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Yodamanjaro

106 Audio Reviews w/ Response

All 188 Reviews

Hmm

First of all, I hope you read this review with humility and with a sense of humble presence a producer of your experience should.

To start this off, this isn't trance. If it was, I would be ripping it apart EVEN MORE.

The volume levels are off. This means you have to actually move the dials in FL Studio instead of just importing presets and putting random notes to them. You may ask me what levels, I will tell you to turn them ALL down by 5%. How will you know what volume levels are good? Listen to this song, then listen to a PROFESSIONAL track. Listen to the levels they have and mimic them. It's not cheating, that's just how professional tracks sound. That's what you should be trying to achieve with your music, not just by what's in your head.

I love good inspiration tracks, but it doesn't matter if you don't actually spend quality time working on your music.

How will people want to buy this? I mean, I can't say I'm much better, but I can at least say my most recent tracks have been approved by professional producers. I have only been producing a bit longer than you have, and I've been a busy student, only working on a song a few hours per WEEK.

To clarify your "Author comments," exporting this in a higher sample rate would have little to no actual clarity in quality. mp3 @ 320kbps is hardly worse than a wav for most speakers and headphones. My intuition tells me you fall into this category. This has no effect on your production skills, obviously, but I had to point that out there so you don't make the same mistake in the future.

Now. Onto the actual song. Your intro is interesting, but could use a bit more definition and layering on the reverse cymbal.

The bass could have more layering. And higher frequencies so people without subwoofers can actually hear what notes are being played clearly. This applies to your kick drum as well. Please put just a hint in the higher frequencies.

Your song doesn't have many "changes" throughout it. To me you're just taking off and adding layers. No filters. No special effects. No alternate notes for the end of phrases. This sounds like you took about 30 minutes on this song and expect everyone to love it.

And for your piano. Yes, I would be changing it. Along with the notes.

For the synth you have going throughout, please put some changes in there. Put in a different rhythm, notes, SOMETHING to make this song more interesting.

The synth itself could be more calming and less obtrusive. If you "meant it to be this way," then make every other instrument or percussion sample to go with that type of sound.

To make this clear over the whole track: I'm a person of sound quality. I would rather you come up with the most HIDEOUS melody, MOST OBTRUSIVE synths and percussion but as long as all of them fit into their alloted frequencies and "play nice" with each other, you've got yourself a good song. A clean but unorganized song is better than the best melody but crappy quality in EQ and master.

The suggestions and things to fix aren't an over-night thing. This will take you probably around the same amount of time it took me...2 years (at least). Many many songs will be produced and released, most of which you might think are worth selling. This is where you should come in humbly and tell yourself, "not yet." When someone comes to you with a label offering OR a professional producer comes to you with only positive comments and reviews, you've hit that spot where I'm sure you want to be at.

Just keep working, practice makes permanent. Because realize that none of us are perfect.

Adjeye responds:

I think it will take a week for me to understand this review, but I will work on the things you said. I see your point. Thank you for this review!

~Adjeye-3

EQ/Master

Here's the thing. You can put all of these very good-sounding instruments and melodies together, but it will never sound pro if you have poor EQ and mastering for it.

For my finished projects, I always put about 20% into making the actual song and put the other 150% in EQ and mastering the actual track. Since I've developed tricks along the way I can speed this process a bit, but a clean master will beat good melodies and instruments ANY DAY.

If you're looking for tips, please PM me (and listen to some of what I have up on NG to see what I've done, but I don't post my final edits on here...due to being signed).

Also, if you're willing to defend this track with "it sounds clean" I'm willing to hear it...I have a very open mind to suggestions myself. I feel it helps when constructive criticism comes along.

With that aside, I really do like the melodies chosen and the instruments used (for the most part). Keep it up!

5/5
7/10
Derrick

AikaMusic responds:

Thanks :]

Hmm

This isn't techno. If it's anything, it's dance (by the style of lead you chose here, along with the melody type). Otherwise, it's trance...a very dance-y trance.

Techno doesn't usually have chord progressions, which this one does.

Just had to throw in my 2c. hahaha

Not bad though. If you wanted to make it trance, I'd turn down the arp by 20%, make the pads a bit wider with reverb, take out the beep-y lead, change it with something saw-y. That may be cliche, but it's better than what it sounds like now. Make the bass deeper and wider as well. I feel like you pinched this song up so tight that it doesn't have any room to breathe.

Just some things to consider, that's all.
6/10
3/5
Derrick

ArcticFront responds:

I really appreciate your response, this is one of the most helpful reviews I have ever received. I realized that I sorta blew the dynamic range for this song out of the water. I'm gonna have to go back in and adjust my levels for everything. Its true it has no room to breathe, its clipping the red almost every second. I gotta adjust my levels and recompress a few elements of the song to tune it up.

Thanks for the advice, i really do appreciate it when someone can be completely honest with me. I will continue to work diligently. Remember, success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.

