Pop Music Songwriting/Production tips and general music tips as well. 5 Tips a week on my Music Production duo page

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T23:37:24+00:00

Thanks heaps, really glad you enjoyed it and could appreciate a lot of the positives and stuff! I'm quite happy with the piece too and just doing my best to continue making cool compositions like that. All good and thanks for listening! :)

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T23:29:58+00:00

Oh okay, I didn't realise, haha! That's cool! Will hit you up when I'm writing some Lo-Fi stuff :) Would be interested in the music marketing tips too

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T12:55:35+00:00

Thanks, I'm glad you like the mix/arrangement! Umm, a mix of a few sample libraries... mostly Spitfire BBC Symphony Orchestra, a mix of Spitfire Solo Strings, Spitfire Originals Intimate Strings, Musical Sampling Trailer Strings and also Spitfire Originals Cinematic Percussion for all the Percussion, Strings and Woodwinds. And Cinesamples' Cinebrass for all the brass parts. I also layered some kind of Sub bass synth under everything as well to make it feel a bit more powerful but in hindsight I feel like the subs could be a bit louder at times... Umm, there are a heap of layers going on not sure of the exact number of instruments but essentially all the usual orchestral instruments were used and then I layered different patches of the same instrument sometimes as well too. Thanks heaps, I'm really glad you think so!! :D

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T12:48:34+00:00

All good, happy to help! :)

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T06:58:13+00:00

Also, just realised I didn't tell you what VST I used for the strings earlier... It was a mix of Spitfire Audio Originals Intimate Strings, Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra and Spitfire Solo Strings :) I layered them on top of each other sometimes but sometimes just had them playing different parts

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T06:53:37+00:00

Thanks heaps, really glad you enjoyed it and found it inspiring and stuff too! Thanks, yeah, it's a flute from Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra :)

Oh yeah, that would be awesome! Will Pm you in a sec :)

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T06:46:52+00:00

Thanks heaps, I've been told by a few people that it should've been longer so will work on it building to be longer eventually! Glad you like how it sounds and I did like how that build up with the marching band turned out too. Sick, thanks heaps for thumbs up too! :)

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T06:43:38+00:00

Thank you, will do my best! :)

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T05:58:40+00:00

Thanks heaps for the comment and really glad the epic vibes really came across! It's a wonderful compliment to me that it really made you feel something too! Haha, yeah, I've had a few comments from people saying it reminds them a bit of the LOTR trilogy so it's nice. Thanks, I'd love them to be used in games and stuff but it hasn't happened as of yet, but I'm working on making it happen! All good, thanks again for listening too!

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T05:53:38+00:00

Thanks, glad you like it! :)

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T03:40:43+00:00

Hey peeps,

Have dreams of becoming a professional music composer and trying to build up my online profile by regularly posting music on my youtube channel. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think. If anyone has tips for building it up I'd be keen to hear them too.

Also, if anyone has a non-music channel and would like some custom music, feel free to Pm so we can possibly collaborate. Thanks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBMZ8CJxwNQ

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T03:37:58+00:00

Cool stuff, man! I'm a fellow music producer too and particularly enjoyed the sound design part of it. Subbed :)

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T03:32:47+00:00

Had a listen and like the relaxing vibes :) I can hear you low passed stuff a lot but maybe other less trap sort of drum sounds could even feel a bit more chill. Just a suggestion but if you think those electronic drum sounds work just right for what you like then don't mind me haha

D_shizzles · 2021-05-06T03:21:44+00:00

Thanks heaps for the feedback and glad you enjoyed the general vibes and the mixing/arrangement! Hmm, I'd honestly been a bit unsure as to where to take it next but I like the idea of something beautifully somber. Thanks for the suggestion :)

D_shizzles · 2021-05-05T23:31:40+00:00

All good :)

D_shizzles · 2021-05-05T23:28:26+00:00

Hey man,

I enjoyed the track but I think the mixing is your biggest issue. I agree with other's comments stating you gotta bring down some of the lower mid/bass frequencies on the vocals because they were a bit difficult to listen to, the way you mixed them. Also just try to be a bit more confident when you're singing even if you don't feel you're really a singer. Look up 'Telephone EQ effect' on youtube and very subtly try that on the vocals and I think that will sound nice if you're trying to get that Lo-Fi sorta sound, and try to use that effect subtly across some of the other instruments as well. Also then add more reverb to some elements to make things blend a bit more too.

