Dancey Acid, Need help with structure etc :/

[QrQ]

Have been messing with synths etc for a few years, making 16 bar jams and never finishing anything.
However, recently I have decided to be a bit more focused about improving my music

I seem to struggle particularly with arranging and composition. I accidentally structure things like poppy dance tracks! Maybe because its easier to copy and paste and drop things in and out in a simplistic way.

I have been listening to a lot of Creme Organization recently, but their tracks seem to have have more complex arrangements, but are still quite dancey.

I would really appreciate any feedback, any any aspect but particularly the arrangement/structure.

Unfortunately I am travelling round a lot currently and have no access monitors, so these are mixed loosely on headphones and as a result the levels may be all over the place!!

 

Thanks for listening!

 

[sc5]https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/220064974[/sc5]

 

https://soundcloud.com/qrq

[QrQ]

[sc5]220064974[/sc5]

 

Sorry for the double post, was struggling with the embed and I think I was locked out of the editor

[Brisbot]

The embed is just straight up posting the soundcloud link. you don't need to embed it in any special way.

There isn't a lot I'd change, though i'd change it in broad sweeps.

 

1.The detuning I think, is too much. If I wanted to detune it, I'd keep it in the same place, but vary the detuning to go in tune, and then out of tune, using it more as an effect than having it throughout the whole song. That might also create variance in the track, and keep things more interesting, for a longer period.

2. The drums. Like the last thing, the machine gun thing works in certain parts, like 1:15, I like it here, but having every drum 'machine gun' with the same velocity isn't a good idea I think. Instead, I'd machine gun in certain spots, and then add more velocity variance in others, especially when there are several different types of drums going on at once.

[QrQ]

Brisbot, thanks for listening, appreciate your comments. Completely agree with the drum suggestions. To clarify, do you find the doubled and transposed nature of the acid lines to be a bit intense to use throughout? Or is it that is gets a bit dull and samey and therefore more movement and tweakery in the filters would help in keeping interest?

 

To clarify what is going on, there are a few 303 lines which are doubled and transposed. The main one starts at about 30 seconds. There is some filter tweakery on the 303 filter which repeats every 2 bars, the baseline 303 cutoff is initially closed for 8 bars, then half open for 8, then closed for 8, then fully open for 8. A second formant style filter opens over 8 bars in a sawtooth pattern.

 

at 1.34 a second line comes in which has a similar modulation to above except there are only 5 steps in the pattern. The structure is similar to the above but it is then interspered with fairly tongue in cheek bits of 727 percussion and some triangle bass notes.

 

If anyone fancies listening to another, there's a rearranged microbrute jam here, all sounds including percussion, kicks, snares etc done with the microbrute. Critical feedback very much appreciated, Really keen to improve my music.

 

[sc5]220144633[/sc5]

[WeeDaftBusker]

I have listened to these tracks now a few times through. it's 6am. I'm a little tired! I think these tracks are arranged fine really!

How much time is spent on these tracks individually?

 

Really instead of tweaking these tracks here, I would start afresh with a compositional goal in mind and perhaps motifs and technical ideas you wish to explore.

You may want to try and have a buildup and change thingy. where you add layers, and take away the previous ones. so that the starting point is completely different from what the end of the track is like. that may give you some ideas.

You may want to rhythmically change the track, try it with a halftime drumbeat in the middle section, break it off a bit? or how about modulate to a different key?

also try it with those acid lines you have, 4 bars in the original key, then move it down 5 semi tones for 4 bars, things like that.

 

You have all of the ideas there, and they already function well in the composition you have. So I'd say it's best to try some new things with goals in mind of where you're going. It doesn't need to be something you share on sc, just things for yourself :)

 

I hope i was of help, I'll check this post in a day or two- I may have talked gibberish due to be being so tired.

[QrQ]

Thanks for listening weedaftbusker.

I'm not sure quite how long I spent on these tracks, a few evenings? They were just an exercise really in structure really, I wasn't pouring my soul into them or anything.

 

Really appreciate the suggestions, will take these forward to the next project.

[awepittance]

[sc5]220064974[/sc5]

 

Sorry for the double post, was struggling with the embed and I think I was locked out of the editor

i liked what you had going on in the track, i think with the acid line you have going most of the time the track would almost work better as something more minimalist with a lot more sections of just kick drum and hi hat. It has a nice repetitive catchy acid line hook that at least for me doesn't really fit with the Tuss/braindance style drum programming you've laid out here. So in short, strip the elements down, more repetition, more static drums. right now its almost a little too dynamic and lively to make sense for the acid riff imo

 

you can still keep the swung/shuffle feel but I would shoot more for the minimalism of something like this

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCUPc9zVfyo

 

if you want to go for something more 'tussy' i would not focus so much on one whacky sounding acid line and instead focus on just making a catchy song with maybe one synth line having a squelchy/acidy feel to it.

[QrQ]

Thanks for listening John, really appreciate the depth of your reply, will take all your points onto my next project

[cruising for burgers]

maybe some pads???

love the latin percussion samples ;)