Composition Challenge #31

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  • Snap said:
    Track sent! Good luck to everyone who gets involved this time round, cheers
    J

    It's in the playlist.

    It's not a competition.
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    edited January 2021
    I've come up with a melody, but now I think I've heard somewhere before. I tried Shazam but it didn't come up with any hits so I suppose I'll go with it for now.

    It's not a competition.
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  • SpringywheelSpringywheel Frets: 941
    edited January 2021
    Great stuff @Snap Reminded me of the soundtrack to a cyberpunk thriller.

     I was wondering if you lot do this for a living, because the production standards are next level from wot I’ve heard in previous competitions.

    anyway, struggling to come up any inspiration on the kazoo, so I’m switching tact and starting with the guitar. 
    :) 
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  • HabaneroHabanero Frets: 248
    My kazoo has just arrived, and will now begin self isolating for a few days before I dare put it in my mouth. =)
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  • SnapSnap Frets: 6256
    Great stuff @Snap Reminded me of the soundtrack to a cyberpunk thriller.

     I was wondering if you lot do this for a living, because the production standards are next level from wot I’ve heard in previous competitions.

    anyway, struggling to come up any inspiration on the kazoo, so I’m switching tact and starting with the guitar.  :) 
    thanks! I've really been trying to up my game when it comes to mixing tbh. Late 2019 I spent a day in a professional studio and learnt some things that really helped me, especially when it comes to eq. I think mixing is maybe the hardest part. Resisting the urge to add another layer, or turn something up.
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  • Mine's in the playlist. With an attempt at a Jaw Harp, Kazoo and Ocarina from Massive X :)

    I'll try to sort out a picture later.

    It's not a competition.
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  • SnapSnap Frets: 6256
    @stratman3142 very cool mate. Seamless inclusion of jaw's harp & ocarina! I like the main guitar riff tone, meaty. Drums sound good too.
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  • Mine's in the playlist. With an attempt at a Jaw Harp, Kazoo and Ocarina from Massive X :)

    I'll try to sort out a picture later.

    Pffft....too good. Some quality chops you have there - I like the pinch harmonics, as well as the modern style production. Sounds huge. 
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  • SpringywheelSpringywheel Frets: 941
    edited January 2021
    Snap said:
    Great stuff @Snap Reminded me of the soundtrack to a cyberpunk thriller.

     I was wondering if you lot do this for a living, because the production standards are next level from wot I’ve heard in previous competitions.

    anyway, struggling to come up any inspiration on the kazoo, so I’m switching tact and starting with the guitar.   
    thanks! I've really been trying to up my game when it comes to mixing tbh. Late 2019 I spent a day in a professional studio and learnt some things that really helped me, especially when it comes to eq. I think mixing is maybe the hardest part. Resisting the urge to add another layer, or turn something up.
    Cool, that must have been awesome. Do you work in the music industry? Feel free to share your newly gained wisdom. I've only been doing this for just over a year, and perhaps the biggest EQ lesson I've learnt is to always consider the composition itself as the mix, so everything has it's own spot and doesn't clash. This way the final mixing stage is more of a refinement. A lot harder in practice though.    
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  • SnapSnap Frets: 6256
    @springywheel - christ no mate, I am just a hobbyist, but thanks for the compliment, I'll take that! 

    EQ and reverb - still trying to get better in this area. Clarky has taught me a lot, through the non guitar centric thread which we started years ago. He knows his stuff technically and musically and is a font of knowledge. There are lots of knowledgeable types in here, so I just try to suck it all up. I love it.

    My daughter is doing music a level - I'd love to do that too, just so interesting. Maybe that's one for retirement!
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  • HabaneroHabanero Frets: 248
    edited January 2021
    The problem I have with EQ is that each stage in the chain has it. I'm typically using pedals into a clean amp. Most of the pedals have a tone control or two, the amp has bass, middle and treble, and an additional tone knob. Then the DAW (Garageband) also has EQ. There's too much to twiddle.
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  • SpringywheelSpringywheel Frets: 941
    edited January 2021
    Habanero said:
    The problem I have with EQ is that each stage in the chain has it. I'm typically using pedals into a clean amp. Most of the pedals have a tone control or two, the amp has bass, middle and treble, and an additional tone knob. Then the DAW (Garageband) also has EQ. There's too much to twiddle.
    Yeah, I haven't got time to twiddle either, or twaddle for that matter. But with pedals and amp, you only need to twiddle until you find a sound you like, then just set and forget. 
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  • HabaneroHabanero Frets: 248
    Habanero said:
    The problem I have with EQ is that each stage in the chain has it. I'm typically using pedals into a clean amp. Most of the pedals have a tone control or two, the amp has bass, middle and treble, and an additional tone knob. Then the DAW (Garageband) also has EQ. There's too much to twiddle.
    Yeah, I haven't got time to twiddle either, or twaddle for that matter. But with pedals and amp, you only need to twiddle until you find a sound you like, then just set and forget. 
    My conclusion as far as the amp is concerned is to set the tone controls at 12 o’clock as hopefully neutral.
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  • SnapSnap Frets: 6256
    edited January 2021
    Here's what I do

