Those brittle percussive sounds, more often than not, are pitched-up analogue percussion sounds.
Specifically, 808 toms and claves.
The cowbell pitched down makes a nice synth.
Also, try some physical modelling synths such as lounge lizard.
Well produced but uncreative (sound design?)
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Ronny Pries
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Hey Dusk,
the thing that helps me most when producing something i wouldn't natively produce (i.e. for games or demoscene stuff) is to hear myself a lot into reference tracks until i picked up the vibe. At a certain point i start hearing my own stuff based upon rules after the stuff i consumed a lot. No idea if this is some kind of special talent, openminded-ness or else. Maybe some kind of "bend your mind and the ideas will follow" or whatever.
However, i think this is more practical than any specific advise on effect usage etc. Who of you guys is producing a lot of styles in a "believable" fashion? I mean, besides techno driven things, i.e. breaks, chilling stuff or whatever. Would be interesting to hear if it's possible for you to put you into a specific mood for producing something and how you do it.
the thing that helps me most when producing something i wouldn't natively produce (i.e. for games or demoscene stuff) is to hear myself a lot into reference tracks until i picked up the vibe. At a certain point i start hearing my own stuff based upon rules after the stuff i consumed a lot. No idea if this is some kind of special talent, openminded-ness or else. Maybe some kind of "bend your mind and the ideas will follow" or whatever.
However, i think this is more practical than any specific advise on effect usage etc. Who of you guys is producing a lot of styles in a "believable" fashion? I mean, besides techno driven things, i.e. breaks, chilling stuff or whatever. Would be interesting to hear if it's possible for you to put you into a specific mood for producing something and how you do it.
Always think twice.
include your mistakes, they are what makes you You
be more atonal
write lots of different genres, plenty of techno producers have other monikers and release different styles of music, dont pigeonhole yourself, and no you dont have to brag about ever release to everyone, just market each track as you see fit, to each market...
I agree with the closed filters, maybe add one giant open filter sound to demonstrate dichotomy
stop writing loops (yeah, I said it)
record a few takes of playing your synths live
and then hot punch the mutes.
bring some energy and drama to your song.
be angry or passionate or empty or whatever your feeling.
remember there is still soul in soulless
not quite haiku but close...
be more atonal
write lots of different genres, plenty of techno producers have other monikers and release different styles of music, dont pigeonhole yourself, and no you dont have to brag about ever release to everyone, just market each track as you see fit, to each market...
I agree with the closed filters, maybe add one giant open filter sound to demonstrate dichotomy
stop writing loops (yeah, I said it)
record a few takes of playing your synths live
and then hot punch the mutes.
bring some energy and drama to your song.
be angry or passionate or empty or whatever your feeling.
remember there is still soul in soulless
not quite haiku but close...
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MINIMALTECHNOHOUSE
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- Location: Birmingham
"Dissonant" sums this discussion up. Dissonant melodically, harmonically but also in overall concept: "what happens if I do this", without a clear expectation of the result. The more "accomplished" you become in using traditional musical forms, which includes more mainstream EDM such as breaks and electro, the more confined you become to what youre willing to try. Youre limited by knowledge of familiar outcomes.
I think that coming from a musical background often leads you down the same paths of musical conventions - I often hear mind blowing music made on trackers, programmed with little musical understanding. Interesting/abstract music comes out of experimentation, so it's really a total aesthetic shift from where I've been, musically speaking.
I think that coming from a musical background often leads you down the same paths of musical conventions - I often hear mind blowing music made on trackers, programmed with little musical understanding. Interesting/abstract music comes out of experimentation, so it's really a total aesthetic shift from where I've been, musically speaking.
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oblioblioblio
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not too sure what you mean by dissonant here. I would say dissonance is defined by it's opposite, consonance (and vice versa), and the 2 can loosely describe certain relative usages of pitch & timbre.Dusk wrote:"Dissonant" sums this discussion up. Dissonant melodically, harmonically but also in overall concept: "what happens if I do this", without a clear expectation of the result. The more "accomplished" you become in using traditional musical forms, which includes more mainstream EDM such as breaks and electro, the more confined you become to what youre willing to try. Youre limited by knowledge of familiar outcomes.
I think that coming from a musical background often leads you down the same paths of musical conventions - I often hear mind blowing music made on trackers, programmed with little musical understanding. Interesting/abstract music comes out of experimentation, so it's really a total aesthetic shift from where I've been, musically speaking.
Using the word to describe conceptual features in the study of music seems weird to me, but maybe if you could explain what would be consonant in this usage I might understand a little.
I would say though that being overexposed to certain musical forms, be it particular styles of music, or certain kinds of education can be beneficial. As the oversaturation can amplify all the genre or whatever's worst characteristics and force you to do whatever you can to move away from them. BUt maybe that's just me.
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MINIMALTECHNOHOUSE
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If your trying to be 'experimental' (not always a good thing imo) forget about Dissonant sounds, your just working to western musical rules that make your music sound 'sad.'..
You need a balance of both Dissonant & Consonant to make your music have an outcome i reckon...
Surely your question is about sound design, and how most of your programming sounds commercial...
Id say dont overcomplicate things!!!
You need a balance of both Dissonant & Consonant to make your music have an outcome i reckon...
Surely your question is about sound design, and how most of your programming sounds commercial...
Id say dont overcomplicate things!!!
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mrgreynoise
IMHO:
'experimental' now simply refers to an aesthetic and not an actual departure from any convention. The entire spectrum of sound possibilities has already been mapped out in theory and in practice, many decades ago. From silence to ear-splitting noise, just about every sound has been contextualised and framed as music.
You can learn everything you need to know about consonnance vs dissonance:
- in the equal temperament (regular piano notes) by studying the evolution of western music, from Renaissance music to 12 tone composition.
- micro-tonality (between the notes, but still with fixed pitch) in eastern musics and western experiments, Ligeti, Xenakis
- in concrete sound, from Pierre Henry, Stockhausen to Francis Dhomont, Dennis Smalley
There is also the idea of rhythmic consonnance/disonnance:
On one end of the spectrum you might have an unmetered pulse, on the other end of complexity you might have Nancarrow and Xenakis. Try to found out where you want to play between those two extremes.
The only thing that can be 'experimental' is one's personal discovery of musics that you had been up until then unaware of. The best thing I can recommend is to study music and learn more about you like. Try to figure out what YOU want to do. Imitation and reproduction of tracks you like might be a good idea at this point.
'experimental' now simply refers to an aesthetic and not an actual departure from any convention. The entire spectrum of sound possibilities has already been mapped out in theory and in practice, many decades ago. From silence to ear-splitting noise, just about every sound has been contextualised and framed as music.
You can learn everything you need to know about consonnance vs dissonance:
- in the equal temperament (regular piano notes) by studying the evolution of western music, from Renaissance music to 12 tone composition.
- micro-tonality (between the notes, but still with fixed pitch) in eastern musics and western experiments, Ligeti, Xenakis
- in concrete sound, from Pierre Henry, Stockhausen to Francis Dhomont, Dennis Smalley
There is also the idea of rhythmic consonnance/disonnance:
On one end of the spectrum you might have an unmetered pulse, on the other end of complexity you might have Nancarrow and Xenakis. Try to found out where you want to play between those two extremes.
The only thing that can be 'experimental' is one's personal discovery of musics that you had been up until then unaware of. The best thing I can recommend is to study music and learn more about you like. Try to figure out what YOU want to do. Imitation and reproduction of tracks you like might be a good idea at this point.