I really like your music also, keep it up!

You're right on the edit.

LOL DJ Viz FTW!

This isn't bad, but it's too "fruity." If you would like to either a) know what this means or b) know how to fix it, or c) both, then PM me. I'll be glad to explain.

6/10
5/5 (just because it's right to do)
Derrick

757irish responds:

Always open for suggestions :D just pm me

Almost there

Pros: - overall sweeeeeet
- more musical than what i've heard previously from you
- catchy

Cons: - The EQ needs more attention (like the main lead(s) can be brought out a bit more)
- A secondary harmonic lead could be used to make it even more melodic (that's just a suggestion)

Overall, pretty good man. I'm looking forward for the full version!
Derrick

dannyNergy responds:

Thanks man , Actually this was more so submitted for the sole purpose to show that ( one ) lead can do wonders if you know how to work and tweak your synth right.

I was just having fun creating a multi textured lead and got this catchy ass lead stuck in my head all night :)

Awesome stuff

The good things on this track:

The samples on this are just awesome.

The track keeps moving quite nicely, and doesn't get boring anywhere. Nice genre pick, I <3 dnb, but I can't produce it to save my life. lol

So, here's the bad:

none. hahaha I dont know dnb well enough to pick out anything wrong. it all sounds goooood to me.

I'd love to hear another dnb track man. This is real good stuff.

5/5
10/10
Derrick

dannyNergy responds:

thwank you derrrock

Good overall

Overall, it's a good track.

The master track isn't bad, but it's not completely done from what I can hear.

Just a few tips to improve on: maybe put filters on the voice, maybe delays to keep the repeating voice interesting for the listener...cause a guy saying the same thing over and over can get a bit tire-some....haha

Another tip is to possibly put a bit more sub on that kick to make it really rock the house! And put a bit more EQ into the bass, it's really good on the higher frequencies, but when it gets a bit lower, it kinda makes me " :-/ " .

Now that the improving stuff is out of the way, here is what I liked:

- The vocals weren't too choppy, and were well in sync with the track.
- The fadeout was nice at the end of the track, it has some closure.
- To make this song sound like a real pro track, you actually dropped stuff out near the end to make the overall track mixable. Now the breakdown(s) could use more FX to lead in the kick and exit the kick (like in trance, you have your uplifts and downlifts).

that's about it....so yeah. lol

5/5
9/10

keep producing man. You're just getting better and better.
Derrick

PizzaBox responds:

Yeah, I think you're right about adding filters on the vocals. That would have been a good idea. I'll try to do something better with this track later.

More sub to the kick? Jeez, it was already maxing out, how much more do you want the house to be brought down? It was so loud I had to make everything else ridiculously loud just to be able to hear them over the kick. It was intense as it is! Haha.

Also, I didn't have a bass instrument. So not sure what to say in response to it sounding good on the high frequencies.

Thanks for the compliments though, Derrick. I really appreciate the time :)

Pizza[Box]

Wow

Hey dude,

Thanks for the message, cause to me, this is the closest track that you have that's trance! I think I hear some vanguard presets at some places, but it's no biggie. ;)

Just keep that bass rockin' and those synths fresh!

Derrick

DjMontana responds:

Hey man..

Well that`s a Relief ! This is the closest one to trance.... ! so i never got this close ??
hmmm well...bim a bit confused but ok....
I really like the tunes are so Deep.. wich gives it a moment were you wanna dream
away ! haha

But anyway im Glad you liked it :D ..happy ..happy !

Greetz DJMontana

right, I would get a 10. LOL

Hey man, here is your deserved 10.

And for the guy below me, w/e. I told him to submit it cause it was mostly his doing, it was just me messing around with it and seeing what came out...

It's not like it's all my song, and it's not a remix. It's me messing with his song, I changed none of the notes, etc. I kept what he had, only I improved on it somewhat.

Here is what you should have gotten in the first place:

5/5
10/10
Derrick

Meonly70 responds:

Haha, thanks :D

wow

Nice man, this was waaay different than what I tried doing with this track...

If you have time, I made a remix of it (I forget if you reviewed that one or not...)

well anyways, have a good day man.

5/5
10/10
Derrick

DjMontana responds:

Hey Derrick..

Hey man.. Well it looks like Opinions are very dofferent on this track.
But on NG That is too be expected.. Sometimes THings work Out a Bit Stupid.
When i Post a track I Personally think Rocks.. Doesn`t do any good on NG.

When it`s a track i think is ok.... It Goes up like a Balloon ! it`s Crazy !!...

But Anyway... i Listened too your tracks on that Site off yours Realy Good man...Big Respect..

greetz DJMontana

Check out Stories in Trance! (www.storiesintrance .com)

Derrick Meyer @Yodamanjaro

Age 35, Male

Programmer

MVNU

Cleveland, OH

Joined on 10/14/07

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