Spindrift

I used to work for weeks on tracks many years ago and try to tweak them to perfection. Now I go back to a track about once every 50 tracks I make. From my experience I tend to prefer the original version if it's not something really bad with the track that needs fixing. But I tend to have more fun and get better results by just moving on. A bit unpretentious hit and miss approach, but thats what I feel most comfortable with Yeah, I totally agree. I dislike overproduced music, and think that masking of sounds is a great effect rather than something that should be avoided. My experience is that when DJ'ing people do not like when the volume is percived as lower, so if I play a track that have some part sounding a bit lower in level I tend to boost that part. That will result in the louder part hitting the limiters on the PA or me lowering the level again. IMO that work is better done in the mastering, or preferable mixing stage. And if I have to change volume on a CD on different tracks when listening at home I do find mixing and/or mastering being amateurish and get annoyed. And I'm sure most people is just as lazy and do mind. But I can understand the point, but again it's a matter of taste. For me dance music and metal is quite similar in the approach I like for mixing and mastering.

I did say Give it to me straight doctors Thanks a lot for taking the time to make such a lengthy review. Nice to get such a thorough and honest opinion. Now for my defense speech Sure the "jack to the sound of the underground" sample is stupid and silly. Thats why I personally like it. It's far too less sillyness in much trance today for my taste. I like it funny and unpretentious. And for sure the whole tune sound very uncool and bordering on stupid sounding, but in this coke infused scene it's what I miss in music personally many times. But you are probably right that the track could be more varied. The arrangement could do with a bit more story telling aspect. But like I said for me trying to achive that all the time kills the spirit in the tracks for me. Sometimes it just happens, and then I'm very happy. I think in neither of this tracks it did really, so I just hope for better flow next time And what you mentioned about the leads being a bit too "noisy" is very observant. I do like a very "middy" bass. But I also really dislike when all leads is severly HPF filtered. So it's a fine balance that is hard to get really right, especially working with many layers. I will work extra hard on getting more depth in the leads next time though, maybe at the expense of making less layers. And about sound level, I try to keep my masters on par in level with releases I find well mastered. If I sacrifice a few Db it will sound lower than those releases and compared to other tracks on the site. I think maybe more than the mastering being loud it's the intensity of the bass and kick machines I use that contibutes to the pressure in the sound. I did not do much mastering an these tracks, but rather fairly gentle limiting and did not use so much compression when mixing. So I think the impression you got was more from the sounds used than about mixing or mastering. But why it sounds like it does doesn't really matter of course, it's about the result. I do obviously persoanlly like a very dry, strong and punchy kick and bass myself, especially when listening on a PA. Although I can see that we have a bit different taste I found you comments very interesting and can agree with many of them, and might keep some of them in mind for my next tracks.

Thx for the feedback @Gnome I don't find my music that similar to Ka-Sol most of the time, but of course I would be greatly honoured to share a CD with him. I'm really not fishing for realeases at all though. It's too slow system and doesn't generate any money for this type of music anyway, so I much more enjoy releasing the music on resonantearth really. And Ka-Sol doesn't only deserve one whole CD on his own, but rather two, which is upcoming on shlab what I understand @Insejn The Pulsar modular with flexor modules makes a very nice bass machine. You are probably right that it could do with more variation. I tend to make tracks very fast, and it's not everytime they feel 100% complete. But if I work to much on them they seem to loose the original spirit instead, so at least for me it's usually a tradeoff. @AmithabaBuddha Because I went to parties 1-3 times a week in the mid 90's and have gotten my fair dose of mid 90's sound already. But you can have a FLAC of an unreleased track from that time Volfin

Have a couple of new tracks that I would love to hear what some ppl in here think about. Chaotic and crazy style....maybe totally over the top and only something crazy ppl can like, what do I know...just did them and have no perspecive on my own productions until some time has passed Jack to the sound Invisible World Give it to me straight doctors

It's really down to your conscience. I would not worry about getting sued, that is extremly unlikely and I doubt there is money to get for the artist to sue you. For me personally it would depend a lot on how prominent the picture would be and how much the end result would depend on that picture. If it's just the unaltered picture with some text over and it would be an amazing poster due to the picture I would feel uneasy about it on moral grounds. But I gladly steal sounds or pictures if they are just becoming a small part of a track or collage and is not too prominent.

