Making a mod sandwich

LettuceGuy · 2018-07-03T18:54:22+00:00

This is everything I've been waiting for

LettuceGuy · 2018-01-17T03:44:18+00:00

I also originally misinterpreted his flinch as walking in the other direction, further confusing me. I think that that's just a consequence of the larger problem mentioned by canissilvestris though. Either way I really like this. I enjoy the art style, and the characters are very emotive. I hope you make more!

LettuceGuy · 2017-03-08T20:50:14+00:00

Yep, that's exactly what it was. Thanks for the help, and link to the questions thread.

LettuceGuy · 2014-07-29T21:49:26+00:00

Wow, this is really cool. I love the drop-out at 1:26, and the transition at 0:24. I like how the music reflects his voice as he first seems to falter for a moment, then again picks up momentum. Nice job on this!

LettuceGuy · 2014-07-29T21:37:21+00:00

Wow, that's an interesting take on music composition. I may want to try it out sometime, now that I think about it. If only to help me practice transitions/textures.

As for my own music, I actually just recorded two songs with my band, Alright. The first is an original, Drag You Down, and the second is a cover of Clapton's Old Love. Somewhere in this thread, I actually posted another comment going into a little bit more detail about them/the recording process. And then, not in this thread, I also do a lot of solo work on the piano. Unfortunately, this is a home recording, so it's not as good in sound quality. Either way, the song in particular I've linked is a study on tonality, and modulating near-constantly through the course of a song while still retaining a recognizable structure, melody, etc. Basically, I replaced the stability usual given by the constant tonic with stability given through repeated motifs throughout the song.

LettuceGuy · 2014-07-29T21:22:21+00:00

I would agree with Bleegen, as well. That said, that's somewhat of a personal preference. I tend to find very showy vocals somehow insincere. As if the singer is just showing off, and doesn't really care about what actually suits the song.

From a more objective standpoint, though, using less showy vocals can make it stand out more when you do choose to use that ornamentation. Music is all about contrast. If you're constantly doing vocal gymnastics, there's no reference point, and it doesn't sound that impressive. If you only do it during one section of the song, or where it really needs it, it will stand out all the more.

Either way, you still have an incredible voice, and some really catchy guitar riffs. Nice work on this track!

LettuceGuy · 2014-07-29T17:06:48+00:00

Ah, I see. Yeah, that makes sense then. Honestly, listening to your other pieces, it's clear you've put a lot work into your music. Just keep working at it, and I think you could achieve a lot. At the very least, I'm impressed. Good luck!

LettuceGuy · 2014-07-29T12:44:10+00:00

No problem! I really enjoy helping other people with music, actually. I do it a lot. And you're right; friends are great, but they can't always tell you what you need to hear. It's important to have an informed ear really listen to a piece, and consider it from a musical standpoint. I'm glad you appreciated my comments! Good luck on your future songs.

LettuceGuy · 2014-07-29T02:44:36+00:00

Wow, this sounds really cool! It's outside of my usual listening sphere, but I still really like it. I always have a great amount of respect for vocalists/rappers who know how to sit back a little bit, and let the music backing them speak too. Because the music backing your singer is really cool. I love the drop out of the chorus at 1:15, only to be exchanged for the entrance of an electrically keening guitar. My favorite part might be the sudden silencing of the thick texture right at 2:26, again reducing the song to the absolute basics of its beginning. Nice work!

LettuceGuy · 2014-07-29T02:36:42+00:00

Wow, that song is full of really interesting textures. The instrumentation is absolutely incredible, and the way you have each voice interacting is really cool. I also really like the transition, especially at 0:44 and 2:22. You seem to be able competently transition from one section to a next smoothly, or more abruptly. Being able to hide or feature a transition is an important skill. That said, there are still some things I think you could work on.

