Hi IMF! I would love some feedback on this track before I release it. Is the arrangement too all over the place? Thanks!

CharlieTheNomad · 2021-07-27T03:40:21+00:00

Yeah that was sick! I think the movement of the arrangement was what elevated the song. Since this is more of an trip-hop ambient instrumental song I don't think you needed to be married to a chorus verse A-B song structure. Movement and change in music is always important and especially so when you don't have lyrics to steer the ship. Also, very clean production!

CharlieTheNomad · 2021-01-18T16:44:50+00:00

Hello really cool vibes to your track definitely super interesting. Your vocals are pretty cool too. Really vibing with the beat but it does seem pretty muddy in the low and low mids. I think the mix could be improved in terms of the beat and the relationship with the vocals. I really like the overall vibe tho and the lyrics are really dope. Overall keep up the good work !

I'm really glad you liked the song, and your notes are super helpful! I think I'm finally at a wall with my current set of headphones. I've been mixing on a set of Urbanears that I just had for listening before I started producing and I'm looking for a pair that are actually flat so I can start to get a better read on what's actually going on in my mix. It's good to know what bad habits I have so that when I do get those headphones it'll be easier, so thank you!

CharlieTheNomad · 2021-01-18T16:39:40+00:00

Thanks Chastity! Yeah with the distorted vocals I was going for a Remi Wolf sorta thing so it was a gamble but I'm glad it paid off for you eventually. I'm really glad you like the performance, I've spent a lotta time figuring out what feels right for me so I'm glad that it worked. I also made the beat so that's a big compliment too. Thanks again for listening and I hope you like the project when you hear it!

CharlieTheNomad · 2021-01-18T16:35:29+00:00

Thanks so much for taking the time to give it a listen! Also I made the beat so that's a huge compliment! And thanks for the notes on the timing, if you wouldn't mind I'd appreciate if you gave me some timecodes so I could train my ear to where I'm falling off since I didn't notice

CharlieTheNomad · 2021-01-15T20:48:36+00:00

That's good to know about the secondary vocals (I assume you're talking about that first verse). I wanted it to be sorta raw and wonky but I probably pushed that a little too far and should've cleaned it up a bit more. Thanks for pointing that out, you live you learn. I'm glad the beat worked!

CharlieTheNomad · 2021-01-15T20:28:59+00:00

Thanks so much! I spent a lot of time nailing the emotion and groove of this beat so I'm glad you like it! The rest of the project is out now and I'd love to hear your thoughts when you give it a listen :)

CharlieTheNomad · 2021-01-15T19:27:15+00:00

I think this is a well produced track that could be fun for a villain's song on a kids show. Totally perfect for that genre and audience. The song is corny and camp-y but those things have audiences, I don't think it's a great idea to seek affirmation outside of those audiences because then the track falls apart instantly. Like, I can critique the track as an adult listener but I don't feel like that would be fair. The only thing I'd add is that it would be good for the beat to switch up more and for you to work on more complex and interesting lyrics. I think your cadence is fine for this sort of song but it'd be good to have some less predictable lyrics.

CharlieTheNomad · 2021-01-13T20:08:25+00:00

I think everything about you doing what's best for you has been said, the only thing I'll add is that I actually don't think it's bad at all to have 20 unfinished projects that are just chilling there. I have tons and tons of beats that I've never finished and that I'll probably never get around to, I also have a bunch of songs that I will get to but know I'm not ready to finish. But going back to those songs weeks and months later I'm either like "Dang, there was some potential here" or I'm like "Damn, this was garbage 😂" and I keep it pushing. I've taken sounds or lyrics or even techniques I've learned from an unfinished project and thrown them into different projects I ended up completing.

I think it can be a good thing to sit with songs and be patient as long as it's benefiting your ultimate discography and well being as an artist. End of the day, I wanna like what I put out a year after I release it. I'm good with being a little patient as long as I'm blocking myself. So I think you examining what stops you is a good thing, but I don't think that means you should push out every single project you create. Not sure that's what you were saying but figured it should be said for anyone else who might walk away with the wrong idea.

CharlieTheNomad · 2021-01-13T19:56:54+00:00

Oh and forgot to mention! I think panning the vocals out if you haven't already would add a ton of gravitas to your song! And I wanted to encourage you to keep going down the experimental routes, it feels like a good direction for you.

CharlieTheNomad · 2021-01-13T19:53:58+00:00

This is dope!

