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Schala's Theme attempt #3 jimmy


HoboKa
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Basically, the key that is implied by EVERYTHING before that chord is A# minor. The chord ( a G Major I believe) comes in without the previous progression being resolved at all, thus it makes no sense at all modulating to a different key, especially something weird like G Major. THAT's why I think it makes as much sense as a penis slapping a drum kit.

ohhh okay now that makes sense and sounds a lot less mean :P wish I read that before I posted the other response beforehand. Yeah majors and minors don't mix well together how stupid of me lol...I'll fix that shiz.

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ohhh okay now that makes sense and sounds a lot less mean :P wish I read that before I posted the other response beforehand. Yeah majors and minors don't mix well together how stupid of me lol...I'll fix that shiz.

Oh dude, it's not the fact that it's going from minor to major. Tensei san was just trying to say that G Major is crazy. I'll give you some examples of good keys that you can go to. Assuming that Tensei san is right about this being in Bb minor (It's the same thing as A# minor), then a few good major ones would be Bb major, Gb major, Db major, Ab major. These are keys that are "good" to move to from Bb minor according to music theory. However, I sometimes don't think about that when I make a song. Unfortunately, I don't think you know what changing the key of a song entails. If that's the case, then I can only give you one of those annoyingly vague, "professional-sounding" lines like, "Use your ears." But I hate that line, so I'll give you a little cheat sheet that you MIGHT find useful.

Key Signatures:

Bb minor = 5 flats

Bb major = 2 flats

Ab major = 4 flats

Db major = 5 flats

Gb major = 6 flats

If you change the key signature to one of those and move the song so that the first note starts on the name of the key (for example, Db major starts on Db) then you will have changed keys. Successfully? I don't know. Hahaha. ^_^ Do any of you guys know if I made any mistakes in those?

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Oh dude, it's not the fact that it's going from minor to major. Tensei san was just trying to say that G Major is crazy. I'll give you some examples of good keys that you can go to. Assuming that Tensei san is right about this being in Bb minor (It's the same thing as A# minor), then a few good major ones would be Bb major, Gb major, Db major, Ab major. These are keys that are "good" to move to from Bb minor according to music theory. However, I sometimes don't think about that when I make a song. Unfortunately, I don't think you know what changing the key of a song entails. If that's the case, then I can only give you one of those annoyingly vague, "professional-sounding" lines like, "Use your ears." But I hate that line, so I'll give you a little cheat sheet that you MIGHT find useful.

Key Signatures:

Bb minor = 5 flats

Bb major = 2 flats

Ab major = 4 flats

Db major = 5 flats

Gb major = 6 flats

If you change the key signature to one of those and move the song so that the first note starts on the name of the key (for example, Db major starts on Db) then you will have changed keys. Successfully? I don't know. Hahaha. ^_^ Do any of you guys know if I made any mistakes in those?

I'd like to add to this that you have to have some understanding of WHEN to change the key. I'm not exactly good at theory, but you need to create a cadence with the chord progression (i.e. It has to sound like the progression has ended.) This is usually done by playing the dominant chord in the key ( I'm guessing E# Major, yes I know that is in fact an F, but this A# scale is just weird), and then back to the root (a A#/Bb minor chord in this case I think). If you have an established phrase it will be much easier to keep the listeners attention.

Now I THINK if you play the dominant chord at it's normal position, but you DON'T return to the root, and instead play a chord from the E#/F Major scale that's not in the A# Minor scale, you will have relatively succesfully changed key.

To Summarize it: If you can't change keys successfully by ear, you should rather not do it at all, because it's a f*cking pain in the ass to do it by theory. Focus on having a nice sounding progression (with cadence) in the key of A# minor.

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Good to see you went along with a Schala mix. Very relaxing feel to the intro that I like a lot. You made the choir sound surprisingly nice at times. At first I didn't really like it after 1:20 but I even grew to like that part.

However, this can be a lot better than it is at the moment. Just keep on tweaking and improving on it especially the drumline. If you can get hold of slightly better samples for somethings that always helps.

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Wow, this was a surprising new turn. I must say this keeps getting better and better, and I really like what is starting to happen after 2:10. Great job on that!

Also it's nice to finally hear a bassline in the middle section. Though as you stated, they still need some work.

As you are improving on this track it's getting more and more obvious how weak the middle section is compared to the rest. It could just be the drums that are ruining this part of your mix. You really have to do some mastering on them (and maybe some arranging), and it would be nice if that were one of the next things you did, because right now they are ruining the overall impression of your remix.

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Should I change the style of drums, i.e. make them electronic and a bit slower? - with fills of course. OR should I make the drums distorted industrial/with a new funky style?

