Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


4lokos basilisk posted:

sounds like the demo song for any fancy arranger keyboard

you have bad taste. it’s good op

quote:

also, it is anime

is not

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Corla Plankun
May 8, 2007

improve the lives of everyone
am i stupid or is this stupid?

quote:

Her first full-length album as Soccer Mommy, For Young Hearts, was released in 2016 on Orchid Tapes.[8] Her second album, Collection, was released in 2017 on Fat Possum Records.[9][10][11][12][13] Her debut album proper, titled Clean, was released on March 2, 2018.[14]

how could a person's third album be a debut album? what do words even mean?

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


a debut is just a formality and is kind of arbitrary tbqh

it’s like putting out some track collections on soundcloud, calling them albums, and then a “debut” album would be the first one you put on bandcamp and itunes

it’s when your presence “becomes real” or whatever. fallacy, I say.

4lokos basilisk
Jul 17, 2008


Corla Plankun posted:

am i stupid or is this stupid?

how could a person's third album be a debut album? what do words even mean?

"this is will be my first album, starting from now!"

Laserjet 4P
Mar 28, 2005

What does it mean?
Fun Shoe

killhamster posted:

oh this was far less difficult than i for some reason believed

put all your 2006 newgrounds flash animation skillz into tweening sines and saws

except vital

vital has modifiers and makes things more complex

4lokos basilisk posted:

yeah you need a full 123989tb nas to just fit the tiniest violin in that orchestra

but it will be the most lifelike tiniest violin in the world

https://audiomodeling.com/strings/solo-strings/swam-violin/

it’s always a trade-off between storage and computation

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


vital good imo

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


it’s my goto synth vst

Laserjet 4P
Mar 28, 2005

What does it mean?
Fun Shoe

Pollyanna posted:

I’m curious, what kinda vsts and hardware would I need to make this, minus the vocals

https://youtu.be/YUBRvH_X6JY

(note: this is not anime)

the instruments clearly aren’t just samples

not hearing anything that’s not samples of orchestral stuff, but i’ll relisten on better speakers soon. either way sample based orchestral stuff is honestly done best by software because it requires a fuckton of storage

cheapest hardware option is a jv1010 with orchestral expansion but that’s 1994 tech and 8 mb of samples or so

killhamster
Apr 15, 2004

SCAMMER
Hero Member


have this too, never really explored it

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


Laserjet 4P posted:

not hearing anything that’s not samples of orchestral stuff, but i’ll relisten on better speakers soon. either way sample based orchestral stuff is honestly done best by software because it requires a fuckton of storage

cheapest hardware option is a jv1010 with orchestral expansion but that’s 1994 tech and 8 mb of samples or so

oh I guess by hardware I meant ram :v:

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


killhamster posted:

have this too, never really explored it

it’s good op

saved my rear end as a synth newbie

Laserjet 4P
Mar 28, 2005

What does it mean?
Fun Shoe

killhamster posted:

have this too, never really explored it

vital and surge are both free and open source and kick the utter snot out of 9 out of 10 stock daw plugins and several paid ones as well. the difference is mostly in professional preset designers for the payware who do genre-specific stuff that can be sold.

i can't recommend them enough

AtomD
May 3, 2009

Fun Shoe
thinking about number stations had me wondering you could use DUGA interference as the backbone of a beat if you hosed with it enough

not sure if i'd gently caress around more, but here's an attempt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_ktiZg0mII

aw frig aw dang it
Jun 1, 2018


Woolwich Bagnet posted:

i did it, i made more music, because that's really unusual

another one that i've been working on here and there. actually took some time to do some mixing and mastering this time even! it took me a long time to be satisfied with the balance of it with so much stuff going on

https://soundcloud.com/poltzart/the-beauty-beneath

not completely perfect, but oh well, pretty good

This was posted a little while ago but I really enjoy what you've made here!

Ruffian Price
Sep 17, 2016

Pollyanna posted:

you have bad taste. it’s good op

you seem to assume "demo for arranger keyboard" is an insult :mad:

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
tonight I am making synth noises

4lokos basilisk
Jul 17, 2008


Ruffian Price posted:

you seem to assume "demo for arranger keyboard" is an insult :mad:

yes dont get me wrong, the track in question is very well made, it's interesting to listen to and - in my opinion - maybe over the top with all the things and layers it has going on. maybe i wont listen to this kind of music very often but again, i respect the people who made it for their skills and execution

it's also undeniably anime

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


well!!!! we shall then agree that it’s good

personal stuff: I think part of the reason im self conscious about my work is that I have a hard time backing it up. decisions were made but justifying them to myself and others is difficult, it’s hard to explain why I do what I do (if at all possible). I can’t pick up a track and go “this part of this song is really good because XYZ”, the best I can do is say “I like how XYZ sounds”. I actually live in fear of being asked “why is this track good?” because I absolutely cannot answer that question.