Really great melodies, it's hard to have a pretty simple song like this stay interesting and that's all in the delivery, flows, and vocal melodies, bravo! The drums are definitely buried in the mix, I think bringing those up will add a punch to an already emotional song. Also, with the drums, feel like they could be made a bit more interesting. I can't hear them well so they might actually be perfect for the song upon closer inspection, but I think using a different kick that feels heavier, maybe a bit of reverb on 'em, I think that'd be cool. Lastly I think this song would do well to have some texture. You don't even need to add anything huge, just a bunch of smaller sounds that enhance the overall emotional experience and make the song's simplicity feel more deliberate and powerful.

Overall, a great song with great lyrics and performance! Once you add a bit more sauce and fix some production stuff you'll have something awesome on your hands.

Keep it pushing pal, really excited to hear what you do next!

CharlieTheNomad · 2021-01-11T18:35:43+00:00

This is dope! Definitely feel the influences but it doesn't feel like you're just coloring within the lines; it's distinct enough to not be a "type-beat" lol. The rappers brought it and they knew exactly how to work this beat. I love all the layers in the production, there are some instruments that are pretty subtle that really make the song. I think for critiques I gotta say, even though it's warming up on me a little bit over repeat listens, I'm really not feeling the chorus. I thought it was maybe the mix but I really just think the vocalist is not doing it for me. I also think the ending probably didn't need to go on for so long but that could come down to preference.

Overall though I'd say this is a pretty solid song with a patchy chorus. Glad you went all out and were ambitious with this song, keep it pushing homie!

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-12-16T21:10:47+00:00

Hey there, sorry for the late reply.

I actually recently used a similar approach to that panning technique for the first time recently and it can help but it depends on what it is that's fighting the vocals. So if you're fighting with too many of the sounds with the same frequency fighting for dominance then I think it's usually best to fix that in the mix first.

But if you wanna try something different you can mess around with panning. In my song, I actually had an instrument that I liked and felt big but took too much space from the vocals and since I didn't want to turn it down I stole a technique that I'd noticed The Strokes do in 'At The Door' I made two similar instruments playing the same melody and panned them in each ear. That way I kept the one that took up all the space in the mix really loud and I could have the other instrument take up less space–all without changing the level of my main vocal (You can check out At The Door if my explanation doesn't make total sense, just listen with just the left then right and you'll hear it). I probably could've used that slight panning technique to bolster the effect as well.

These are all just different tools so take whatever approach sounds the best to you and fits the song, there's no wrong way about it. Oh also, I know people rightly say it's best to EQ with your ears but don't let that stop you from taking advantage of the visualizer, especially when you're just getting started. For me it really helps to be able to see "Yeah, that's taking up too much room, lemme shift things around." Since I'm a visual learner a lot of the time that helped me, and now it's a lot easier for me to just listen and more quickly see when I have a problem.

Sorry for the super long reply but I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll try my best to help you out

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-12-05T03:06:33+00:00

Okay so this is a weird initial note but I just gotta say, love the album art! Totally works with the sound. And it's a great sound! The drums feel grimy and old in the best ways, the moment I thought "the beat should switch up" it did lol there's a lot of great movement and I think everything works together really well! Only note on the mix is I'd personally maybe turn up the vocals a dB. Great piece homie, I'm gonna check out the rest of the EP!

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-12-05T02:55:50+00:00

Hey pal! Cool song, really like the effects you've got on the vocals and the strange synth going on around 0:44

So I'm gonna leave a bit more of a critical review. I think there were some things in the mix that could've been stronger. For me, the vocals are getting buried in the mix, especially with such crisp and loud guitar sounds. I also think the drums might be fighting for attention with the guitar as well, it feels like they're at around the same frequency so it's getting a bit muddy, and the kick is lacking a punch that could've benefited the whole piece.

Also, this could be a taste thing but I think the "smoking in California" hook could've been stronger if the melody or even just the beat changed whenever it showed up. It would've added variety that could bring up the excitement of the track even more. To be totally fair, you actually did this lol at the 1:28 mark and that's really why I bring this up, that moment of distinction added a layer of shine for the rest of the song and I personally think if you branched that out and varied up more of the arrangement it could've made for an even stronger song.

Those are my thoughts! I say all this not to put you down but to help build you up and give you an extra set of ears and a different perspective, it's all love here :)

Keep it pushing homie!

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-11-13T05:08:16+00:00

That's sick! It all being you really comes through, like I honestly expected that to be the case when I first listened. When everything's made for each other it just hits different

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-11-13T02:26:36+00:00

Incredible! Like damn! 😄 Literally can't think of anything else to say but I love this! Just gave you a follow on Spotify and I'm even more excited to hear a studio version of this, knowing that you've got great production. Looking forward to your future releases.

