Portal 2 Robots FTW latin cover version

[Tin Jay]

Yeah, okay.

The thing is, I really hope to get some constructive feedback for this, even though it's under the "finished" status and not even a remix but a cover instead. Yup, this may not be the best place for covers, but still, if you click the link and listen to the track, I hope you'll be bothered to say something about it as well.

Aaaand that's about pleading. Just saying so that this thread wouldn't get almost 300 views without a single comment as my first one did. Maybe it works, maybe not.

BUT yeah. So here's a kind of latin cover version of Robots FTW from Portal 2 co-op. Every sound (except the drum/bass track) is recorded with a microphone.

My version: http://tindeck.com/listen/rdwy

And the original one (a bit shortened version though):

Thanks.

[timaeus222]

The chiptune stuff seems to be off-key from the other instruments, and is pretty erratically played.

The recordings seem to be lacking bass. Is your room full of carpet or something? I also don't really hear the bass you're talking about. I only hear the bass' plucking.

[Tin Jay]

The chiptune stuff seems to be off-key from the other instruments, and is pretty erratically played.

I assume you mean that beeping sound the whole thing starts with?

Well, it's, kind of, supposed to be "off-key", as you can hear from the original. It's not supposed to have an actual key at all, rather just mechanical... ticking, or so. Also yeah, I agree that very track could be a bit more rhytmically accurate at some points. I think I could try and do something about it some time.

The recordings seem to be lacking bass. Is your room full of carpet or something? I also don't really hear the bass you're talking about. I only hear the bass' plucking.

Really? That's weird, 'cause I have tested it with several speakers and headphones and I can hear the bass with all of them. Are you sure it's not just something about your headphones/speakers? But got to check it once more, in that case. Edited April 2, 2013 by Tin Jay

[timaeus222]

Well, to be honest, the recordings you have sound old-timey, like a retro rag-time movie, which isn't quite up to the standards these days.

I think the reason I thought the chiptune beeping sounds were off-key and you thought it was okay was because it was supposed to be background FX. However, the way it's playing, it sounds like it's trying to play actual notes, rather than be in the background creating a digital atmosphere. If you can manage to make it sound like those beeping sounds are properly carrying out their purpose, it could work.

Have you thought about looking up your speaker and headphone models and checking their frequency ranges? If they have overboosts in the bass, it'll make you think you have more bass, and if they have terrible high passes above the bass frequencies, you shouldn't really hear much bass no matter what you do.

[Tin Jay]

Well, to be honest, the recordings you have sound old-timey, like a retro rag-time movie, which isn't quite up to the standards these days.

Yes they do! Who needs any standards anyways?

No, I mean, yeah. That's what kind of disturbs myself as well and I'm not sure if I have any way of preventing it with my current recording equipment (a cheap USB mic, that is). I think that old-timey sound (which I don't think is THAT bad anyways...) is mostly because of the heavy EQuing i must apply for all the tracks. Without that the sound would probably be more natural or so, but it just cannot be left that way because of the horrible background noice especially in the highest and lowest frequencies.

Have you thought about looking up your speaker and headphone models and checking their frequency ranges? If they have overboosts in the bass, it'll make you think you have more bass, and if they have terrible high passes above the bass frequencies, you shouldn't really hear much bass no matter what you do.

Yup, that's exactly the reason why I test with several speakers and headphones. Those different frequency ranges, I mean. And I've tried to make a compromise so that it would sound decent both with the most treble boosting headphones/speakers but also with speakers that have those overboosts in the bass. For example, the speakers I use with my PC have a terrible bass boost in them (too much, in my opinion), and with them it even sounds like there is too much bass. But hmm. Maybe I really must test again and see if I could add some more bass.

I think the reason I thought the chiptune beeping sounds were off-key and you thought it was okay was because it was supposed to be background FX. However, the way it's playing, it sounds like it's trying to play actual notes, rather than be in the background creating a digital atmosphere. If you can manage to make it sound like those beeping sounds are properly carrying out their purpose, it could work.

Hmm, point. I've thought that beeping track might be too dominant but it, too, can be hard to estimate as it sounds different with different speakers (with some you cannot almost hear it at all). But seems like it really is too dominant then : D So yeah, thanks.

[Tin Jay]

Ok, here's an upgrade version of the previous one. There should now be slightly more bass and those machine beeps should be less dominant.

AND I still would really appreciate comments and some constructive feedback, in case you actually decide to click the link and listen to the track.

http://tindeck.com/listen/hags

[timaeus222]

The USB recording setup you have just isn't giving you good quality sound. I think you'd be better off trying to find VSTs that emulate the sound you're going for, or spending time studying how to set up your room for recording and finding the proper equipment. I'm definitely not hearing any significant bass frequencies. The beeping FX are also still kind of awkward, especially in the fast arpeggios where it's polyphonic. If it was retrigger, then it would sound much smoother.

The arrangement on its own is getting there, but of course, an ending would be a great thing to have.

