Need Help With Trance Project (CD Completed)

[Distorted Horizon]

I think it could be categorized as EWM.

Electronic Wags Music

[wagtunes]

I think it could be categorized as EWM.

Electronic Wags Music

Now if only I could patent it.

Anyway, yesterday I started track 2. It will be more traditional in nature.

[andymcbain]

klf wtil? trance?
well i never...

Perhaps not The KLFs back catalogue on the whole, but yup the "Pure Trance" mix of What Time Is Love from 88 is considered influential on the early trance that followed.

[excuse me please]

The note F at 3:27 definitely should be a C lower.

[wagtunes]

The note F at 3:27 definitely should be a C lower.

LMAO. I love when people nit pick to that extent. Makes me feel so good inside. By all means, show me your Grammy Awards for composing music.

You guys crack me up.

[wagtunes]

My 2nd track is up for suggestions.

I went with a more traditional structure on this one. Took about a third of the time as the first track to this point because I didn't have to go through the whole learning process again. So things should go smoother from here on out.

No suggestions will be immediately disregarded unless it has to do with the actual musical composition itself. The melodies are the melodies and will not change. Even if it's changing an F to a C. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Over The Rainbow

Over the rainbow
Over the rainbow
Over the rainbow
With you

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... ainbow-wip

[shonky]

Quite liked the first two minutes of the new one, kept imagining it as some Tom Waits electronic side-project, not so keen on the Vocaloid, felt the trance part to be rather shoehorned in (and seemed too harmonically complex to be "authentic" which you're admittedly not aiming for)

Kinda think you should develop the halfstep, cyber-blues angle of the intro as, to my mind, it's more interesting than what follows, but ultimately it's your tune so do as you please.

[wagtunes]

Quite liked the first two minutes of the new one, kept imagining it as some Tom Waits electronic side-project, not so keen on the Vocaloid, felt the trance part to be rather shoehorned in (and seemed too harmonically complex to be "authentic" which you're admittedly not aiming for)

Kinda think you should develop the halfstep, cyber-blues angle of the intro as, to my mind, it's more interesting than what follows, but ultimately it's your tune so do as you please.

Too harmonically complex. Interesting. Boy, does that say a lot about "traditional" Trance.

And like you said, it's my tune.

Thanks for the feedback.

Yeah, definitely interesting.

[recursive one]

Not bad. This time it really sounds like trance

Reminded me on this, not that there are direct similarities but still. Somehow similar vibe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awtY4NXKDkc

I'd suggest a more strong kick, perhaps a more pronounced bass pumping (sidechain), some hihats. Don't like the pads in the breakdown, i mean the pad synth timbre. I want to hear some deep and huge Virus-esque synth strings here. And frankly your vocaloid stuff doesn't sit well with me no matter what.

Other than that, it's decent and your trance project actually starts shaping up into something resembling trance.

[wagtunes]

Not bad. This time it really sounds like trance

Reminded me on this, not that there are direct similarities but still. Somehow similar vibe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awtY4NXKDkc

I'd suggest a more strong kick, perhaps a more pronounced bass pumping (sidechain), some hihats. Don't like the pads in the breakdown, i mean the pad synth timbre. I want to hear some deep and huge Virus-esque synth strings here. And frankly your vocaloid stuff doesn't sit well with me no matter what.

Other than that, it's decent and your trance project actually starts shaping up into something resembling trance.

Okay, let's take it one thing at a time.

1. The Kick - It's already 3 layers and the low end is already pumped 2 db. Stronger? I have no idea how to make it stronger. So I will need specific instructions on how to do this.

2. The Bass - I'm not personally big on the pumping bass being more pronounced. But if you think it will make it better, I'll see what I can do.

3. Hi Hats - Completely forgot these. Will add.

4. Pads In Breakdown - I wanted breakdown to not be so big. If everything is big, nothing is big. Virus like synth strings (I don't own a Virus so would need substitute suggestions) would make the breakdown bigger than it is and thus the transition between it and the drop will not be as pronounced. And I don't know how I can make the drop any bigger than it is now. So I'm not sure I want to mess with this section unless I can do so and keep the same subdued ambiance.

5. Vocaloid - And thus why you're ultimately going to hate everything I do anyway. So why knock myself out on the other stuff? Seems kind of pointless as I'm not removing the vocals.

All in all though, not a ton of criticisms so I'll take it, because this is probably as good as I'm going to get from you. I'm never going to make a track that you're going to go "Holy crap! That was amazing."

You have to know when to cut your losses and move on.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. I have to now decide just how much tinkering I'm going to do at this point.

[recursive one]

Virus like synth strings (I don't own a Virus so would need substitute suggestions)

Check our the "symphony" patch in Viper's factory bank 2

Anyway, when thinking like this

I wanted breakdown to not be so big. If everything is big, nothing is big. Virus like synth strings (I don't own a Virus so would need substitute suggestions) would make the breakdown bigger than it is and thus the transition between it and the drop will not be as pronounced.

you are on the right track. Trance drops sound "big" by contrast with other parts.

I'm by no means an expert in making layered kicks, when I was trying to make mainstream trance I just took whatever Vengeance kick sample sounded biggest and fattest

As for the musical values of your track, well, I like other kinds of trance myself but it's just me and my tastes. But yours was, well, refreshingly different. It's still probably not the kind of melody the hardcore trance fans would expect to hear but it was somehow closer to "hypnotic and immersive" than your previous track and reminded me on some tracks that I had heard in some actual trance compilations. And it's quite catchy as such, it still palys in my head.

[wagtunes]

Virus like synth strings (I don't own a Virus so would need substitute suggestions)

Check our the "symphony" patch in Viper's factory bank 2

Anyway, when thinking like this

I wanted breakdown to not be so big. If everything is big, nothing is big. Virus like synth strings (I don't own a Virus so would need substitute suggestions) would make the breakdown bigger than it is and thus the transition between it and the drop will not be as pronounced.

you are on the right track. Trance drops sound "big" by contrast with other parts.

I'm by no means an expert in making layered kicks, when I was trying to make mainstream trance I just took whatever Vengeance kick sample sounded biggest and fattest

As for the musical values of your track, well, I like other kinds of trance myself but it's just me and my tastes. But yours was, well, refreshingly different. It's still probably not the kind of melody the hardcore trance fans would expect to hear but it was somehow closer to "hypnotic and immersive" than your previous track and reminded me on some tracks that I had heard in some actual trance compilations. And it's quite catchy as such, it still palys in my head.

Thanks. Don't own Viper either. Are there any "virus" like strings in Spire or Rapid?

[wagtunes]

Is this the sound you're talking about?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTwca9L00yU

[recursive one]

Yes, sort of. Or this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z6xKXOxzEA

Sure Spire and Rapid must be pretty much capable of such sounds

[wagtunes]

Yes, sort of. Or this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z6xKXOxzEA

Sure Spire and Rapid must be pretty much capable of such sounds

So kind of like that phased swirling string sound? Maybe not so pronounced on the phaser?

Tough picking out a sound from a 37 minute video.