Just finished my EP called "being"and would appreciate some feedback!

I have just finished my EP and would love some feedback. It wont be for everyone but it would be great to get some opinions on it if you have some spare time. It is a mixture of genres, I can't really describe it so I'll leave that up to you to decide!

It's available for download and streaming here
abacusmusic.bandcamp.com...

And it is also available on youtube in full as one uninterrupted track here
www.youtube.com...
(click show more for the track list and timestamps to jump to)

Let me know what you think

Thanks guys

reply to post by constant_thought


That was great!

I skipped through and listened to a few minutes and was impressed. Very relaxing, thank you!



Edit: Just found the timestamps! Awesome. Thanks again

reply to post by iamhobo


Thanks iamhobo, I'm glad you enjoyed it That's the vibe I was going for so that is great news to me

Great job

I've been listening to it for a while and I love it.

What's the image in the YT video? Did you make it? It definitely suits the album.

reply to post by Casandra


Thanks Casandra! yea I did. It is the album artwork. I was originally going to do something less colourful than the current cover is but I felt compelled to try adding some vibrancy before discounting it and I liked the result

I'm glad people are enjoying it

reply to post by constant_thought


Nice job, could be in a movie for sure. Its not overwhelming. Some of the noises could use more reverb type effects to help pull off a "bigger" more organic sound. The composition is really nice though, interesting.

Well done, well done.

I have been listening now, for 5 or so minutes and it's very soothing music so far.

Talent you have my friend.


SS

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback, I'm glad that people have been enjoying listening to it

Much appreciated everyone!

Really really enjoyed your work!
Reminds me very much of a slightly more awake and lucid version of a lot of the Dreampop, Ambient, Modern Classical stuff on Kranky Records.

Congratulations in the completion of your album, must have Taken some hard work. It's nice chilled music. Your a talented musician.

reply to post by constant_thought


Reminds me a little bit of John Murphy - some of the Sunshine soundtrack stuff on the beginning of your No Turning Back track and same with Numb. You may be familiar with him but if not please look him up. Good stuff man. Music is my passion...if I could make money doing it I would!

PS I think my favorite was Absolution. Ill send your page to a few buddies. Thx for the share.

Congrats on getting your project completed!

Nice stuff!

Being a musician and recording engineer I'm always interested in the technical aspects of things so if you'd be so kind as to tell us what equipment you were using it would be greatly appreciated by us gear heads.

PM me if you'd prefer

Originally posted by ATS23
Congrats on getting your project completed!

Nice stuff!

Being a musician and recording engineer I'm always interested in the technical aspects of things so if you'd be so kind as to tell us what equipment you were using it would be greatly appreciated by us gear heads.

PM me if you'd prefer

Sure thing, although I actually don't have that much tangible gear, it's mostly digital (VST's and such) but I will go over what I use still. If this gets to boring just zone out and think of Jurassic Park filled with marshmallow dinosaurs or something haha

So, I use an Alesis QX61 midi controller which then in turn enables me to use things like Ivory Keys (Piano), Omnisphere (effects and synth's), East West Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra (orchestral elements).etc. And while these programs may be very impressive they still require a fair bit of tweaking to get a sound that you want, but that's all part of the fun I also use a mixture of Superior Drummer 2.0 and Battery 3 for realistic drums and more "digital/electronic" drums respectively. All of the drum parts are hand programmed in using Ableton Live 8's midi input bar, so it's quite time consuming.
I also use guitars on a few of the tracks which is a Takamine G series recorded through a Sampson Q7 then going into a Mackie Onyx Blackjack USB Recording Interface. Ideally I could use a better microphone but for the time being it will have to do. I also have a 7 string Ibanez but this was not used. That's about it really I think.
Oh and it was all mixed and mastered through a pair of Sennheiser HDR 110's headphones.

Now that was a bit of a task haha

I wanted to add something to my original post but it's gone beyond the dreaded "edit"able time barrier so I thought I'd just add this on the end. I have now set up a Facebook page and if anyone is interested on hearing more music or updates then please Like the page to hear more in the future. This will be my main outlet for any news on my next projects.

