Bound - South Circular

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bounduk
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Bound - South Circular

Post by bounduk »

Hey Subsekt heads,

Long-time lurker, only recently joined the forum. Been trying to make techno now I guess for about 2 years? Before that I was making 140 but I don't have any mates (IRL or online) that are really into techno so everything I make ends up just sort of sitting on my hard drive collecting dust. I've tried sending stuff to a few DJ's, although I find a lot don't often come back; Kr!z, Ben Sims, DVS1 and J.Tijn have played some of my bits and I'm thankful for that but I'd love to meet some more people making similar kinda stuff so that we can bounce ideas off one another and get better with networking etc etc.

Here's a track I've recently finished; not sure if it's actually any good but I like it haha.

I'm open to any and all feedback, the more scathing the better really (how else can you improve?).

Cheers,
Tom :)


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Prophän
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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by Prophän »

I think it already sounds pretty good to my ears, but the bass sound a litttttttle bit dry but it's nothing major. I'm no ben sims but I would definitely play this track

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terryfalafel
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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by terryfalafel »

Decent, heads down 3am stomper. Like it a lot.

The main synth riff is ace. Just enough modulation to keep it interesting. I'd probably have been a bit more aggressive with the modulation but this track shows that it's not necessary to go OTT.

The very thin little pads and background atmosphere sounds you've got in there are ace. You've inspired me to have a go at something similar in my next track.

It gets quite busy in the bass section after the breakdown but holds together.

Love the extra sounds and the long, held vocal type sample that comes in as the track builds towards the end.

I agree with the previous poster - I'd play this.

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bounduk
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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by bounduk »

Amon Derrich wrote:I think it already sounds pretty good to my ears, but the bass sound a litttttttle bit dry but it's nothing major.
The sub or the arpeggiated saw riff that goes throughout? I have to admit I don't really do any processing for subs so I might run the risk of it sounding a bit dry, I've not thought of it before.
terryfalafel wrote:The main synth riff is ace. Just enough modulation to keep it interesting. I'd probably have been a bit more aggressive with the modulation but this track shows that it's not necessary to go OTT.
What do you reckon you would've modulated more aggressively? Interestingly, I often think I'm not heavy handed enough in modulation and worry that I run the risk of sounding boring. Constantly in two minds about whether more aggressive modulation makes stuff sound too obvious and whether
Amon Derrich wrote:I'm no ben sims but I would definitely play this track
terryfalafel wrote:I agree with the previous poster - I'd play this.
Drop me your email addresses or something, I can send you a copy.

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Prophän
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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by Prophän »

Yeah sure, I pm'd you

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terryfalafel
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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by terryfalafel »

terryfalafel wrote:The main synth riff is ace. Just enough modulation to keep it interesting. I'd probably have been a bit more aggressive with the modulation but this track shows that it's not necessary to go OTT.
What do you reckon you would've modulated more aggressively? Interestingly, I often think I'm not heavy handed enough in modulation and worry that I run the risk of sounding boring. Constantly in two minds about whether more aggressive modulation makes stuff sound too obvious and whether
I was thinking mainly of the filter on the high part of your main synth riff. But like I saw, your track goes to show that it's not necessary and it sounds better when it's executed a bit more tastefully.

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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by dubdub »

If you want my totally honest opinion, the EP on your soundcloud is pretty well produced but a bit generic. I think with how many promos DJs get you need some stuff that either stands out or just has crazy good production. But then again, generic seems to be what a lot of people seem to like. A1 is pretty nice.

As for this track, I think the top part of the kick needs a bit more punch and definition. Bass is a bit undefined. The drone-y line gets a bit old over the course of the track.

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bounduk
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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by bounduk »

dubdub wrote:If you want my totally honest opinion, the EP on your soundcloud is pretty well produced but a bit generic. I think with how many promos DJs get you need some stuff that either stands out or just has crazy good production. But then again, generic seems to be what a lot of people seem to like. A1 is pretty nice.

As for this track, I think the top part of the kick needs a bit more punch and definition. Bass is a bit undefined. The drone-y line gets a bit old over the course of the track.
Cheers for the honest feedback, man. I have to admit I still feel like I'm finding my feet a bit so I appreciate the generic comment, I can only try and be better with every track I try.
When you say undefined, how do you mean? Like it needs bringing up louder in the mix?
Same for the droney line, do you mean the stuttery saw thing that's sorta modulated over the whole tune or one of the atmosphere sounds?