Edited April 15, 2013 by timaeus222

[Tin Jay]

The USB recording setup you have just isn't giving you good quality sound. I think you'd be better off trying to find VSTs that emulate the sound you're going for, or spending time studying how to set up your room for recording and finding the proper equipment. I'm definitely not hearing any significant bass frequencies.

Well yeah, the sound quality in that track isn't going to get much better unless I record the whole thing over again. If I did, it probably would be somewhat better as I don't have an overwhelming computer fan noise to block anymore like I used to. It was more than a headache for sound, crowding in every track regardless of how much things there had been placed to block it.

But, what do you exactly mean by significant bass frequencies? Because the bass frequencies actually are there (and stronger than in that first version), and a frequency spectrum analysis confirms the same. They could still be louder, but maybe our preferences just differ from each other when it comes to bass? Especially if it's some kind of extra strong sub-bass type of thing you're longing for. I usually don't like very strong bass frequencies myself and like to keep it lighter instead. Well, of course not always but more than often, I'd say. But hmmmm. If you're really not hearing any bass... one reason I could think of is that maybe there is a bit too much stuff in mid and hi frequencies, and they somehow draw the attention so that the bass kind of gets lost under them..?

The beeping FX are also still kind of awkward, especially in the fast arpeggios where it's polyphonic. If it was retrigger, then it would sound much smoother.

I think I see where youre coming from with that arpeggio thing. If I understood correctly which part you mean, I kind of agree, it gets polyphonic almost necessarily when you play it yourself and would be more neat if done using a VST effect or instrument or something alike... which I didn't really want to do. So yeah, that results in the fact that that particular pattern of two measures is a bit disturbing indeed.

But otherwise... awkward how? If you mean they are still too noticeable for effects, it's because they aren't really supposed to be just effects but lead a kind of "melody" of their own. If something else, please clarify what you mean.

The arrangement on its own is getting there, but of course, an ending would be a great thing to have.

...But there is already an ending; otherwise the track would just last forever you know.

Yeah, sorry, couldn't help. : ) So what kind of ending do you actually mean, that is?

Edited April 17, 2013 by Tin Jay

[timaeus222]

But, what do you exactly mean by significant bass frequencies? Because the bass frequencies actually are there (and stronger than in that first version), and a frequency spectrum analysis confirms the same. They could still be louder, but maybe our preferences just differ from each other when it comes to bass? Especially if it's some kind of extra strong sub-bass type of thing you're longing for. I usually don't like very strong bass frequencies myself and like to keep it lighter instead. Well, of course not always but more than often, I'd say. But hmmmm. If you're really not hearing any bass... one reason I could think of is that maybe there is a bit too much stuff in mid and hi frequencies, and they somehow draw the attention so that the bass kind of gets lost under them..?

I'm just not hearing the bass instrument loud enough, but I'm sure I can hear enough bass in my headphones if the artist mixed in enough bass. I'm not talking about sub bass, I hate excess sub bass. When people say bass, they usually mean 20~100Hz. I did a quick sound rip of the remix since it can't be downloaded and checked the bass. There isn't much at all below 98Hz. Small iterations of bass show up and go away, which is basically ethereal bass. Maybe the bass instrument is just too soft. I'm actually barely hearing the bass instrument itself.

But otherwise... awkward how? If you mean they are still too noticeable for effects, it's because they aren't really supposed to be just effects but lead a kind of "melody" of their own. If something else, please clarify what you mean.

Yeah, that kind of arpeggio with polyphony makes the sound seem like an organ or something, except the notes and voice mode make it bleed into itself and draw attention to itself, when you didn't want that. Quick example of what I'd think beeping works on:

http://zirconstudios.bandcamp.com/track/colossus at 0:15-0:16, but feel free to listen to the rest.

...But there is already an ending; otherwise the track would just last forever you know.

Yeah, sorry, couldn't help. : ) So what kind of ending do you actually mean, that is?

Well, an ending, meaning a satisfying way of ending a song. Right now, what you have is kind of abrupt. Edited April 16, 2013 by timaeus222

[Melodious Punk]

I agree that you shouldn't worry about adapting to a norm for sound quality, but there are some influences you may want to investigate which I think fall into your ideas that you mentioned earlier.

First off, this site is largely composed of electronic musicians, so I think you can take everything with a grain of salt and still get a ton of great feedback.

But in terms of bass and recording setup:

You may want to check out Ween. They are a band whose first few albums were recorded on very lo-fi equipment on purpose. They adapted to the limitations and their songwriting is deeply married with the functional style of their equipment. "The Pod" is a good example.

Music that uses very little bass is abundant. An acoustic guitar in standard tuning goes down to 82 hz, and there's loads of music written with very little use of those frequencies on guitar. Nick Drake is a good example of how someone can use the intricacy of their sonic patterns to compensate for a lack of sonic range. Your bleepy arpeggios in this tune remind me of that.

Basically, I think your tune is fun. If you used a tuba sample (or an actual tuba) for the bass it would mimic that bright cheerful sound.