What do you think of my music?

Hi guys I just wanted to get a general view what you folks thought about my music and whether you rate it. I guess I'm feeling a bit lost with it and just wanted to hear what you guys think. Looking for constructive criticism. Cheers.

"Free vinyl from The Bro"

Yeah I still plan on releasing something on vinyl. I just need to get my music to a level where I feel I'm getting a lot of genuine interest and attention. I feel I'm putting out some good music but now just feel lost with it all. :-(

  On 8/21/2012 at 1:21 PM, YO303 said:

"Free vinyl from The Bro"

watmm is so mean

Listen man, I know I've been a bit of a dick to you in the past but it's only out of cheekiness rather than malice. I can honestly say, however, that really don't ever worry about what others think about your music, make music to appease yourself - if you make stuff in order to satisfy others then you'll end up with something that doesn't have your personal touch. No matter how technically competent it is, without that element of self-identity (I'm sure that's the wrong phrase) it'll end up sounding soulless.

So screw everyone else, make stuff you like !

Do you like it yourself?

I do but it helps if others dig it too. To be honest I just feel like its not going anywhere. That said I'm taking a few steps to up my profile so hopefully that'll help.

I like your music. At least, what I've heard of it! I don't really rate music.... I either like it or I don't like it.

Glad yours fits in the "like it" side. =)

Honestly, if you are looking for increased attention and interest, and to 'up your profile', I'd consider a re-brand. 'The Bro', for me personally, is quite an unappealing artist name. No offence, just offering a suggestion.

  On 8/21/2012 at 3:27 PM, Ron Manager said:

Honestly, if you are looking for increased attention and interest, and to 'up your profile', I'd consider a re-brand. 'The Bro', for me personally, is quite an unappealing artist name. No offence, just offering a suggestion.

Exactly what i came to say! A great artist isn't afraid of reinventing him/herself! every day, if needed!

Also this:

Don't get too discouraged, everyone can feel like their music isn't going places every now and then. Like others said, the most important thing is that you're happy with what you do - only change from being "the bro" or adopt a new persona if that makes sense to you personally.

If you really want a breath of fresh air, think about starting something new from scratch or entering a collaboration with a friend that has a different approach to music.

Just do whatever you want to do. If you're THAT lost, and you really have no idea where to go, take a break from music making.

  On 8/21/2012 at 4:07 PM, kokeboka said:

 

 

If you really want a breath of fresh air, think about starting something new from scratch or entering a collaboration with a friend that has a different approach to music.

Or even start up a side project under a different artist name, try and create something totally different than your "The Bro" style. It might get the creative juices flowing?!

it's not as good as it was a few years ago. drop the whole dubstep thing imo. fuck dubstep.

it's a bit silly... all the slap bass and stuff. for that style i'd prefer a bit more dirt/distortion i guess.

I`m gonna be honest, I don`t like it. What it is that I don`t like:

1.You have kind of a knack for a funky sounds but the problem is that there is no actual funk/groove at all, songs sound like they just hammer forward. Advice- take apart some funky rhythm (any good HH track from beginning of 90ies for example) and replace original hits with your own (but rememer to align your hit so its biggest amplitude is same as in original (dont just copy/paste at cursor or smth)) This way you can see and learn how a single hit sooner/later changes the groove of the whole loop)

2. Variation is the key, you really lack it. Not only in melody (you do have a nice ones, don`t be discouraged) but in everything. Everything in your songs just continues at the same volume/intensity/eq range until end, there isn`t really time to rest/reflect before something new comes in, so all hammers forward and just piles on top of other sounds/motives without grabbing attention of the listener. Advice: Filter a lot, filter just wet signals (reverbs, delays etc), don`t be afraid to create holes in the song, and your hihats suck man, variate volume please.

3. Drama, even if your songs try to tell some story, because the reason in point 2. it gets lost. Don`t be afraid to switch off some sounds at some point or morph into the next synth line. Even if it`s not exactly true in every case, your tracks somehow starts at full speed. I think they would show a lot of emotianal detail if you would just really strip down some parts of your songs. And let some synth/drum parts take the lead, now everything is kind of competing for an attention and just slaughtering each other.

Ok, I have some more, but my dealer called, have to go. But yeah man, I mean all this in nicest possible way and I do believe that if you work on your vision of composition and pay attention to what is it that makes you love the music you listen to you can really make some funky shit that I would love to hear.

And your alias had put me off listening to your tracks before, I know it shouldn`t matter but I`m easy to influence and so are many other people and if I want to listen to some new music I`m not gonna waste my time listening to someone whose artist name gives me not the nicest associations. Ok, I`m out,

You're a pretty solid producer & more professional sounding than a lot of what passes through EKT/SC but stylistically it often feels like you might be focusing too much on making something that's gonna appeal to a lot of people

Basically I mean you seem to know a lot about songwriting but I'm not sure if the personality is shining through

  On 8/21/2012 at 5:57 PM, zemudene said:

I`m gonna be honest, I don`t like it. What it is that I don`t like:

1.You have kind of a knack for a funky sounds but the problem is that there is no actual funk/groove at all, songs sound like they just hammer forward. Advice- take apart some funky rhythm (any good HH track from beginning of 90ies for example) and replace original hits with your own (but rememer to align your hit so its biggest amplitude is same as in original (dont just copy/paste at cursor or smth)) This way you can see and learn how a single hit sooner/later changes the groove of the whole loop)

2. Variation is the key, you really lack it. Not only in melody (you do have a nice ones, don`t be discouraged) but in everything. Everything in your songs just continues at the same volume/intensity/eq range until end, there isn`t really time to rest/reflect before something new comes in, so all hammers forward and just piles on top of other sounds/motives without grabbing attention of the listener. Advice: Filter a lot, filter just wet signals (reverbs, delays etc), don`t be afraid to create holes in the song, and your hihats suck man, variate volume please.

