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Honey, I've shrunk the tunes...
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:48 pm
by kidkut
Noticed with a lot of bits I have been playing lately the tunes seem to be getting shorter and shorter, played like 5 or 6 tracks last night that were 4.30 minutes or under.
Am I alone on noticying this, I like my nice long 8 minute tracks for the mix and blend, not saying you cant do this with shorter tracks, but you get what im saying...
Maybe its down to people following too much of a 2 drop formula, what do you think?
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:51 pm
by blackdown
some of the tunes at the last DMZ didn't need to be more than a minute, with the intro and the drop, before the next tune got mixed in. doesn't leave much time for variations in the arrangements.
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:58 pm
by skrewface
Blackdown wrote:some of the tunes at the last DMZ didn't need to be more than a minute, with the intro and the drop, before the next tune got mixed in. doesn't leave much time for variations in the arrangements.
Feeling what you saying, its quite similar when a "big" dj mixes the reggae 45's in a bashment. One verse and gone, next chune!
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:58 pm
by batfink
Blackdown wrote:some of the tunes at the last DMZ didn't need to be more than a minute, with the intro and the drop, before the next tune got mixed in. doesn't leave much time for variations in the arrangements.
good thing? or bad thing?
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:59 pm
by flippo
I made a track thats was 8:20 or so long. Most DJ's start mixing in the next tune before the drums have even really kicked in properly.
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 1:00 pm
by skrewface
fliPPo wrote:I made a track thats was 8:20 or so long. Most DJ's start mixing in the next tune before the drums have even really kicked in properly.
Yeah, we dont wanna bore out the crowd (our ourselves)
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 1:04 pm
by thomas
Ive noticed this, is it because alot of Djs now only play from one drop to the other. Ive hardly listened to two drops of the same tune in a mix for ages, apart from my own and a select few.
I like tunes which dont follow the same structure, makes it interesting and varied. Keeps me on my toes aswell
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 1:28 pm
by northern light
I've noticed this and totaly support it. few producers are able to keep a track interesting for more than 5 mins
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 1:51 pm
by blackdown
Batfink wrote:Blackdown wrote:some of the tunes at the last DMZ didn't need to be more than a minute, with the intro and the drop, before the next tune got mixed in. doesn't leave much time for variations in the arrangements.
good thing? or bad thing?
well quick, impact mixing can be very fun, esp with the grime DJs like Spyro etc. in dubstep quick mixing can be fun too, it's just when it starts to feed back into the production that it concerns me because people write tunes that drop hard for the first 30 second but sound boring to buy on vinyl.
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 1:56 pm
by osk
Check the Peveralist Dubwar podcast for dubstep mixed as it should be (IMHO)..!
Let the tune breathe a little, see what it has to say. A tune is a tune, not 32 bars.
(A lot of Pinch's album is quite short I noticed - doens't stop it working for me!)
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:16 pm
by n-type
yer man quick impact mixing is cool but certain tunes u have to leave longer.
If the crowd are lovin that tune the worst thing you can do is kill it early.
Some tunes build like techno so u cant kill them early, u have to let them develop. To keep people on their toes you can mix "teasers" bringin them in before a second drop or the part of a tune that needs a solo.
If your quick at mixing thats cool but make the mix count. There has to be balance between drop cuts and long techincal mixes it keeps sets interesting and people dancing.
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:16 pm
by badger
Osk wrote:Check the Peveralist Dubwar podcast for dubstep mixed as it should be (IMHO)..!
Let the tune breathe a little, see what it has to say. A tune is a tune, not 32 bars.
personally i much prefer long blends to a quick mix and drop
obviously a tune has to be good enough to keep interest for longer but surely a solution to this isnt to start producing high impact tunes but to have a better arranged and more interesting track that is able to stand up to a full listen
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:22 pm
by batfink
Blackdown wrote:Batfink wrote:good thing? or bad thing?
well quick, impact mixing can be very fun, esp with the grime DJs like Spyro etc. in dubstep quick mixing can be fun too, it's just when it starts to feed back into the production that it concerns me because people write tunes that drop hard for the first 30 second but sound boring to buy on vinyl.
heh, yeah i know what you mean.
When making my own tunes i find arrangement can be a bit of a trial, to put it mildly. I like to try and stick to about 5 mins as a ballpark, but as i'm writing them in isolation, i need them to interest me from start to finish. That means i often end up making the second drop as the heaviest one - saving the best till last as it were. But, that means on the odd occasion they get played out, the best bit just doesn't get heard....
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:00 pm
by kidkut
I didnt really want this to degenerate into mixing preferences, thats up to the DJ, but surely by having such short tunes you are forcing their hand, keep the tracks long and interesting and let them work their magic... basicaly what you were stating Martin.
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:19 pm
by gyto
yeh i think this is cos most of the new tunes are built for instant impact.
instant gratification culture, which i guarantee will leave rmusic lovers feeling shortchanged in a matter of weeks
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:26 pm
by metalboxproducts
gyto wrote:yeh i think this is cos most of the new tunes are built for instant impact.
instant gratification culture, which i guarantee will leave rmusic lovers feeling shortchanged in a matter of weeks
Very true. this started happening a while back now. You hear a track in the dance and it sound great but when you finely buy the thing and listen to it at home the lack of interesting structure really shows
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:08 pm
by dj $hy
Personally I only make my tunes 4.30-5 mins long now as I've been advised its best to get a loud press if the tunes shorter. The closer you get to the middle the worst the quallity is. No one listens to the last 1min of a track n e ways!
That said I do like my impact music but always cut them up with long dubbys numbers.
I can also see what Blackdown is saying. Producers focusing on the drop more and more. Not sure if its a bad thing or not as I too do it but feel the music is moving that way. Saying that dropping deeper more built up tracks in clubs works just as well. Its healthy we can do both!
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:14 pm
by kidkut
You should be good up to 10 mins at 45, im no expert on this but have had plenty of 8+ min tunes pressed and had no issues.
I really dont like this impact tune syndrome, hence pushing the latter on immerse I guess.
I really dont buy into this 'impact' tunes being the only ones that smash a dance, it will be if thats all you give people to listen to ala modern dnb, but seen plenty of places absolutely go off for the deepness as im sure other people have.
Im not saying tunes need to be long and/or deep, just keep it varied, no one style is good for any scene.
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:19 pm
by metalboxproducts
kidkut wrote: no one style is good for any scene.
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:24 pm
by shonky
The first one I stuck in the dubs section was over 9 minutes. I find impact tunes pretty dull too, not that imaginative. Much rather hear some nice long blends than this in, out, shake it all about hokey cokey business.