Bullet's Creations

The Bullet · 08-03-2012, 07:22 PM

Alright, I have like, five threads in here and I shall spam no more, so this is where all my stuff is going from here on out.

Starting with this. It's me playing guitar over a beat I made that starts out as dubstep and eventually progresses into I'm not entirely sure what (electronica maybe?). I've been working on this pretty relentlessly over the past few weeks or so. The song is called "Ready To Die."

This is going to sound really artsy and cheesy and ****ty (and you can skip this section if you don't wanna hear me ramble on), but it's suppose to represent the lifelong transition, incomplete by most of us, including myself, from fear to acceptance of death. It's also suppose to send out a message to do everything you want to do during those moments you feel inspired before you finally do die, because you have no idea weather or not you'll die today. The crazy **** you wanna do when you feel like everything is magical and beautiful before your come back to your civilized self and away from your primal senses. Ring up people you havn't seen in however long, run in one direction until you get lost, or whatever else. Probably the best thing I've ever gotten around to finishing. Enjoy!

VEGANGELICA · 08-10-2012, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bullet

it's suppose to represent the lifelong transition, incomplete by most of us, including myself, from fear to acceptance of death. It's also suppose to send out a message to do everything you want to do during those moments you feel inspired before you finally do die, because you have no idea weather or not you'll die today. The crazy **** you wanna do when you feel like everything is magical and beautiful before your come back to your civilized self and away from your primal senses. Ring up people you havn't seen in however long, run in one direction until you get lost, or whatever else. Probably the best thing I've ever gotten around to finishing. Enjoy!

I love the concept behind your song, Bullet/Zach. Your message to follow your urges when you feel like everything is magical and beautiful, so that you don't live a bland life submerged under regrets and lost opportunities, is a powerful one.

Given the power of your message, I didn't expect your song to sound so light, meandering, and playful. I'm probably not the best person to review it musically, because I hate jazz guitar and jazzy-sounding improvisation, which sound insipid and directionless to me. However, I do like some dubstep songs very much and so I thought I'd add my thoughts about that aspect of your song.

I feel as if more of the power of your concept could come across in the song if you increased the bass notes. For example, I love the low sound you introduce at 1:13. I expected you to take that repeated note and go somewhere with it, perhaps around 1:45, such as by lengthening the note so that you have a wash of low sound. At 2:37 you do include some lower dupstep sounds. I recommend you increase their volume. Your use of low bass seems tentative right now.

I am curious what overall shape you envisioned for your song, if you had one. Having a central section that is heavy on bass, and tapering up to it and then away from it might be one way to give a sense of solidity to the song, if you want one.

Your song as is seems to have a lot of treble. Let's see...an analogy. Your song right now reminds me of an iceberg where only the top, the high part, above the waterline is visible. I want to hear all the low notes that are the main part of the iceberg *below* the water. Right now I can't see much of this submerged part of the iceberg in your song, and I want to.

I also realize, though, that this song is the result of your following your muse when you feel inspired...and so I respect the song for that. Listening to it is a little like going to a modern art museum. I'll look at some of the pieces and think, "Huh. Very unusual. I don't know if I like it, but I appreciate the whimsy." I did like the Asian influences I felt I heard in some sections of your piece.

The Bullet · 08-10-2012, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

I feel as if more of the power of your concept could come across in the song if you increased the bass notes. For example, I love the low sound you introduce at 1:13. I expected you to take that repeated note and go somewhere with it, perhaps around 1:45, such as by lengthening the note so that you have a wash of low sound. At 2:37 you do include some lower dupstep sounds. I recommend you increase their volume. Your use of low bass seems tentative right now.

See what you mean, I'll keep that in mind.

Quote:

I am curious what overall shape you envisioned for your song, if you had one. Having a central section that is heavy on bass, and tapering up to it and then away from it might be one way to give a sense of solidity to the song, if you want one.

I don't think I really had an overall shape, execpt I wanted it to start out as something you could bounce your toes and bob your head too while still being heavy and meaningful then end peaceful and have an inconsistant, yet naturally progressing road along the way, and I'm pretty sure I knew that it would end with a long, drawn out solo. I would wake up, add something to what I made yesterday, realize that it didn't really flow together the next day, and add a bridge between the two.

