mickomoo

I don't quite understand the purpose of panning. I'm still trying to learn how to mix in general, and while I've experimented with using EQ, reverb, compression, ect in my songs, I've never panned. Is it terrible to have everything centered? How do you determined if something should be moved to the left or right?

I tried to write final boss music, but I came up with this instead. I posted this awhile back but I'm done, I've been mixing it and such. I just wanted to see if there's anything I can improve on with this. Also, how do the transitions work?

This is really a wip... I know it has huge timing issues towards the middle which is why I'm starting over again, also I'm planning on changing the drum pattern up a bit. But I mostly wanted to see how the transition to the actual song worked, first and foremost. Second, how do the instruments sound? Lastly, any ideas on what I can do with the bassline, in the song it's just one note, but it's not giving me a lot of flexibility, you think it'd be possible to make a totally new bassline? I don't even know would would compliment the melody. for those of you unfamiliar with the source Edit: I uploaded the newer recording, but the bassline is missing from the main part of the song

I posted this earlier in the year, though I've only made a few changes lately, namely mixing and quantizing issues. For now I'm just going to consider this a "cover" of the song since I can think of how to make it longer. But I wanted to ask, how do the instruments sound, as well as the composition itself. I've been breaking my back to improving my composing... and that damn trumpet lol

I recently wrote a few songs with piano vsts but the sounds sound too bright imo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DgCo06v-pk how do I get my tones to sound darker like or this I'm assuming that both the left hand and right hand can be, or might have been treated as different tracks in both of these mixes.

In addition to EQ-ing you can compress or master limit stuff too to give it loudness. But honestly I'm so bad at mixing I really don't know what else to say lol.

music is honestly experimentation, especially if you're not some uber classical composer. Well at least for me... >_< Anyways it helps to think of complimentary scales... or in my case notes. You mentioned f being played, move the pattern or a similar patter to D or A as those notes are in a cord with F, if you're also feeling bold, you can try a pattern with a sharp or flat. Or you could loop what you have and have another instruments play chords or a counter point, or have another instrument play the melody and a new instrument do something else... there's really no limit to what you can do just experiment. Every song I've written this far was quite nearly an accident... mostly

I was actually going to ask about vox and vocalists... I dunno. I'm assuming outgoing and confidence is most important... I seriously can't stand to hear the sound of my own voice talking, let alone singing.

Yes...yes, precisely >_< Actually we only had one trombone player in our band and he was quiet, real quiet unless he was with friends. Well one and a half... this dude from drum line randomly started learning trombone too and sometimes played and he was very out going. True, but that would actually be another interesting topic lol

More or not I just wanted to see if currently people's personalities just happened to coincide with their instruments, regardless of if it was a delibrate decision or not. Just for fun lol. I didn't mean loaners, well not solely or specifically. I definitely did over-categorize there, the was one pianist I was thinking of in particular, an old associate of mine... now HE was definitely a loaner lol. But the pianist, especially those I've observed are very low-key as you said, with a very subtle dynamic, a subtle but unique edge. They might sometimes appear quiet but you don't know them till you here them talk or play. I say this as I... kinda am a pianist myself, but I didn't choose the instrument myself. As someone pointed out, some of these things tend to just happen or work out that way lol

Lol I was thinking so at first, but I'm assuming that certain aspects of your personality might either be reflected by more than one instrument and that each part of your personality should have at least one instrument.

I hate to stereotype I really do, but I noticed a generalization I just couldn't pass up. I recently typed my friends and other people I know by the instrument they played and it seems to match up. For example: -A lot of the people I know who play piano are loners, and the piano is an instrument that sounds quite dynamic and full on its own. -In band, most of the trumpeters who sat behind me were quite brash and very energetic -most of the guitarists I know are quirky and/or outgoing. idk where I'm going with this, but anyways do you feel that the instrument(s) you play kinda matches your personality in some way?

midi controlers can't produce sound on their own but allow you to edit the properties of your work by simply using the functions on the controler itself. At home my dad has an Axiom 61 I use, and at school I use a casio keyboard. As long as it's usb compatible you can basically use it in a DAW and record in real time. Any other features you want will determine what you would use to record

Apparently Stickerbrush Symphony is based off some 90s song?

I'm honestly wishing I played trumpet in hs now >_<

I actually have the default kontakt 4 library and whatever else came w/ komplete 6, but I can't get the trumpet or trombone to sound real at all

Any one know where I can find good free or cheap brass vsts? Specifically trumpet and trombone?

Makes sense. Though I've attempted to rectify my timing issues and genuinely in my recent recordings got better, but I guess the problem is identifying how to set the beat. Like for instance if I have song ideas in my head, when I record them I honestly have no idea what I should set the metronome to. Even if I did, for some reason I have trouble playing unless I'm playing something in 4/4. This for example I wrote it but I have no idea what time signature it was, consequently I had no idea how to create a beat to play it to. I also realize I could create the drum track before I do anything else, but usually melodies come to me and I record them before I forget. Drums are usually very hard for me to create, I guess as a result of having a weak sense of rhythm The one time I tried recording drums first, very recently, it didn't go as well as I planned >_> I'm assuming though that rhythm will just come with practice. At least I'm hoping.

Well I do know about time and rhythm in theory, but when I play that goes out the window... I can't keep time in my head that well. It's also like, when I compose it's hard for me to determine the time sig of a passage I just wrote. Yeah I guess I could google some books with practical theory or playing. Also, to quantize you have to do so by nearest beat right? So you would have to know the time signature of the passage you want to quantize in right?

sorry for double posting, but um... anyone? lol

I'm still waiting for him to release redemption from the Town trailer...

it sounds really cool, and vaguely familiar... I'm interested in finding out too

Yeah I've been asking a lot of questions lately >_> So I'm trying to get better at composition, I've been using a midi keyboard to play in the tracks I want, rather than dealing with my DAWs midi input interface. I'm assuming people do this, yes? Considering they make midi keyboards lol, but is there are more efficient to do this. I mean I literally enjoy playing the parts I want to add, and it gives me to freedom to experiment, considering more times than not I have no definitive arrangement for anything I write, I literally play it on the spot. But yeah, is there something more efficient. Second, I know about quantization, but I usually don't know the time signature of what I'm making. I familiar with note types and such, but my theory and rhythm aren't that great, so quantization can't be used unless I know what time signature I'm playing right?

This seems like an appreciation topic, but any musician/song inspire you. Either on OCR or elsewhere? For me, I'm kinda a j-rpg fanatic so I'm partially inspired by Yoko Shimomura's compositions for kingdom hearts. I also have a lot of oc tracks on my mp3, in general most of the musicans on here are cool and inspiring. More or less though individual songs that fit my style on ocr inspire me. Today specifically though I was listing to Willrock's Wario's Castle remix, I wanted to do a dual remix of that song and another and it actually got me working on it. So yeah, that's pretty cool. Anyways what about you guys?

How do you guys choose what instrument you want to lead your songs? Simple question, but I'm just curious