I worry that if I’m called to defend what I make, I’ll be outed as an impostor and amateur. and I want to have confidence in everything I make. but it’s hard when I can’t prove it.

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
huh?

that’s a lot of overthinking imo

music enjoyment is subjective and it’s either good or the listener or not, it doesn’t have to pass a test of authenticity

I mean, are you like that to other music? expecting other peoples music to have to pass some legitimacy test?

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


well no, I just like what I like

but it’s not really about what the other sees in it as much as what I do, so it’s kinda selfish

spose this is one of them hindrances I heard about.

might also be a fear of rejection I need to get over i.e. “if you like it that’s fine if you don’t that’s fine too”

Woolwich Bagnet
Apr 27, 2003



Pollyanna posted:

well!!!! we shall then agree that it’s good

personal stuff: I think part of the reason im self conscious about my work is that I have a hard time backing it up. decisions were made but justifying them to myself and others is difficult, it’s hard to explain why I do what I do (if at all possible). I can’t pick up a track and go “this part of this song is really good because XYZ”, the best I can do is say “I like how XYZ sounds”. I actually live in fear of being asked “why is this track good?” because I absolutely cannot answer that question.

I worry that if I’m called to defend what I make, I’ll be outed as an impostor and amateur. and I want to have confidence in everything I make. but it’s hard when I can’t prove it.

its art, you don't need to have a reason to do anything or ever defend it

if you ask me why i did whatever i did the answer is 'because i like the way it sounds'

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


then the problem isn’t the art itself (surprise surprise), but how one views it - both others’ and their own

I tell myself I try to keep an open mind and find enjoyment in every song/track/etc I hear, but maybe I don’t do that well enough for myself. and if I don’t do that well enough for myself, can I still prove I do that well enough for others?

food for thought I spose

NonzeroCircle
Apr 12, 2010

El Camino
I did a metal, testing out amp sims.

It's... Very Bolt Thrower.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/EdkJ2

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy

Pollyanna posted:

then the problem isn’t the art itself (surprise surprise), but how one views it - both others’ and their own

I tell myself I try to keep an open mind and find enjoyment in every song/track/etc I hear, but maybe I don’t do that well enough for myself. and if I don’t do that well enough for myself, can I still prove I do that well enough for others?

food for thought I spose

hahah overthinking it again lol imo

there is a purpose for trying to find the good in everything, but it’s a purposeful exercise to grow and improve your tastes and skills, but doesn’t have to be the “normal” way you listen to music, which hopefully is just for enjoyment.

do you drive? put on your music when going for a drive or a walk or doing something else. see how you go

Woolwich Bagnet
Apr 27, 2003



aw frig aw dang it posted:

This was posted a little while ago but I really enjoy what you've made here!

missed this before but thanks!


NonzeroCircle posted:

I did a metal, testing out amp sims.

It's... Very Bolt Thrower.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/EdkJ2

neat. what amp sim did you use? pretty amazing what they can do now


Pollyanna posted:

then the problem isn’t the art itself (surprise surprise), but how one views it - both others’ and their own

I tell myself I try to keep an open mind and find enjoyment in every song/track/etc I hear, but maybe I don’t do that well enough for myself. and if I don’t do that well enough for myself, can I still prove I do that well enough for others?

food for thought I spose

it's ok to not like things, and it's ok for others to not like your things. it's not a personal attack against the creator. hell, the majority of stuff i make is not what i'd normally listen to. sit down, make stuff, goof around, enjoy the process, :justpost:. you're never going to please everyone all the time, including yourself.

you're way over thinking it

and the only way to get better at something is to do it a LOT, so get to it

Woolwich Bagnet
Apr 27, 2003



speaking of :justpost:, finally done with the one that I posted a couple of WIP of

https://soundcloud.com/poltzart/cinematic-feels

more improvements could be made and I can hear new things each time I listed but eh, good enough

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


yeah for sure lol

im_sorry
Jan 15, 2006

(9999)
Ultra Carp
I'm feeling like my music is all sounding the same.... I have a general "routine" that I use to make songs, and it's starting to feel like the songs I make are getting really predictable. What sorts of things can I change in order to make things sound different? I've used some different time signatures, which helps, but I'm wondering what other settings, practices and things like that are fun to change around that make a difference in how the end product comes out.

