MFB + Small MIDI Setup...

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Right then.

I'm recording a short film for a project at school and for the film we have to do literally everything with a strong bias towards the sound editing side. Naturally I'm quite inclined towards the sound editing anyway and I have a small MIDI setup at home (nothing special, but it does the job!). This is music for a film, so it is not intended to be for sole performance, although I admit that it's not the very best, especially with regards to the drum loops I've programmed, they need some work. This is supposed to represent a fairly manic episode during the film, where our main characters are experiencing conflicting emotions and tripping out on a 'drug' which is featured later on in the film. Hence the rather odd nature of the music.

Feel absolutely free to criticise every aspect, there is much room for improvement and much to criticise. This is pretty much the first time I've done anything reasonable of any length on a MIDI setup. I'm using Logic 7 Express on an iMac at home and Logic Express 6.4 with an old eMac at college. The only part recorded at college was the vocal take, the rest is all done at home.

[mattsmith]

Duncan,

I think it's very creative and fits quite well with the scenario you described. What's not to like? Actually I dug the drum loops being a little jagged. It gave the whole thing an edgier feel. I would suspect you didn't want this too slick...right?

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Actually I did want it slick, it's just my lack of skill that makes them that bit jagged, I have a lot to learn about sequencing. The 'main' segment of the piece I just took the drum track from 'Idioteque' by Radiohead and added a little keyboard part. That's my favourite bit and it took me all of twenty minutes, the rest took far, far too long.

Oh man, I forgot to comment on the Brubeck brushes composition. I did like that Matt, just so you know!

[mattsmith]

Actually I did want it slick, it's just my lack of skill that makes them that bit jagged, I have a lot to learn about sequencing.

Well in supposed failure IMO you actually succeeded.

[IDDrummer]

Well, it may not have turned out how you wanted exactly, but it sure works well. I know it's frustrating when you want a piece to be a certain way and you don't achieve it, but the audience won't have the same preconceived ideas. I think the music did a good job of conveying the mood you described - made me feel like I was on acid! (Not that I would actually know what that feels like.)

And I'm not positive, but didn't I hear a Crimson/Fripp sample in there near the end - say, something from Discipline?

[d.c.drummer]

It certainly achieves the tripping feeling. The timing of the crash on the first loop sounds a bit off to me. Its not necessarily wrong though. Sounds like an odd meter. What is it or is just heavily syncopated?

Very good work overall though. Especially on the second to last one (although the volume fluctuations had me checking my speakers = )

[fourstringdrums]

I like it, very trippy. I can almost picture what is supposed to go along with it, and that's the point with any music in film I think. Good job :)

[skippy]

i real realy enjoyed it. will we get to see the film?

[rendezvous_drummer]

Dude, I am a fan of that...and I rarely ever say that, so you know I mean it. Very cool drumming with very great, trippy, psychadelic supporting music. Really looking forward to the video. A+ in me books. It's about time I heard you play though haha. All this time I've never heard any of your work.

[Pearl Player]

Nice job, Matches the mood you explained pretty good I think..

Mike

[harryconway]

Very cool. Got a Roni Size, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher kinda vibe to it. I think it should work quite well with the scene you described.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Thanks Matt, that's very kind of you. The next thing I put up will be better I promise.

And I'm not positive, but didn't I hear a Crimson/Fripp sample in there near the end - say, something from Discipline?

You have sharp, sharp ears my friend. I took my favourite riff from the album (Frame by Frame - the opening couple of seconds) and then looped that sample (deliberately out of time) so that the first one played in the right and then the second in the left, then added a LOT of my tape delay simulator and there you go. That was an exceptionally good bit of detective work there ID.

The timing of the crash on the first loop sounds a bit off to me. Its not necessarily wrong though. Sounds like an odd meter. What is it or is just heavily syncopated?

It's actually an odd meter. It's in 5/4 with the crash on the exact first beat of the bar.

Thanks a lot Rob, I'm going to possibly posting more like this as my music for the film progresses, I may use this, I may not, but the middle section of this is almost certainly going to be used. I'm keeping this minimalistic because of the fact that it's in a film. It's only there to support the on-screen action.

Skippy, the film is going to most likely get put on YouTube, I'll post a link when it's completed but it won't be for at least a couple of weeks. We still haven't got all the filming finished yet!

Thanks Rendezvous, that's very kind of you. There are actually a few clips of me actually playing around here, but they're dug very deep down and most of them are very old. Thanks a lot buddy.

Oh, and Harry, I haven't actually heard a lot of Aphex Twin, Roni Size or Squarepusher but I have heard some and I'm glad that kind of vibe came across, Aphex Twin especially has a lot of great music and it's something of the standard I can work towards in the next few years, even if I'll never achieve it.

You guys are too kind. Really.

[skippy]

rad. im super into independent films and whanot. let me know when its up so i can check it out. good luck.

[fusssion]

Actually I dug the drum loops being a little jagged. It gave the whole thing an edgier feel. I would suspect you didn't want this too slick...right?

I don't understand ....jagged, please explain?

