Just wrote, recorded and mixed a new song in 3.5 hours - feedback wanted!

dill_the_devil

OneMetal.com Music Editor
This is the first time I've actually managed to write something that resembles a full-length, honest-to-Goat, beginning-middle-and-end song rather than just three riffs bundled together and then meh. It lacks vocals and lead guitar, and will continue to until I manage to get a band together, since I can competently perform neither. In fact, the rhythm guitar and bass playing in these is fairly shitty, but I'll probably re-record later in the week - I was just trying to get everything down before I forgot it.

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.ph...DBEDCD0A2F2BA0


I'd be interested to hear everyone's thoughts on this one!
 
Love the drums!:loco:

Seriously, I think it's a little too repetitive. After a while the riffs lose appeal and my mind starts to wander away from actively listening to the song. The guitars sounds pretty decent on my headphones though.
 
Thanks for the feedback, Jackal_Strain! I hear what you're saying - I'm looking forward to getting someone who can play lead guitar and a vocalist involved in my stuff at some point, as I think those elements would really help that song in particular and my writing in general. For instance, that fast palm-muted section is crying for a blistering solo to these ears...

It was all recorded using a Line6 GuitarPort for the guitar and bass parts (4 rhythm tracks panned 100% left, 60% left, 100% right and 60% right, one bass track down the centre) and LeafDrums 2.2 for the drum tracks. Everything was mixed in Adobe Audition.
 
Sounds like a metal ballad! :)

Here's my tips :

As for production, kick sounds pretty decent...but I'd say you should find a new snare sample, quick. Then learn how to mess with velocities a bit so that part around 3:30 where the snare goes from 4th notes to 16th notes sounds a bit more natural.

The song is thin on the low end also, you sorta got a black metal thing going on. Haha! The bass guitar itself is plenty loud, I can hear the notes perfectly...so maybe dick with some different EQ settings. Or better yet, change the settings on the Line6 thing before you even track the bass.


Now here is where I get really subjective, and by no means, please don't take anything I say in a bad way. I whole heartedly believe in constructive criticisim, not destructive.

Admittedly my taste in music a bit off-the wall...a bit experimental, but I think you need to change up the writing to make it a bit more interesting. Even if you did bring in a singer to do vocals over the first couple verses and choruses, it would still be a pretty monotonous song. You need to give the singer as much to work with as possible. Even when you changed up from the chords to the palm muting, you were still playing the same notes.

The entire five minute song is non-stop guitar, from front to back. Take a break with the guitars and give your bass and drums some transitions or something. Let them take you between the parts in your songs a few times. Letting the other instruments shine a bit introduces more dynamics in your song writing.

Now having said all that, this song isn't bad by any means...and I'm sure if this were thrown on an album with a full band it'd sell some copies...but personally, I like to hear a bit more variance in my music. Something new, something I've never heard before.

Cheers! :)
 
Thanks stringyo, some really useful suggestions for me there. Sadly, the drum software I'm using at the moment doesn't support velocity programming, so I'm a bit stuck with the uber-mechanised sound at the moment. I agree about the snare though - I can't stand that snare sample, I need a new one. The kick was taken from the start of 'Dead In Hollywood' by The Murderdolls and EQ'd a fair bit.

I'm gonna go back and add bits/re-arrange the song at some point, so I'll update the thread when I do. :)