I just got a new copy of "The Keyboard Grimoire", and before my old copy got wrecked, I would often pick a page at random and make a song based on it, and I plan to start this again, but I'm having trouble thinking of interesting ways I can change what I'm currently doing to make my music less predictable. Aside from taking lots of psilocybin, what else can I do different?

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


share your routine? that’ll help with suggestions

im_sorry
Jan 15, 2006

(9999)
Ultra Carp
Well, generally I start with a 64 step drum/instrument 1/instrument 2 pattern that I generate with the Beatstep Pro and/or draw notes for manually in the DAW, after plinking away at a MIDI keyboard until I get something I can use. Then I'll copy and paste that pattern a few times, copy it to some additional layers (change parts to chord sections when needed or whatever), have parts repeat where they need to, transpose some parts up and down if it doesn't end up sounding lovely, reduce and increase the number of instruments when needed, edit the sequences to sound different from the other layers, etc. Then I do the intro and outro. But it's all generally based on what I come up with in those initial patterns.

What usually ends up happening is a few bars of intro, then the song kicks in, goes for a while, cuts down to a couple instruments, builds back up, goes on, then the ending part at about three minutes.

aw frig aw dang it
Jun 1, 2018


im_sorry posted:

Well, generally I start with a 64 step drum/instrument 1/instrument 2 pattern that I generate with the Beatstep Pro and/or draw notes for manually in the DAW, after plinking away at a MIDI keyboard until I get something I can use. Then I'll copy and paste that pattern a few times, copy it to some additional layers (change parts to chord sections when needed or whatever), have parts repeat where they need to, transpose some parts up and down if it doesn't end up sounding lovely, reduce and increase the number of instruments when needed, edit the sequences to sound different from the other layers, etc. Then I do the intro and outro. But it's all generally based on what I come up with in those initial patterns.

What usually ends up happening is a few bars of intro, then the song kicks in, goes for a while, cuts down to a couple instruments, builds back up, goes on, then the ending part at about three minutes.

You could try changing some of your default structures. Like, what happens if you make a song that's six minutes long? Or ten? What can you do to keep the phrases you've written interesting in those cases? Or you could try writing a song that doesn't pivot around a breakdown, maybe a more traditional verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus structure. Or see if you can write a cool song using 32-bar AABA.

4lokos basilisk
Jul 17, 2008


im_sorry posted:

I'm feeling like my music is all sounding the same.... I have a general "routine" that I use to make songs, and it's starting to feel like the songs I make are getting really predictable. What sorts of things can I change in order to make things sound different?

one thing that's definitely true is that your songs will be predictable for you, because you wrote them and you know your style. predictability is not necessarily a bad thing either - lots of electronic music is very predictable in structure so that djs can mix stuff together more easily

but challenging yourself and working in different ways is good too, and once again i would recommend to read "making music" by dennis desantis, because there you have literally tens of easy creativity/composing routines that you can try out in your situation

4lokos basilisk
Jul 17, 2008


Pollyanna posted:

well!!!! we shall then agree that it’s good

yes

Pollyanna posted:

personal stuff: I think part of the reason im self conscious about my work is that I have a hard time backing it up. decisions were made but justifying them to myself and others is difficult, it’s hard to explain why I do what I do (if at all possible). I can’t pick up a track and go “this part of this song is really good because XYZ”, the best I can do is say “I like how XYZ sounds”. I actually live in fear of being asked “why is this track good?” because I absolutely cannot answer that question.

this is a work in progress - over the course of trying out stuff you build your internal way of analyzing music and splitting a track into elements in your mind model. so you can go "i like this mood/energy/element/sound/rhythm/thing" and it will make sense in your mind, but not necessarily to everyone else (because its your mind model).

i think this is like how famous mathematicians/physicists had their own mental model of the problems they solved, like calculus and relativity theory. they figured it out in their head, but THEN they had to translate their mind model to the commonly used language of mathematics so that others could understand how it all makes sense.

so if you don't have any need to explain to others your music in terms of contemporary music theory (and probably you don't! see below), then worrying about this stuff is really a waste of energy and time.

