Meteo Xavier Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I'm working on a New Age/Ambient album that I have serious intentions for and this is the introduction/first track. All the songs are supposed to really blur the line between Ambient and New Age song structures, moving without really moving, sparse and minimal with full atmospheres, etc. And each song is supposed to be structured a certain way. This one in particular is supposed to be kinda like a dream, with the music changing and evolving from one thought to another with only fractions of a core theme, but I'm having a lot of trouble with it and even with professional mastering and consulting, which I'm getting, I'm just not sure this song is up to snuff. I have the basic frame of the song done and I really have some work to do as it gets closer to the end. Please just let me know if I'm on the right track. I've spent like a week on this track and I barely have the energy to listen to it anymore. Any ideas and help would be appreciated, baring in mind I don't want to fuck with the structure, just improve it greatly. http://www.savefile.com/files/2114932 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteo Xavier Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 No help at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skrypnyk Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 the idea of having an eight minute wip is funny to me. ooo quite nice. what you have is really great. it sounds like you know what you're doing as far as I'm concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulinEther Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Confusing.. you want it to be "on track," when it's sorta just aimlessly meandering? It's pleasant to the ear and to the psyche. But that motif at the very end gets pretty annoying, repeating as much as it does with very minimal changes w/instruments unless.. that was your goal. What is that repetitive sound you're using in the left channel during the second movement/segment of the piece? It sounds like water being shaken in a container while splashing on something else... or maybe some sort of shaker or something... whatever it is, it's pretty enthralling, and unlike anything I've heard before. in all honesty i just checked this post because i'm an occasional troll and i remembered this post bein in the wrong board. checking your song out was rewarding. it took me nowhere, but sometimes you just gotta stay where it's most enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteo Xavier Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Oh thank the great good Lord. An idea! This whole song is fucked up IMO, and having worked on it since only fucks it up further. I don't know what I keep doing wrong, over and over, but this is about the most frustrating track I've done in a while. Anyway, the sound you keep hearing is some weird sample from a Kompakt drum track. I wanted it because I originally dreamt up this track to be something of a cross between Metroid Prime and Chrono Cross. And I totally mean to fix that ending, thats just what I had come up so far. If its any bother, is there anything specifically I can fix up to breathe some life and fix some of the errors here? I really don't know what the fuck I'm doing here on this track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulinEther Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Yes. Fix the ending. That's it lol. Plus I don't see how you can fuck anything up, what you're going for is sort of unfuckupable in my view. Perhaps your own vision of the track is not exactly matching up but I have no idea what your vision is, so it seems fine to me. Have you considered a frame? When you dream, you start out by being awake and drifting asleep, and you end it by waking up and regaining consciousness/control. You might wake up feeling the same, different (refreshed or with a new outlook) ... etc. Just throwing ideas at you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronyn Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Well like everyone says, this kinda stuff really is a matter of taste and who the hell am I too tell you how this should be finished? That being said, here's a few perspectives on how I'd approach this since I think that's really what you're asking for: 2:02 That weird squishy blockish sound is obnoxious, but interesting. I'd maybe not have that going every measure, maybe once every couple measures or phrase. I kinda felt like where the piece has its weakest points is when the established pad stays static, ex. sits on a string pad, chorus, or synth for just too long. 5:09-6:34 was a good example of a lush, dynamic ambience, giving me more and more the more I lend my ear to it. 6:46-8:00 The motif drags on too long with no ambient pads or changes IMO. Just an idea, but if this were me, and I didn't want to really change what I already have and I'm not really inspired to add more, I'd start attacking this with much heavier and intricate mixing and automation. Some EQ automation might really thin out some of the very thick and stagnant pads towards the beginning, for example. I dunno if that's helpful or not, good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteo Xavier Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 Ok, well I am taking all these comments to heart as I wrestle with this ridiculous WIP. I have a new, seemingly more improved version here: http://www.savefile.com/files/2114932. It has more balance and more fluid to the sound. I'm actually thinking of keeping the ending as is in its structure because it feels more like dreaming and waking up kinda. What else can I do to really improve this, what else isn't right? How else can I make it sound more professional? Also, really, thanks again. I have a lot resting on this track and I REALLY needed some idea of what I'm doing with it. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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