what's with all these tracks that have barely there synth and all bass

Home :: Producer tips and DAW information :: what's with all these tracks that have barely there synth and all bassReply
what's with all these tracks that have barely there synth and all bass
Posted on: 25.03.2013 by Pam Stolley
i blame canonball. and the dutch.

it was the biggest thing i noticed watching ultra. either producers are tired of letting synths carry the track or they're tired of making tracks people can enjoy at home. if you want to enjoy any of this music you have to come see us at a show and experience it on a giant system.

http://soundcloud.com/johannes_96/tiesto-chasing-summers

http://soundcloud.com/arminvanbuuren...uren-w-w-d-fat

http://soundcloud.com/djcarnageoffic...e-incredible-1

http://soundcloud.com/wearegta/gta-h...tal-lab-hit-it
Georgina Schatzman
29.03.2013
Originally Posted by bluegrassdj
that's the thing with the popular songs, you can't avoid them. they find you. egbert just made some dubstep with schoolboy. joris voorn doing did a shm remix.....i'm afraid this will work its way into other genres of edm.
I strongly disagree with this, look at the likes of Sleazy Deep, Union Jack and Gooseneck Records. These labels are all doing their own thing and are setting the trend themselves, not just playing "follow the leader".

They have this thing called "integrity" and they are not going to give up their long term vision and goals for short time success.
Georgina Schatzman
28.03.2013
Originally Posted by bluegrassdj
i totally agree too. i'm just disappointed in the current crop of 'tools'. it's good to mix it up with the majority bass tracks from time to time but djs were using it for 50-60% of their sets. even sunnery james & ryan marciano were playing tons of it. i'll give them props on balancing it out with acapellas and mashups in the breakdown.

this is one phase that needs to die quickly.
Or you just need to find a new crop of DJs to listen to?
Berta Baie
27.03.2013
Originally Posted by JasonBay
Don't go telling that to any of the Mindshake/Cadenza/Desolat/CLR/Novel Sound/Moon Harbour/Viva/Sci+Tec guys. They all write amazing tracks that just do damage in the club and in the mix, but they are far from being songs that you can listen to at home. And I believe that's the biggest difference we need to point out here, is that these are more "tools" that a DJ uses to work a dance floor. They're not playing songs per se, they don't have a pleasing pop structure /hook to them like most songs on the radio do. They are just raw beats grooves made to make you dance. Period.

Now, I'm not saying there are labels out there who aren't making stuff that sounds good at home as well as at the club. Hot Creations, Sleazy Deep, Diynamic, Cream Couture, Union Jack and Gooseneck Records are just a few who have found in my opinion the perfect balance between song vs tool.

And also, lets take into consideration the source he was talking about. He was listening to live recordings from Ultra, so of course they are going to be playing tracks that are going to be moving the crowd. If they were recording a mix cd or podcast I'm sure they would drastically change what they were playing as well.
Fair enough, I agree with this.
Georgina Schatzman
27.03.2013
Originally Posted by grazz16
I'm talking about both, they go hand in hand.
I'll strongly disagree with that.

Originally Posted by grazz16
I just disagree with writing tracks that only sound good on a big PA
Don't go telling that to any of the Mindshake/Cadenza/Desolat/CLR/Novel Sound/Moon Harbour/Viva/Sci+Tec guys. They all write amazing tracks that just do damage in the club and in the mix, but they are far from being songs that you can listen to at home. And I believe that's the biggest difference we need to point out here, is that these are more "tools" that a DJ uses to work a dance floor. They're not playing songs per se, they don't have a pleasing pop structure /hook to them like most songs on the radio do. They are just raw beats grooves made to make you dance. Period.

Now, I'm not saying there are labels out there who aren't making stuff that sounds good at home as well as at the club. Hot Creations, Sleazy Deep, Diynamic, Cream Couture, Union Jack and Gooseneck Records are just a few who have found in my opinion the perfect balance between song vs tool.

And also, lets take into consideration the source he was talking about. He was listening to live recordings from Ultra, so of course they are going to be playing tracks that are going to be moving the crowd. If they were recording a mix cd or podcast I'm sure they would drastically change what they were playing as well.
Berta Baie
26.03.2013
Originally Posted by JasonBay
No producer has ever said "I'm going to make a banging track that everyone should listen to at home with their speakers turned all the day down and without a sub, while in bed trying to fall asleep and relax". That is not the tracks intended purpose.
Maybe not, but at the same time if you don't aspire to have your track sound good on all speakers, regardless of location, i don't believe you're much of a producer, and kind of an idiot. That's like rule #1 of producing. Why make a track that "only" sounds good on a large PA when you are missing the vast majority of your listening audience who is probably listening at home at some point, not to mention the DJ who is probably previewing your track at home as well?