Cheers for listening @dubdub

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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by Aurongroove »

I would say, there's still some identity and character waiting to be found in your music and/or production and being part of a place like Subsekt will help you develop that and find your "voice" so to speak.
Without sounding like a wanker straight off the bat, this track is a 'too polite' in too many respects.
It like a report card full of B-minuses and B-pluses, you're doing well, and nothing is wrong, but there's no big pro or con tilting you into an area of intrigue.

There are some limp-ish mix issues regarding rides and hats in the first half of the track being too low in the mix and musically lacking authority.

The low end just does it's job without to much fuss, but also without that much interest. Sometimes the bass hum is a bit over zealous on it's own, but in general something about this either music-wise or production-wise needs to step up and take the track by the balls.

The big change up at 3:31 is interesting, but the production doesn't lend all the assistance it had the potential to.


I love the shape of the track, and the work you did, but I would love you to either take bigger risks, or be more musically ambitious.
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bounduk
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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by bounduk »

Aurongroove wrote:I would say, there's still some identity and character waiting to be found in your music and/or production and being part of a place like Subsekt will help you develop that and find your "voice" so to speak.
Without sounding like a wanker straight off the bat, this track is a 'too polite' in too many respects.
It like a report card full of B-minuses and B-pluses, you're doing well, and nothing is wrong, but there's no big pro or con tilting you into an area of intrigue.

There are some limp-ish mix issues regarding rides and hats in the first half of the track being too low in the mix and musically lacking authority.

The low end just does it's job without to much fuss, but also without that much interest. Sometimes the bass hum is a bit over zealous on it's own, but in general something about this either music-wise or production-wise needs to step up and take the track by the balls.

The big change up at 3:31 is interesting, but the production doesn't lend all the assistance it had the potential to.

I love the shape of the track, and the work you did, but I would love you to either take bigger risks, or be more musically ambitious.
Cheers for taking the time to listen and give me some feedback, Aurongroove. This is the kind of thing I was hoping for by joining the forum :)
When you say the hats and rides are limp-ish and lacking authority, what do you mean exactly or what do you think needs doing with them, just better sample selection or is it actually in the way that I'm treating and mixing them that's holding them back?

I suppose a lot of what I listen to, I find quite stripped back/hypnotic and not particularly obvious with anything so I try and scale everything back; not being too heavy handed with anything.

Vilius J
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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by Vilius J »

The only thing I wanted to say is to add some reverb on that synth at the start. But later on the groove that filled the track made it not so important. Eitherway it's up to you to make some fx changes to that synth line. Maybe play a little with cutoff too. Cheers :)

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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by Neal »

Was going to suggest trying some tighter hats but then listened again and noticed you'd changed it. Nice work.

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heyitsleyy
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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by heyitsleyy »

Really liked the main synth riff, how was it made ? I felt the part with this longish subby kick solo'd at 3 minutes was kinda weird, maybe it would sound better on a PA than on my ShureSE215's, still not sure about it though. Liked the track overall but it lacks that little something that would make me come back to it. Great job nonetheless.

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bounduk
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Re: Bound - South Circular

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heyitsleyy wrote:Really liked the main synth riff, how was it made ? I felt the part with this longish subby kick solo'd at 3 minutes was kinda weird, maybe it would sound better on a PA than on my ShureSE215's, still not sure about it though. Liked the track overall but it lacks that little something that would make me come back to it. Great job nonetheless.
Thanks man, appreciate you taking the time to give me some feedback. The main riff is just an lowpassed sawtooth with some distortion and an arp on a step sequencer. I left the sequencer on a weird timing so it repeats something like every 7 or 13 steps so that it's a kind of polyrhythm.

Do you mean muting the kick rather than soloing in the breakdown bit?

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Root
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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by Root »

The synth line reminds me on this:

youtu.be/QIy5cwN-CyY

Especially compared to this i think your big low end eats a bit of that groovepotential that lies in that driving main line. It might be worth a try to decrease the low end a bitand give the synth line a bit more bass, to get it connected to the sub and get everything even more rolling. Nice track!
:geek:

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Re: Bound - South Circular

Post by Root »

Heard it again at a higher level and I guess my suggestion should be done the other way round. Like giving your kick more klick to get it connected to the synth line. Like now synth and kick are rumbling around, but lacking a bit connection. And i still think that the low rumble needs something that brings it more into the groove, maybe play around with decay settings and see what happens? And maybe turn the sub level a bit down to get it more defined, louder bass is not necessarily more bass.
:geek:


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