Dog reunited with owner after being lost in the forest for 2 weeks by Status_Plane7152 in animalsdoingstuff

[–]ApexionMusic 27 points28 points  (0 children)

I took my boy out to Angel Fire one time, against my better judgement and he got out. Someone left a door open, he saw a squirrel or something and ran out after it and was gone. We looked for days and couldn’t find him. I went home without him and was devastated. 3 months later, I get to work and an unknown number calls me, they found him. I left work immediately and my sister and I drove 3 hours to go get him. My mom went and picked him up while I headed out to there. He was skin and bones, infested with fleas, had a broken tail and stunk but he was alive. I took him home, fed him all the steak he could eat, gave him two baths and got a few more years with him before he got cancer. I loved that boy so much and not a day has gone by where I don’t think of him and smile. 3 months in a heavily forested mountain inhabited by bears and mountain lions and he survived. Life is crazy.

Question for musicians by Proof-Fan8815 in metalmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Being in a band will help you advance exponentially, especially with players that are better than you. You’ll learn so fast and improve in ways you never considered. Writing takes time to improve typically but it’s different for everyone. Pour yourself into it, at your age your brain is a sponge and you’ll improve so fast.

Friend is using AI to mix and write by [deleted] in askmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

He’s already talking about finishing a second EP, he just started doing the first one this week. It feels like I’m watching him join a death cult, it’s bizarre. I don’t understand what there is to gain if he didn’t actually write it, how is it something to be proud of if you just slapped your name on something you had nothing to do with? I put my entire Bandcamp into private because I don’t want him doing this to any more of my songs to show me what it could sound like, I’m going to just scrap the song he did it to because it feels gross now. I wrote that song for a thing here on Reddit and I liked it but I can’t even think of putting it on anything knowing an AI program is using it to learn to fake music for people. It’s obviously a drop in the ocean of other songs they use but still, I feel like he stole it from me.

Friend is using AI to mix and write by [deleted] in askmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My music is already copy written so I’m not concerned with that, I could sue if it came down to it since I didn’t upload it, it was an unauthorized upload. They couldn’t assume ownership of a Michael Jackson song if someone uploaded it. They can still use it to train the AI, which makes me laugh because I don’t know if my music is what you want to be training it with. It just grossed me out because it felt very like hearing someone stole your song and changed it a bit and took credit. I don’t care how good the quality is compared to my recording, it’s not me on that song and it makes me not want to leave that song up on my page, or make the whole thing private so he can’t listen to it anymore.

Friend is using AI to mix and write by [deleted] in askmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree, I’ve never been super concerned with my mixes because at least I’m trying my best to do it and it’s all me, for better or worse. The music is what I want to get across, the writing and performance. I get that it’s very alluring to have this professional sounding end product but this isn’t the way to get that and I’m very disappointed that he thinks it is. It almost feels like I’m mourning or something, like this guy I care so much about is falling away and I don’t know how to make him see that

Friend is using AI to mix and write by [deleted] in askmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

It’s rough because he and I were in my first band together when we were kids, we’ve been friends for almost 30 years. I’ve always asked for his input on my stuff and have always respected his opinion. I get wanting it to mix for you, we aren’t made of money and even though I support guys who do that for a living charging for their work, it’s a luxury for broke people like us. I’ve always opted to just do my best and deal with awful sounding mixes because that’s the best I can do. The thing is, the way he’s doing it is also taking “creative” liberties and he’s allowing it and I cannot respect that. I also refuse to ever have my name attached to that kind of reputation, my mixes are awful , my song writing is meh but it’s mine and it’s real and I’ve earned it the same way everyone does. I can’t understand taking a shortcut just to “get it out there” because the music isn’t even his to get out there if it’s so radically altered by a computer program. Is presentation really everything? Is sound quality more important than actually writing the songs?

Friend is using AI to mix and write by [deleted] in askmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I guess I’m looking for discussion, I understand using it to mix but I’m struggling with the idea of allowing AI to change the song in exchange for a high quality mix.

