Music Feedback

Catfire321

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Hello RPG Maker Web, I am the music composer for the rpg game Ghost Shards. The reason of why I am looking for feedback is because I want to improve my music talents as a singer and musician for games, movies, etc. I have been playing piano all of my life with no lessons what so ever and use a music program called Fruity Loops Studio Producer Edition. Battle music seems to be my weakness so far and a few other things. I would appreciate from hearing all of you and would like to get feedback of what I can do to make my music skills better. Thank you so much for helping me and enjoy my creations. Also, I have a sound-cloud page as well as a email if u want to look me up for any questions or requests. linklover17[at]yahoo[dot]com
 

_Shadow_

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Hello Catfire321

 

I also produce music as a hobbyist.

I did some lessons in the past, but my teacher was a fraud.

So my parents stopped my lessons (I don't blame them)

I can read notes and stuff, but I don't know everything music theory has to provide.

Still I had that music passion that computers brought back on the surface.

I use Reason 6.5  from Propellerhead Software.

I know FL Studio, decent software you got there. Once it was a "toy" today it is a full Digital Audio Workstation!

 

Please allow me to start by saying that you got great ideas!

Being self taught is hard. I know that since I am self taught too. 

You got great potential.

 

Secondly I wanna add one thing. Whatever I am gonna suggest here is biased by my personal experience.

I am not a smart ass neither a sound engineer.

What I suggest though, might enhance your sound hopefully.

Just remember I got good intentions and I am not a random internet troll who wants to annoy you to feed his sickness.

 

What I am about to give you as feedback, is my personal opinion.

Hope I am gonna listen more stuff from you.

Maybe make an alternative mix of a song and put the first then the second in a thread and ask which one is better and stuff...

Just some ideas. :p

 

Press The Show Spoiler button for feedback.

 

 

Wind shrine: 

Seems like a good melody.

what I sense is a not so great mixdown if you allow me to say.

 

Until 1:03 things are added but one sound "collides" with the others.

At 1:04 two sounds only are heard. And it seems like it is another song, because these two sounds collaborate well.

Your sounds need just a LITTLE compression maybe and some EQ tweaks. This is part of a proccess called "Mastering" and it needs a lot of experience, if you are about to be self taught.

 

BEST ADVICE I EVER GOT: Trust your ears!

 

A piece of advice on panning in general:

Keep any kick drum sound in the middle.

Use panning to put the sound slightly left or right. It has nothing to do with cutting the right or the left channel. You can find a panning knob on the chhannel of the sound on the mixer. There is the volume level (you can adjust them to send sounds near and far) and above them there is a knob that sends the sound more right or left.

 

Kick in middle (no panning)

Claps snares and Bass should turn SLIGHTLY right or left.

Slightly more far should be pads also.

A lead sound, like a guitar or piano should go a little more far from center.  

Try avoiding layering sounds on the same panning, thus the sound will not sound like mud. ;)

 

You can also use an equalizer to cut some frequencies from some sounds, thus making room for other sounds. If there is a Low cut frequency option, enable it. This cuts unneeded frequencies.

 

 

 

Water Temple

 

It is fantastic as a melody.

Maybe you should lower a little more the volume of the pad.

MAYBE. Just MAYBE. It is your call. It sounds good anyway, just do that experiment. ;)

 

 

Town of lost souls sounds great!!! Well made really!

Maybe a LITTLE compression on the snare drum, that layers with the kick drum sound, would make the impact more smooth and well balanced, but that is a fine tunning really!

 

 

Shards of tears

You really select nice sounds to use.

Sometimes piano notes sound salty as tears indeed.

The song sounds all right, nice for emotional moments, it will probably do the job if the game is epic fantasy themed. ;)

 

 

Enchanted forest:

It seems the delay/reverb on the first instrument is a little more than it shoud be.

0% effect means absolutely DRY.

100% of the effect means we WET the sound 100%.

 

So if for instance your sound is 100% WET try to make it 70% instead of 100% WET.

That way there will not be THAT MUCH effect on it, thus you can manipulate the sound easier on the mixdown. Also if you can tweak the delay (or Release) of the effect, try to lower the fade out time. Thus there won't be such a long tail.

 

Reverb-delay or whatever your effect was, is ia great idea but it collides with your drums. You CAN hear that right? ;)

 

Maybe lowering the drums volume would help.

near 1:00 there is a flute like sound added that is really AWESOME.

 
 
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Catfire321

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Thank you DreadShadow, I don't think that you are a troll at all. :) I like your feedback and some of the songs, I don't really use re verb in them. But I will keep in mind though.

As for the sound quality, yes I do need to fix it and I will put more songs on my page when I get a chance too. Ghost Shards is a Jrpg and Wrpg. It will be a fun game to play once it will be all completed. Thank you for your support and hope to hear back from you again soon. :)
 

_Shadow_

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 I will put more songs on my page when I get a chance too. 
Comment on the thread. I will follow it and will come to give you more feedback!

And I believe there are others that when they will find the time they will come to give their feedback too.

You got great ideas and also great melodies! ;)
 

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