Looking for some feedback on this trance song I'm making

DJKINGRSM

New Member
May 18, 2022
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San Marino
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Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum, but I listen to trance and techno music since 20+ years.
I'm looking for some feedback about this trance song I'm making, it's defintely going to be an extended mix progressive trance style.
I've been using Reaper with free stock plugins, Helm and Vital.
I've divided it into three main sections.
Any feedback is apreciated, thank you.

EDIT: here's a correct link to my brand new SoundCloud page (thanks to @jetflag for the advice)
In the last part especially, you can hear when I temporarily turned off and on the EventHorizon limiter/clipper, just for reference
https://soundcloud.com/kingrsm%2Fkng-horuz-private-test-19052022%2Fs-iNWBfcoul14
 
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Jetflag

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Jul 17, 2020
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Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum, but I listen to trance and techno music since 20+ years.
I'm looking for some feedback about this trance song I'm making, it's defintely going to be an extended mix progressive trance style.
I've been using Reaper with free stock plugins, Helm and Vital.
I've divided it into three main sections.
Any feedback is apreciated, thank you.
filehosting.org | Download | KNG PUBLIC TEST 1.mp4
hey there, Welcome on board.

I get an invalid download link error. Tip: what really works well is a (free) soundcloud account. This allows users on the forum to listen on the spot and add time stamp comments.
 
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DJKINGRSM

New Member
May 18, 2022
11 Posts
10 Thanked
San Marino
Website
linktr.ee
Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum, but I listen to trance and techno music since 20+ years.
I'm looking for some feedback about this trance song I'm making, it's defintely going to be an extended mix progressive trance style.
I've been using Reaper with free stock plugins, Helm and Vital.
I've divided it into three main sections.
Any feedback is apreciated, thank you.
filehosting.org | Download | KNG PUBLIC TEST 1.mp4
hey there, Welcome on board.

I get an invalid download link error. Tip: what really works well is a (free) soundcloud account. This allows users on the forum to listen on the spot and add time stamp comments.
thank you, I just edited the first post with the correct link and information
 

Jetflag

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Jul 17, 2020
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For a first attempt I'd say well done so far and my advice would be: continue building the track

few nit picks:

- Your percussion does the job, but is a bit dry, I recommend beefing it up a bit with effects and/or additional samples.
- Your kick works well in the high end with the bassline, but the lower frequency parts i'm not sure. both could profit from some EQ work to make them work together better even more. Youtube has plenty of tutorials on this. Again, what you have is ok'ish/ it works. but it can be better :)
- Your lead melodies/plucks are nice and give a good trance feel overall.

So aside from the technical details noted above i'd say keep going/building a full length track with a breakdown sections etc.
 
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Recharge

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Sep 26, 2020
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I really like the demo. On the last part the the lead or melody drops down the volume for a while, if you side chained it check it again. Apart from that sounds great.
 

LostLegend

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Dec 5, 2020
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Liverpool, UK
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www.beatport.com
Difficult to give an overall impression from such a short sample but will go with what I've heard.

Some good choices on percussion samples, all seem to fit together, but definitely need some stereo air as jetflag mentioned.
A reverb send with a nice drum room verb might be nice on the clap and open hat in small amounts. The open hat could also be a bit brighter for my taste.

Synths sound nice. Nice sound choices and beefy mid bass is pleasing.

The kick does get lost a bit as also mentioned above. There could be many reasons for this. Usual suspects are not cutting enough sub low end on channels that don't need it or needing to sidechain/duck elements from the kick.
Also, the fact you mention using a limiter/clipper could also come into play. Track dynamics are a dark art to get your head around and music doesn't always respond how you expect when you smash it through a dynamic plugin.

I say this as some of your synths sound loud in the overall mix balance and it's likely they will hit the clipper/limiter first. At the point you are trying to push your rhythm up (kick and bass) in loudness, you can end up with them being pushed down by everything else instead.

I wish I could explain it better tbh 😄

In other words, try to get you mix levels to sound as solid and balanced as you can before pushing it though dynamics processing like compressors, limiters or clippers.
 
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Hensmon

Admin
TranceFix Crew
Jun 27, 2020
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UK
I like the baseline a lot. Kick feels too dry and pronounced and could be softened.

I think the melodies and key changes work well, and some of the little synths and details you have chosen too. It is starting to have a classic-esque feel to it. The synths you have chosen are nice for the most part.

The percussion used after the first drop is too basic and kills the energy though, not helped but the overly stabby and basic synth. Work on the percussion arrangements more I think to create something more energtic/driving/varied/interesting.

Overal the track is a bit thin, dry and empty at times, so lacks proper energy and fluidity

Keep going!
 

