I really need some feedback on these two songs

reborn579 · 05-22-2020, 03:55 AM

hi guys. can you guys give me some honest harsh feedback on these two songs. i'm working on some trailer music and i've been told these songs are too compressed / loud / distorted. what do you guys think?

https://mihaildoman.com/the-clock-is-running/
https://mihaildoman.com/conquest-of-dystopia/

prom · 05-22-2020, 04:23 AM

Listening on SR850 Samson budget cans approx 80/85% volume it held together, I did not hear any distortions, only the impact and power of contemporary trailer edits.
Hopefully someone with the quality gear will give you some more reliable opinion.

sammydix · 05-22-2020, 04:49 AM

I thought both songs were intense. Heart-racing type compositions good for a game or movie. But the mixes sounded somewhat mushed with little distinction among the elements. I think clarity was the biggest issue overall, though the the songs themselves were top notched.

reborn579 · 05-22-2020, 05:43 AM

thanks for your input, guys. a number of people told me the mix is a bit too muddy, so that must be the main issue.
cheers guys!
i'm glad you guys like the compositions, though

Judders · 05-22-2020, 06:20 AM

The big impacts are distorting, so if you didn't put distortion on those bass drums you are hitting your limiter too hard.

Pruning the low end will help this.

reborn579 · 05-22-2020, 08:24 AM

they are a little bit too big, yes.
yeah, it's back to the old drawing board

Judders · 05-22-2020, 08:39 AM

It might not be that the big bass drum hits are too big, but that you are trying to squash the dynamic range too much.

Audio for picture often has a greater dynamic range than commercial audio releases.

But clearing up that mud a bit will definitely help anyway.

dug dog · 05-22-2020, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judders

But clearing up that mud a bit will definitely help anyway.

Agreed. I think that's why the mixes are being interpreted as "too compressed". Some cuts around 250 Hz will help.

reborn579 · 05-22-2020, 04:21 PM

guys. you've really helped me a lot with your feedback, here.
i don't know if i'm going to correct these songs, as i was going to use them for audiojungle. they got rejected and i can't resubmit them.
but maybe i'll use them in another context. i just need to find some patience to open up those projects again

Judders · 05-22-2020, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dug dog

Agreed. I think that's why the mixes are being interpreted as "too compressed". Some cuts around 250 Hz will help.

Definitely sounds like some limiting distortion to me. Of course, all that low frequency energy is going to be hitting the limiter harder.

dug dog · 05-22-2020, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reborn579

i don't know if i'm going to correct these songs

If you don't, I WILL.

But, seriously, why not see what a simple, pre-limiter EQ cut on the master buss will do? Try 3dB at 250 Hz. It will be an easy learning experience and, if it doesn't work, then, oh well....

dug dog · 05-22-2020, 04:50 PM

Can you resubmit to Audio Jungle under another name or title, or is there an algo that will recognize the rejected tune?

Coachz · 05-23-2020, 05:50 AM

Super job. I would add a bit more highs. It's ready for a major motion picture. Congrats. What software did you use ?

DaniloVillanova · 05-23-2020, 10:05 PM

Both tracks are really good, you're almost all the way there.

Besides from what has been said above, I thought that the ticking clock sound on the first track was too loud, too static, and too in-your-face. Perhaps a bit of volume/panning/filter automation would help. Just my 2c. Thanks for sharing!

Mattheas Boelter · 05-23-2020, 10:09 PM

Okay, listening to the first track, I do think you are hitting the limiter a bit hard. The bass hits are definitely distorting a bit.

The other thing I'm hearing is some muddiness that seems to appear when the strings come in. It's especially bad in the second track. I'm not sure, but I think it might be a reverb problem? I think it's coming from the combination of the percussion and the strings.

You probably know more about how to handle this stuff than I do, but I'll leave what I know just in case it can be helpful. First, the obvious, always high pass the reverbs (and the instruments). If this were my project, I would have the strings going through one send with a very fast reverb. I would then send the percussion to another, larger reverb. I would be really careful to make sure that nothing from the drums or their reverb are covering up the strings.

Another tip, you don't need your reverbs to be stereo. Mono is often better. They often just take up precious space when in stereo. You can achieve similar effects by carefully panning your various reverbs so that each has it's chosen place in the stereo spectrum. In this context, I might allow the strings to have a stereo verb, but the percs would probably stay mono.

reborn579 · 05-24-2020, 06:26 AM

wow, guys, so much helpful feedback. i'm really happy that you guys like the composition.

Quote:

If you don't, I WILL.

hehe.

the thing with these songs is that i first made them in 2018 for this project that never came to be. and they were just sitting there. a few months ago i thought i would use them for audiojungle, but i didn't start the mix from scratch, i just tried to improve on the old one. but a few years ago it wasn't that great. i thought i could get away with it, but i didn't.

Quote:

Can you resubmit to Audio Jungle under another name or title, or is there an algo that will recognize the rejected tune?

i would suspect that for how many submission they have, they might have an algorithm. and i don't want to get in trouble and not be able to upload anything any more.

another reason why i'm not going to be working on them anymore is that quite frankly, i'm a bit fed up with them :P i've listened to them 1000 times and i just can't work on them now. maybe in a few years

Quote:

Congrats. What software did you use ?

thanks! i use reaper and a lot native instruments rise & hit. also some spitfire audio strings and brass. and native instruments synths and pads. i'm a big NI guy

Quote:

I thought that the ticking clock sound on the first track was too loud, too static, and too in-your-face.

i had feedback earlier. i didn't feel it was too loud. there is an automation which takes it lower in volume as the song progresses. but i did want something that was 'in your face'. i don't feel it was too loud, but maybe i'm just being subjective.

@mattheas, i actually always filter my reverbs and delay (the classic 400-4000k), unless it's a special effect i'm goning for.

upon further listening and the feedback i got:

- 'the clock is running' has too much of a good thing. i always put saturation on the track at the end, and i always use vintage eqs and compressors, but i just over did it. i think especially on the percussion buss it's very clear. and also on the strings buss. it's too saturated.
- 'conquest of dystopia' has too much percussion at the end, but there's that synth that starts the song which maybe i should have filtered when the other instruments started, because i think it's the source of a lot of that rumble and muddiness.

guys, again, thanks for the really nice feedback. gotta love reaper and it's community

cheers!

gandsnut · 05-30-2020, 12:31 PM

The second track shouted out to me, "this would be an excellent fit for a 'Black Mirror' episode-scene." If you've never heard of BM, see if you can find a source to view online. Best.

reborn579 · 06-01-2020, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gandsnut

The second track shouted out to me, "this would be an excellent fit for a 'Black Mirror' episode-scene." If you've never heard of BM, see if you can find a source to view online. Best.

oh, i'm very up to speed with black mirror

cheers! glad you liked my song