Quote:

Your song as is seems to have a lot of treble. Let's see...an analogy. Your song right now reminds me of an iceberg where only the top, the high part, above the waterline is visible. I want to hear all the low notes that are the main part of the iceberg *below* the water. Right now I can't see much of this submerged part of the iceberg in your song, and I want to.

It might have something to do with the fact that I mixed this on bosephones, but that's a bad excuse. I'll take a listen with that in mind and see if I agree.

Quote:

I did like the Asian influences I felt I heard in some sections of your piece.

Okay, I'm genuinely curious as to where you see these influences, because that's not really what I was thinking. Not that that's a bad thing in the least.

Seriously, though. Thanks for your time and your thoughts, man. I mean that. I enjoyed hearing them. It's always useful. Even when you're only making music for yourself, sometimes it takes time to see potential improvements that others see right away (though obviously, you have to think about weather or not you agree with the critisizm), so it is helpful. Take care.

VEGANGELICA · 08-11-2012, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bullet

Thanks for your time and your thoughts, man. I mean that. I enjoyed hearing them. It's always useful. Even when you're only making music for yourself, sometimes it takes time to see potential improvements that others see right away (though obviously, you have to think about weather or not you agree with the critisizm), so it is helpful. Take care.

You're welcome.

Hearing your song through someone else's ears is always interesting. I appreciate that you spent so much time and thought on your song and obviously invested yourself in it, because I relate to that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bullet

Okay, I'm genuinely curious as to where you see these influences, because that's not really what I was thinking. Not that that's a bad thing in the least.

I heard what I think of as Asian influences at 4:16 and again at 4:52 when you use faint, twangy notes in the background.

Those background notes remind me of twangy plucked notes from Chinese instruments like the pipa. Below is a youtube video of someone playing the pipa that I think you might like, because it reminds me a little of your music. It's a little quirky.

Video demonstrating the Chinese instrument called a "Pipa"

Lan Weiwei demonstrates the pipa - YouTube

The Bullet · 03-31-2013, 02:11 AM

Sorry for the bump, but I thought a new thread would be redundant.

Finished mixing this one today. Open to constructive criticism.

https://soundcloud.com/#zachary-steuer/ridin

The Bullet · 06-01-2013, 09:37 AM

Made this one to celebrate the beginning of Summer.

Blake's Revenge (Medium Temperature) by ZachTheBulletSteuer on SoundCloud - Hear the world

08-03-2012, 07:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
The Bullet Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 454	Bullet's Creations Alright, I have like, five threads in here and I shall spam no more, so this is where all my stuff is going from here on out. Starting with this. It's me playing guitar over a beat I made that starts out as dubstep and eventually progresses into I'm not entirely sure what (electronica maybe?). I've been working on this pretty relentlessly over the past few weeks or so. The song is called "Ready To Die." This is going to sound really artsy and cheesy and **ty (and you can skip this section if you don't wanna hear me ramble on), but it's suppose to represent the lifelong transition, incomplete by most of us, including myself, from fear to acceptance of death. It's also suppose to send out a message to do everything you want to do during those moments you feel inspired before you finally do die, because you have no idea weather or not you'll die today. The crazy ** you wanna do when you feel like everything is magical and beautiful before your come back to your civilized self and away from your primal senses. Ring up people you havn't seen in however long, run in one direction until you get lost, or whatever else. Probably the best thing I've ever gotten around to finishing. Enjoy! __________________ http://soundcloud.com/zachary-steuer Last edited by The Bullet; 08-05-2012 at 09:15 AM.

03-31-2013, 02:11 AM	#5 (permalink)
The Bullet Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 454	Sorry for the bump, but I thought a new thread would be redundant. Finished mixing this one today. Open to constructive criticism. https://soundcloud.com/#zachary-steuer/ridin __________________ http://soundcloud.com/zachary-steuer

06-01-2013, 09:37 AM	#6 (permalink)
The Bullet Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 454	Made this one to celebrate the beginning of Summer. Blake's Revenge (Medium Temperature) by ZachTheBulletSteuer on SoundCloud - Hear the world __________________ http://soundcloud.com/zachary-steuer