[quote]jonsloan (07/01/2011)[hr]Well you could be scientific about it or emotive or a mix of the two.
(a) Scientific
A/B it against a sound/track/artist you like. Or similar kind of approach.
(b) Emotive
Goosebumps or that little smile or that shiver, etc
[/quote]
For the amateur producer, I think it’s a combination of these two. You want to compare it to professionals who have loads of talent and who you admire as a form of quality control. However, in the end we have to remember the odds are stacked most people making a significant impact in the industry so we have to do what makes us happy as an individual.
The hard thing is everyone is different i sometimes hear tracks that are deemed as hits and think wtf? I also sometimes hear tracks that i think are amazing and no one has heard it…
I think instead of worrying if something sounds good your beter off to see if it sounds proffesional. If it sounds proffesional you can send it out and see what happens you will then soon enough be able to tell if its any good.
On a whole different scale i think alot of it is feeling. As a producer you sometimes make a melody/riff or make a really awesome sound etc and when stuff works you just ‘know’.
Just my 2c.
Look at the majority of tracks that end up in the Top 10 of the UK charts.
Rarely if ever would I say any of them are any good, but they must be if people out there are buying it?
I do believe half of it is down to radio and tv brainwashing, but the other half there is genuinly people out there that like that stuff, even though to me i think they sound aweful and boring.
Different people like different stuff, look at the amount of tunes you can hear in top 20 download lists on digital stores, they’re ‘good’ because everyone’s buying them… surely?
But if that’s the case, why do every one of us hear some tracks in the Top 5 even and think… “f*cking aweful”.
It’s subjective.
So what can YOU do? Well, make what YOU like, music is art, people too often forget that, hence why you’re called an ‘artist’.
Music / Art is self expression, it’s about expressing something that’s come from you, your soul.
If YOU felt that track, if it meant something to you, then that’s what sounds good. Sure there will be 100s of people out there that wont like it, but at the same time, there will be 100s of people out there that will, the balance is met, ying and yang.
Now this is based on the creative element.
On the professional element, your track can sound bad if it’s poorly mixed, parts are out of key and if there is no distinct changes within your track to keep the listening ears interested.
I think youre on to something there… all along in this thread we have been combining the production and the writing in to one thing. Its maybe 2 totally seperate crafts.
Song writing is more of an art it requiring you to convey the emotional content
production is more of a technical process requiring skill and learning.
the lines obviously get blurred a bit with the sound design elements as they are a bit in both camps.
I think it sounds good if you enjoy it & are happy to listen to it a few times in a row without going LORD.
I enjoy listening to stuff when it begins to blend as one & I no longer anticipate each little change.
[quote]Roben (08/01/2011)[hr]Look at the majority of tracks that end up in the Top 10 of the UK charts.
trouble with the Top 10 uk charts is the majority of sales are to kids… they don’t necessarily buy music because of the song writing ability of the acts! Take boy bands for an extreme example…