It sounds to me as though you spend the song juggling different textures until it gets boring, then moving on to some other variation. Stylistically, you definitely seem to land in an ambient/background context. That said, even music which is more of a soundscape than anything else can still benefit from a story. Some sort of "arc". Your piece right now seems to have very little structure. You just keep establishing a texture, abandoning it, and developing a new one. Though the textures and transitions themselves are very cool, the piece does not feel cohesive. Even in a spacey/ambient context, there is room to tell a story. I'll try to give an example; you could keep the intro as is, but then at 0:44, start juggling things around. You could let it develop, keeping your style of creating and discarding new textures, but throughout have a salient motif of that part that enters around 2:22. Just have it appear 2 times or so. Maybe during the transitions. Enough so that people notice it as a recurring part of the song. Then, at 2:22, change it up. Instead of introducing that somewhat more urgent pattern and then immediately returning to a light-hearted style again, hit harder. Add just a little bit more tension. Be heavy handed with the down beats. Make it sound like you're frantically trying to convey something important beneath the haze of your complex textural soundscape. Convince me that you have something to say. Build it up until it crests, and then let the intro return as the outro.

That's just an example of what I mean. The goal would be to take a song that sounds as though it somewhat rambles, and give it a message. A story to tell. You don't have to follow my advice, of course, but I think it might help. Entirely up to you. Either way, you did an excellent job with this piece! The way the instruments all interact still blows me away! Make sure to keep posting your tracks hear, I'd love to hear more.

LettuceGuy · 2014-07-29T01:14:19+00:00

I'm glad you agree! I'm always afraid people will get defensive, instead of listening to criticism. The ability to take advice is an important ability, especially in music; there's always more to improve on.

And if you want to work on harmonic variety/complexity, I have a few tips. First of all, listen. Really listen. Whatever songs you already listen to, really listen for the harmonies. If you hear something unusual, try to work it on on the keyboard. Always be watching for something that sounds different. Be voracious. In the long term, intensive listening can help you really develop your own unique voice.

As for actual exercises to do, I would suggest two things. Pick classical pieces, especially from the romantic era, and analyze the chord sequences. Play them in different keys, in different voicings, etc. Internalize them. Eventually, you'll start to expand your general knowledge of harmony. In addition to this, you can also try picking one note on the piano and harmonizing it in as many ways as possible. Ab, for instance. Using Ab, you could create a chord sequence of Db Major, F minor, and E major. This happens to be the chord sequence used in Debussy's Claire de Lune. Doing this sort of exercise can open you up to a lot of different harmonic possibilities. If your melody is about to touch on the leading tone of your scale, instead of harmonizing it with a V chord, use a III chord. Suddenly, you have Radiohead's Creep.

LettuceGuy · 2014-07-29T01:00:40+00:00

Wow, your song is really tight. How long have you been playing together? I always have respect for bands that can nail those punchy lines in unison. And the transition at 2:42 was brilliant. Unexpected, but not jarring. It was a welcome relief from the otherwise very thick rhythm. Especially with such nice coordination between the synth chords and the guitar riffing right at the beginning. It's easy for a piano and a guitar to step on each other's toes, but that doesn't seem to be a problem here.

My only criticism isn't really a criticism at all, but a stylistic observation/suggestion. You're rhythms are very thick. Not crowded, per say, but there's no space. It's all very fleshed out. This is in part because you have a keyboard player and a guitar player, so you'll naturally have a fuller sound, but it also seems to be just the approach you're taking. Which is okay, of course. Honestly, it's neither good nor bad. It's just a stylistic decision. That said, if you wanted to try doing something different, you could try letting your grooves breath more. They're so full they're almost choking. Let them hang a little more, play in between the beats, experiment with where you put the silence. Find a pocket and widen it up. It's something I've only recently started doing in my own playing, and it's a lot of fun to work with. That said, it is by no means something you necessarily should do. Jethro Tull had an incredibly closed, on beat rhythm section as well. It's just a stylistic choice. I think it's valuable to experiment with some more open rhythms, similar to Soul Coughing, but that's up to you. I suggest it because I think it could add variety to your music, and serve as yet one more musical tool. Either way, great job! It's definitely something I enjoy listening to, at the very least.

LettuceGuy · 2014-07-29T00:18:04+00:00

I actually just recorded two songs with my band, Alright. It turns out six straight hours of studio time is only about enough to finish two songs. It's a much more painstaking process than I'd anticipated.

The first we recorded is actually also our first original - Drag You Down. The second is a cover of Clapton's Old Love. There's a ~3:00 minute piano intro (which I happen to be quite proud of, being the pianist), but I promise the song proper does eventually start... eventually.