Funny topic Traveller on a recent photo shoot: And travellers papa:

Who is this "traders" anyway, and what is so horrible with them? All the DJ's I know in the goa scene have always been "trading" tracks. I mostly viewed them as dedicated music fans constantly looking for new music that they might like. Gill for example is one of the typical DAT traders having copying sessions in goa, and he's posting top 10's on his site and in magazines all the time. But yes, he's big and famous, so thats ok. But if a young guy without connections is on the hunt for interesting music and find the labels too slow with releasing material or can't find much material he like released, then he's one of the bad traders. It only reeks elitism to me, so I really must say I think all this discussions about kids posting unreleased tracks in a top 10 is mainly founded on two perspectives: Either from people that is dedicated CD collectors who feel that it is unfair that they spend lots of money on their collection and always is one step behind because the labels is too slow and too limited in thier selection. Or you have the traders who have a lot of copy sessions with their connections who feel their elit position is threatened because iit's much easier for anyone to build a collection of fresh or interesting non-released tracks. It makes me feel very sad and loose all hope in this scene when people openly seem to be defending that only people with lots of money or connections should be able to get hold of the music. Fuck the elitists.

They have nothing to do with frequencies. It's about normalising the amplitude you could say though. Basically you divide the amplitude values above the threshold value by the value set by the ratio. Say you have the threshold at 50Db and the ratio at 1:2. That means that the amplitude of a sound coming in at 90 Db will be brought down to 70Db. Basically the part of the amplitude scale above the threshold will be halfed with a ratio of 1:2, ie 90Db=40Db more than 50Db, hence the resulting 70Db. So what you do in simple terms is to make the sound have a lower dynamic range to make it more controlled, and hence being possible to bring up more in level without clipping. But I would not say that you "should compress your sounds". At least not if you don't know why you are doing it. Some sounds might be to varying in amplitude and can't be made loud enough without causing clipping. If you cannot get the sound to be more controlled by altering velocity or by tweaking the synth, then the compressor is the tool to use to fix them. And it of course have it's creative uses for some things as well. But it's by no means generally neccessary to compress things to make them sound good. From what I noticed it seems more common that people make bad mixes by using compressors far to much.

But downloading films, software and non-trance music is at least OK with him apperently. So if we all pretend to only download Metallica, utilities and some movies when we discuss DC++ maybe he'll be off our case

The incoming folder would be where the stuff is while it downloads I guess, so it would be full of incomplete files. Are you shure you was not kicked because you DO share that folder rather? I don't share my incoming and don't get banned anyway. And a recommendation: best DC++ client: http://www.revconnect.com/ It gives you multiple source downloading wich speeds things up, especially for big files like movies. Another tip for people with dynamic IP who want to be active: http://www.dyndns.org/ Sign up and get the client software and your IP address will be updated to point to an address you specify, like http://yourname.dyndns.org Then staying active should be easier, and you can have a webserver or ftp on that address as well. Many routers have functions for updating dyndns with your IP, in wich case you don't need the client software and just enter the details into the router instead.

Sure I like bashing shpongle, and that is because there is a lot of people that seems to me like they think they is hugely influential and musical geniuses. I don't think for example Ooze is super great but I don't bother to bash them because their fans seem to be a bit more sensible. If it wasn't for all the claims about him being the mozart of our time etc etc I would not bother to comment. I just think that many of the shpongle fans seems to have a very limited view of music and think that there is something wrong with people who think the music is very average. I seen people bashing much music I like, and hey....what do I care. Taste is taste and I'm not bothered if people don't share my taste. Shpongle fans on the other hand many times come across to me as thinking that their taste is some kind of universal truth, and hence I turn into bashing mode.

And where is KLF, the Orb and mixmaster morris? I'm also getting too old it seems About the shpongle popularity. If it now is popularity that counts very few people outside the trance scene seem to have heard about shpongle,and compared to KLF, the Orb and FSOL they are small potatoes. I must say that I think that the way people glorify Posford as somekind of godfather of ambient seems slightly out of perspective. Admittedly posford influenced how ambient and trance sound somewhat...IMO for the worse, but obviously thats not many in here that agree about. But Tangerine Dream, KLF and the Orb created a new style of music rather than simply altering the style a bit. Ok, I think shpongle is boring dead production and have no feeling for the melodies he makes. But even if one does think he makes the best ambient music I think one have to appreciate that he did not contribute that much except adding his touch to an already defined genre. So creativily he is a small potatoe when it comes to the history of ambient compared to many names not in this list. I'm sorry for upsetting the shpongle fanatics, but I have an opinion and thats how it goes. I'm sure most shpongle fans don't like a lot of the music I like, and thats fine with me, and I wont bother to flame anyone who do not have the same taste as me.

http://www.sonicblend.com/links/digital-music-downloads.php

Sorry, but frankly I think you could do with trying to do a track or two in Logic or Cubase. That track could sure be both be more distinct in the kick and bass and less messy in the mids and top. What are you using for monitoring?

