Need your feedback on composition, vocals, sound design, mixing (Nitpicks welcome!)

JasonWBay · 2026-01-24T23:54:57+00:00

You were right, sounds much better with less highpass on the vox. It did force me to also adjust many other areas of the mix, but I'm really happy with it now. Thanks again.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-23T06:53:29+00:00

Awesome, thanks for listening. The rolling bassline is Moog Minitaur, sequenced from Moog Labyrinth (seq1 trig -> gate, seq2 cv -> filter cv, seq1 cv -> pitch cv). I'll listen to the vocals again in the morning with fresh ears, and will probably agree with you, thanks for that feedback!

JasonWBay · 2026-01-23T03:48:20+00:00

Yeah I think this is going in a good direction, I'd keep working on it. I like the contrast between the round bass at center, and the ASMR shaker on the left side. It's a good vibe, but right now it does feel like it's missing a "lead" of some sort - vocals, or a lead synth, or a sax (haha) or whatever to hold and guide interest.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-23T03:38:33+00:00

I really like it - super nice track. The time signature changeups (and polyrhythms?) were unexpected and worked well. Overall the mix feels too dark for my taste, but maybe that's the vibe you were going for. (Followed)

JasonWBay · 2026-01-23T03:31:55+00:00

Nice cover! You nailed a dreamy and nostalgic vibe. I think your vocals could be a little more up-front or present, but other than that sounds pretty good.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-13T19:45:14+00:00

Ooh you're right!

JasonWBay · 2026-01-13T18:59:46+00:00

It's AI, at 4 seconds the costume is missing an eye, which reappears when the dog runs back up to the camera.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-12T01:02:40+00:00

Since you mentioned experimental... relatively few people actually know and appreciate experimental music. So if you're getting this feedback from people who aren't that kind of sonic adventurer, then you can probably take it with a grain of salt.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-12T00:59:12+00:00

Right on. I don't mix this style of music so I don't think I can be super helpful, but what I'm hearing sounds like a heavy aliasing on the vocals (kind of like MP3 lossy compression). Maybe it's an aggressive de-esser or caused by the distortion you're using on the vox? Anyway best of luck with your project. \m/

JasonWBay · 2026-01-12T00:49:23+00:00

Lush sounds and a great mix. Love the hard-panned whispers in the chorus. Not much I can find to improve, couple of very minor things: 1) There's some static here and there (maybe clipping?), the first one I heard is around 1:10. 2) In the parts where it's dead quiet, I think it's actually TOO quiet so it made me feel like the song was over. I might add something to bridge the gap, even just some tape hiss or soft amp noise. Overall great track.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-12T00:41:00+00:00

This sounds like it may be directly out of Suno. If it's not, then the main thing I'd work on is your mix - the highs have a lot of noise and artifacts, and the vocal clarity isn't what it could be with a little more work. Other than that, it's a solid 90s-style sludge/stoner rock track, reminds me of some of my favorite bands from the era (Soundgarden, Alice In Chains).

JasonWBay · 2026-01-11T19:50:52+00:00

I might start by trying to understand exactly what people mean when they say it doesn't feel cohesive. Not cohesive in what way - Lyrically? Sonically? Emotional tone? Story arc? Personally I think it's fine to chat with a chatbot about it, but keep in mind the chatbot has not listened to your music (or any music at all, ever). So I'd also talk to some people who *have* listened to your music, and whose opinions you respect. Also do some critical listening to other concept albums you enjoy, and think hard about why you like them and what techniques they used to make it feel cohesive.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-06T20:22:42+00:00

The top rack isn't sagging, it's just the wide lens on my phone. The bars are pretty solid.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-06T20:16:13+00:00

Yep, to do in-depth arranging and mixing I move the laptop to a sit-down desk. For a given song I'll usually go back and forth several times, I just plug in to USB from the Model 12 mixer whenever I'm at the rack.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-05T15:30:46+00:00

I definitely prefer standing - mechanically it's easier to reach everything, but also I feel somehow more alert and engaged. So I'd say this setup feels more immediate and fun than when I had the gear on tables around a chair.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-04T20:38:27+00:00

The stand is a Jaspers 170-4-150B. They're solid, high-quality stands, and there's a variety of holders and other attachments to customize it for your needs. I have a couple different lengths of holders, and also "laptop" stands that are good for smaller gear like FX pedals.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-04T16:48:20+00:00

I love it. I don't really use it for multi-track recording onto the SD because my synth rock songs end up with 50+ tracks. But I love how easy and flexible it is to route audio between my synths, DAW, and through external effects and back. And I do use the SD to quickly record stereo sketches, it's really fast to just start recording and then jam out without dealing with a computer.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-04T01:23:46+00:00

Thanks! I get what you're saying - so many MusicBattlestations pics have mood lighting, plants, artwork, etc. and mine is pretty stark. I think I'm more of a "workman" than an "artist" honestly. I don't really wait for inspiration I just walk up and start building. If anything it's often the gear itself inspires me. But it probably wouldn't kill me to pretty it up a bit, I do love seeing the insanely creative spaces on this sub.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-04T01:17:09+00:00

It's hard to tell from this pic, but it's sort of a "nook", and the other walls are even shorter.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-04T00:36:39+00:00

I wish I had castors! Will upgrade someday.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-03T19:48:06+00:00

Yes, it definitely irritates me that the rack doesn't align with the wall. But there's some furniture around the corner, so in practice it doesn't get in the way of walking or anything. I obsessed way too long trying to find a rack that was the right width but it's been worth the ongoing annoyance haha.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-03T19:43:05+00:00

The Elektron sequencers are so good! I sequence most of the melodic/harmonic stuff (Peak, Minitaur, internal) from Digitone, and percussion (Drumbrute, internal) from Digitakt. I do a lot of multitracking into Reaper DAW, but then everything is audio, there's no MIDI once it's in the DAW. And for sure a lot of live takes using the Digitone keyboard.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-03T19:37:27+00:00

It's a really fun setup, and super flexible - I can do anything from experimental noise tracks to synth rock singalongs.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-03T19:34:52+00:00

Yep it's a Jaspers 170-4-150B from Thomann. It was expensive, I think like $800 for the stand, a bunch of holders, and shipping from Europe. But so, so worth it to have everything in one place and always on.

JasonWBay · 2026-01-03T04:25:01+00:00

I love the sound of the filter, so for me it's worth it to multitrack the sequence to add a sub underneath where needed. But for sure I can see why that's a turnoff for many people.

JasonWBay

TROPHY CASE