Melbourne Beats

Hey,
I have been dabbling around having a go at trying to create some breaks songs. The two songs (Watch Your Back - nic, and Thinking - nic) I completed a few weeks ago and are my first semi serious attempt at structuring and producing music.

Iv been looking and listening too them for too long and almost can bear to listen to them anymore.

I feel that they are a bit stagnant and need more drum changes, breaks, detailing and general EQing fixes. After reading A1studmuffins thread I think similiar points apply to these tracks, but Id like some critical feedback both negative and positive to help me make these better! If you guys would be kind enough to give them a listen and tell me what you think.

Linkzzz

Thinking -
http://www.digitalthugz.com/html/upload ... %20nic.mp3

Watch your back -
http://www.digitalthugz.com/html/upload ... 20back.mp3

Here's my 2c:

Just think about it:

- Kick drum sounds a little woofish, sounds like it needs less mid to low and more highs to emphasise more of the "punch" and less of the "oooff"
- The arrangement is good, you've changed it up well, drums etc. are messed about nicely, although it feels like it gets a little bit lost/confused around the 3 minute mark. Perhaps it needs a breakdown or a different bassline/melody for a bit, then incorporate that back in with the first part?
- Also feels around that same area that there's a few instruments fighting for attention.
- Great use of stereo
- Like the sample usage
- It feels like it needs to build to something stronger in the middle
- Nice synth sounds
- Overall though a great effort

Watch your back:

- Snare is nice
- Maybe the little flippy noises to the left/right near the start are a bit too loud?
- Really like the little breakdown bits (like the one leading up to 0:35), but maybe the song needs some more hihats or another element to drive it forward. It feels like it keeps building up but it doesn't change much, even if you stick with the same bassline and just punch up the percussion a bit more
- Like the little vocal snippits at 2:10 (is that what they are? they're cool)

Hmm so I suppose what I'm trying to say is overall you've got some great synth tones and textures in there, the snares are good, kicks need a little bit of work, arrangement maybe needs to evolve a bit more, but then I'm more into funky breaks so maybe someone with more of a dark breaks perspective can comment? But overall a good effort

(oh and take everything I say with a grain of salt because I'm still learning too heh)

thanks mate. good points.