    First I get the tone I like on the instrument, say guitar or bass. Then I record it and whatever else.

    For anything apart from bass, drums I put a high pass eq filter on it. I usually have a high pass buss with one EQ on it that knocks off anything below about 60hz. I'll put quite a few things into that. Depending on the instrument, you can cut low freqs at an even higher threshold, I just see what sounds good in the mix.

    For individual instruments I then put an EQ on it that allows me to narrow the Q right down to a fine notch. I then move the freq dial through the whole range to isolate irritating frequencies, which I will knock right off by dropping the level on that narrow freq band. An example of what I'd call an irritating freq is the tinny whistling noise you can get on some higher gain guitar tones. That noise is taking up headroom in the mix, so I knock it out. Usually around 2k or maybe higher. 

    You can do the opposite with bass - knock out the top end freqs completely, but you might want a little boost on the mids if you like the click or snap as you hit the string.

    If you think of your freq range across all your instruments as a jigsaw - if you take freqs off one track, you leave a space for another track in that freq range. If you have too many things going on in one freq area, then you can get a mushy sound. That's fine, if you want that, but not, if you don't!

    Freqs the ear can't hear will still eat into your headroom, and will affect the overall final volume and dynamics you can get out of your mix. So, I will cut out anything above about 15-20kHz and below 40Hz regardless of anything else. Just in case.
    Just have to watch that you don't affect any reverbs you might want to keep, by cutting the freq at too high a level.

    There are plenty of diagrams/infographics online that show what sort of sounds sit where in terms of freq. I find that useful.

    Lot of learning, but simple adjustments make real differences. I used to just mix using volume, and then whack an eq on the master. As a result, anything with more than a couple of tracks sounded crap.

    I enjoy trying to get better at mixing, seems a never ending process. Mastering is whole other level of mystery though. On my master buss I usually have an EQ and a compressor limiter, that is usually using the same settings for whatever track I do. I will mix with the mastering chain on and off, just to see what it sounds like. The final mix can sound a bit different once you master it, and often the mastering process shows up some rogue parts of the mix that are either too loud or quiet.
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  • SpringywheelSpringywheel Frets: 941
    edited January 2021
    Thanks Snap, very helpful!
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  • I must say both entries from @Snap and @stratman3142 sound absolutely glorious!  Also great chops as usual stratman3142.
    One of the frustrations I've always had with recording has been capturing a nice sound and then doing good sounding mixes.  Everything always ends up sounding dull.
    I've got a track that I put together quite a few years ago, that I'll submit.  Might try a bit of a remix first though.........
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  • MagicPigDetectiveMagicPigDetective Frets: 2993
    edited February 2021
    After years of faffing with garageband and an ipad and getting nowhere, I’ve ditched them, got a laptop, Reaper, Ezdrummer 2 and a HX Stomp. There’s a lot to learn but only a couple of weeks in I’ve made massive progress and getting the hang of it, finally a decent recording set up with decent sounds. Started recording a song I’ve had in my head since I was a teenager. Will aim to finish it and enter. Not sure about adding lyrics though, so it may be another instrumental. 
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  • HabaneroHabanero Frets: 248
    I've emailed in my entry, and yes does include some kazoo! I've had fun recording it, and I hope it raises a smile in these difficult times.
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  • Habanero said:
    I've emailed in my entry, and yes does include some kazoo! I've had fun recording it, and I hope it raises a smile in these difficult times.

    Added to playlist. That makes 3 entries.

    Which reminds me - I need to do a picture.

    It's not a competition.
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  • HabaneroHabanero Frets: 248
    edited February 2021

    Added to playlist. That makes 3 entries.

    Which reminds me - I need to do a picture.

    Many thanks. I'm not sure what I'd do if I were trying to create a picture for 'Mishmash'...

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