cool ideas. I think you should just work on getting a cleaner mixdown, you really have a lot of phasing and shit going on, just take whatever limiters you are using off and make a mixdown where you can hear everything how you want to hear it, even if its quiet... Then work on bringing the level up with some compression/limiting. Really good start though!

yes, it was incredibly loud.


How did you hear the phasing to be a problem?

What type of ear does it take to be able to do your own mastering?

Can it be achieved if you practice enough and treat it like a mixing process?

I've  experimenting with this process for just about six years and  have done a variety of techniques from mastering to not having mastering at all.

I'll say that my ability to understand each tool and listen more carefully came with an upgrade to my speakers. That precision lead me to be more precise in my headphone listening ability.

Basically, my mix was what helped me get the results I was after, but i am still unsure about how to go about self mastering.

I am completely ok strapping on a compressor and a limiter and calling it a day, but i tend to spend a few weeks getting that compressor and limiter to sit right, while getting the loudness of the track to be not so over bearing.

I don't use any thing else outside of that because I don't think my music calls for it. But the end result seems to have a more pleasurable listening experience when ever i compare my tracks to other people. My comparisons are often way to loud lol.

Still super dry though dude...

Like it sounds alright with what you have, but there's no production quality outside of the sounds you've used, eq, and volume balanced.

It needs more character with the effects. Little bit of that stuff sprinkled in.

It's a little cheese pizza sounding with synths being as dry as they are.

I saw the disclaimer, you should wait until you get your pc to add in more stuff.

Except the 50 track requirement. Make that 100. I still stand by that. Come on man, I don't know why you can't seem to grasp this idea, when it's been mentioned so many times before, by people much more successful than you and I. It's a proven method for progress. You HAVE to make a lot of tracks when you're starting out, and you will suck in the beginning. You will suck a lot over and over again, but with every track you finish, you start to suck less. Do I really need to post that Ira Glass video yet again, or the NGHTMRE one?

I am about to watch the NGTHMRE video and i will look into Ira Glass...

Continue to be real bro ham.

I'll let Marrow be more of the critique from a mixing perspective considering it is not my strong point.

I will say this though. I LOVE how pretty your chords are. They are absolutely beautiful. <3 Everything that I love to hear in music from a harmonic perspective.

Yea, it is a good song, it would just sound better if it was  mixed well!!

If you're worried about your integrity or your career as a musician being devalued because people don't know the same amount of stuff as you and are achieving similar results, then clearly they figured out something you hadn't, and you're probably not paying enough attention to the music industry.

Armin Van Buuren uses ghost producers, I probably know almost as much about how FM synthesis works as Skrillex, and I'm not even moving outside of dance music with those examples. Do we wanna start talking about Bieber?

Ear training is incredibly important, and I'm 100% with you on recommending that everyone learn it. I agree that everyone should learn it, because it's an invaluable skill and makes your life so much easier. But trying to make this into "If you're not making money off of music you can't understand what it's like to have people also making money off music that DIDN'T WORK AS HARD AS ME!!!!!" just comes off bad.

no but the professional does and has to learn it. some one has to have that skill regardless of money, other wise the big macho man DJ broham wouldn't hire ghost producer X because he/she can't recognize pitch. I don't think zau would of taken it in that direction any way. Don't stray away from the importance of understanding, because these little things will eventually be what makes or breaks you as the EDM industry becomes more competitive.

Quote from: Marrow Machines on February 28, 2016, 05:09:08 am

You have some truth to this, but i've mentioned this point to Lydian and it's basically the mindset that comes along with that low barrier and underestimated skill involved.

I think that's really the heart of Zau's message here...is he makes his friggin living off of this sort of thing, and to have people some what piss on his trials and tribulations and make light of it in a ten min youtube tutorial or ask for feedback with out proper practice and discipline? it's really insulting and brings down the entire average level of the art.

Please Senpai... does there really have to be any sort of "requirement" to ask for feedback? I've never felt insulted by anyone who has asked for feedback. I could give less shits whether they're on their 1st track or their 100th track.

If I listen to a track and think that it's lacking in the harmonies and melodies then I'll tell them. If I hear that their track is off key or contains to many clashing notes to the point that it's obvious I point them to some basic music theory.

There's no need to be all "sad state of music" about it which is what bugs me about this thread in the first place... If Zau wants to create imaginary "feedback requirements" then let that be his code.

Preventative maintenance can answer many questions just by understanding, seeking knowledge and doing work. This term comes to mind, it may be used out of context but it seems to fit.

There's also an element of time involved when dealing with other people and doing things, and it's a finite resource whether you want to believe that or not.

So, basically it's unmasking a potential wannabee who doesn't want to put in time and think "OH I FOUND A SHORT CUT LEL", chances are that so called short cut just isn't a substitute for understanding the application.

If you really want to be good, you'll develop these guards and you can eventually be extremely productive once you've assessed the person and the level of understanding.

Zau shouldn't have to teach some one how to walk when they're expecting to run a marathon...

And like i've said before, i understand the process of gathering information and people have different ways of doing it, there's just more efficient means if you'd just pay attention to the smaller things before you even consider doing this line of work. Those small things also include prerequisites to music application and appreciation. Right now, it seems like most beginners are just running more on appreciation. And it might be a good suggestion to get some learning! You know, the hard stuff lol.