Gang Violins - The Field (Electronic / Ambient / Bass / Chill)
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4709 posts since 26 Nov, 2015 from Way Downunder
We've just released a new track call The Field...
https://soundcloud.com/gangviolins/gang ... -the-field
Notes for Nerds:
- I work in FL Studio and my bandmate works in Live.
- Our first track with vocals! Although they are intentionally understated, they are real vocals recorded for the track, not just samplepack stuff.
- I am not super happy with the mix or the master... there's some harshness - it's overly busy in places. I'm still a total amateur obviously but I am still very proud of the music itself and what we achieved. Let's just say it's intentionally "lofi" But compared to proper commercial stuff, it lacks sparkle and clarity on the top end as well as being a bit muddy.
- There is essentially no EQ on the master save for a slight dip around 8-10k (at 12% mix..!) and a super low DC cut. I tried a lot of different stuff but became disillusioned after comparing to the original when matched to the same volume and preferring the original mix as it was, basically everytime - it spooked me!
- Dynamic range: Since Bandcamp and Soundcloud aren't auto-compensating volume, we have uploaded the "loud version" to those platforms - but the main streaming version submitted to iTunes / Spotify etc which is coming soon, will be the "dynamic version". I used loudnesspenalty.com as a guide.
- The master has.... DMG TrackControl for some subtle macro volume automation throughout, Pro-Q 3, Kotelnikov, VLA-3A and Pro-L 2 (Modern mode). Probably didn't need VLA-3A.
- References... Massive Attack - Angel / Ritual Spirit / Prayer for England, Azaleh - Moonlight, XXYYXX - DMT
Loud version (for Bandcamp / Soundcloud / CD-R): Dynamic version (for iTunes / Spotify etc):
https://soundcloud.com/gangviolins/gang ... -the-field
Notes for Nerds:
- I work in FL Studio and my bandmate works in Live.
- Our first track with vocals! Although they are intentionally understated, they are real vocals recorded for the track, not just samplepack stuff.
- I am not super happy with the mix or the master... there's some harshness - it's overly busy in places. I'm still a total amateur obviously but I am still very proud of the music itself and what we achieved. Let's just say it's intentionally "lofi" But compared to proper commercial stuff, it lacks sparkle and clarity on the top end as well as being a bit muddy.
- There is essentially no EQ on the master save for a slight dip around 8-10k (at 12% mix..!) and a super low DC cut. I tried a lot of different stuff but became disillusioned after comparing to the original when matched to the same volume and preferring the original mix as it was, basically everytime - it spooked me!
- Dynamic range: Since Bandcamp and Soundcloud aren't auto-compensating volume, we have uploaded the "loud version" to those platforms - but the main streaming version submitted to iTunes / Spotify etc which is coming soon, will be the "dynamic version". I used loudnesspenalty.com as a guide.
- The master has.... DMG TrackControl for some subtle macro volume automation throughout, Pro-Q 3, Kotelnikov, VLA-3A and Pro-L 2 (Modern mode). Probably didn't need VLA-3A.
- References... Massive Attack - Angel / Ritual Spirit / Prayer for England, Azaleh - Moonlight, XXYYXX - DMT
Loud version (for Bandcamp / Soundcloud / CD-R): Dynamic version (for iTunes / Spotify etc):
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- KVRAF
- 3265 posts since 22 Sep, 2003 from under the sun
I like what you have achieved here. A lot of space with rare moments of drier energy, or abrupt transitions that surprise and provide interesting contrasts. I agree with what you say about the master lacking somehow sparkle and clarity,but it doesn't ruin this enjoyable track.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4709 posts since 26 Nov, 2015 from Way Downunder
Thank you so much for the kind words
You get it! We can't do the "Here's our new trap beat" type of thing... we are more interested in the song, the journey (cliche I know but...). Nothing against beatmakers - I wish I could work that way and just churn out ideas so effortlessly. I do like the way the song structure veers off and back on path - you are sort of not sure what to expect. There is a little element of surprise in the half-time bit too. Maybe it's a bit fleeting, like everything was building to that point and you go "oh, that's it?" - it's over in 10 seconds and then the track starts outro'ing. Maybe we could have taken it up another level again in intensity and really hammered home the melody etc ('resolve' I believe they call it in composition land). Some of the choices came about through happy accidents, like the way the drums fall into a spatial reverb about 3:30 and the initial saturation of the synth lead (I was auditioning different distortions and accidentally layered 2 together, which gave it a cool texture almost like a fuzz guitar). You can hear at the end where it morphs from the fuzz lead sound back to the crystaline type one.
