. I don't know how better to say it but Indian scales work well with Psytrance.
For instance, instead of the Ionian (Major) scale written in half steps as 2-2-1-2-2-2-1 or the minor scale 2-1-2-2-1-2-2, you use the Bhairavi scale 1-2-2-2-1-2-2.

I hope some of this might help.

[Injustrial]

Those are some interesting ideas. I'll see if I can't get a few of them executed properly. Thanks for taking the time!

[ph00tbag]

The transitions between 12/8 and 4/4 are not adequately introduced. They usually just kinda happen, and it's hard to tell they've happened until afterward. Typically, such transitions between time signatures in psytrance are major thematic transitions as well, and are accompanied by appropriately weighty transitional elements. Tempo changes, extreme filters, bitcrushing on the master... there's really nothing out of bounds.

The snare drum you're using is a bit splashy, I feel. If it were me, I'd probably cut some of the tail and put it through some processing. Or I'd use a clap. Tight snares, splashy claps; that's how you know you're listening to Psytrance. The snare may be from the Aggrotech influences, though, to be fair.

You could probably make the kick a little louder and the bass a little quieter. Only a little, though.

Ironhelm's assessment of your sound design is spot on, although I'd say melodically, the mode you've chosen would feel more "psy" if the sound design were less ham-fisted. Typically, supersaws are denigrated in psytrance outside of use in pads and transitional sweeps. They do show up in Goa, and Nitzhonot (which I would say this tune most resembles), but typically, those will use Phrygian scales, or the Bhairavi scale Ironhelm pointed out. If you want Mixolydian or Dorian scales, you want to go with single oscillator saws run through filters and distortion, or FM synths or gated pads, and always with cool filter cutoff modulations. There's also always the option of eschewing melody altogether and going with a more rhythmic pattern.

On that point, I really dig what you're doing at 1:36 and 2:52 because there's more focus on gated pads and FM. The supersaw could probably be replaced with a more subdued synth run through a phaser, but other than that, these sections feel like the most "psytrance" parts of the tune. I will say that these could have been made into one section that lasted a bit longer. One thing about trance genres in general, is that the full tunes tend to draw each section out for as long as 64, sometimes even 96 bars. These 12/8 sections aren't ever really longer than 8 bars. I could see the 12/8 sections being one bit before the climax that lasts for something like 32 bars, and being able to get a lot of mileage out of it.

Needs a sci-fi movie quote.

That's all I can really think of right now.

[Injustrial]

Thanks to you too for taking the time to write a very detailed suggestions post.

While it is true that a lot of this doesn't feel like true Psytrance, I am aiming for some sort of a hybrid with it. Sorta like a psytrance-influenced Aggro-track, rather than the other way around. Although I might be pulling this more in the direction of Aggrotech, I blame myself here ;)
I'll take parts of your suggestions to heart and see if I can't flesh this out a bit more in the coming days.


If you're interested, the file has been updated: https://soundcloud.com/injustrial/valkyrie-wip/s-6nsaQ

[Injustrial]

Yet another update, moving on to my first draft of the master. I thiiiink there might might be abit too much bass going on, but let me know what you think

https://soundcloud.com/injustrial/valkyrie-wip/s-LmbJT

[ph00tbag]

I would make the synths a bit quieter. They kinda overpower the kick and bass, and well... pretty much everything now. I would also try to EQ out some of their bottom so they don't distort the bass's transients. Time signature transition at 2:46 could still stand to be preceded by a bit more weighty of an introduction. It kinda just happens, and nothing really preps the listener for it.

This is a much more cohesive version of this tune, and I have a better sense of what you're going for here, and I think with some tweaks, it'll be really good. Sorry this feedback got to you so late, and I hope you have time to consider it before you submit.

[Injustrial]

For shame, I don't. But I sincerely appreciate you taking the time, and I might tweak it a bit more before I release it. Whether or not Balloon Party wants it

[Injustrial]

Oh shit, I just noticed a HUGE mistake: The automation on my lead synth has bugged out and it IS indeed extremely shrill as is. I've sent an email explaining the issue. Hopefully, the judges will allow it, because otherwise these past weeks have all been in vain :O