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paravrais wrote:

Project EX wrote:

nowaysj wrote:I got so many problems... it's like someone dropped a tray of silverware down a stairwell.

this

Yeah this too.

Biggest problems probably that I suck at synthesis. Terrible at working with audio and still don't totally *get* compression. I mean I understand the idea of what a compressor does but every one I have seems to have totally different controls on it and that makes my head go "mrh?"

Stick with learning how to use just one compressor. Then once you get the feel of how the controls effect the sound maybe try other ones.

Remember main controls:
Threshold is at what point the compressor becomes active on the signal (starts working)
Ratio is basically just the amount of compression applied (soft to hard expressed in db I think)

Remember time controls:
Attack is the time it takes for the compressor to start working on any part of the signal (that reaches the threshold)
Release it the time it takes for the compressor to drop the signal back below the threshold (I think)

MIXDOWNS: although this could partly be to do with my listening setup for the past three years consisting of the cheapest mp3 player headphones and laptop speakers. i feel more confident about mixdowns already thanks to my new monitors but a long way to go still.

EQ: comes under mixdowns too i suppose, i can use it to reductively but not creatively and i find frequency clashes sometimes are a nightmare.

Also could be better at synthesis, incidentals and that sort of thing

mixdowns - im alright with regards to having everything in its place and sounding clear and stuff but i have to force myself to do them over and over if i want to get things sounding chunky. i just find it really tedious tbh.

also im just generally finding making tunes in isolation on a computer utterly boring and uninspiring at the moment. been trying to teach myself piano but im not good enough to be playing stuff in accurately yet.

i much prefer working with real people and instruments to be honest, got a couple of little projects on the go, but the problem with working with other people is that it means you all have to be available at the same time to work on stuff. so things end up getting done really slowly.

My biggest issue with DS is the drums. Keeping everything varied and interesting is challenging for me with percs. I find that simple is more and its hard for me to think like a drummer. Other then that, my mixing is good. My synthesis knowledge is good. The only other issue I might have is actually finishing. Where normal people would be done making a track, I'm continually striving to make it even better. I refuse to make mediocre music.

Promise One wrote:

paravrais wrote:

Project EX wrote:

nowaysj wrote:I got so many problems... it's like someone dropped a tray of silverware down a stairwell.

this

Yeah this too.

Biggest problems probably that I suck at synthesis. Terrible at working with audio and still don't totally *get* compression. I mean I understand the idea of what a compressor does but every one I have seems to have totally different controls on it and that makes my head go "mrh?"

Stick with learning how to use just one compressor. Then once you get the feel of how the controls effect the sound maybe try other ones.

Remember main controls:
Threshold is at what point the compressor becomes active on the signal (starts working)
Ratio is basically just the amount of compression applied (soft to hard expressed in db I think)

Remember time controls:
Attack is the time it takes for the compressor to start working on any part of the signal (that reaches the threshold)
Release it the time it takes for the compressor to drop the signal back below the threshold (I think)

Yeah I can just about use Abletons stock compressor and get what I want from it most of the time but whenever I try another one that people have been raving about on here none of the controls seem to do what I expect and they have totally new names for things etc... 0.o boggles the mind

So many people worrying about their mixdown so much they have forgotten they need to write a good track first!

Make a decent track and get all that right before worrying about the mixdown imo.

My weakest part i think is writing melodys. I cannot for the life of me get any decent melodys out of any synth. Im useless with piano roll

My weakest part is definitely my intros. I don't know why, but I just can't get an interesting, full intro. Like someone posted above me, maybe it's time to get a midi keyboard

wub wrote:Mine is writing basslines. Not synth programming, I'm getting better at making the sounds I want, but the actual layering of notes and making a bassline move in time with the drums etc, and evolve over the course of the tune. I know automation can sometimes play a big part in getting that moving feeling about it, but overall it's the placement of notes thing that is throwing me.

I'm the exact opposite to you. I'm OKish at synthesis, can make some cool noises etc and I will happily jam away on my keyboard for hours. It's the technical stuff i'm not quite so good at. Mixing down - layering beats intricately etc. I have no patience and definitely don't have steady hands haha

for me it's coming up with a really sick melody of basslines. I mean I have a bunch of patches some made by myself and others just modified a bunch but I can never come up with a really good sounding pattern of different noted basslines that really makes me feel all tingly inside. but that's it I have everything neccesary to create a track just no melodies that i can really feel. I feel other dubstep tunes of course or else if I didn't I wouldn't be producing dubstep it's just the tunes I work on I don't feel.

Creating good space/atmosphere in general ala Reso, Depone

Everything.

structure

symmetricalsounds wrote:structure

This is something I've been really interested in lately. I read an interview of Vex'd and they talked about how they weren't trying to make dance music, they just wanted to make music. I was thinking that this provided more freedom (ie not stuck to a 4/4 32 bar intro, 32 bar break) with the structure and provides opportunity to make a more organic sound.

getting agrimy dark atmosphere to my tunes

The intro, melodies, mixdown, basslines... everything

Writing basslines,

getting a nice drum groove i have everything but this and making basslines transition like many dancefloor hits today that have about 10 different sounds and they all transition perfectly but when i do it it sounds like utter shit.

Drums. Not so much making the beat, but the actual individual hits.

being happy enough with something to send it out/put it up online