(Psytrance) untitled - looking for feedback

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killhamster
Posts: 132
Joined: 02 Aug 2019
Location: Portland, OR
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08 Jan 2023

I'm working on a submission for this year's DEF CON soundtrack, and am doing another psytrance track this year. Looking for feedback on the mixing and content, but it's nearing completion. I think I need to turn the bass synths up a little, and the 303 line needs more compression and EQ because it gets kind of harsh once the filter's opened up a lot. The link is private because it's unreleased and has to stay so until after the soundtrack's released, so you'll have to click through.

https://soundcloud.com/killhamster/dc20 ... dd805e3afd

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Arpeg
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Joined: 31 Oct 2021

09 Jan 2023

Good intro build maybe too long, is relevant though with no random sound coming in, and the whole track is well themed.
If mixing this track IN with another then the first drop down at 3.12 is useful to mix towards to drop the currently playing track out as this also introduces a new sound which is relevant to the theme.
A lot of work in there and is well produced
The track being 9 minutes something seconds can be useful to pick and choose what part of the track to mix with. A little too long for me though

I feel the overall sound is a tiny bit muddy-ish. It just needs brightening up
Perhaps it needs more mid-hi range. The Kick is dull it needs more hi end/punch, it has boom or Dummmm Dummmm.. I'm not too keen on the full click/pop Kick in some tracks I hear but this Kick needs to head towards that a bit, to be more specific.

Good job on this track, it has energy, movement, useful drop downs and can fit into a mix with ease. Straight up Club Trance, not too pop, not too hardcore.. Why the long intro, it is good nonetheless :D

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Rising Night Wave
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Location: Vransko, Slovenia
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09 Jan 2023

in general i do not like psy/goa trance genre because this type of music is so out of this planet.
so... am, how to tell?.. so without feelings and so cold and so f.u. thus. i do not know. perhaps me and this type of people have nothing in common. there is no common denominator between us.

but some tracks are good. i do have some goa/psy songs in my collection. not all goa/psy songs are not for my taste and so.

so is this song you made. it is likeable. i like it.
it is interesting. well built. well balanced. and so on.

it is a real old goa/psy style.

even the song is quite long it is still interesting.

well done. i would give you a like and a repost if it was not a private link.

thumbs up.
Rising Night Wave & Extus at SoundCloud
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jam-s
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Location: Aachen, Germany
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09 Jan 2023

In general it's a solid old school psy trance track which works really well in letting your mind drift out of space and time.

Regarding the mix I agree with Arpeg. The kick could use a more pronounced click/attack. In addition I think the snare on 2 and 4 could be a bit more upfront to drive the track a bit more. I'm also missing some more energy in the upper mids. This could be done by having the background arp boosted between 2kHz and 5kHz either by EQ or layering another octave (+fifth) on top.

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killhamster
Posts: 132
Joined: 02 Aug 2019
Location: Portland, OR
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09 Jan 2023

Thanks all! Very valuable feedback here and I'll be putting it all to use to perfect this track :puf_bigsmile:
Arpeg wrote:
09 Jan 2023
I feel the overall sound is a tiny bit muddy-ish. It just needs brightening up
Perhaps it needs more mid-hi range. The Kick is dull it needs more hi end/punch, it has boom or Dummmm Dummmm.. I'm not too keen on the full click/pop Kick in some tracks I hear but this Kick needs to head towards that a bit, to be more specific.
I was aiming for the kind of "doof" style kick drum but haven't been able to quite nail it yet. I think I'll layer a synth kick on top of the rest.
Rising Night Wave wrote:
09 Jan 2023
in general i do not like psy/goa trance genre because this type of music is so out of this planet.
Yeah it can get really synthetic and weird sounding. I have to find myself thinking "will this sound good on acid?"
jam-s wrote:
09 Jan 2023
The kick could use a more pronounced click/attack. In addition I think the snare on 2 and 4 could be a bit more upfront to drive the track a bit more. I'm also missing some more energy in the upper mids. This could be done by having the background arp boosted between 2kHz and 5kHz either by EQ or layering another octave (+fifth) on top.
More useful advice. :puf_bigsmile: I already have several synths layering up for the leads, didn't think to add to the arps/background synths

Popey
Competition Winner
Posts: 2062
Joined: 04 Jul 2018

12 Jan 2023

Overall i really like this track especially after the first drop around 3min 30 ish. I would agree with the comments about the Kick and snare and I think the snare could be a bit more forward to drive the track a bit more. The kick seems quite dull and as others have stated perhaps a bit more click could benefit (i sometimes take the first few ms from a clicky kick i like and add that to other kicks so you are adding to the click but keeping the body of the kick you already have).

I also wondered if perhaps scooping a bit out of the kick around 400-500hz might give it a bit more life or energy. Only other thing is i found the modular blips and bloops sound at the start felt a little repetitive and maybe some modulation (filter etc) or sending it to a fx on a return might bring some subtle changes (chorus or reverb/delay etc).

As i said i enjoy the track but as you are entering it for submission to a comp i have been hyper critical to try and help.

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killhamster
Posts: 132
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Location: Portland, OR
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14 Jan 2023

Thanks everyone for the feedback, it's been invaluable. I've adjusted a few things based on it all and have a new revision:


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Heigen5
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Location: Finland / Suomi

16 Jan 2023

There's few things in the mixing side I'd look into a bit. The overall sound is working quiet a well, but maybe it's a bit too hissy. And the bassdrum sounds a tidy bit too lowpassed. Otherwise you have a great tune and dope sounds in the mix. But that's just me. Cheers!

Popey
Competition Winner
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Joined: 04 Jul 2018

20 Jan 2023

Sounds a lot better to me and the kick has a lot more presence. Perhaps still a tab lowpassed for my personal taste but it is miles better. Cool tune

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killhamster
Posts: 132
Joined: 02 Aug 2019
Location: Portland, OR
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20 Jan 2023

It should come as no surprise that I've been tweaking it even more, just slight things now, I'm pretty happy with it though, thanks everyone!
Popey wrote:
20 Jan 2023
Sounds a lot better to me and the kick has a lot more presence. Perhaps still a tab lowpassed for my personal taste but it is miles better. Cool tune
It's actually 3 kicks layered together: a 909 with a slow attack and the tune knob all the way up, a Thor synthesizing the higher end kick, and then a deeper, "doofier" sample playing in an Umpf.

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killhamster
Posts: 132
Joined: 02 Aug 2019
Location: Portland, OR
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22 Aug 2023

Huge thanks to everyone here who listened and provided feedback and advice, this one made it onto the soundtrack album and got me a free badge to boot! I'm number 23 here, and they had so many submissions this year they had to release a bonus EP.


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