If you're Tiesto and you pretty much only ever play on these epic PA systems around the world, then I suppose you can get away with that. However Tiesto isn't selling tracks so much because they sound "good" so much as he's selling tracks based on his name at this point, and I'd say thats the same for most top producers.
Georgina Schatzman
26.03.2013
Originally Posted by grazz16
I believe this is a pretty narrow minded view tho. I listen to house all the time at home, or when I'm driving, neither location of which has a club PA system. I get making a track specifically for big systems, but thats not the only place house is supposed to be played to sound good.
I never said you couldn't enjoyit at home, but he was complaining about the "only" way to enjoy these tracks is to go out and hear it on a large PA, and that's partially true. There's a big difference from listening to it in your car vs EXPERIENCING it in a club with 300 other peeps.

It's called dance music, not because your supposed to sit down and listen to it on headphones but because you're supposed to be up and moving to the groove with everyone else, to be partaking in a communal and possibly (hopefully) spiritual experience as well.

No producer has ever said "I'm going to make a banging track that everyone should listen to at home with their speakers turned all the day down and without a sub, while in bed trying to fall asleep and relax". That is not the tracks intended purpose.
Pam Stolley
25.03.2013		i blame canonball. and the dutch.

it was the biggest thing i noticed watching ultra. either producers are tired of letting synths carry the track or they're tired of making tracks people can enjoy at home. if you want to enjoy any of this music you have to come see us at a show and experience it on a giant system.

http://soundcloud.com/johannes_96/tiesto-chasing-summers

http://soundcloud.com/arminvanbuuren...uren-w-w-d-fat

http://soundcloud.com/djcarnageoffic...e-incredible-1

http://soundcloud.com/wearegta/gta-h...tal-lab-hit-it
Georgina Schatzman
29.03.2013
Originally Posted by bluegrassdj
that's the thing with the popular songs, you can't avoid them. they find you. egbert just made some dubstep with schoolboy. joris voorn doing did a shm remix.....i'm afraid this will work its way into other genres of edm.
I strongly disagree with this, look at the likes of Sleazy Deep, Union Jack and Gooseneck Records. These labels are all doing their own thing and are setting the trend themselves, not just playing "follow the leader".

They have this thing called "integrity" and they are not going to give up their long term vision and goals for short time success.
Pam Stolley
29.03.2013		that's the thing with the popular songs, you can't avoid them. they find you. egbert just made some dubstep with schoolboy. joris voorn doing did a shm remix.....i'm afraid this will work its way into other genres of edm.
Georgina Schatzman
28.03.2013
Originally Posted by bluegrassdj
i totally agree too. i'm just disappointed in the current crop of 'tools'. it's good to mix it up with the majority bass tracks from time to time but djs were using it for 50-60% of their sets. even sunnery james & ryan marciano were playing tons of it. i'll give them props on balancing it out with acapellas and mashups in the breakdown.

this is one phase that needs to die quickly.
Or you just need to find a new crop of DJs to listen to?
Pam Stolley
28.03.2013		i totally agree too. i'm just disappointed in the current crop of 'tools'. it's good to mix it up with the majority bass tracks from time to time but djs were using it for 50-60% of their sets. even sunnery james & ryan marciano were playing tons of it. i'll give them props on balancing it out with acapellas and mashups in the breakdown.

this is one phase that needs to die quickly.
Berta Baie
27.03.2013
Originally Posted by JasonBay
Don't go telling that to any of the Mindshake/Cadenza/Desolat/CLR/Novel Sound/Moon Harbour/Viva/Sci+Tec guys. They all write amazing tracks that just do damage in the club and in the mix, but they are far from being songs that you can listen to at home. And I believe that's the biggest difference we need to point out here, is that these are more "tools" that a DJ uses to work a dance floor. They're not playing songs per se, they don't have a pleasing pop structure /hook to them like most songs on the radio do. They are just raw beats grooves made to make you dance. Period.

Now, I'm not saying there are labels out there who aren't making stuff that sounds good at home as well as at the club. Hot Creations, Sleazy Deep, Diynamic, Cream Couture, Union Jack and Gooseneck Records are just a few who have found in my opinion the perfect balance between song vs tool.

And also, lets take into consideration the source he was talking about. He was listening to live recordings from Ultra, so of course they are going to be playing tracks that are going to be moving the crowd. If they were recording a mix cd or podcast I'm sure they would drastically change what they were playing as well.
Fair enough, I agree with this.
Georgina Schatzman
27.03.2013
Originally Posted by grazz16
I'm talking about both, they go hand in hand.
I'll strongly disagree with that.

