How is Seven Lions so smooth??

[DazeL]

I've been producing on and off for a while and I can barely say I'm proficient in anything when it comes to production, but I've been listening to Seven Lions a LOT and he just has such a smooth sound, there's just no other word that describes what I feel when I listen to him. Mines, as well as most of the producers' music out there sound like they were made on the computer whereas his sound like he just came out of a magical feel good land. I'm sure there's no easy answer but what is the secret to that??

Also, I feel like his sound is really familiar...almost video gamish? Every time I hear him Final Fantasy comes to mind for some reason (maybe from commercials?) is this the same for others? I think I'm going to start listening to game soundtracks for some inspiration and anyone out there who has games they'd like to add in are welcome! Thanks guys.

[NinjaEdit]

Because jungle is massive.

[wub]

Never heard of Seven Lions apart from production questions about him. Is he a new chillstep/melodic bro/complextro producer?

[Sexual_Chocolate]

Never heard of Seven Lions apart from production questions about him. Is he a new chillstep/melodic bro/complextro producer?

was about to ask the same thing.

doing florence remix's on youtube, must be pretty chill

[wub]

Yeah, just had a listen to that. Pretty generic 'remix' from what I can hear. Kick snare pattern is fairly constant, pad work is nice and compliments the source material but nothing special.

Low passed synths with a lot of glide on the notes. He lets the source material drive his remix as opposed to creating a new track and then trying to shoehorn the remix elements in afterwards, so a modicum of respect is afforded for being so restrained.

Light compression on the pads/synths which may be bussed together to give them some character, but overall it's hardly game changing stuff.

Biggies for anyone who can still pull off the generic remix thing and turn it into a career of sorts, though.

[Hostile Invasion]

From Seven Lions to whoever you see as putting out professional sounding mixes.. it isn't just a few really good choices that make their mixes sound pristine. It's hundreds of little mixing decisions that get their sound.

[smile]

Yeah, just had a listen to that. Pretty generic 'remix' from what I can hear. Kick snare pattern is fairly constant, pad work is nice and compliments the source material but nothing special.

Low passed synths with a lot of glide on the notes. He lets the source material drive his remix as opposed to creating a new track and then trying to shoehorn the remix elements in afterwards, so a modicum of respect is afforded for being so restrained.

Light compression on the pads/synths which may be bussed together to give them some character, but overall it's hardly game changing stuff.

Biggies for anyone who can still pull off the generic remix thing and turn it into a career of sorts, though.

Keep your opinions like "generic remix" and Seven Lions being "nothing special" to yourself, you're obviously not a avid listener of this sort of music so how can you tell the difference?! I don't understand this detrimental attitude a lot of people here seem to have towards (midrange) dubstep. I don't think you're being very helpful either, like, how is "light compression" relevant in getting a sound as polished as this? I just feel like you're trying to downplay the guy with everything you say.

Anyway.. Synth design is great but not that amazing; the sounds are not that unique or difficult by themselves there's just a particularly tasteful choice of sounds and interplay of melodies with attention to harmonies. Moreover he's doing a lot of pads and if you listen carefully you'll hear glitchy background in his intros/breakdowns/etc to always keep you somewhat stimulated. The mix is also exceptional which means (1.) he payed some professional mixer to do it or (2.) he is a professional mixer himself derp.

[Brothulhu]

Keep your opinions like "generic remix" and Seven Lions being "nothing special" to yourself, you're obviously not a avid listener of this sort of music so how can you tell the difference?!

Surely you don't have to be an "avid listener" to have an opinion on something

[smile]

Surely you don't have to be an "avid listener" to have an opinion on something

You can have an opinion on anything but you can't expect it to be valid unless you've properly explored the subject. Until then maybe it's better to keep it to yourself? I guess people will make that decision themselves, I just like to remind people of the alternative. Not that mr wub really went over the line or anything, I've just heard a lot of these arguments of said music being generic when there is dynamics to it some people might just not realise or appreciate.

[wub]

Keep your opinions like "generic remix" and Seven Lions being "nothing special" to yourself

Synth design is great but not that amazing

Someone asked a question, I responded. If I only answered the questions about stuff I was an 'avid listener' of then I'd probably keep quiet in here and hardly ever post in the Dubs board.

I guess people will make that decision themselves but after seeing so much bigotry regarding this or that I just like to remind people of the alternative.

My apologies if my post came across in any way advising people to not listen to this producer, it was not my intention

[ehbes]

pretty standard if you ask me. Nothing really stands out to me, sounds like porter robson or whatever his name is

[lloydy]

Never heard of him either and if wub thinks he sounds Generic i won't be listening either.......as i sit here stirring my big black pot!

Not trying to hijack thread as i have in the past but this is a proper remix of florence's remix!!