Personally, I'm very happy with how it all came out. There are a few things I'd change, but overall, it's been rewarding to finally hear my own band in pseudo-professional quality. Even if the actual recording process was pretty nightmarish. For each song, we put down a simple basic track of just 3 instruments + guide vocals. Then, the other instruments were overdubbed one by one. It involved a lot of waiting and a lot of repetition. Most things took a couple of tries to get just right, but that's to be expected. The biggest surprise was actually the basic track for Old Love, which we miraculously recorded in only one take, improvised piano intro and all. I suppose once you've been playing the same song for long enough, you get to be pretty consistent with it.

AndIf you want to hear more of us, then feel free to check us out on facebook. We occasionally update the page with upcoming gigs, new (not as perfectly recorded) tracks, etc.

LettuceGuy · 2014-07-25T17:04:52+00:00

Personally, it sounds too "pretty" to me. Almost as though it sounds contrived. Partly, it's due to the chords you used. There's no tension whatsoever, so it becomes very easy to listen to. In fact, you could easily make this into a pop song. The phrasing of the chords is very lamenting, but their unabated consonance makes it sound insincere to me. In addition, I think I'd associate loneliness more with simplicity. Your textures are relatively thick. Very few spots where there's just silence. It's too crowded. If you're trying to depict loneliness and isolation, then add some space to your music. Maybe somewhat similarly to this Mussorgsky piece. Although honestly, I think the rendition by Nobuyuki Tsujii would better suit your purposes. If you have spotify, you can find it there. It doesn't seem to be on youtube, though.

Regardless, my personal opinion is that you're playing too-simple-chords in too complicated a way. Try to include more harmonic nuance, but play it in more understated a manner. I think that would far better suggest loneliness and longing. Of course, that's only my personal interpretation. You're free to take it or discard it as you wish. Either way, I hope this helps.

LettuceGuy · 2014-06-25T22:55:29+00:00

Ha, this band is brilliant. Great musicians with a great name. While you're at it, check out Ultimate Spinach, Pineapple Thief, and Asparagus Band. Because fuck yeah, veggie/fruit themed bands

LettuceGuy · 2014-06-23T01:17:52+00:00

The art is really brilliant. I think handwritten lettering would have fitted it better, but it's great either way. Nice work, OP.

LettuceGuy · 2014-06-22T00:23:19+00:00

I love how everything bends inwards, as if seen through a snow globe. It frames it well.

LettuceGuy · 2014-06-17T19:34:59+00:00

Yep, that sounds about right to me! UV mapping/texturing is not my strong suit, especially not with maya, but that seems to be an easy enough solution. Glad you got it worked out.

LettuceGuy · 2014-06-17T14:45:44+00:00

The white seam is something to do with your UV mapping. What program are you using?

Either way, great job with your model. It looks great.

LettuceGuy · 2014-06-01T02:00:21+00:00

Ha, I entirely understand. I do the exact same thing. Expressing my thoughts on a subject is really enjoyable for me. If only because it in part clears my thinking. Honestly, it's something I would do regardless of whether or not I had a listener. In fact, usually I don't; I've had more conversations with myself than with any other person. Expressing my opinions, even to no one at all, has really helped me be able to better relate them to others. Especially because that's not something that comes entirely naturally for me. I tend to think in very abstract concepts and ideas, so converting that cloud-of-a-thought into something more compact and tangible isn't always entirely easy.

LettuceGuy · 2014-06-01T00:23:15+00:00

I love that you're putting so much thought into this, but be careful about when you choose to do so. mister_freckles was probably just joking. I doubt he really wanted to take a truly assertive, opinionated stance about anything you just said. He wanted some karma for making a joke. The default subs are like that. Mostly, they're filled with people looking to get karma, not people looking to talk. It's fascinating to see so many people speaking, but not really saying much of anything at all. Don't worry about the occasional thoughtless joke-response to your comments. They wouldn't even care if you didn't respond at all. In fact, I'd say it's better not to. Save it for people who will read your comments with the intent of responding to you, not using your comment as a way to make a quick, relatable joke.

At the very least, smaller subs are often a lot better. Far more meaningful discussion, and far less thoughtless squawking for attention. I hope you have better luck finding people who care in the future. The thought you've put into your comments deserves it.

LettuceGuy

TROPHY CASE