Controller- Vinyl Scratch & Button Mash

[ManaMinori 4,145]

 

My first real attempt at composing a full length track. I attempted to put together a song that follows a story of Button Mash and Vinyl Scratch (DJ Pon3) just having fun playing video games together, when an unexpected magical gaming glitch occurs. This causes Button Mash and Vinyl to get transported between the game and real world at sporadic intervals, while both simultaneously attempt to fix the system, guide each other, and fight through various levels of gameplay.

Programs used: Soundation
Audacity

Vocal chops sources: 
Epic Wub Time: Musicians of Ponyville- Alligator in the Tub
VinylFair- ShadesofEverfree
I am Octavia- TehJadeh
Button Mash Drunk on Apple Juice- Turbo Brony
Button’s Adventures Episode Pilot- JanAnimations
Cartoon- Vinyl and Canni go to GalaCon ‘14- The Living Tombstone
DJ Pon-3- Go Wacky with Nowaking (Animated)- Cipheos

[ExplosionMare 18,062]

Sounds awesome! Really liking the techno-dubstep/bass combination!

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Would you like some detailed feedback on this?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

5 hours ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

Would you like some detailed feedback on this?

Yes please 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

7 hours ago, ManaMinori said:

Yes please 

Okay, brace yourself, for this is gonna be a lot. 
 

Right off the bat, you open up with a very harsh sawtooth running on ring modulation and 5ths. This was a very uncomfortable sound to the ear. A bright chorused/detuned sawtooth would work better for this lead. You really have to take into account to whom your audience is. Some people cannot tolerate those harsh sounds. Adding an upper plucked lead to go along with the bright sawtooth would also work here. Furthermore, that harsh sawtooth is too loud in the mix due to the ring modulation boosting the signal. 
 

Then, you end the harsh sawtooth melody with no drum fill. You need a drum fill acting as a transition to the next section. This is one of the major flaws of this piece: the absence of solid transitions. It is more of gluing parts of a song together. Fills, changes in the melody, buildups to drops and cool downs would truly benefit this piece. 
 

For the quotes, they lost their value due to the lack of transition, even the chops. One of the chops fell off the beat. This is why transitions and formatting are really important when it comes to genres such as dubstep and standard house. Using a beat chart would definitely help you out 

1-2-3-4|2-2-3-4|3-2-3-4|4-2-3-4|5-2-3-4|6-2-3-4|7-2-3-4|8-2-3-4

Using this chart can help you find the exact places where you can insert fills, buildups, drops and transitions. Bar 4 is where you should insert a minor fill. A minor fill simply takes you to the next set of bars. Bar 8 is where you should include your major fill. A major fill is a transition to the next section. Start your buildup at Bar 5. Bars 7-8 is where you prepare for the drop. A quote works perfectly there, especially one that’s in context  

In terms of your drums, your beat is staling and the fact that there are no fills, only change ups, adds on to the repetitiveness of the piece. Also, if you’re aiming for dubstep,  try finding a solid dubstep kit, especially one with that signature snare sound. 
 

Finally, your chord progression needs development. I see you used the i-VII-VI-V7 progression. Kudos to using a solid 4-chord progression but you gotta add on. You can extend this out with a iv-VI-III-V. Other suggestions are

i-VI-VII-III-iv-i-iio-V7

i-iv-VI-VII-III-i-iv-V

All in all, this piece needs a ton of work. It has potential of becoming something great, but you’ll have to work hard to get there. I can help you. Please don’t be discouraged by my feedback, for no one is perfect, but we can strive to be the best we can. 
 

 

 

[ManaMinori 4,145]

On 12/9/2020 at 8:52 AM, C. Thunder Dash said:

Okay, brace yourself, for this is gonna be a lot. 
 

Right off the bat, you open up with a very harsh sawtooth running on ring modulation and 5ths. This was a very uncomfortable sound to the ear. A bright chorused/detuned sawtooth would work better for this lead. You really have to take into account to whom your audience is. Some people cannot tolerate those harsh sounds. Adding an upper plucked lead to go along with the bright sawtooth would also work here. Furthermore, that harsh sawtooth is too loud in the mix due to the ring modulation boosting the signal. 
 

Then, you end the harsh sawtooth melody with no drum fill. You need a drum fill acting as a transition to the next section. This is one of the major flaws of this piece: the absence of solid transitions. It is more of gluing parts of a song together. Fills, changes in the melody, buildups to drops and cool downs would truly benefit this piece. 
 

For the quotes, they lost their value due to the lack of transition, even the chops. One of the chops fell off the beat. This is why transitions and formatting are really important when it comes to genres such as dubstep and standard house. Using a beat chart would definitely help you out 

1-2-3-4|2-2-3-4|3-2-3-4|4-2-3-4|5-2-3-4|6-2-3-4|7-2-3-4|8-2-3-4

Using this chart can help you find the exact places where you can insert fills, buildups, drops and transitions. Bar 4 is where you should insert a minor fill. A minor fill simply takes you to the next set of bars. Bar 8 is where you should include your major fill. A major fill is a transition to the next section. Start your buildup at Bar 5. Bars 7-8 is where you prepare for the drop. A quote works perfectly there, especially one that’s in context  

In terms of your drums, your beat is staling and the fact that there are no fills, only change ups, adds on to the repetitiveness of the piece. Also, if you’re aiming for dubstep,  try finding a solid dubstep kit, especially one with that signature snare sound. 
 

Finally, your chord progression needs development. I see you used the i-VII-VI-V7 progression. Kudos to using a solid 4-chord progression but you gotta add on. You can extend this out with a iv-VI-III-V. Other suggestions are

i-VI-VII-III-iv-i-iio-V7

i-iv-VI-VII-III-i-iv-V

All in all, this piece needs a ton of work. It has potential of becoming something great, but you’ll have to work hard to get there. I can help you. Please don’t be discouraged by my feedback, for no one is perfect, but we can strive to be the best we can. 
 

 

 

Well.. that is quite a bit to digest, and understand. Thanks for not holding back, and seeing potential in my future dabblings. I will try to apply what I can.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

1 minute ago, ManaMinori said:

Well.. that is quite a bit to digest, and understand. Thanks for not holding back, and seeing potential in my future dabblings. I will try to apply what I can.

Hey, I can coach you in production and theory. I've got 21 years of piano and 11 years of composition/production. And no prob. 

[ManaMinori 4,145]

12 minutes ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

Hey, I can coach you in production and theory. I've got 21 years of piano and 11 years of composition/production. And no prob. 

....just like that? 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

2 minutes ago, ManaMinori said:

....just like that? 

Just like that.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

1 hour ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

Just like that.

Ok, sure 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

2 hours ago, ManaMinori said:

Ok, sure 

Would you like to hold our lessons on Discord?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

10 hours ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

Would you like to hold our lessons on Discord?

Sure!