Thanks for the support everyone, it means a lot
www.facebook.com...

reply to post by constant_thought


Not for me. I have been a student of the guitar for 13 years. I have been to many many concerts. So I do know how music works. I don't know how to listen to this music. I do not like electronic music. Sounds like most of this is done by a drum machine, and a keyboard.. This is not to say this is bad stuff, many people may like this, but not me. I like to see people, make the music, idea's that come from the soul. A beginning, a middle and an end. I can't hear that here. Could you take this to a room full of people and play it ? Can you repeat this, note for note ? Nothing to hold my intrest here. But hey, just my opinion. Good luck to you.

reply to post by oldkawguy


Fair play Oldkawguy, I am a guitarist as well of a similar amount of years and I can appreciate your comments. Yes this would be nion impossible for me to pull off live. The only way it would be possible would be for me to play piano or other parts to a backing track or if I recruited more musicians to play the other parts I played. It is unfeasible currently but maybe one day hopefully I can figure something out.

I like to see people, make the music, idea's that come from the soul. A beginning, a middle and an end. I can't hear that here

I am sorry you couldn't find that but, the whole piece is supposed to be a story. The intro tracks are the beginning, the middle sections are- well, the middle, and the last few tracks are the closing of the scene, finding Clarity and Absolution. I wont go into details of what the story is but I can assure you it comes from the soul

Thanks for the comments

reply to post by constant_thought


I am sooo glad you are not mad at me about my reply. I thought after I pushed the button, maybe I should have been a little more...nice. But as I said, just my opinion. First and formost, just because I couldn't, get it, buy no means makes this bad stuff. I am old school, as you must have guessed.. I have seen SRV, BB King, Carlos Santana, Ted Nugent, Sach, Joe Bonnamasa, Van Halen in the Sammy era, Harry Chapin, Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seegar, Billy Joel, ZZ Top, some of the best player's of my time. I buy there CD's and listen very close. I hear how they go about there music. You being a guitar player, know about the I IV V, the I V VI IV and the rest. I can listen to a song, as I am sure you can too, and figure out the key, and once you have that, the chords also. To be able to put together this music that you have, says you are musician. Now you know what is in my iPod, I would be interested to know what's in yours ?

reply to post by oldkawguy


Hey, no worries man A lot of good players there. The music on my iPod is a little different as I tend to listen to progressive music with little common structure, so that may explain why you weren't happy with what you heard. I think some of my influences do tend to show as I use quite a few odd time signatures and polyrhythms on this ep. But yea, my iPod has classic guitarists like satch, petrucci, dream theater, guthrie govan, marco sfogli, and also more modern technical/progressive metal like periphery, chimp spanner, devin townsend.etc. I also like filmscore music and have some of that on there too, which is probably why I am drawn to this ambient kind of vibe.
People should never be afraid to say there opinions on something, I think it's a good thing- just as long as people don't go around deliberately offending people and it is a constructive input then I am all for it

reply to post by constant_thought


im listening to it now mate
ill let it play as i scan ats
upto now

I got 25 minutes into and I'm posting this now before I run out the door. Overall good job! Relaxing, thoughtful music. You are a musician, that's for sure.

Song 1: Overall very relaxing and nice composition, could be used in a movie or something as another poster noted.

Song 2: Very creative, I like the arpeggio you play-in & around, and the way some notes hang with a laissez vibrer. Fun change up in the middle of the song, kinda like the Beatles.

Song 3: Nice opening. Relaxing. Sounds like a "wake up" type song, cheery yet reflective. Birds are nice addition.

Song 4: Walking sounds, car starts. Synthesizer sounds strong; overall kinda boring, the same notes without much additional instruments added.

Song 5: Radio stations changing. Pretty, positive, up lifting. Volume increase works well, nice tempo. Mixing sounds, drums come back... this song is more dynamic than others, like song 2.

Song 6: Electric guitar-ish - nice sound, easy listening notes. Nice piano progression, background notes are compliment very well. Melding of sounds -- a solid drum machine would do wonders here.

Song 7: I like that fast paced hissing thingy with the piano notes pinging gently and space apart - nice juxtaposition of sounds. Don't like the dramatic change in the middle where the piano comes into focus, too abrupt - notes are good though, still easy to listen too.

Song 8:

My only critique is with the drum machine - it sounds a little too tinny or cheap for the other high quality sounds you produce.