[dickman69]

lol smile

[ephyks]

Yeah, just had a listen to that. Pretty generic 'remix' from what I can hear. Kick snare pattern is fairly constant, pad work is nice and compliments the source material but nothing special.

Low passed synths with a lot of glide on the notes. He lets the source material drive his remix as opposed to creating a new track and then trying to shoehorn the remix elements in afterwards, so a modicum of respect is afforded for being so restrained.

Light compression on the pads/synths which may be bussed together to give them some character, but overall it's hardly game changing stuff.

Biggies for anyone who can still pull off the generic remix thing and turn it into a career of sorts, though.

Keep your opinions like "generic remix" and Seven Lions being "nothing special" to yourself, you're obviously not a avid listener of this sort of music so how can you tell the difference?! I don't understand this detrimental attitude a lot of people here seem to have towards (midrange) dubstep. I don't think you're being very helpful either, like, how is "light compression" relevant in getting a sound as polished as this? I just feel like you're trying to downplay the guy with everything you say.

Anyway.. Synth design is great but not that amazing; the sounds are not that unique or difficult by themselves there's just a particularly tasteful choice of sounds and interplay of melodies with attention to harmonies. Moreover he's doing a lot of pads and if you listen carefully you'll hear glitchy background in his intros/breakdowns/etc to always keep you somewhat stimulated. The mix is also exceptional which means (1.) he payed some professional mixer to do it or (2.) he is a professional mixer himself derp.

Oh yeah man, he's sooo diverse.

For a guy who makes smoother shit, it all sounds pretty soulless to me.

[Sexual_Chocolate]

Yeah, just had a listen to that. Pretty generic 'remix' from what I can hear. Kick snare pattern is fairly constant, pad work is nice and compliments the source material but nothing special.

Low passed synths with a lot of glide on the notes. He lets the source material drive his remix as opposed to creating a new track and then trying to shoehorn the remix elements in afterwards, so a modicum of respect is afforded for being so restrained.

Light compression on the pads/synths which may be bussed together to give them some character, but overall it's hardly game changing stuff.

Biggies for anyone who can still pull off the generic remix thing and turn it into a career of sorts, though.

Keep your opinions like "generic remix" and Seven Lions being "nothing special" to yourself, you're obviously not a avid listener of this sort of music so how can you tell the difference?! I don't understand this detrimental attitude a lot of people here seem to have towards (midrange) dubstep. I don't think you're being very helpful either, like, how is "light compression" relevant in getting a sound as polished as this? I just feel like you're trying to downplay the guy with everything you say.

Anyway.. Synth design is great but not that amazing; the sounds are not that unique or difficult by themselves there's just a particularly tasteful choice of sounds and interplay of melodies with attention to harmonies. Moreover he's doing a lot of pads and if you listen carefully you'll hear glitchy background in his intros/breakdowns/etc to always keep you somewhat stimulated. The mix is also exceptional which means (1.) he payed some professional mixer to do it or (2.) he is a professional mixer himself derp.

you nonce.

[legend4ry]

I mean its pretty bad in terms of style and vibe but lets get some constructive comments going from the source material posted above.

The pads are smooth in terms of frequency. I can imagine them coming from a synth like Atmosphere / Omnisphere (cause lets be honest - Massive & Absynth doesn't pull clean frequencies like that with ease!) Phasers/Chorus's are being used to "spread" the sounds wider.

Use of reverb is filtered out in the mid ends - everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) is compressed. The drums are very generic sounding (probably from Vengeance sound packs).

In terms of melodies. Same as a the pads really, coming out of good quality synths and sucking any bad frequencies out and replacing it with reverb...


There isn't really many tips to give other than step up your game. This music isn't theoretically hard to make, you just need to get off freeware and invest some money in good quality products to get high quality sounds. Learn how to mix down and get the right sounds together. Its pretty basics 101 of making electronic music - nothing complicated here but its pretty well done (for what it is).

[NinjaEdit]

People can get offended if you state your opinion objectively, rather than subjectively.

When I saw his name in the thread title, I knew people would say "Massive presets, etc." There was a thread about him already.

[Gravehill]

Except for Days to Come, he sounds like a bedroom producer to me :/

[DazeL]

Thanks to those who gave advice on the matter! Especially wub, I never really know what I'm doing but I'm sometimes able to take what you say on a thread and practice it to up my understanding of production. I'm just surprised though, everyone I know loves Seven Lions so I'm shocked to see such criticism of him, I'm curious now, who are the greats to you guys? I think I saw on here before someone saying that the best advice for making a genre of music is to listen to another one, but I've been trying to only listen to people I think are good producers like Seven Lions to learn what I can.

[OfficialDAPT]

Lol there's really nothing "average" sounding about his 'Days to Come' song except maybe the percussion. The arrangement and melody are spectacular.

Edit: His best song: