Didn't actually start this until after xmas, so it's a quick one! A bot of a challenging one as way out of my genre zone, but fun and educational none the less! Hope you enjoy it. Here's my entry:
Hi All,
Happy 2025!
Taken a while to get some new stuff out but here is my latest track, Dreamscape:
https://soundcloud.com/manix_dj/dreamscape?si=5f50e41055b84d6f99275cf1fad5f5f1&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Let me know what you think! Also been working on the xmas comp so going to post that shortly too.
manix
Congrats Petter, great work with the track!
Nice work Petter. I really like that! For me the Guitar parts don't work in the track, kind of clutters up the mix and I don't think they add anything, If anything they take away from the stronger and more appropriate parts of the track.I actually think some sort of strings would work great, I think the idea is there, it's just a Guitar for me isn't the instrument. Defo enjoy adding that added bit of euphoria in the track! The kick is tricky, it is quite muddy for my tastes and could probably do with some more compression. You also lose it a bit in the later sections, so I'd pay some attention to that.
The rest of the track sounds great, love those lead sounds an the interplay with the vocals. Works well IMO. Great work mate!
[quote="NigelB"] Thanks Rob, just found out I won! Super chuffed about that. I’ll really enjoy the recording now! 🤣 [/quote]
I loved the vibe of your track and have tried searching that genre on Beatport without success! So respect for creating it 🤣
[quote="Petter"]
Great livestream!
I really enjoy these challenges, fun to do and very cool to have Rob walk through all entries. Learn something every time!
Big congrats to @nigel and @manixdj for edging the top spots. Awesome tracks guys!
Still can't get over the level everyone was able to get with just the 8 sounds tbh. Real eyeopener.
Looking forward to the next one now :D
[/quote]
Thanks Petter, it was a real eye opener in terms of what you could do with that limitation! It was a strong comp for sure!
Hey Sam, cool vibe! Another amateur but I would definitely tone down those hats a bit, so a bit of EQ there and just lower them in the mix in my opinion. Conversely give that bass a bit more low end but only a tad.
That's my limited and somewhat subjective opinion, but you've heard my tracks, they tend to be quite bass heavy! 
My first entry since the Xmas comp! I did manage to squeeze this one in and had lots of fun making it. I found with this that finding the right sounds, that allow you to create textures that almost replicate other instruments was something I found useful. For example, my main lead has almost a repeating hi hat for builds as you open out the filter on the synth, this allowed me to create pretty rich builds. Also managed to fins a Serum preset that creates a great white noise whoosh with some other harmonics that help with tension.
Hope you like it!
8 tracks:
1. Kick
2. Hi Hat
3. Snare
4. Bassline
5. Bass2
6. Lead Synth
7. FX
8. Vocal
Gutted, but the bill paying day job has just go the better of me in the last couple of months so I am no where near finishing my banger. I do want to carry on with it though and will post once completed for some critique, if not prizes! Might take me a while though!!
Mastering is an artform (or I'd argue a kind of science) all in on its own! I don't master my own music and tbh I doubt I ever will, because I want to spend my time creating and improving my overall production and mixing skills. I think you have to really have to have an ear to master properly, and whilst it is good to know the basics, most effort and time should go in to your mix, meaning the mastering engineer, or more commonly the AI mastering software does not have to do too much! I only ever use the automated software to master, I find it does the job. Would be different if I was releasing to vinyl or a hard copy medium.
I wouldn't worry, the only reason I mentioned it was because that may give you some of the presence I was referring to. But thinking about it, you may not even be going for that, I am just a bit of a fiend for bass in my mixes, as my sound is quite driving and so I think it needs it, may be that's not what you were going for. Again, "I'ma no pro!"
Keep at it man!
