do you like my song?

[Final]

made it when i was bored today. its silly.

I use ableton, a micro korg, and reason 4.

http://www.myspace.com/72676073

feel free to tell me how shit it is, because its not the sort of stuff I normally make.....

[Panda]

It's very repetitive and simplistic sounding.

[Argh]

Here's my critique. Sorry in advance, it's fairly ruthless...

Given the title, it all makes sense, but I mainly came away feeling that it needs more interesting samples, reflecting the modern state of pixels. This was like taking a trip to the late 1980's, musically. I could see this being used in a very early Sonic the Hedgehog game, or something, which is not a reference that I'd seek, tbh.

The simplistic, SNES-era sound effects are nostalgic but they're also really not very interesting. The treble line was especially bad- it's not your melody, which was acceptable, it's just the burbling sound effect doesn't work that well, and is piercing enough, at the height of the waveform, that it blots out the bass.

The bridges are OK, but I'm not sure that I like the use of MIDI tempo changes, except when they build up to a suitable climax- it feels like you're just starting to use that feature of MIDI music, and you don't know what it's for yet.

I'd go listen to some hardcore speed metal, where they do gradual tempo changes a lot, building towards significant moments, but they pick their spots really carefully, and don't back off at the end of a song unless it really makes sense- usually, they end on a fading chord. Having multiple places like that only really makes sense in a song with a chorus section, imo. Most techno / electronica I actually want to listen to stays on the same tempo, and simply uses pauses of near silence to build movements around, or keeps the speed changes very gradual, so that it's not overwhelming. It's not that I don't get that the "hills" were on purpose, it's just that it doesn't work- they're too fast and choppy, imo.

I kept hoping this piece would build and disintegrate the original sounds, chopping into something that felt more modern and with better bass lines and a real punch, but it just never gets there- your palette was too restrained.

I'd lose the really high-treble high hats, too, they sound fake and you can find better samples or make some with a microphone pretty easily.

[Final]

Top notch criticism.

I actually agree with all of what you said Argh. The song did only take 3 hours to make, and normally my songs take a few weeks.

the reason i asked for opinions here rather then my usual sources (im part of a music collective based in Cambridge UK) is simply because i thought people here would have appreciated the nostalgic point of the song more then elsewhere.

I was (as you said) trying to achieve a breach bwtween the old 8bit music and modern dubstep(ish) stuff. which was difficult.

but yes its silly. and doesn't represent the normal music i make.

I'm working on an album currently....ill post links here when its done :)

[Argh]

I was (as you said) trying to achieve a breach bwtween the old 8bit music and modern dubstep(ish) stuff. which was difficult.

I hear you, on that. I've heard few songs attempting that that worked, the 8-bit sounds are so distinctively retro, and were so high in treble that it's gotta be hard to make them blend. Maybe re-sample them, with an octive-down chord and something to distort the lower tone? Just a random thought, there.

[SinbadEV]

I'm at work so I haven't listened to your song yet...


The following album (8-bits of Christmas if the link doesn't work) has some really good use of cheezy old samples used to great effect.
http://www.8bitpeoples.com/discography_ ... les#8BP038


My favorite is ftp://ftp.scene.org/pub/music/groups/8b ... t_snow.mp3

[CarRepairer]

nvm

[SwiftSpear]

I agree with Argh. The melodies and beats were good... but the genre isn't something I am personally a fan of. Alot of people try to capture the "sound" of the 80's video game music... but what they fail to realize is that the pieces that were good from back then were good because they were so expertly crafted by artists who had no real choice but to work within the constraints they were given. The sounds used in those compositions are acctually very weak and boring.

[Final]

spot on swift...

the issue with the late 80s computer sounds are that they used 8-bit voice chips. the problem is that the 8bit sound is a very high frequency, sounding sharp and piercing thus uncomfortable in comparison to electronic sounds used in modern songs.

But with the progression of sound production techniques, it has become very easy to replicate popular sounds, causing artists to look in other directions for inspiration, to find new "sounds" to differ them from others.

It would appear I am looking in the wrong direction.

But that is just me over analyzing everything........

Its just a silly song i made

[SwiftSpear]

Honestly, I do like it though. I might use it as the city theme for a homemade RPG or something if it were loopable. But it's silly synth and sample selection make it not really something I'd like to listen to for general listening.

[Final]

fair nuff

I do make real music as well (honest) :)

[MightySheep]

quite good but it hurts my ears.

[SinbadEV]

I liked it a lot... if I was scraping for something to critique I felt some of the tempo changes were iffy... but the rest of you are on crack... chip tunes rock and you all drool.

[Panda]

Top notch criticism.
i thought people here would have appreciated the nostalgic point of the song more then elsewhere ... but yes its silly. and doesn't represent the normal music i make.

I'm working on an album currently....ill post links here when its done :)

So you wanted the opinion of people who could appreciate music with a electronica retro sound to it to critique this song? I'm not so sure if you came to the right place for that. I don't think that this was a good first song to post to see if this would be a good place to find someone who could critique you're music either, especially since this is not the usual sort of music that you make. Perhaps you should have posted an older piece.

What is the normal music that you make like and called and what is the purpose of it? If this information is provided a more detailed and objective critique can be given along with information about the technical aspects of the song such as rhythm, melody, tone, tempo, etc.

[Comp1337]

I dont think you knew this but final is actually fiddy cent

[Final]

Gawt shawt nine timeeeeeees.....

[Baladin]

Gawt shawt nine timeeeeeees.....

Nah thats Tupac.

[Panda]

I dont think you knew this but final is actually fiddy cent

Gawt shawt nine timeeeeeees.....

Wow. I'm still waiting to be impressed and think it's not going to happen. Baw.

[SwiftSpear]

I acctually really liked the tempo changes. It's something that isn't done often in music... or at least not well.

[smoth]

I'd like a copy of this song.