MFB....very cool!!!! :)

[Drummer Karl]

impressive stuff my friend, as Rob said: Very trippy.
Though in my opinion it decribes feelings which are actually rare in my life. Mhhh...

Keep it up...will we get a chance to see the film?

Karl

[HardcoreLogo]

I like, I like.........very cool! The whole thing had a very cool vibe....can't wait to see the video!

[TopCat]

Goddamn hippies...200000

[TitanSound]

I like it mate!

Got a great atmosphere and I was actually imaging what kind of scene it would go with. My only suggestion would be too ditch the midi sounding drums and go for a more acoustic feel with the drum 'n' bass part at the end. If you need any hit me up as I have a few good one shots.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

You're right with the drum sounds Titan, I couldn't agree more. I'll be in touch...

Thanks for the comments guys.

[Backwards Marathon]

nice use of radioheads drum track lol. but yeah, good job on the style you were going for.

[Almuric]

Cool off-beat groove there. Kinda "chillout". Something like Head Kandi, if you know of them. A neat ambient vibe to it. Smooooth! I dug it and I'm leaving it on my Musicmatch program to add to my personal "late night" mixes, wink, wink. If you don't mind.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

nice use of radioheads drum track lol. but yeah, good job on the style you were going for.

Yeah, well I tried to programme it and it wasn't quite right. I love that groove, it's absolutely killer.

Almuric, you're absolutely welcome to do whatever you like with that arrangement.

[LDGuy]

Haha. Dunc, this was slightly tongue in cheek, please. That whole lord's prayer thing just made me laugh. What was the actual premise behind this thing? Some sort of twisted political/existential message or something, lol?

I kinda dig the thing, but some general comments - i dont really dig the use of the Ideoteque groove, it seems to me like you've ripped it off a little. If i was gonna use it (which i wouldn't, its too cool to mess with) I would chop it up and process it, make it my own. I also think it's a little too "sectiony", like one thing after another. There's no real progression to it, it's just a series of ideas put together. Oh and re-pan that bass part in the third section man! Blasting in my right ear, ouch! I do dig the use of the Walking on the Moon guitar doodley thing, thats pretty neat.

Anyway man, dont get too dark. Think happy thoughts!

Peace, L.

[Big_Philly]

The final part of the song was a little too heavy imo, not as mysterious as the first two parts. But of course I don't know the exact context of the music so I could be wrong. It's brilliant though, the first two parts really did fit the description you gave of the general feeling.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Haha. Dunc, this was slightly tongue in cheek, please. That whole lord's prayer thing just made me laugh. What was the actual premise behind this thing? Some sort of twisted political/existential message or something, lol?

I kinda dig the thing, but some general comments - i dont really dig the use of the Ideoteque groove, it seems to me like you've ripped it off a little. If i was gonna use it (which i wouldn't, its too cool to mess with) I would chop it up and process it, make it my own. I also think it's a little too "sectiony", like one thing after another. There's no real progression to it, it's just a series of ideas put together. Oh and re-pan that bass part in the third section man! Blasting in my right ear, ouch! I do dig the use of the Walking on the Moon guitar doodley thing, thats pretty neat.

Anyway man, dont get too dark. Think happy thoughts!

Peace, L.

Hey man, that's cool. I'm listening. Yeah I know what you mean about the Idioteque groove. I wasn't entirely happy with it either but I was doing that bit at god-knows-what-hour and it was one of those 'sudden' ideas you have. Definitely right though, I'll chop it up next time and do better with it. The bass part in the last bit I'm not at ALL happy with either, so I'll have another go at that, probably use a different module. And as for the sectiony thing, I agree again, there's not much progression to it, but the idea is that it's a collection of ideas rather than a coherent piece.

The Lord's Prayer was actually totally tongue in cheek and there is actually no meaning to it. The meaning is that there is no meaning, so in a sense I suppose twisted existentialism would be a fair description. I was sitting in a project studio at college and (for some reason) it was the first thing that popped into my head to use. Eh, you read me far too well. You were wrong on one thing though, that guitar part at the end was actually from a King Crimson song. I appreciate what you have to say Lawrence, you really know what you're talking about. This is one of my first forays into sequencing and I have a lot of room for improvement, that much is certain. Thanks a lot.

Philly:

Yeah. It all needs a bit of a rethink really, but it's just my first step so there's still plenty to learn, musically and technologically. I've actually done another short piece, which I'll post up here and let you guys critique. Lawrence, feel free to rip that one apart as well, I do appreciate constructive criticism.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

As promised, this is intended for the film as well. Note that this time I sampled my own drums (after much frustration trying to get a good MIDI effect, I took it home and just recorded samples). This isn't me playing, this is me arranging. This is also a lot shorter and I'm really not sure about it. Either I really like it or really hate it, so help me make my mind up!

[parser]

Anyway man, dont get too dark. Think happy thoughts!

Its all about balance - light doesn't exist without dark...

I'll let the others dissect the meat, I just really like hearing "in progress" stuff. Its an audio sketch to be worked on and refined. Sounds like you are having a blast at school, keep 'em coming.