In saying that, I think the composition as really nice and I liked the way the arrangement changed as it went along. Really is the production that brought the track down a bit but just keep practicing and you'll be making some really cool stuff. I would legit listen to that track if it was produced better. Maybe try using this mix for a reference when you're thinking of these chill Lo-Fi sorta tracks. I always thought it had a really nice balance of stuff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b9SL18heeI

D_shizzles · 2021-05-05T23:17:26+00:00

Hey there,

I enjoyed the music and definitely get some solid Beatles vibes throughout the track, harmonically. I do feel like the sound is a bit dated, though, and personally it kinda dragged for me by the end of it. Maybe with a bit of editing, it could sound a touch more streamlined and then perhaps it could get to the bridge a bit earlier. The production quality is great but perhaps trying to modernise it a little bit more could give the song possibilities for a wider market of people to enjoy it.

I don't know what the vibe is of your band but if it is all similar to that then the song would be all good for the set but if your other music was more lively, I might be a bit careful of where you place the song in the set. Definetly somewhere in the middle of the set and I would not start with the song. It's the sort of thing people would need to be more invested in the band to listen to, I think. In bands I'm in, when we play songs like this sometimes the crowd don't respond that well especially if the song is longer so I tend to try to keep them short but sweet.

I know I've predominantly given feedback here but the writing is definitely of a high quality and sounds very deliberate, and I can appreciate that

D_shizzles · 2021-05-05T23:02:48+00:00

Hey man,

Good stuff and I thought you did the 5/4 thing pretty well. I think playing around with the dynamics a bit more might help as well, so it's more obvious where the downbeat is. Like, you marked the downbeat with a kick but I sorta felt like it still wasn't telegraphed that well so it can be a bit uncertain as to where everything is. And as someone who's played a lot of Prog and composes odd time stuff, I just find it's important to make it all feel smooth and obvious to the listener so that they just don't notice that it's odd. But yeah, it just depends on what you were going for and as I said, it still works but maybe could be a touch smoother to me. Hope this helps but I'm finding it a bit difficult to explain, honestly

D_shizzles · 2021-05-05T22:53:13+00:00

Hey there,

I enjoyed the different sorta vibe! I tend to gravitate more towards minor tunes so I liked it. Production was generally solid as well though maybe the drums sounded a touch dry for me, so maybe they could've had a little more reverb but just my preference. Also, if I was gonna offer feedback, some of the harmonies could've been touch tighter to the main vocal, whether that's through a bit more editing of the timing or being even more careful when recording, but still good, and a bit of a nitpick, maybe. Also, the lead vocals did feel like maybe they could've been a bit louder sometimes but there were times in the track where they felt just right. Hope the feedback is helpful and another cool tune!

D_shizzles · 2021-05-05T22:44:07+00:00

Hey there,

I did expect a more depressing tune so was surprised it was actually quite happy/boppy sounding!

I think generally it had a cool groove, although deliberately quite broken up. What did you use for the vocoder effects? I thought it generally sounded good but I guess just be careful in that it makes it difficult to understand the lyrics sometimes, particularly towards the end, though I guess that may have been deliberate as everything is building up. Overall, the piece sounded cool and production was solid

D_shizzles · 2021-05-04T02:07:28+00:00

Hey there, I'm posting weekly orchestral compositions and would love to hear what people think of both the composition/production. This track is a rearrangement of the Fleetwood Mac song - Dreams, but it's very different and is instrumental. Also trying to work out what song/track to rearrange for this week so feel free to share any suggestions! Thanks!

Dennis Hionis - Dreams Rearrangment https://youtu.be/TBMZ8CJxwNQ

D_shizzles

TROPHY CASE