# Critique thread for my work



## Python Blue (Apr 17, 2013)

I don't want this forum to die again, so, combined with growing doubts of my abilities, I may as well start a thread in which I ask for critiques of my work and how to improve them.

I start with this submission, in which I tried (unsuccessfully) to sing....

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/10373768/


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## Rigby (Apr 17, 2013)

It's a little hard to critique a cover, especially since I'm not familiar with the original, but this is really good from my first listen. Got a nice authentic 80's pop drum sound. That drum sound is so cool because it takes up little room in a mix, but it's such a big sound. Where it feels like it suffers is there nothing really high up, which this style of music needs from a production standpoint. You've got a nice synth that could be Eq'd just slightly higher and it'd make the sound so much more energetic. Other than that, this is an amazingly professional sound and requires serious talent. Great job.

I'd offer some recommendations from a compositional standpoint, but it's hard to considering I'm not even familiar with the original. I'd recommend bringing a guitar a little higher into the mix in the last verse or chorus to give something a little extra. Nothing technical, just something that fully explores the song melodically, if that makes sense. You don't gotta pull off an Eddie Van Halen here, but you can at least do a Kurt Cobain.

It's nice to see someone making great synthpop, I should add. If the rest of your material is similar, then I'd probably buy an album for $15.


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## Python Blue (Apr 19, 2013)

Rigby said:


> It's a little hard to critique a cover, especially since I'm not familiar with the original, but this is really good from my first listen. Got a nice authentic 80's pop drum sound. That drum sound is so cool because it takes up little room in a mix, but it's such a big sound. Where it feels like it suffers is there nothing really high up, which this style of music needs from a production standpoint. You've got a nice synth that could be Eq'd just slightly higher and it'd make the sound so much more energetic. Other than that, this is an amazingly professional sound and requires serious talent. Great job.
> 
> I'd offer some recommendations from a compositional standpoint, but it's hard to considering I'm not even familiar with the original. I'd recommend bringing a guitar a little higher into the mix in the last verse or chorus to give something a little extra. Nothing technical, just something that fully explores the song melodically, if that makes sense. You don't gotta pull off an Eddie Van Halen here, but you can at least do a Kurt Cobain.
> 
> It's nice to see someone making great synthpop, I should add. If the rest of your material is similar, then I'd probably buy an album for $15.



First of all, thank you very much for taking the time to listen, Rigby. The guitar lines were how they were in the original song, actually, save some guitar solos at after the second and third choruses, so I wasn't fully in control of that in the first place.

And yes, a lot of my material, other than the absence of a guitar for most, is similar.  Links to more material are in my signature.

UPDATE: new piece available for critique.


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## Python Blue (Apr 27, 2013)

Sorry I've been relatively lacking in new pieces, lately; even right now, I should be spending some time studying for finals next week....

Anyway, I wrote this ambient music about a week ago. Hope no one minds that it's hosted on a rival site:

Comets Go West

Reason it's on a site other than FA is because, as said in the description, I may use this for a commercial album in the future.


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## Python Blue (May 4, 2013)

Was hoping this entire forum would stay alive without my needing to bump. Nonetheless, tried singing yesterday with a new mic I got.

Queen - Who Wants to Live Forever?

I know my singing could be better toward the end, but I'm in a college dorm with finals recently started for other students.  Plus, I can't redo the singing at this time due to a bad cold deepening my voice, among other things...


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## Kalmor (May 4, 2013)

Python Blue said:


> Was hoping this entire forum would stay alive without my needing to bump. Nonetheless, tried singing yesterday with a new mic I got.
> 
> Queen - Who Wants to Live Forever?
> 
> I know my singing could be better toward the end, but I'm in a college dorm with finals recently started for other students.  Plus, I can't redo the singing at this time due to a bad cold deepening my voice, among other things...


Pretty good as far as I can see. You could use a little vibrato on the sustained notes because they tend to get a little too, I don't know how to say this but "boring?" and get a little flatter as you go through the note. I also noted that you were straining (just a little) with the incredibly high notes. Did you warm up beforehand? Other than those, it was a pretty good rendition.


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## Python Blue (May 4, 2013)

Raptros said:


> Pretty good as far as I can see. You could use a little vibrato on the sustained notes because they tend to get a little too, I don't know how to say this but "boring?" and get a little flatter as you go through the note. I also noted that you were straining (just a little) with the incredibly high notes. Did you warm up beforehand? Other than those, it was a pretty good rendition.



I don't know about adding vibrato, but yeah, I guess I could sound a little less static for those notes. The straining was partially because, again, my cold, and it only made it harder for me to hit those notes as of last night.

As for warming up, whether I did that depends: what would you mean by warming up? I hummed the notes regularly (and in some cases even sung as well) before trying to record the first takes.

Nonetheless, thank you for the critique!  I don't regularly sing, so it means a lot!


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## Kalmor (May 4, 2013)

Python Blue said:


> I don't know about adding vibrato, but yeah, I guess I could sound a little less static for those notes. The straining was partially because, again, my cold, and it only made it harder for me to hit those notes as of last night.
> 
> As for warming up, whether I did that depends: what would you mean by warming up? I hummed the notes regularly (and in some cases even sung as well) before trying to record the first takes.
> 
> Nonetheless, thank you for the critique!  I don't regularly sing, so it means a lot!


No problem! There're lots of warm-ups you can do, take a look at http://www.streetmusician.co.uk/vocalwarmuptechniques/ amongst others out there.


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## Python Blue (Jul 6, 2013)

Tried singing again.

http://furaffinity.net/view/11013725


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## Demensa (Jul 7, 2013)

Python Blue said:


> Tried singing again.
> 
> http://furaffinity.net/view/11013725



The synths and drums sound great. You've done an excellent job mixing them.

The vocals are fairly good too. 
There's a few little parts that are uneven and it sounds like you're singing a little quietly, but overall it's a very well done cover.


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## Python Blue (Jul 7, 2013)

Thank you. I realize I was off in pitch at some parts. As for volume, part of why the vocals were soft was because I didn't want to make the vocals too loud over the rest of the mix, though I can see if I can change the volume of individual parts later.

Thank you again!


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## Demensa (Jul 7, 2013)

Python Blue said:


> As for volume, part of why the vocals were soft was because I didn't want to make the vocals too loud over the rest of the mix, though I can see if I can change the volume of individual parts later.



Actually, the way the vocals sit in the mix is fine. I just meant that the original volume at which you were singing seems a little on the quiet side.


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## Xiz (Jul 12, 2013)

Python Blue said:


> Tried singing again.
> 
> http://furaffinity.net/view/11013725




Flows well. Decent mixing. I could use some more punch from the snares, but that's just a personal preference. Not bad.


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## Python Blue (Jul 13, 2013)

Are you saying you feel I need more compression? As much as I can understand that belief, I'm not the kind of musician who likes to resort to over-compression. Nonetheless, thanks for the critique, and I'll see if I can do that later on. 

Sorry for the delay, by the way.


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## Xiz (Jul 17, 2013)

Python Blue said:


> Are you saying you feel I need more compression? As much as I can understand that belief, I'm not the kind of musician who likes to resort to over-compression. Nonetheless, thanks for the critique, and I'll see if I can do that later on.
> 
> Sorry for the delay, by the way.




Hmmm... yes and no. It's really just a personal preference. And I agree ~ compression is not the way to go. But I feel like perhaps some more accent or emphasis on the snare would really make it come alive. Regardless, it's just a personal preference  And no worries man I struggle at posting on time also haha.


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