Savagery: My first submission

[Rei_Ishida]

Hello! ^ ^;; This will be my first submission (an original composition); just joined today. I used my Midi Maker to Reason method on this one and I think it turned out pretty well.

I've never submitted anything or really let anyone else listen to my compositions so any feedback is welcome!

If you can make the time to listen to it, the link is below. Once you click the link it may take a bit to load in the web page because it is a wav file. I'm working on an MP3 version right now!

http://www.themegalithonline.com/SavageryLowDef.wav

[Obtuse]

Welcome to OCR!

I like the track. It has great potential. Musically I like it.

Here are some of my observations:

Overall:

The Bass drum seems like it uses too much of the frequency spectrum. This is just my opinion. I think you should use a kick that doesn't have that added sustain. Or possibly reduce the sustain of the kick. Hip Hop Kit 2 has a very good kick in my mind. Mess around with it and see what you think.

I can barely hear the hi hat when it is used. Bring it out a bit.

Some of the instruments compete with each other in the frequency spectrum. Try using EQ on each instrument to get rid of frequencies that compete with each other.

0:02 - 0:18

The Bassline gets buried by the melody line.

0:48 - 1:02

The non bass-line parts are too quiet. Bring them out or bring down the bass-line

1:20 -1:37

There is a pad in here that feels like it isn't going anywhere. You could use automation to change the volume of the pad. Make it grow or make it rise and fall. Or whatever else you think would be awesome.

2nd Half of track

The piano sounds awesome.

[Rei_Ishida]

First of all, thanks so much for taking the time to provide me with such detailed and insightful feedback!

Bass Drum: I had issues with the bass- I was trying to find something really heavy and ended up discovering the beauty of combinator patches. I added a "Deep Bass" combinator patch and turned it way up! I noticed that it seemed to want to take over the world, and each kick literally drowned out the piano. I think I may try turning it down a bit more, and see if that helps.

EQ:As far as using the EQ for each instrument...How do I make that happen? Is that in that part of the mixer? Or the knobs on each instrument? Sorry for my lack of jargon- I'm really not familiar with the musical technical terms.

1:20-1:37: Unfortunately I'm using my laptop to write music and therefore write using my laptop speakers (or occasionally my headphones). I wasn't able to tell what the pad you were referring to was.

I am notorious for having awful percussion... It's the hardest part for me, but I know it's extremely important in giving a song it's drive... Do you think that overall the percussion wasn't too dull? Also, I have issues with EQ and dynamics (since I'm used to writing midi's where you don't have much of a choice). I wonder if playing a bit with dynamics more might fix most of these issues. Although... I have touble with dynamics in Reason 4. *sighs* I miss you line tool

[Obtuse]

I was trying to find something really heavy and ended up discovering the beauty of combinator patches.

Combinator Patches are great. You should check out www.combinatorhq.com . Download all of the patches by Lizard and Exode. Those patches are pretty sweet.

EQ:As far as using the EQ for each instrument...How do I make that happen?

Click on the instrument you want to add EQ to, then go to the menubar, click on Create -> MClass Equalizer.

Do you think that overall the percussion wasn't too dull?

The percussion was good. It could use some improvement. I suffer in the percussion department.

*sighs* I miss you line tool

When you want to draw automation using a line, hold shift, click a point... Keep holding shift, click another point. This should give you a straight line.

Hope all this helps.

[Obtuse]

If you are referring to using a line tool to edit velocities, choose the pencil tool, click control and drag the line as you see fit.