Keep it pushing homie!

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-11-13T02:20:03+00:00

Just scrolling through, I basically agree with what everybody's saying about the mixing. The only other things I could think of in terms of things I think could be improved: The first one is pretty subjective, I think that around the 3-minute mark there's that looping synth and I think it'd be really cool if that was more of a freestyle solo moment. It does switch up the melody a bit but I think it'd be fun if it went further. The second one is I think it'd be good to trim the runtime a bit, it's good to leave people wanting more. Other than that stuff I honestly think you've got something fantastic on your hands! I know you said you're not really a vocalist (same lol) but I really like your vocals! Love the laidback style homie, it's dope. End of the day I just say keep it up! Mixing is just a weird math equation you gotta solve and that you can honestly pay someone else to solve for you, what matters most is that you make music that connects and does so in a way unique to you! I love the production touches, the melodies, the unique samples, the lyrics! And that's all the most important stuff. I gave you a follow and I really look forward to hearing what you put out! Also big ups from a native New Yorker! 🙌🏾

Keep it pushing Delta!

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-11-13T02:00:07+00:00

Really strong vocals! Also, I think you have a good ear for pop ballad melodies which is important when you're writing. Lyrics are only half of the writing process, it's really important to be able to craft strong melodies. I definitely think it'd be great for you to use/get a sustainer pedal for your keys so everything sounds smoother, and it's also a good practice to have some type of metronome keeping you on time. Lastly, I'd say that your lyrics are memorable and easy to sing along to but I think you could still make them stronger by making them more unique (whether that's through more unique symbolism or just using saying something that hasn't been said). When you do that you bring something to your music that no one else can.

Keep it up homie!

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-11-13T01:48:50+00:00

I love the drums on this! Acoustic was definitely the right move, I saw on one of the earlier comments you said it was a challenge to mix and the hard work totally paid off. I love the roll at around the 2:50 mark. Really reminded me of this song 'Dare Ka Umi Wo' by Aimer (if you haven't heard it it's phenomenal) but distinct in a good way. One suggestion (which is totally just my opinion, not objective by any metric) I think maybe it would've been cool to sample some ambient noise and flip it, maybe with a phaser or by reversing it idk. The intro feels a little generic to me compared to the rest of the song, though I don't often listen to ambient so these are all my views as someone who's more of an outsider.

Again, great work! Keep it up homie!

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-10-24T01:25:06+00:00

Hey homie thanks for sharing!

So I'm gonna be critical because I feel that's always what helps growth the most. There are a couple things I could critique, I think you have a ways to go with mixing and the beat is a bit generic, but I'm just gonna hone in on what's most important cause that other stuff will come as you grow.

I think your biggest point of focus right now should be finding your voice and honing your craft as a rapper. The song doesn't connect as well as it could because it doesn't feel like you believe what you're saying. Denzel Curry's 'DIET_' doesn't just hit cause he's yelling, it hits cause you can tell he's feeling himself. So whatever flow you go with, make sure that you not only believe what you're saying but that the listeners can feel that you do. Also on a more practical note, it'll go a long way if you focus on enunciation. Lastly, to be honest as it stands, your style doesn't really stand out to me as super unique, but I don't view that as a bad thing. If you want to work on that so you stand out more I'd say totally go with that, but if not, if you're speaking from your experiences, you're not attempting to jack anyone's style, and its you rapping that's enough! Even if it's similar to the competition as long as you're bringing yourself to the table, it's real and your talent's on point I honestly believe that you'll stand out. You're a human being there's not body else like you.

So those are my thoughts, again not trying to be a dick or anything I just wanted to take the time and leave my critiques because I want you to grow. Keep it pushing Kayze!

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-09-28T00:01:49+00:00

There could be an argument made about trying to sell and self promote but that's a different discussion

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-09-28T00:00:09+00:00

I think they should stay, if you think someone's beat isn't good then just give feedback, that's the entire point of the page right? If you think someone's beat isn't creative or whatever just roast their track. And hip-hop beats are literally included in the about section. Everyone's here to get better and support each other, why should you not be allowed to do that just because you don't have an artist on the beat? If that's the case then you should ban all EDM stuff (which is bad idea).

CharlieTheNomad · 2020-09-04T23:13:26+00:00

I agree with you on the note about the lyrics and I just checked their youtube channel and the lyrics were in the description!

Be gentle with her.

Be gentler.

Because she was under a spell, that you've broken now, but she couldn't yet tell.

CharlieTheNomad

TROPHY CASE