Hmmm, that's a hard question.

Well, if you're going to stick with what you have now, you need to work on the mastering. Also the cymbal feels a bit misplaced(?).

But, maybe an electronic and ethnic fusion could be cool? In an uptempo kind of way, because the intro is really laid back and slow. Try to make the drums communicate a little with the new section you've added. Maybe use some of the same samples or something.

It's a bit hard to come with suggestions, because right now the drums are the center of the attention, so my brain keeps focusing on them, thus making me unable to think of a different beat.

If you want to go for something else, save the file with a different name, remove the drums, and experiment! That's probably the best tip I can give you.

Also I would suggest keeping a beat up until the change that comes in at 2:30, instead of stopping it around 2:05.

Also I know that I need to reduce volumes/middle range and I don't like that new piano sample...lol.

Yeah, you need to work a little on the mastering in this part, adjusting volume, panning, etc.

BTW: I really love the synth you introduce around 2:09. Reminds me of early 90's rave.

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it's getting hawter. Sensei Tan showed me a better way to compress my stuff ^^. It clips a lot less now and the levels are less ear fatigueing. I decided to turn my drums into electronica - the beat is fast, but i think it fits in well with the main rhythm, which I changed a bit to make it more original and not too close to the source material.

Just gonna work on the 3rd phase of song now then I'll sexport it. You'll love the drum effects I got going for parts 2 & 3 :)

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wow hoboka, very good improvements! i am impressed from where it started. A few suggestions i might make:

There are a couple of places where the synths seem exposed, and i might have some kind of reverse cymbal or something to fill in that empty space. That brass build is good, but its the only thing there, so it has nothing to build off off.

Also on the intro drums, they need at least a little reverb on them because it feels kinda dry. The sound effects especially need that reverb effect, and i would give them more reverb than anything else. I would also suggest bringing in elements of that drumnbass theme earlier in hints here and there to build it up. By far, that drum and bass track and the subliminal synths under it are the most powerful aspects of the track. Bring them out as best as you can.

Also, i noticed you referred to the song as being in parts, but i might raise a point on that. That identification right there says to me that the track is somewhat not unified. I Would suggest taking the perspective that it should be a unified sequence of events. If they are 3 separate sequences attached, it will be a confused composition. Actually, this problem is easily solved. Blend different elements together to help unify the track. What i mean by that is, Use all the instruments throughout the track, dont introduce them at very distant intervals. That will isolate those instruments to one theme, and make it seem like 3 different songs attached to each other.

Also in "part 3", it is a different drum progression altogether, which i think is detracting from the piece. I would say maybe build a more complex form of the "part 2" progression to put in part 3. Actually, if you can, try and copy and paste the part 2 progression over the part 3 drums. It might make that complex sound i am talking about. It might sound bad, so im not guaranteeing it will work, but its worked for me before in some of my mixes :).

I am really loving the complex chords and characted of " part 3". probably my fav thing about the mix.

After the 5th or 6th time of listening to the track to critique it, the biggest problem i think to focus on is unifying the whole song. From there you can attack more subtle problems, but worry about the big ones first.

and also, definitely develop some kind of bass part for this. i would file that in the NEED TO DO folder lol.

So i know that seems like a lot, but damn keep up the good work and this will be one kick ass song.

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Prepare to be amazeded, shocked, retardinated and underwear-creamed: here's my near Finale of this WIP:

http://www.tindeck.com/audio/my/jvlg/Schala_UnorthodoxMeddley

@ Davidicus: I shall impliment more of your tips in a bit later on my song - I've tried to make it a bit more cohesive - like the trumpet transition, instruments carrying over (moreso at the 3rd phase). But I still wish to refer parts of my song as segments, for it is a medley and so I want it to have a semi random - yet sensual segments that add to the over all song and pay tribute to one of CT's best songs :)

Enjoy :D

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It's a little more apparent that it's Schala, but it's kind of boring for the first half; I suggest humanizing that brassy sound.

It eventually gets interesting, but the sounds are really thin; there are some frequencies that i can't hear at all, and if I am missing out on something like that, there are certainly issues.

What are you using for monitors? that might be part of the problem here.

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It's a little more apparent that it's Schala, but it's kind of boring for the first half; I suggest humanizing that brassy sound.

It eventually gets interesting, but the sounds are really thin; there are some frequencies that i can't hear at all, and if I am missing out on something like that, there are certainly issues.

What are you using for monitors? that might be part of the problem here.

I think I got ripped off for my headphones...$75 and the ambience and low ends are TOO loud on them so they hurt my ears. My moniters are Altec Lansing, no sub woof or surround sound...very primitive/cheap ones.

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