Dubstepforum.com

Hey guys,
I'm a fifteen year old producer from Melbourne, Australia. I just uploaded my first dubstep track to soundcloud and I was looking to get some feedback, tips and constructive criticism.

Thanks guys,
Sintra.
Soundcloud


P.s,
I'll be uploading a vocal edit, with sort of Burial/Flume style vocals, once I figure out how to do that.

doesnt work mate.

It should be fixed now, man

Beat programming feels very rigid, might benefit from a looser arrangement to make it less robotic.

wub wrote:Beat programming feels very rigid, might benefit from a looser arrangement to make it less robotic.

I was kinda thinking that, I'll change it up abit in the morning.

Any other feedback/constructive critisms of the track, dude?

Also, I'm hoping to try and sign this, do you have any idea of some labels to send it to?

Thanks heaps,
Sinatra.

I'd to hear the revised version with a fresh set of ears before I could say.


As for labels, not too sure, but there are some experimental labels on Bandcamp if I recall, have a look there.

wub wrote:I'd to hear the revised version with a fresh set of ears before I could say.

With the revised version, you mean put the drums "off grid" and have variations in the beat right?

Here's a new version, i made some variations in the kick and snare patterns and added some swing to the hats.

Soundcloud

Sounds like it's gone too far the other way, things are almost sounding out of time now.

wub wrote:Sounds like it's gone too far the other way, things are almost sounding out of time now.

Yeah, I'm not really too good at doing the whole "off grid" thing.
Can you possibly give me further instruction on perfecting the drums in this track?
Is it the kick or the hats that I should focus on?

This will probably explain it better than I can;

swing and skip meta-masterclass

wub wrote:This will probably explain it better than I can;

swing and skip meta-masterclass

Thanks!
I'll give this a look and then get back into Ableton.

my advice would be listen to some of your favorite dubstep tracks and count the beats. then listen to which beats they put their snares, kicks, hats, even effects on. it'll be different for every song, but it will give you a better idea on how to write your drum patterns.

Sintra wrote:

wub wrote:Sounds like it's gone too far the other way, things are almost sounding out of time now.

Yeah, I'm not really too good at doing the whole "off grid" thing.
Can you possibly give me further instruction on perfecting the drums in this track?
Is it the kick or the hats that I should focus on?

Hey Pal - I wouldn't recommend going "off the grid..." so to say.

I think you're missing Wub's point a bit. What you need to do is add some variation in your percussion hits. This doesn't mean scatter them randomly, but play with them, on the grid. I don't know which interface you're using but on FL Studio you can widen the grid, giving you more placement options. This allows you to keep it on the grid, but also place them differently to add some aggression and some variation to give it some life, instead of a computer robot type feel.

Remember -- Trust your ears. If something doesn't feel right change it. How long have you been producing? If you're really new just keep pounding out songs man.

the original dub mix sounds pretty good to me, you could add some more swing though as wub said, even preset groove/swing templates can work wonders rather than manually moving everything. most DAW's like fl studio, ableton. logic etc have them as a feature.

the kick is far too loud as well IMO, should be a bit lower in the mix. in would like to hear it with vocals. good job

I went back into the original save, before i went through and fucked up the drums, i used some of ableton's built in groove presets, and changed some little things, i hope you guys like what i've done to it.
Also, i lowered the volume of the kick a little.

I'll be uploading it in the next half hour and i'll delete the "Different Drums" version off my soundcloud.

And Dustwyrm, i've only been producing for about half a year or so.

Thanks for all the help guys, it means alot!

Cheers,
Sintra

Here's the new version, i think it sounds better, but you guys can be the judge on that.

Soundcloud

Thanks again for all the help and feedback guys.

Cheers,
Sintra

It's good for only having produced for a half a year. But wub is right. Some rework on the percussion, mainly some variation can really give it some life. The tune as whole doesn't evolve in the way it should/can. Just time some off beat shit like your hats and blocks a little differently. Seriously it'll do wonders for this tune.

Thanks dude,

I'll just keep working on it, till i get it right.


Thanks,
Sintra