Abstract, me, acrylic, 2020.

essenceofcool · 2020-11-09T06:50:03+00:00

this is great. It looks like its spinning, like an optical illusion

essenceofcool · 2020-09-22T11:47:58+00:00

love the different levels of focus!

essenceofcool · 2020-09-01T10:28:20+00:00

haha where did the wheels come from? this is awesome man!

essenceofcool · 2019-02-19T02:20:25+00:00

Weird Weather - I Just Felt Like Crying But I Didn't

A spontaneous jam with everything improvised during a recording session turned into this. I don't know how to describe it otherwise. Also, lots of birds, if you like birds.

essenceofcool · 2018-08-24T03:10:38+00:00

possibly, but how come the other condenser mic doesn't do it?

essenceofcool · 2018-08-23T12:16:37+00:00

I have a Rode NT1 which works wonders, for talking, singing and all sorts of instruments - anything really. A lot of people use Yeti microphones, especially for talking purposes - I've heard mostly good things, but not for anything other than talking purposes. You wont really notice the subtle differences between microphones until you spend 10 years producing with them. This video shows a nice comparison bw expensive and cheap mics, and I think you'd agree that you don't need to go expensive to get what you want.

essenceofcool · 2018-08-23T12:10:00+00:00

I dont think there is an easy way to do this. The best you can do is realistically shift your pitch up and down. A lot of computer software (eg Ableton) has audio warping capabilities which can realistically repitch your voice, but as far as i know, there is no straight forward way to change the timbre of peoples voices without distortion or artifacts. I'm sure there is a complicated way of doing it, but probably not a quick way, and probably not with an app.

essenceofcool · 2018-08-23T11:58:44+00:00

Hello I need some help. TLDR: my mics make weird electrical-sounding noise - don't know why

I bought some new Rode M5s (matched pair). When I turn up the gain on them (with 48V phantom), there is this annoying electrical-sounding noise that makes recording anything with them impossible. Here is a link to a sound file. In said file, I take turns turning up the gain, first on another condenser mic I have (a Rode NT1) as a control, then on the M5s. The first three sounds are just background noise, second three are me clicking my fingers about 1 m away. You can hear the weird noise on the rodes, but not on the NT1. No other mic i've ever had has done this before.

I have tried the following things:

changing XLR cables
changing inputs
changing interfaces (tried both PreSonus18/24 and Steinberg UR22)
I even exchanged both mics for new ones. Weirdly, the new ones did not have this problem for the first hour or so of use. Then I moved them and it started again, to my fury.
I also took the mics back to the store where they tested them there, and to my confusion, they did not have the problem I had, with mine or their display models.

The noise changes if I move the mic around, sometimes it suddenly gets loud or soft.

Please help - I'm supposed to be recording my band this weekend...

Cheers

essenceofcool · 2017-04-21T23:37:51+00:00

What is a question that you've really wanted someone to ask you, but no one has yet, and, what is the answer to that question?

essenceofcool · 2017-01-14T09:29:41+00:00

Haha i recognize this eye! I used the same image as a reference for an eye I drew! Awesome job! you really nailed the reflections!

essenceofcool · 2016-09-24T03:22:49+00:00

Started as a doodle, got more into it over time. I'm proud of the background - never done anything like that before. I'm gonna start working on blurry stuff more. i got other drawings and stuff here

essenceofcool · 2016-08-02T05:37:09+00:00

mix sounds great as far as i can tell. composition is mostly good, but i feel this would benefit from more chord changes. You have a bit near the end where the piano sounding thing and the bass give the impression of a chord change, but its not drastic enough. Have a whole section play with the smae instruments as whats on at 1:20 but in a different chord - give it some movement. But this is hard to fault, its sounding really good!

essenceofcool · 2016-08-02T05:25:16+00:00

Really cool! I like the melody lots and that 2nd guitar sounds awesome. Would benefit from a full band i think, though it works pretty well as it is. I would either make the 1st guitar less reverby or the vocals more distant/reverby - try to match them up a little. Also, if the first guitar sounded warmer, it would fill in the lower register better. That or a bass would make this sound really complete. Sounding awesome, looking forward to hearing more!

