I compared my motu with a  apogee Rosetta 200 and the sound opened up so much more. The sound over my monitors improved a lot,  so in my ears it does matter.

The quality of the components does matter for output on monitors. Motu is not using superb quality for it I read.

...and you're probably right. On the other hand I know I'm prone to placebo effect, especally when I've paid a lot of money for something. Thus the testing. Not saying it's your case too, though. Just pointing out.

...also internal clock stability might play a big role in this too. My test might have been "wrong" as I recorded the thing in a same device. It's probable that AD and DA were driven by the same clock, effectively canceling any effect timing inconsistency might have.

A lot of professional musicians downplay luck, but it's a matter of fact that some people work their arses off and get no where in the industry.

I thought about this once. When you hear a lot of those successful ones in all those interviews saying: "Everything is possible, follow your dreams and it WILL happen!" I get it, it's an encouragement, but doesn't it actually make it tougher for kids when they realize that it's not always true?

If you're able to make music (or any art for that matter) and you love doing it, even if it's in your spare time, you're already successful. I believe in the therapeutic nature of art in general, creating something makes you feel good, relieves stress and just enriches other aspects of your life.

This!

Have you released any music commercially? You should try.  If you use your friends´reactions to tell you if what you make is good or not, you will almost always be disappointed unless you make "lowest common denominator" stuff.  None of my friends really like the stuff I make, but on spotify there´s a lot  it seems.  it´s just a matter of getting it out there.

Tried few YT promoters wit not much success. I do think about Spotify lately though, as that seems to be go-to location to find music for a lot of people. Still not sure if I'm ready for it, though. Also no idea how this content agreator thing works.

I listened to you SC, and I think you have your own expression, and a lot of tracks that you should be proud of.

Thank you!

I like it. It might have a bit of that Brazil (second edit) -ish feel when finished.

Imho:
- I'd go even further with cutoff automation on that stab. + wet it in reverb a bit.
- I think it needs some atmospheres or drones. ...in mau5e's manner may be.
- Drops might benefit from a bit more percussion.
- That beak down neeeeeds some heavily reverbed pads.

Don't sugarcoat it. Make it real smoky.

Okie dokie then.


It needs:
- A chord structure
- More interesting melodies
- Definitelly a lot less distortion
- Some cross-fx like build ups or noise effects or something

On everyting "plucky" i'd play with filter envelope and velocity->cuttoff setting to make it a bit more "alive".
Also build-ups could be longer. But thumbs up.

To my taste a lot of those sounds are too sharp. I'd play a bit more with filter envelopes/lfo's. ...but that's just my taste, might be ok with other people.

With right approach this could become kind of a Porter-esque experimental track.

Imho:
- Get rid of that jingle bells as soon as possible. May be replace it with a shaker.
- Play with delays and reverbs a bit more.
- Play with filter envelopes on that voice-ish/flute-ish synths.
- Add some damn heavy beat.