3. Drama, even if your songs try to tell some story, because the reason in point 2. it gets lost. Don`t be afraid to switch off some sounds at some point or morph into the next synth line. Even if it`s not exactly true in every case, your tracks somehow starts at full speed. I think they would show a lot of emotianal detail if you would just really strip down some parts of your songs. And let some synth/drum parts take the lead, now everything is kind of competing for an attention and just slaughtering each other.

 

Ok, I have some more, but my dealer called, have to go. But yeah man, I mean all this in nicest possible way and I do believe that if you work on your vision of composition and pay attention to what is it that makes you love the music you listen to you can really make some funky shit that I would love to hear.

And your alias had put me off listening to your tracks before, I know it shouldn`t matter but I`m easy to influence and so are many other people and if I want to listen to some new music I`m not gonna waste my time listening to someone whose artist name gives me not the nicest associations. Ok, I`m out,

great advice. i also don't like the alias "the bro", and nor does anybody else i don't think...i know your reasons for choosing it, but i'm also going to be honest and say it's a truly terrible name. call yourself aaron the amazing ape or something...

If yer gonna call yourself The Bro you better be ready to embrace full brodom. Make a persona out of it. Never be seen in public without bleached spiky hair, a tight pink polo shirt with the collar popped, fake tan, etc. But speak real educated & shit. And then musically you'd basically have to take every terrible dancepop cliche of the last 30 years & use them to make beautiful, complex classical compositions

That would be amazing. And yes, a bro asserting himself as THE bro needs to be at least two levels ahead of the common bro.

edit: zemudene pretty much nailed it, imo

you're tracks sound like midi-files and the composition is so standard.

you should get some art lessons. it will increase your aesthetic.

^^^^^^^^^^

why be that way?

are you ludd's little brother?

let's hear your "art" tough guy…NOW!

i liked your older more idm/electronica stuff from the past,but i don't like 4 on the floor or dubstep so…….

new stuff is cool but it strikes me as you are really 'trying" to fit into a genre and be more "commercial" or "appealing" as opposed to just having fun and doing yer own thang.

lol art lessons

  On 8/21/2012 at 2:41 PM, The Bro said:

I do but it helps if others dig it too. To be honest I just feel like its not going anywhere. That said I'm taking a few steps to up my profile so hopefully that'll help.

sorry to harp on but have just been reading back the thread and picked this out as something i think is part of the problem - the fact that you're so worried about your profile (i mean, i don't even consider myself as having a "profile" to "up", and wouldn't want one if i did) - as others have said, forget about what everyone else thinks! all great and innovative music has been made when people are creating the stuff they love. it seems you might be making music for the wrong reason (ie, you want to be famous) - this whole "the bro" persona: starting threads with EZ guys, formerly calling yourself "promo" etc etc, it all seems like you're being a bit arrogant (not saying you are IRL) and think of yourself as some kind of i dunno, white rapper or something? not sure really, don't know what all the faux street-talk thing is about really. it just all feels like you're trying way too hard to create something that probably isn't really you at all. i mean, these steps you've taken to improve your profile - what are they? please don't tell me you've hired an "agent" or something silly.

plus all the gear you've bought (and the umpteen threads about it all) but then are just using beatmaker 2 on an ipad - have you ever even used that JV-1080 in a track? why have you got it? you plugged that reverb in yet? why can everyone else in the world get their akai sampler to work except you? just what the hell are you trying to prove here (rhetorical question)? but seriously, i think you need to ask yourself that. if it's just that you like collecting bits of hardware but have no clue how to use them or even desire to, then that's fair enough i guess. i think you should really explore the JV-1080 or akai though - try and make a whole album with sounds from it you have created yourself (i guess with the 1080 you'll have to work from presets, but mangle them up somehow so they sound something completely other). if it takes you six months to work out how to get a saw wave sound out of the thing then so be it. don't try and fit in any genre or style, just make something that sounds like nothing you've heard before but you still really like. god, i'm waffling now, so much to say but i'll stop because it probably seems like i'm being a cunt, but i don't mean to be.

all of the above (it's good advice for everybody, not just amateurs, but even the established/pro's), except what someone said about taking art classes, or something.

and yeah change your name :) ((and your avatar)) ! haha ;)

and remember everyone goes through ups and downs and bored and not very creative periods.

maybe take a break, listen to other music for a bit, rearrange your studio space, go on holiday, then come back to it fresh and rested in a month or 2.

or something.