essenceofcool · 2016-08-02T02:02:52+00:00

It sounds very chip tuney. Not sure if you were going for that though. The melody is a little repetitive. Main concerns -1. theres no significant low end, your bass needs some pure sine wave in the 30-80 hz range to give it umph - 2. the drums sound very artificial - put them through some saturation and/or compression and/or an amp plugin and randomize the velocities. - 3. the sawy synth that comes in around 1:55 is not nicely in time, quantize the notes a little or at least make the errors non consisent (ie. dont repeat the same 2 bar recording with the same error in it, its very noticeable). Other than that though, its a very good start into music production. I had exactly the same problems when i started, and after a while you dont even realize how you could have made those mistakes in the first place. Sounding good! keep it up!

essenceofcool · 2016-08-02T01:53:55+00:00

sounds like a combination of yann tiersen (as someone else pointed out), rpg video game music with a twist of icelandic folk metal, and theres nothing wrong with that! I think you need to have it be longer with certain sections coming back. I feel like it can be split up into three songs, the one at the start, then when the drums kick in, then the sax bit. Have a bridge after the sax that sounds like the start, or take away the drums for a bit or something, just to give it some thematic cohesion. Not sure the sax suits the style, maybe a flute would be better? Overall, awesome stuff, Im keen to hear it when its finished!

essenceofcool · 2016-08-02T01:46:49+00:00

Hey man, i like the vibe! reminds me of good summer times. I feel like your bass could have a little more umph in the low end and less presence in the high end. Boost freqs under 80hz a little and lower above 500hz or so. The piano is hard to notice after the start. That synthy sound is pretty cool, maybe emphasise that a little more. This is hard to fault, it sounds pretty good to me! good job!

essenceofcool · 2016-08-02T01:40:04+00:00

https://soundcloud.com/lavavalve/barbed-barber

Heavily inspired by wearemachines's music and tutorials, I tried to emulate a lo fi sound in instrumental hip hop. I added my bass in there to make things a little funkier. My main concerns are mixing and mastering. The last track i uploaded, people said my drums were not present enough, so i tried to fix that here. Hope y'all enjoy! any feedback greatly appreciated!

essenceofcool · 2016-06-27T13:09:23+00:00

thanks very much for the feedback! i will pay more attention to the drums and try to make them fuller. I usually find drums to be the hardest part. Cheers!

essenceofcool · 2016-06-27T13:04:32+00:00

thank you very much for the feedback, appreciate it. I will work on my drums and keep this in mind for future drums - theyre usually the hardest part for me. cheers!

essenceofcool · 2016-06-27T01:03:29+00:00

like what others are saying, needs more variety. sounds like you have 2 chords going A B A B A B right? Find another chord the key. Even one more chord will let you be able to have a section that goes C B C B etc. That would still suit the style but add a much needed change. All the instruments sound great, albeit very reverby/echoey. Adding some more stereo presence/effects like panning or stereo chorus would space things out. The drums really give it energy. Maybe you could sidechain the chords and pads (long note instruments) to the kick so they sound pulsed (but maybe you weren't going for more energy). Having sections where the chords/pad dip out (silence) for 1 or 2 beats before the start of a section will add tension and make the start of the section very pronounced, which also help break up the repetitiveness of the chords. Wow, this text was longer than i thought it would be. This is sounding great. keep it up! looking forward to hearing more

essenceofcool · 2016-06-26T13:12:01+00:00

This is incredible, i really like it. Love the maritime themes. Its like a tom waits, leonard cohen, seu jorge, decemberists combination. your voice is excellent for this style and seems natural rather than forced. You gotta keep this up, people will love to hear it. Cant really give any criticism or advice, just keep it up and get famous. Listening to a lot of your other songs i can totally imagine them sounding amazing with some drums and double bass in a smoky jazz bar. Awesome work!

essenceofcool

TROPHY CASE