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FamiTracker
I have absolutely no idea why I didn't post this when I finished it, but I made this song in September, I think. [EDIT: Correction, November]
I recommend you listen to the .ftm first, before you listen to the version on SoundCloud, because in the SC version I toyed around with the panning and stuff, and gave it a reverb, and I'd like to hear which one people like more.
Anyway, CC is always welcome, and Enjoy!
Soundcloud Version: [url=https://soundcloud.com/rade-dobison/under-the-stars]Under the Stars
Here comes the cynic. (The lack of criticism on this forum is [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4o-TeMHys0]"too damn high".)
First of all, I do not like the theme. It drags on for too long and the pulse switches just do not sound good in my ears, probably due to them being too slow. Having faster pulse switching or some short arpeggio (like 7 0 on instrument 00) certainly helps the entire tune sound less dull and "simple" in my opinion. (My David Wise quote is not helping me get my point across here. )
When the melody comes in I again have the same problem as before. It lacks character (look at the previous passage). I am not sure why selected to not use the 2nd pulse channel at all there, I would have used it to echo the first channel to add a bit more depth.
The drums are nothing über fantastic. I see that you opted out of using separate instruments for each of the different kinds of drums. The snare sounds fine, and I like the technique used. The crashes and trikicks sound weak in comparison, and a way to fix this is to use separate instruments for the crashes with some kind of arpeggio to make it sound "harder" (look at other peoples crashes for reference) and use a "better" pitch slide for the triangle kick (have it around 50 instead of 127).
Otherwise, it is really good. I like the "glitchyness". Composition wise the melodies lead into eachother very well and the whole tune feels organized and put together neatly.
(Yay, using generic words that can mean anything! )
_______________________
I have always been a curiously curious person.
(Sort of frequent mega poster here, beware!)
"Simple is always better. For something to sound simple, there has usually been a whole development cycle behind it." - David Wise
I can't really argue that the theme does drag on for a while. I played around with the speed to see what sounded better how and it just didn't sound that good to me at a slower or faster pace. However, I can understand how the pulse switches can be annoying.
The MM5 Expansion was added on at the last moment so that I could add in the second thematic rhythm (i've been spelling rhythm wrong my whole life oh my god) and to echo it when ever I added the lower register thing in pulse 2. I hadn't even planned on using it until then.
By using separate instruments for the drums, do you mean for the noise channel, or both, and are you suggesting this so that I can use the internal instrument parameters?
Thanks for your input, though, really. I enjoy hearing other peoples input, and it helps me grow as a musician.
[quote=DR0PB33T]By using separate instruments for the drums, do you mean for the noise channel, or both, and are you suggesting this so that I can use the internal instrument parameters?[/quote]
Yeah. It is just easier to get the drums to sound just right when you can modify them to as precise as the NES allows. Having to rely on effects can get a bit clumsy. This of course applies to all the kinds of drum sounds there are (triangle and noise alike), but it also works for instumentation in general. Having a unique setting for each "instrument" will make it easier to alter everything that that "instrument" is used for.
[quote=DR0PB33T]Thanks for your input, though, really. I enjoy hearing other peoples input, and it helps me grow as a musician.[/quote]
No problem, dude.
I find it quite annoying that getting "useful" criticism on this forum is rare. It almost feels like no one gives a damn about helping other people improve. Either a forum post just get "Good." (or a similar phrase) as a reply or it gets nothing at all. It is a shame to see so many threads of people asking for advice, tips, feedback or whatever on their work and they get completely ignored. If a thread has not recieved a single reply the creator of that thread will probably be left feeling a little betrayed and forgotten. Leaving at least a simple list of things you enjoyed or disliked cannot be very difficult. If you have nothing to criticise then you can just say: "I cannot give you any advice on how to improve yourself or this tune. Keep going!" or something to that effect. Just getting a simple reply might make a big difference to someone. I certainly would be happy if someone gave me encouragement, but I would definitely be more so if I got constructive criticism.
I have digressed. This is not the place nor time to rant about such things.
_______________________
I have always been a curiously curious person.
(Sort of frequent mega poster here, beware!)
"Simple is always better. For something to sound simple, there has usually been a whole development cycle behind it." - David Wise
Well, I WOULD give helpful criticism... But I'm mainly inactive as a user of FT, just going around on the forums, and listening to all the good songs. I've lost touch with FT, in a way, and it makes it towhere every time I hear a song, I don't hear any of its faults, even if I try; All I hear is myself saying "I never was this good."
Some other places I've tried to conquer:
[url=http://chipmusic.org/ch3dd4r]Le Chipmusic
[url=http://battleofthebits.org/barracks/Profile/CH3DD4R/]Le BattleOfTheBits
No, but seriously, this was really cool. Question though, why did you do this with MMC5 rather than FDS (since you only seem to be using one pulse at a time)? It sounds great as is, but just wondering.
Not really a fan of the panning in the Soundcloud version by the way, the melody going all the way to the extreme left and then to the right doesn't really work for me. Maybe if it only went e.g. 25%-50 in each direction it would sound better.
I really enjoyed this. A rather embarrassing question to ask but would you mind is I made an LSDj version of this (just because you really could get away with just four channels and full credit would go to you)? The noise channel is much more dynamic and the panning is supported by the system so it could work if I do it right.
[quote=SriK]why did you do this with MMC5 rather than FDS[/quote]
I'm not a big fan of FDS, for some reason. It's cool and stuff, but meh.
[quote=Im_a_Track_Man]would you mind is I made an LSDj version of this[/quote]
Go ahead dude, I'm all for it. I was originally going to do it all in 4 channels but I decided I was running out of room if I wanted it to go the way I had it in my head.
Also don't worry about the panning, I personally don't think I did a good job with that either. I was just messing around with it. I was originally going to center the drums, and make the lead and echo be in opposite ears, but I didn't like that, so then I just kinda messed it all up.
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