Although I really like Texas Faggott I would not claim that it is the pinnacle of production. I don't think they are so bothered with the production though and don't really care about having great sound. It's about great music instead, which is fine by me. But sure, if fruity or reason is all you are used to you can stick with it and be happy. But don't even try to use cubase or logic for mixing just to try for yourself how different they sound. Because then you will not want to go back, at least that seems to be the case for most producers. And don't confuse skill and tools. They are two separate things, and if people notice a difference between to tools it's no point telling them to use the tool they think is bad and work on the skills. Good tools and good skills is the best combination of course. What is a good sequencer depends on your priority. If you like some producers prioritise a fun work environment then fruity or reason can be better tools. If really good sound is one of your priorities, then you will be better off with logic or cubase instead. Most the people that get started with fruity or reason end up mixing in other software for a reason....it sounds better if you do. To say that they are all speaking "bullskit" because they note a difference is being a bit over the top I think. @AmithabaBuddha Have you even made a proper test by mixing in other sequencers yourself? What method did you use when comparing? If you have not made a proper comparasion, how can you say you know and keep blaming peoples skills?

Not if you want to be legal. At least not if you run it from europe or the states. If you have the server in russia maybe it's a different issue though.

sure it's legal...but you have to pay a fee for it. In sweden about $150 per month for up to 500 simultaineous listeners. There is a psynews radio already though. Check this topic: http://www.psynews.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=22598 It's radio based on the listening of psynews users. Unfortunally the lastfm server don't have a lot of old-school trance uploaded, so it tends to be more the non trance stuff people listen to they play. But some nice and varied music nevertheless.

talking to me? TALKING TO ME?? I should have known to not mess with the shpongle maffia. Sorry...I promise to buy all twisted releases if you spare my life

Hmm...let me see...most overrated That would be: Shpongle Hallucinogen Celtic Cross Younger Brother Nahh...just provoking the traveller There is plenty of very popular groups I don't agree with, but making a list of them feels like a waste of time. The only reason I like to diss Shpongle is to see the fanatic reaction of the worshippers

Added some more steptime oldies from 2001: Next Step Kickstart Mr Atlantis Krack Enjoy!

I remember thinking Power Gen was awsome when it came. And I thouroghly enjoyed trust in trance. If I would put it on today I doubt I could enjoy it though. The change in style they helped to start became for me very boring quickly. I hesitate to call them old-school myself, because I never heard about them until sometime 94, and the stuff that came in their footsteps was less goa for me than the groups I think is the real goa style in my own narrow view. (tip, total eclipse, koxbox, plaedians, juno etc). They where surely poineers, but for me the style the became to pioneer was not defining goa but rather deviating from it. But at least I did have a couple of really proper blasts on the dancefloor to their stuff, and I do have some respect for them due to that. They sure kick ass compared to hallucinogen IMHO anyway. Sorry for always complaining in these threads. But the three most overrated groups IMO is hallucinogen, infected mushroom and astral projection. Of course they are not bad any of them at what they do, but I didn't get into their styles myself. Most of the other big acts from the days I really liked then and still like to listen to now.

I think that following the rules results in very boring productions. But as whoever said "you have to know the rules to break them well". Thats what I got taught in engineering school aswell. And most good producers do have quite a bit of theoretical knowledge that can be very helpful to them and also others if they like to share it. So as long as you don't put it down as rules to follow blindly I don't find it useless myself with some theoretical knowledge. If I thought it was no point in it I would sure not be posting or reading in this section.

The absolute favorites: pentagon z3+a oddity impOscar JX synth

And a very good fist post at that Welcome I second everything you said, and the trick to remove the low end of clashing bass notes is very good indeed. And all this sidechaning and EQ business can be useful sometimes and should not be completly disregarded, but generally it's much better to make sure that kick and bass sounds is short enought to not clash and that you have sounds that fit together to start with. So for me the discussion about how to make a good bass and kick is much less about compressor and EQ but rather about what synths and samles that is good for the purpose. There Pulsar modular with Adern flexor modules and Adern KickMe wins hands down. No EQ or compressor needed if you use those for sure.

I think it could be very nice as well. But to get permissions from everywhere is very hard work, and I doubt it's possible. It will be very incomplete if you go down that route I'm quite sure. But... Like I said, stick to streaming the material. Then you don't need to get permission from the labels but only from the organisation for performance royalties in the country you run the site from.