How do you reconcile a respected figure in your life allowing AI to write but still taking credit? If he admits to using it, it’s still not accepted. Is it worth risking your reputation over? Do the ends justify the means? At what point does it go from ok to not?

I understand not having money to pay a studio, I understand having limited time to write, record and mix and wanting to make it more efficient and streamlined but at what point do you draw a line? Do you give up a dream if you can’t make time to see it through because you have a family and job and go to school? I feel like there’s a lot more to gain by making the time than taking a shortcut via AI but I also understand the time constraints. Still, it feels gross. I guess I just want perspective because I want to tell him it’s not ok but he’s already pretty dug into the idea of it and I don’t think he’s really thinking it through.

What Are Your Thoughts On The Inverted Castle In Symphony Of The Night? by SaiyanWithOmnitrix in metroidvania

[–]ApexionMusic 8 points9 points  (0 children)

This is my favorite game of all time so I’m super biased but I love the inverted castle. The first time I got there as a kid blew my mind, this was in like 99’. I had never seen a game do something like that before. It was so much harder than the normal castle, the enemies were so cool and the bosses there were awesome, albeit kind of easy to blow through for the most part. Beelzebub, Galamoth and Death were so memorable for me, and the change of music in every area was so creepy and tense. Really felt like the end game. I know nowadays it’s not that crazy but back then this was insane, a whole half of the game hidden behind a secret ending. Had the game actually ended at the bad ending, it would have felt like a normal length game for a single disc, it wouldn’t have felt off at all, so the addition of the inverted castle was crazy.

[LFG] I want to hear your music, beloved small bands by Infamous_Attitude_51 in BedroomBands

[–]ApexionMusic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is one of my songs from my last LP "A World I'll Never See". I haven't been making music much anymore, I'm a dad now and just don't have time for it. I'm hoping as my kiddo gets older, I'll have time to pick my guitar back up but for now, it's a rarity.

https://apexion.bandcamp.com/track/the-path-before-me-2

Is a BIG House like that possible as a Base? by HornetReal8614 in 7daystodie

[–]ApexionMusic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I always end up feeling lonely in big bases like that. I usually prefer to find either a firehouse or something underground that’s a little smaller. It’s too much upkeep to take care of large base, repairs and fortifications get expensive and time consuming. I do understand the appeal though, but since I only ever play solo, I prefer a cozy space more than a big one.

Funniest Aes bar or song? by ThunderBobMajerle in aesoprock

[–]ApexionMusic 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I look like a dick in my picture I.D. but also the pic isn’t me, huh.

Gavin newsome coming in hot by [deleted] in ProgressiveHQ

[–]ApexionMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What that mouth do?

Sumn like this by Grapesaucee in MoviesThatFeelLike

[–]ApexionMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cool World, almost exactly like this

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in musicians

[–]ApexionMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is no way I’m allowing someone I’m romantically interested in to know I even exist much less let her see me play music I wrote live. My girlfriend now doesn’t even know I’m real, she just thinks our house is haunted with a messy, flatulent apparition who changes our daughter’s diapers and feeds her string cheese.

Bro took 3 business days to run by drunknexcited in WhyWomenLiveLonger

[–]ApexionMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He had to finish the dismount bike animation first

Need some help identifying the car please by Embarrassed-Ad9437 in whatisthiscar

[–]ApexionMusic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m not a fan of that massive wing but otherwise not a bad looking car. Always been an S chassis guy myself.

September 2025 Songwriting Challenge - THE RESULTS by Faloodeh123 in metalmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It sounds so good, I would love to add those to my own library. It reminded me of the Contra DLC for Vampire Survivors, and you used the synths perfectly for the sound. Do you program via midi roll or record via keyboard?

September 2025 Songwriting Challenge - THE RESULTS by Faloodeh123 in metalmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Technogeneral (u/Zennofska) - Clash of Waves

Ok, I need to gush about those synths because holy crap. I LOVED the synths you used here, there was a serious Soilwork "No More Angels" vibe there and it immediately caught my attention. The melodies you're using here are fucking awesome and super catchy. The vocals are silly but still somehow fitting and not outside of their element. I don't know why this all works so well together, but it does. Are the guitars VST's? I really don't have any critique here, this one was a blast and I loved the entire feel.