Originally Posted by grazz16
I just disagree with writing tracks that only sound good on a big PA
Don't go telling that to any of the Mindshake/Cadenza/Desolat/CLR/Novel Sound/Moon Harbour/Viva/Sci+Tec guys. They all write amazing tracks that just do damage in the club and in the mix, but they are far from being songs that you can listen to at home. And I believe that's the biggest difference we need to point out here, is that these are more "tools" that a DJ uses to work a dance floor. They're not playing songs per se, they don't have a pleasing pop structure /hook to them like most songs on the radio do. They are just raw beats grooves made to make you dance. Period.

Now, I'm not saying there are labels out there who aren't making stuff that sounds good at home as well as at the club. Hot Creations, Sleazy Deep, Diynamic, Cream Couture, Union Jack and Gooseneck Records are just a few who have found in my opinion the perfect balance between song vs tool.

And also, lets take into consideration the source he was talking about. He was listening to live recordings from Ultra, so of course they are going to be playing tracks that are going to be moving the crowd. If they were recording a mix cd or podcast I'm sure they would drastically change what they were playing as well.
Berta Baie
27.03.2013		I'm talking about both, they go hand in hand. I get your point, i understand listening to dance music on a big PA > home. This goes without saying. I just disagree with writing tracks that only sound good on a big PA, as I believe a large portion of your track's listening time will be spend outside the club thats all.
Georgina Schatzman
27.03.2013		Are you talking about the actually writing process, or the audio engineering side? Think you're totally missing my point on this depending on your answer.
Berta Baie
26.03.2013
Originally Posted by JasonBay
No producer has ever said "I'm going to make a banging track that everyone should listen to at home with their speakers turned all the day down and without a sub, while in bed trying to fall asleep and relax". That is not the tracks intended purpose.
Maybe not, but at the same time if you don't aspire to have your track sound good on all speakers, regardless of location, i don't believe you're much of a producer, and kind of an idiot. That's like rule #1 of producing. Why make a track that "only" sounds good on a large PA when you are missing the vast majority of your listening audience who is probably listening at home at some point, not to mention the DJ who is probably previewing your track at home as well?

If you're Tiesto and you pretty much only ever play on these epic PA systems around the world, then I suppose you can get away with that. However Tiesto isn't selling tracks so much because they sound "good" so much as he's selling tracks based on his name at this point, and I'd say thats the same for most top producers.
Georgina Schatzman
26.03.2013
Originally Posted by grazz16
I believe this is a pretty narrow minded view tho. I listen to house all the time at home, or when I'm driving, neither location of which has a club PA system. I get making a track specifically for big systems, but thats not the only place house is supposed to be played to sound good.
I never said you couldn't enjoyit at home, but he was complaining about the "only" way to enjoy these tracks is to go out and hear it on a large PA, and that's partially true. There's a big difference from listening to it in your car vs EXPERIENCING it in a club with 300 other peeps.

It's called dance music, not because your supposed to sit down and listen to it on headphones but because you're supposed to be up and moving to the groove with everyone else, to be partaking in a communal and possibly (hopefully) spiritual experience as well.

No producer has ever said "I'm going to make a banging track that everyone should listen to at home with their speakers turned all the day down and without a sub, while in bed trying to fall asleep and relax". That is not the tracks intended purpose.
Berta Baie
26.03.2013		Meh, that track still has some big synths in the breakdown, but i hear what you are saying, the main sections of that song are pretty boring. I'm all about big synth melodies in my tracks as well.

Well, it IS club music. Music that's meant to be played late at evening on a large PA. They really aren't made for "at home listening".
I believe this is a pretty narrow minded view tho. I listen to house all the time at home, or when I'm driving, neither location of which has a club PA system. I get making a track specifically for big systems, but thats not the only place house is supposed to be played to sound good.
Rebbecca Fennell
25.03.2013		Things change, time passes?

Flavor of the moment dude, that's how it goes
Pam Stolley
25.03.2013		yeah but i was talking more so about the new sound that's becoming the trend. i like a good melody. these tracks have less and less of that. except maybe for armin's track. i was at ultra when zedd played shotgun for the first time and even on that giant system it didn't make up for the lack of melody you get from a synth. is it because trap is taking over?
Georgina Schatzman
25.03.2013		Well, it IS club music. Music that's meant to be played late at evening on a large PA. They really aren't made for "at home listening".

<< Back to Producer tips and DAW informationReply

Copyright 2012-2023
DJRANKINGS.ORG n.g.o.
Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan

Created by Ajaxel CMS

Terms & Privacy