DJKINGRSM

New Member
May 18, 2022
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San Marino
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linktr.ee
Hey guys, thank you again for the precious feedback (eeeeeeeeeeee, sorry for the pun).
I decided to eliminate the Event Horizon Limiter/Clipper on the master bus, upgraded Reaper and now I finally can use the built-in loudness and limiting most recent versions, also I added some instances of the free Ozone Imager on the kick and the sub bass (there were some strange short delays as the samples tended to sound stereo, now they're totally mono).
I'm attaching a screenshot of the loudness and EQ of the heaviest section of the song, do you think I should EQ something better? those mid-range spikes you see are simply the first notes of the lead synth with the gate effect (T-Force alpha plus).
https://soundcloud.com/kingrsm%2Fking-horuz-private-test-31052022%2Fs-yH4sZrAGb89
 

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LostLegend

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Dec 5, 2020
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Hey guys, thank you again for the precious feedback (eeeeeeeeeeee, sorry for the pun).
I decided to eliminate the Event Horizon Limiter/Clipper on the master bus, upgraded Reaper and now I finally can use the built-in loudness and limiting most recent versions, also I added some instances of the free Ozone Imager on the kick and the sub bass (there were some strange short delays as the samples tended to sound stereo, now they're totally mono).
I'm attaching a screenshot of the loudness and EQ of the heaviest section of the song, do you think I should EQ something better? those mid-range spikes you see are simply the first notes of the lead synth with the gate effect (T-Force alpha plus).
https://soundcloud.com/kingrsm%2Fking-horuz-private-test-31052022%2Fs-yH4sZrAGb89
Just took a listen on my monitors so here's a bit of feed back:

I like the synth work. The plucked melody at the beginning is really nice. The lead melody is not quite to my taste, but I like that you are trying something different than the usual big supersaw arp (Nothing wrong with them mind, just good to change it up once and a while)
For the most part you sound choices are nice and fit the track well. Really like the rolling bass synth!

The mixdown itself needs a fair bit of work though. There are times when the plucked synth seems too loud, or just doesn't blend well with the other elements.
I'm also not a fan of the kickdrum, something more rounded would work better as the one you used has quite a harsh sounding transient or 'click'
Also the sub end of the kick seems to get lost a bit on the main drop. There's a different bassline there and it sounds like it is overpowering the kick. You should take a look at the sidechain/eq settings for both on that section and try to balance them better.

As I said in my previous reply, I still think the high end of the percussion could be more prominent in the mix for my taste.

I think this track could also benefit from some pads or a drone/atmosphere in parts as it can sound a little empty in some sections. Those little atmosphere and ear candy fx can really take a track to the next level.

Overall, a good track with plenty of potential, but you need to focus more on getting your mixdown more solid before you start worrying about maximum loudness on the master chain. :) 👍
 

DJKINGRSM

New Member
May 18, 2022
11 Posts
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San Marino
Website
linktr.ee
th
Just took a listen on my monitors so here's a bit of feed back:

I like the synth work. The plucked melody at the beginning is really nice. The lead melody is not quite to my taste, but I like that you are trying something different than the usual big supersaw arp (Nothing wrong with them mind, just good to change it up once and a while)
For the most part you sound choices are nice and fit the track well. Really like the rolling bass synth!

The mixdown itself needs a fair bit of work though. There are times when the plucked synth seems too loud, or just doesn't blend well with the other elements.
I'm also not a fan of the kickdrum, something more rounded would work better as the one you used has quite a harsh sounding transient or 'click'
Also the sub end of the kick seems to get lost a bit on the main drop. There's a different bassline there and it sounds like it is overpowering the kick. You should take a look at the sidechain/eq settings for both on that section and try to balance them better.

As I said in my previous reply, I still think the high end of the percussion could be more prominent in the mix for my taste.

I think this track could also benefit from some pads or a drone/atmosphere in parts as it can sound a little empty in some sections. Those little atmosphere and ear candy fx can really take a track to the next level.

Overall, a good track with plenty of potential, but you need to focus more on getting your mixdown more solid before you start worrying about maximum loudness on the master chain. :) 👍
thank you very very very much Lostlegend.
So, I cleaned that click on the kick (this sounded like a tongue-twister, lol), and it definitely fits better in the mix. Also, I sidechained a gate effect on all the tracks except for the kick, so it now should "duck" everything when the kick plays.
Added a king of limiter to the pads and plucks, as they tended to overtake everything else in the most crowded sections of the songs.
Edited both the lead and the bass section, kinda experimentedf with three different lines that maybe could fit all three.
enhanced the drums on the high frequencies a bit, they shold fill the spaces too.
So here's mytest for today!
https://soundcloud.com/kingrsm%2Fking-horvate-test-01062022%2Fs-UQuXke9oplG
 
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LostLegend

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Dec 5, 2020
842 Posts
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www.beatport.com
th

thank you very very very much Lostlegend.
So, I cleaned that click on the kick (this sounded like a tongue-twister, lol), and it definitely fits better in the mix. Also, I sidechained a gate effect on all the tracks except for the kick, so it now should "duck" everything when the kick plays.
Added a king of limiter to the pads and plucks, as they tended to overtake everything else in the most crowded sections of the songs.
Edited both the lead and the bass section, kinda experimentedf with three different lines that maybe could fit all three.
enhanced the drums on the high frequencies a bit, they shold fill the spaces too.
So here's mytest for today!
https://soundcloud.com/kingrsm%2Fking-horuz-private-test-01062022%2Fs-UQuXke9oplG
This sounds much better!

The kick sounds better and more consistent throughout the track and the synths blend into the mix much better as well.
Great work!
 

Jetflag

Elite Member
Jul 17, 2020
2,699 Posts
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Will comment later on proper headphones. On my phone it sounds promising