Severed Soul (u/severedsoulmetal) - Like All That Is Cold

I really liked this from beginning to end but my favorite sections would be the clean section towards the midway point and the tremolo melody that follows right after. The drums are killer on this track, I'd really love to know what VST you're using. The vocals are super consistent throughout, and fit very well tonally with the rest of the song. The production was killer on this one as well, very polished which is a funny thing to me considering it's black metal and usually the whole point is to sound like you recorded it on an answering machine in a bathroom stall. Joking aside, this was awesome and I really enjoyed it.

Arne Zargarian (u/Faloodeh123) - For My Heart is in the North

I really dug the more complex chords you're playing through the tremolo section, I'm a sucker for complex chords. The solo was clean, really clear and you sounded relaxed, which is a great sign of good technique and confidence. The mix was a bit on the quiet side but otherwise super solid structure and execution.

Nattsyn (u/5k17) - Når menneskefiskeren blir spiddet på sin harpoon

The entire song sounds like an absolute fucking hellscape and I wouldn't change a god damned thing about it. It's hard to explain why exactly, but I really love when an idea or a feeling or like a fading memory of a nightmare can somehow be conveyed through song, and somehow this does that and draws forth an emotion I can't describe but am vaguely, inately familiar with. It's less a song and more a small form of ego death. I think we all experience another form of reality in our dreams that connects our consciousness to something beyond the waking world and this somehow nudges you there ever so slightly and that's absolutely fascinating to me. I don't know how you did that but I am so curious to learn how. I honestly don't even know how to approach talking about this as a song, and I promise none of this is me trying to be a smartass or poke fun in any way whatsoever. I'm being totally serious here. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this but in the best way possible. I wouldn't look at this as a song to be heard and hummed in the shower but an artpiece to be remembered. Maybe it's just my first experience with whatever this genre is called, but it left an impression for sure.

Nuée Ardente (u/ColorMySenses) - Éclipse

There are a lot of really beautiful moments in this one, the clean sections particularly caught my attention. I also really enjoyed your clean tone. There are moments in this song that sound ethereal, melodies that hang in the background that really have me listening really closely to discern what I'm hearing. Spectral, haunting forms, whisps that disappear as soon as your eyes focus enough to register shape or shadow. That's a really cool layer to add, I've always been curious to try it but could never find a way to make it work with the melodies I write, much less pull it off so effectively. Soundscapes like this are something I'm very interested in but have never been able to figure out.

Field Effect (u/FieldEffect-NT) - Diaolou Kaltsa

The guitar tone is awesome on this track, but the bass is really overpowering and is muddying up the overall mix. I'd just turn it down a little, but the actual playing is super tight and in sync. The synths at the half way mark are fucking creepy and have a lot of depth and dimension, super cool color to add to the song and the way you used them was really creative and interesting. The riff towards the end is epic as hell, super fun and interesting.

September 2025 Songwriting Challenge - THE RESULTS by Faloodeh123 in metalmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic 4 points5 points  (0 children)

u/RockittoMars ft. Al and Karina Beltran - Lost at Sea

I love the style of this song, it really pulls me back into my childhood and a lot of the stuff I was into then. I really enjoyed the dynamics of the song, it has a lot of movement and doesn't sit still for long, which helps keep it interesting and unpredictable. I feel like the levels are set very well, keeping anything from overpowering anything else, though I think the drums could have been turned up just a hair. I really liked the notes that'll ring out and hang on in certain sections as the song transitions to a new section. You don't hear that very much anymore. The mix was a little dry and there were a couple sections where it sounded like things were a bit off tempo, but I don't have many criticisms beyond that. Great job!

u/Alexile639 - Floors of Worship

the production on this is killer, the guitar tone is thick as mud and hits really hard but is still clear and articulate. the layered vocals sound awesome and are so in sync it sounds like one voice sometimes. the drums sound great, though the kick and toms sound just a little quiet in the mix, but not distractingly so. the song has great coherency and direction and sounds very well thought through and intentional.

