Hit the Dancefloor
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We've done a bonus tutorial on improving transitions this week, so you might want to check this out for some pointers on getting more definition and excitement into an arrangement 
Forum Activity for @ptmembership
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Beginner's Guide to Audio Effects - Out Now!
Announcements
Just dropped - a comprehensive guide to effects for newcomers to production. Learn all about the range of effects available, from frequency and level shapers like EQ and compressor, to spatial effects like reverb and (stereo) delay, modulated effects like chorus, flanger and phaser, and finally different distortion devices like saturator and overdrive.
Bonus Leads Rack
Announcements
Following on from the last livestream looking at leads, we've put together an Ableton Rack for you for creating your own instant lead lines. There are 10 different sounds in there (selectable with the first dial in the rack) and a tonne of different effects for sculpting those sounds. We'll go through the rack in more detail in the next member livestream and also make a quick intro vid later in the week too...
If you want to check out the rack in the meantime, go to the DOWNLOADS section and grab the project. If you want to save the rack to your library just click the save switch in the rack header and keep the downloaded project containing the rack's samples somewhere safe on your computer.
Enjoy! 
updated by @ptmembership: 10/15/23 11:58:08AM
Hit the Dancefloor
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We're big fans of Loopcloud too! It's great for composing as you can pull together ideas so quickly and there's a huge library to choose from.
This is a really nice track. Very listenable. Catchy. Everything's working together nicely.
The overall structure of the arrangement is great - the way you introduce different parts and alternate between verses and choruses etc.
There's also a really nice build up into the first chorus at around 1.45. It's a part of the arrangement when there's a really good amount of things going on, e.g. the mix sounds fullest and most exciting. That's the kind of energy you want to maintain throughout. One of the biggest differences there is you have some FX in the background supporting. That's something the rest of the arrangement could use, to improve flow between sections and help the build and release tension.
So, yeah, main thing that jumped out was that the arrangement is a bit too static outside of that section, needing more development and building up and breaking down generally, so sections don't just start and end without any changes, announcement or supporting elements. For example, the breakdown around 3.00 is excellent but needs more effects and FX! These will add more contrast and spaciousness in the breakdown and then help build up into the next drop when the beat comes back, so the tension and anticipation builds and the drop then becomes much more satisfying when it arrives.
Apart from that, there's some balancing you could do to improve things. Pay careful attention to the level of each sound - sometimes you get some parts jumping out a bit too much, like the sung vocal in the chorus.
It's great fun though and a really good start. Nice work!
Bam Bam v2
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Hi Simon. It's getting better all the time. Still loving it btw! Balancing parts can be a really tricky thing to get right. I agree with Sam in that the horns are too dominant. The bass is sat at a better level, but the drums are too quiet now. This is the stand out thing for me when I listen on my iMac speakers. The drums are too thin and quiet. Up their level and then do some serious buss processing - compression, parallel compression, saturation, EQ, limiting.... etc.
I'm just listening on headphones to see if I can hear the sub and mid bass thing Sam mentioned... yeah I can hear a bit of gelling is required on bass sounds, although this is most obvious on the breaks when you get other, toppier, more processed basses coming in. They sound most different and 'separated' to me. I would suggest running all your bass sounds through a fat buss as well.
Have you watched Reso's Drum And Bass Beats and also Bass Masterclasses? I think they'd be useful to you....
Sounding really nice though Simon. Good work!
updated by @ptmembership: 10/12/23 08:27:28PM
Bonus Soulful Gospel Vocal Samples!
Announcements
This week's bonus member content is a selection of tasty samples from VitalVocals - at 125bpm, they're perfect for slotting into House, Breaks or similarly-paced genres.
You can find them in the Downloads section HERE
ENJOY!
Reverb and Delay
Member Content Requests
There are beefy lessons on Reverb and Delay in our new Beginner's Guide to Effects, out next week 
Also, if you do a search for Reverb or Delay on this site, you'll find some nice bonus member tutorials on both effects...
SAMPLE REQUESTS
Member Content Requests
Nice suggestions. We'll see what we can russle up this week...
SAMPLE REQUESTS
Member Content Requests
Hey everyone!
Any particular samples you've got a hankering for... let us know on this thread... so we can try to steer our bonus sample pack selections in that direction for you 
Peace 
Livestream on MONDAY next week
Livestreams
Fun stream last night everyone. As we ran out of time a bit at the end there, we'll be putting together a Lead Rack in both Ableton and Multipass to be gifted to you all in the coming weeks, so you have a new toy to play with and something that can really show off the techniques shown in last night's stream...