Anyway, thanks )
You get it! We can't do the "Here's our new trap beat" type of thing... we are more interested in the song, the journey (cliche I know but...). Nothing against beatmakers - I wish I could work that way and just churn out ideas so effortlessly. I do like the way the song structure veers off and back on path - you are sort of not sure what to expect. There is a little element of surprise in the half-time bit too. Maybe it's a bit fleeting, like everything was building to that point and you go "oh, that's it?" - it's over in 10 seconds and then the track starts outro'ing. Maybe we could have taken it up another level again in intensity and really hammered home the melody etc ('resolve' I believe they call it in composition land). Some of the choices came about through happy accidents, like the way the drums fall into a spatial reverb about 3:30 and the initial saturation of the synth lead (I was auditioning different distortions and accidentally layered 2 together, which gave it a cool texture almost like a fuzz guitar). You can hear at the end where it morphs from the fuzz lead sound back to the crystaline type one.
Anyway, thanks )
- KVRAF
- 6304 posts since 18 Jul, 2008 from New York
I can tell you guys put work into this. Lots of potential here.
I think you could put some more effort into developing the musical composition instead of trying to create drama with the mix and reverb. In other words, would it hold up as a piano composition?
I think you could put some more effort into developing the musical composition instead of trying to create drama with the mix and reverb. In other words, would it hold up as a piano composition?
- KVRAF
- 1980 posts since 19 Aug, 2008
The fuzzy drone that starts at 0:09 needs to fade away at 0:49 when you introduce new musical colours at that point. The synth "bell arp" or whatever it is which comes in at 0:50, is substantially lost in a sea of frequencies occupied by this drone.
It eventually fades away at 2:39. But its a drone sound thats occupying some crucial frequencies - which are shared with other instruments.
It eventually fades away at 2:39. But its a drone sound thats occupying some crucial frequencies - which are shared with other instruments.
- KVRAF
- 11483 posts since 13 Mar, 2009 from UK
Cool piece of music here. I guess it sits somewhere in the ambient/triphop/chillwave area. I liked the collection of sounds you put together for this. The arrangement worked for me and although the vocal "drone" at the beginning at the beginning was fairly "powerful", I thought the way it slowly receded to make way for the new sounds was well-executed. There ware couple of times between 3:55 and 4:00 where the layered lead seemed to drop in volume momentarily. I couldn't tell whether that was intentional or not, so it probably doesn't matter.
Interesting that you uploaded the "loud" version to SoundCloud. I think I've seen comments on various sites regarding peak volumes on uploaded .wav above -1.0 dB possibly causing their mp3 encoder to react in a less than optimal manner.
Good work
Interesting that you uploaded the "loud" version to SoundCloud. I think I've seen comments on various sites regarding peak volumes on uploaded .wav above -1.0 dB possibly causing their mp3 encoder to react in a less than optimal manner.
Good work
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4709 posts since 26 Nov, 2015 from Way Downunder
Thank you so much! Sorry for taking so long to reply. I've had a change of heart recently and decide I'm 100% DONE with loudness. It just damages the music.seismic1 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 1:31 am Cool piece of music here. I guess it sits somewhere in the ambient/triphop/chillwave area. I liked the collection of sounds you put together for this. The arrangement worked for me and although the vocal "drone" at the beginning at the beginning was fairly "powerful", I thought the way it slowly receded to make way for the new sounds was well-executed. There ware couple of times between 3:55 and 4:00 where the layered lead seemed to drop in volume momentarily. I couldn't tell whether that was intentional or not, so it probably doesn't matter.
Interesting that you uploaded the "loud" version to SoundCloud. I think I've seen comments on various sites regarding peak volumes on uploaded .wav above -1.0 dB possibly causing their mp3 encoder to react in a less than optimal manner.
Good work
We just put out a new single Lost Futures that is -1db true peak, barely compressed and barely limited - and I think it sounds far better than The Field. If it's quiet you just turn up. I feel like it's no longer a competition and focusing on high quality audio is the way forward.
- KVRian
- 543 posts since 16 Dec, 2003
I really enjoyed this. Lush, peaceful, pretty. The motif that first appears at 1:08 is lovely. Love the combo of slow and groove.