We're Alive! - (but how many are truly living?)

Following @2GooD Productions advice and @Wesbeats I've fattened up the kick, tickled the snare a little wetter now with reverb, hats too and hats playing about midsection with spoken word.

think i was having too much fun playing with saturation and vinyl sound that i neglected the meat and veg, kick and snare.
More reverb added to piano too.

love the feedback and has helped me work harder on the whole project. Keep it coming if you have more.

@2GooD Productions, I'll have to progress deeper into the MPC and music theory when you talk about root notes and stuff. I've always played by ear but will take time to study some theory as clearly need it.

Always looking for feedback on where and how i can improve, thanks ILLienz!

 
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I think whats letting you down is the sounds and samples, the kick is punchy but doesnt have much weight to it, the snare is dry, could really use some reverb on it. Same with the hi hats. On the midway drop out I think some hi hats carrying on through the spoken part would sound better. Im assuming the piano is a VST. If so, to thicken the chords up a bit, add the root note of each chord but in a lower octave, try one or two octaves lower, or both. Put a bit of reverb on it too. You can copy those root notes to a bass instrument too and theres a bassline. Structurally I think its good, changeups happen at the right times, things stay interesting. Its just a matter of making the most of the sounds you have to make them sound more realistic.
 

BiggChev

ILLIEN
Battle Points: 10
I don't want to be a dead horse, so I'll try not to repeat any points of feedback already brought up.

There are few things that stick out to me. And I'll try to be as objective about it as possible.

1) Lacks directions, pianos, squealchy bass patch, vocal sample, stiff kicks. Neither of these elements work together IMHO.
2) Instrument/sample selection - some of them are just not good. that bass/lead is not working...at all.
3) Drums (swing/groove) - try messing around with 16 Levels on the MPC as well as swing. Beats 1 and 3 are your strong beats and can be near full velocity. "and" or "up" beats should be a little lower in velocity and anything that hits on the "e" or "uh" should be the lowest in velocity. Coupled with swing, you'll really unlock a lot of groove.
 

hosie

ILLIEN
Battle Points: 6
Above all else I love your commitment to making beats and sticking with projects. When you nail your sound you will be a very unique beatmaker. Your sound choices are always unique and different and I think that's important. BiggChev may not like them but not everyone will. As with all of your stuff you can hear the idea behind it, it's just a case of execution.

I know you're probably wanting to use the vinyl / saturation but I don't think this is a beat that really calls for it. I think this would benefit from a clean sound.
 
Hosie, thanks man, appreciated! I know my sound choices will never be to everyone’s liking but then I also don’t want to follow the trend and sound like everyone else.

I’m happy making what I like whilst taking everyone’s feedback, learning all the time and hopefully improving in many areas.

Sticking at it and enjoying the process.
 

couch trax

Member
Battle Points: 14
its so damn chipper ! I feel like this is the soundtrack you would play while raping one of Santas elves in July.
Everything is mixed great though, each element has its own home to live in and everything is in key. Man Dillards or JC Penney would play the hell out of this all November and December in the sweater aisle
 
Following @2GooD Productions advice and @Wesbeats I've fattened up the kick, tickled the snare a little wetter now with reverb, hats too and hats playing about midsection with spoken word.

think i was having too much fun playing with saturation and vinyl sound that i neglected the meat and veg, kick and snare.
More reverb added to piano too.

love the feedback and has helped me work harder on the whole project. Keep it coming if you have more.

@2GooD Productions, I'll have to progress deeper into the MPC and music theory when you talk about root notes and stuff. I've always played by ear but will take time to study some theory as clearly need it.

Always looking for feedback on where and how i can improve, thanks ILLienz!


it's too unquantized. I'm not a fan of full-on robotic quantization either but this is too much at some points. too chaotic for my ears to follow.
your bass could use more low end. the entire beat could, in fact. unless you did this whole thing on purpose to make it sound excessively light.
The vibe you created is kinda unique, the entire sound is respectable in that manner despite being uhh... goofy as fuck lol. I Love the tail on your snare, whether it's just the natural tail or you put a reverb/delay on it.

and I don't have much more to add. good job sir.
 
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