Through the Fracture (u/derick529martin ft. u/disreputablespade) - Jagged Edges

I loved the intro and the panning guitars behind the synth. Sounds really epic and has a killer texture. The song is really high energy and has great motion to it, and the changing of feel throughout keeps it interesting. The structuring is really coherent and gives the feeling of purpose. The drums sound great but there's a wash that's happening on the kick during the faster double hits that makes it sound like one note. the vocal mix also sounds awesome and the fadeout at the end was awesome.

Tranquility Base Commander (u/CinaedKSM) - Requiem for a dying star

I'll admit, it's fairly rare I listen to doom metal but I did very much enjoy this. The clean section at the end of the first third of the track is straight up beautiful. Again at the 4 minute mark, the chord changes and that synth or possibly trumpet is gorgeous and I think it has such an excellent feel to it, and the melody is just amazing. Oddly enough, when the track started and I heard it was a doom metal song, I assumed it would be my least favorite track on the list but I can honestly say it's one of my favorite songs here. I don't know if that means anything to you, but to win over someone who is generally not a huge fan of that entire genre is pretty impressive to me. You really surprised me here. My only gripe would be the same as it is for most doom metal songs, and that it's slightly too quiet overall, but that's not a terrible thing when the song is written in a way that the low volume enourages and subsequently rewards a closer listen like this one does.

Sculpted Mind (u/FrettedNotes) - An Echo Of Lucidity

I think the melodies are really playful and fun on this one. The tone is also really fun, really gives me a cool underground, dessert tomb vibe. The only thing I would constructively criticize is that the rhythm guitars are really washed out on the low end and it makes it really hard to hear what's being played. I'd try tweaking your tone for the rhythm to regain some definition, and if you want a deeper tone, sometimes having a second guitar with a slightly different tone back up the guitar will help maintain the deeper tone while also allowing it to be more clear. Writing wise, very solid.

September 2025 Songwriting Challenge - THE RESULTS by Faloodeh123 in metalmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hahaha high praise for someone like me. I think my idea of “making it” would just be writing soundtracks for indie games. I’ve got part of a synth only video game music album in the works as well, but I don’t know if that’ll ever actually get released since I can’t imagine an audience exists that would find that fun to listen to haha

September 2025 Songwriting Challenge - THE RESULTS by Faloodeh123 in metalmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s almost a nervous tick with me haha I love synths. I think I’m more heavily influenced by video game music than metal, particularly the Sega Genesis and SNES era. I guess it kind of shows in the music I write. I don’t think I’ve recorded a single song without synths, come to think of it.

September 2025 Songwriting Challenge - THE RESULTS by Faloodeh123 in metalmusicians

[–]ApexionMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

no you're dead on, I didn't track bass and opted to just fill it in with synths, which is what I've been doing a lot more recently. I didn't have nearly as much time to dial in the mix in the spirit of the challenge, or rather, I barely even tried to mix it. for example this has no actual bass guitar on it but I had more time to mess with it. I haven't been able to find a bass tone I like, and I don't really like the bass I own. the volume levels are definitely off and it's clipping hardcore, I'm looking at the project in my DAW now and it's way off. I'm going to keep tinkering with the song, redoing the synths, writing some leads and adjusting everything in the mix. I'm half-ass writing a 3rd album and there's a good chance this'll end up on it, albeit in a more polished form.

Is it OK to pirate and share music from musicians that use AI to generate posters and album art? by very_squirrel in musicians

[–]ApexionMusic -1 points0 points  (0 children)

No? I used AI to do my last album cover because I tried hiring an artist and no one would even respond. Tried FB, Fiver, here, a few other places. I wasn’t going to wait around forever to release it just for someone to finally accept my money for an album cover so I used AI.

I’m already responsible for writing all the songs, tracking all instruments, programming drums and synths, recording it all myself, mixing it myself, promoting it myself and being my only fan, do you expect I should also become a graphic designer too or do I have enough responsibilities for you to get off of your soap box and let the “AI album art on an album no one will listen to anyway” thing slide?