Pollyanna posted:

I worry that if I’m called to defend what I make, I’ll be outed as an impostor and amateur. and I want to have confidence in everything I make. but it’s hard when I can’t prove it.

you don't need to prove or defend jack poo poo. people asking you to "prove" things are gatekeeping assholes, there is no need to cater to them.

the exception is if you have to "prove" something to some record company person so that they would give you a lot of money, but at this point it's OK to bullshit because you are getting PAID for it, and at this level of being a professional musician there is some another game of creative compromises and "selling out". im going to say nobody in this thread is even close to that level anyway, so there is no point theorycrafting about this

NonzeroCircle
Apr 12, 2010

El Camino
Woolwich, I used the Brainworx Diezel Herbert for guitars, and their GK for bass. Bxtube screamer on guitars and bass, guitars double tracked, just one for bass. Slate Drums 5.5 for the drums but it's an old kit from an earlier version I tweaked a little.

Pollyanna:
(hypocrisy) I know it's easier said than done but try not to stress about these things, you seem to be putting a lot of pressure on yourself and anyone at any level is going to have criticism- look how many people hate Bieber, or Metallica, or Skrillex or whatever.
If you like your music then that's key, if anyone else does that's a bonus.
(/hypocrisy)

AtomD
May 3, 2009

Fun Shoe
lol i watch that charles cornell fellow on youtube talk for an hour about passport.mid (not a real video) and i start wondering whether i've ever even touched a piano at all.

im_sorry
Jan 15, 2006

(9999)
Ultra Carp

4lokos basilisk posted:

one thing that's definitely true is that your songs will be predictable for you, because you wrote them and you know your style. predictability is not necessarily a bad thing either - lots of electronic music is very predictable in structure so that djs can mix stuff together more easily

Yeah.. I guess that's true - I listen to them so many times while I'm working on them that I'd probably think that even if I was working on some sort of 6/66 time avant garde jazz or something. :D I'd like to make more different parts for my songs, but when it comes to making different "verse"/"chorus"/"bridge" type parts, the parts often sound like they belong in three different songs or something!

4lokos basilisk posted:

but challenging yourself and working in different ways is good too, and once again i would recommend to read "making music" by dennis desantis, because there you have literally tens of easy creativity/composing routines that you can try out in your situation

I just noticed it's a free E-pub download, so I'll check this out for sure!

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
i;ve given up on trying to write "songs", I just have this short format tiktok style music video I make from footage I film myself (or poo poo I make on blender) and it's about a minute of music.. but it's not a song.

I don't have the ability to work on something much more than that. usually it's a one take kinda thing that I record the midi and maybe remove a bad note or tweak the sound and then boom


and maybe one or two people press like on my video

it's about all I can mange. I have fun doing it

Pollyanna
Mar 5, 2005

Milk's on them.


wanting to change how and what you write because you think you need to be different is finding disappointment in music. wanting to change how and what you write because you want to see and try new compositions is finding enjoyment in music. both of them have the same cause and end up in the same place but at least one of them makes you happy

and they’re not that different in the end. just a matter of how you look at it.

DaTroof
Nov 16, 2000

CC LIMERICK CONTEST GRAND CHAMPION
There once was a poster named Troof
Who was getting quite long in the toof

echinopsis posted:

i;ve given up on trying to write "songs", I just have this short format tiktok style music video I make from footage I film myself (or poo poo I make on blender) and it's about a minute of music.. but it's not a song.

I don't have the ability to work on something much more than that. usually it's a one take kinda thing that I record the midi and maybe remove a bad note or tweak the sound and then boom


and maybe one or two people press like on my video

it's about all I can mange. I have fun doing it

considering how much you've contributed to this thread, maybe i'm preaching to the choir: the song you make in one take after fuckin around for a couple weeks might be an awesome song

that includes short-format experiments

your experiments in the past inform the experiments you make today

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

DaTroof
Nov 16, 2000

CC LIMERICK CONTEST GRAND CHAMPION
There once was a poster named Troof
Who was getting quite long in the toof
I'm gonna TMI an example here. There was a rap group I followed, my favorite song of theirs, the lead guy told me they came up with the beat in less than an hour. Thing is, everything else they did previously made that track possible. If you come up with a banger in twenty minutes, it's probably because you've been struggling to make bangers for several years

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply