My Music For Your Critique

[Abzu]

I'm considering putting some time into my metal project again. Looking through my files, I stumbled across this instrumental demo "Alona" I did last winter.



This is not my usual style but it was what came out that night. I think the guitar tone is too blurry and I am unsure of the 3rd guitar in the second half (it could be doing something else to perhaps fill it out more and make it more interesting, I think). Still, here it is for some critique.



[youtube]nA7QLBS5Lrs[/youtube]

[cat hallucination]

this is seriously fucking awesome in my opinion. i only listened to the first 40 seconds so far but had to comment. you should just whip up a well polished ep at least and share it with people. i've heard two samples of your music now and it was awesome in each case.

[Abzu]

Thanks! I think you are right about the ep.

[cat hallucination]

i'd download it for free.

[Abzu]

I don't sell my music

[zim]

going to give this a listen as soon as my girlfriend shuts her face

[Abzu]

This is more the style I usually play.



[youtube]hjZBpPnHYVk[/youtube]



leads are placeholders, not what I plan on using

[Abzu]

the video skips the audio in a couple of parts.

[cat hallucination]

that one's good too. its more hard rock 'n roll than the first one, which is black metal-ish. drum programs are pretty cool, you can stumble upon unique fills and such.

[FUKKET]

looking forward to checking this out

[vO)))id]

I liked the riffs from the first one better, I really like that blackmetal feeling. I hate the drum sound though haha, but you know why

do you have the audio tracks seperate too? Did you use a plugin for the distortion on the gtrs? (in other words: are the original gtr tracks clean?), if so I could quickly make a nice mix of the song. And maybe put the drums thru a different drumcomp and samples?



You could also re-amp the clean guitar tracks.

[zim]

first song sounds very black metal and the guitar is quite a bit blurry. what did you use for distortion? I think it sounds pretty cool even though I'm not a black metal fan, with clearer sounding guitar it would be even better.



abzu rise is awesome, very aggressive and somewhat grim I think the parts with the slower drum beat could be more interesting if changed the beat. that basic kick snare beat, i don't know what it's called or whatever. but i think those couple of parts would sound better with a different beat

[Abzu]

[quote name="Void"]I liked the riffs from the first one better, I really like that blackmetal feeling. I hate the drum sound though haha, but you know why

do you have the audio tracks seperate too? Did you use a plugin for the distortion on the gtrs? (in other words: are the original gtr tracks clean?), if so I could quickly make a nice mix of the song. And maybe put the drums thru a different drumcomp and samples?



You could also re-amp the clean guitar tracks.



[/quote]

I do have the individual tracks. Would you like me to send them to you? The only thing I played with after recording on the guitar is EQ. Other than that, I mic'ed my amp->pedal->guitar setup. Fender Princeton Chorus combo amp and BOSS Metal Zone distortion. This isn't the guitar tone I want, no doubt.



[quote name="zim"]first song sounds very black metal and the guitar is quite a bit blurry. what did you use for distortion? I think it sounds pretty cool even though I'm not a black metal fan, with clearer sounding guitar it would be even better.



abzu rise is awesome, very aggressive and somewhat grim I think the parts with the slower drum beat could be more interesting if changed the beat. that basic kick snare beat, i don't know what it's called or whatever. but i think those couple of parts would sound better with a different beat[/quote]

Any drummers interested, feel free to PM me.

[vO)))id]

I'll pm you

[zim]

maybe you should pick up a interface if you get some extra cash?

[vO)))id]

learning how to mic an amp is the way to go only then a DI is needed if u want a clean channel.

But for quick composing scetches something like GuitarRig 2 or 3 would be nice.

[cat hallucination]

i agree with you void. and you don't even have to have super fancy equipment. moving the mic position is like a super graphic equalizer already. plus, you can't beat the organic.

[vO)))id]

indeed, you don't need hardware of a thousand bucks or million dollar mics.

technique goes a long way.

[cat hallucination]

yah, i've recorded some great tone with a stock computer mic!

[zim]

I'd mic my amp for recordings but Line 6 amps sound awful on recording, fine for home though

[Abzu]

I hate the sound of directly plugging the amp's record out to anything, including my interface. (I have a Behringer UAC-202 USB interface)



mic'ing the amp ftw

[cat hallucination]

yes, there's absolutely nothing worse than digital overdrive, and i don't mean your amp simulators distortion, but the solid state overdrive of a laptop chip.

[FUKKET]

[quote name="abzu"]
[quote name="Void"]I liked the riffs from the first one better, I really like that blackmetal feeling. I hate the drum sound though haha, but you know why

do you have the audio tracks seperate too? Did you use a plugin for the distortion on the gtrs? (in other words: are the original gtr tracks clean?), if so I could quickly make a nice mix of the song. And maybe put the drums thru a different drumcomp and samples?



You could also re-amp the clean guitar tracks.



[/quote]

I do have the individual tracks. Would you like me to send them to you? The only thing I played with after recording on the guitar is EQ. Other than that, I mic'ed my amp->pedal->guitar setup. Fender Princeton Chorus combo amp and BOSS Metal Zone distortion. This isn't the guitar tone I want, no doubt.



[quote name="zim"]first song sounds very black metal and the guitar is quite a bit blurry. what did you use for distortion? I think it sounds pretty cool even though I'm not a black metal fan, with clearer sounding guitar it would be even better.



abzu rise is awesome, very aggressive and somewhat grim I think the parts with the slower drum beat could be more interesting if changed the beat. that basic kick snare beat, i don't know what it's called or whatever. but i think those couple of parts would sound better with a different beat[/quote]

Any drummers interested, feel free to PM me.[/quote]



I'm with Tom. this is cool & i dig the BM vibe (as I'm working on a BM thing currently).

I'm TOTALLY up for any remixing & stuff - would love to have a go.

include me on any PM stuffs to Tom.

[FUKKET]

[quote name="abzu"]I hate the sound of directly plugging the amp's record out to anything,[/quote]



it works for a few BM bands, but mostly it's yuck

[zim]

[quote name="cat hallucination"]yes, there's absolutely nothing worse than digital overdrive, and i don't mean your amp simulators distortion, but the solid state overdrive of a laptop chip. [/quote]



what did you think of the distortion that was on my recording?

[cat hallucination]

i thought it sounded great. it was a simulator right? great sound, it had a good organic effect. but it was also clearly an amateur sound, which is also cool in itself...we like black metal production, right? and right quick, while we're bashing on direct line-in recording, why don't we remember the sound that meshuggah achieves by going from line 6 toneboxes--->tube-pre-amp --->our ears. same with their live tone. and i'm sure there are other recordings which do the same.

[zim]

[quote name="cat hallucination"]i thought it sounded great. it was a simulator right? great sound, it had a good organic effect. but it was also clearly an amateur sound, which is also cool in itself...we like black metal production, right? and right quick, while we're bashing on direct line-in recording, why don't we remember the sound that meshuggah achieves by going from line 6 toneboxes--->tube-pre-amp --->our ears. same with their live tone. and i'm sure there are other recordings which do the same.[/quote]



It was run through guitar rig, sounded way better than my line 6 amp

[Abzu]

[quote name="FUKKET"]I'm with Tom. this is cool & i dig the BM vibe (as I'm working on a BM thing currently).

I'm TOTALLY up for any remixing & stuff - would love to have a go.

include me on any PM stuffs to Tom. [/quote]

Will do!

[Abzu]

[youtube]2xY-GX7NzSk[/youtube]



part of this was used for my mod contest entry :tit:



Relistening now I think there are a couple of riffs I would change slightly. Overall I still like the feel of the song though

[Abzu]

[youtube]cC4bx5Ye_TE[/youtube]



This is less for critique and more because I feel like posting it. I think some of the layering was lost in the video's compression.

[zim]

I think the song was lost in the video's compression.