MusicMan

8 hours ago, PavlovsCat said:

You're completely right.

Theoretically, someone could create the most exceptional song ever written and produced and with the sheer quantity of releases on Spotify the odds of it going viral without serious promotion and resonating with an audience would still be small. The sheer quantity of songs on Spotify and other music streaming platforms makes getting a song noticed very difficult-- especially without a  significant promotional effort. So, I think you have very good reason to celebrate this accomplishment and I love how the community is celebrating with you. 

The beauty of it all is that even if nobody heard my music, or I didn't share any of my music ever, I'd still be doing it just for the love and the fun, so everything else is always a bonus. It was definitely a really nice surprise and bonus on top though.

As for the community, it's things like this that make me really appreciate it even more. You're all a great bunch of people and have such interesting stories and experiences to share. Easily my favourite forum! ? 

23 hours ago, pseudopop said:

Congratulations and thanks for sharing! It's not exactly my style but I like it. In the 90s I had (briefly) in my playlist artists/bands like Unkle, Senser, Sneaker Pimps,  etc. and this gave me some positive flashbacks.

Good job!

And yes, please tell us what gear you used.

Thanks Pseudo and albeit not your style, I'm glad you could appreciate it in a way too ?

On 12/4/2022 at 2:31 PM, Starship Krupa said:

And of course, because we're plug-in hags, wanna know what goodies you used. As for FX, there's a nice sparkle on there, and of course we need to know what VSTi's were not harmed in the making of this tune.

23 hours ago, pseudopop said:

And yes, please tell us what gear you used.

It turned out there were quite a few to make a note of! For the production side it was:

Drums:

• A whole heap of oneshot samples!
• SoundToys Decapitator
• V-Clip
• Acustica Audio Viridian2 EQ
• RC-20 by XLN Audio
• Hornet Tape
• Softube Tape
• Kilohearts Pitch Shifter
• Softube FET Compressor
• AMEK EQ200
• SPL Transient Designer Plus
• K-Clip 3
• Lindell Audio 80 Series Channel Strip by Plugin Alliance

Bass:

• Vital and Subdivine synths
• Fabfilter Saturn 2
• Fabfilter Pro MB
• AMEK EQ200

Lead:

• Vital Synth
• BX Opto compressor
• Acustica Audio Viridian2 EQ
• Softube Tape

Vocals:

• BRA VPRE73
• Maag EQ4
• Acme Opticom XLA3 compressor
• Acustica Audio Viridian2 EQ
• kazrog Synth Warmer

FX / rev:

• Valhalla Room
• Valhalla Delay
• Audio Damage Dubstation 2
• SoundToys Decapitator

Fabfilter ProQ3 was everywhere, so I didn't list that separately.

Also funny to think that with lots of expensive synths I went with a free one for the bulk of it! Although technically I did pay for it and get the plus version to lend some support to his project ?

Mixdown

Mixdown was done in Harrison Consoles Mixbus32C with some of the same plugins mentioned and then:

• SPL Iron
• Amethyst4 by Acustica Audio
• SPL Vitalizer
• Cream2 by Acustica Audio
• BX 9000J SSL console
• IK T-Racks Master EQ 432
• XT-CC Console Compressor

I somewhat found it interesting reflecting back on what options I chose for the various parts as I hadn't done that since finishing it ?

17 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

It's great! Yeah, upbeat funky vibe. Something about the vocal production and the bass tone reminds me of Eddy Grant.

Even people on here who aren't much into EDM, I'm sure they'll appreciate the performances, mixing, and cool production flourishes.

And of course, because we're plug-in hags, wanna know what goodies you used. As for FX, there's a nice sparkle on there, and of course we need to know what VSTi's were not harmed in the making of this tune.

Thanks heaps Erik, I really appreciate the nice comments about the track! Also for the gentle nudge towards sharing a link ?

That's funny about the plugins and instruments and it seems you're not alone there which makes perfect sense for this forum, so I'll definitely open up the project and make a note of them and share here too! Haha...

20 hours ago, Patrick Wichrowski said:

Congratulations

Thanks Patrick! ?

6 hours ago, kevin H said:

As someone that shared one of my PA vouchers with you id like to take full credit for your success. I’d  also like a cut from your sales also please ?. In all seriousness congrat

I seriously laughed loudly reading this one ? Well played Kevin, well played! Haha...  and thanks, I really do appreciate it ?

7 hours ago, Marc Cormier said:

Congrats, MM—thanks for sharing the goodness!  This is really nice to hear.  A buddy of mine is a DJ here in Detroit and I hear stories about how hard it is to even get that far.  Enjoy the buzz!!!

Thanks Marc and it was a really nice surprise!

I read somewhere that 40,000 to 50,000 songs are released on Spotify every day, so it makes me wonder how that can leave space for any of use newbies... so to hear the track played anywhere is already way more than I expected ?

1 hour ago, Starship Krupa said:

Congratulations! And for heaven's sake, post a link to where we can listen to the song. I guarantee everyone in this thread is dying to hear it. You can't be shy any more, it's been on the radio! Not a popular genre? We're musicians, we can hear the quality in any kind of music.

And I'll chime in with saying that the times I heard my band on the radio (or being played by the DJ in my favorite bar) were very special ones. And I hope to do it again, as indie rocker turned electronica guy. Soma.FM here we come (I hope).

Thanks Erik! You have touched on an interesting point for me too.. I think part of the reluctance to share on here, is partially because of all the experience and knowledge everyone else has and that there are a lot of accomplished musicians here as well.

I do understand a lot of the techniques and can easily hear what I like when it comes to all of the tools, instruments and everything, but I'm still very much green and just starting out with production, so I just tend to feel it's not good enough to share if I'm being fully open.

But maybe this is one of those growth moments where I just need to push myself out of my comfort zone and rip the bandaid off!

Here's my Linktree if anyone did want to give it a listen on whichever streaming platform they prefer. It has socials too if anyone wanted to follow along as well ?

https://linktr.ee/disorderlyconductor

I love your story too Erik and I really hope that happens for you too!

2 hours ago, PavlovsCat said:

Larry, we're in the deals forum in a thread that has nothing  to do with deals in a place where we all go on tangents -- me being a major offender. But why is actually not a bad thing? Why is actually a really good thing?

Because it reveals how we connect. We understand. We relate. We care. We're celebrating MusicMan's success and remembering our own fond moments. I'd put money on it that @MusicMan enjoys all of it, because he knows that we're happy for him and it resonates (please chime in and share your thoughts!). I love seeing you and others share your stories and it's fun to share my old stories that my kids have already heard (whenever a Pumpkins song is on the radio, so Im sure it inspires them to  want to quickly change the channel before I tell the story again!). All of this camaraderie is what I makes me so fond of this community. I'm not just here for the deals. It's my outlet to geek out on all things music related. 

You're completely on the money Peter and I'd almost have to check that I was logged in to the right forum if there wasn't at least a tangent, or two!! ?

And sometimes those random tangents from everyone have so awesome pearls of wisdom, or get us all thinking, so I love them too ?

11 hours ago, cclarry said:

FWIW...I didn't mean to hijack this thread, but just wanted to point out what an incredible feeling it
is to be "on the radio" for the first time, so much so in fact that it's still one of the highlights of life 42
years later

Love that Lars and glad you shared it and how much it still means all these years later.

I didn't take it as a hijack, or mind at all and it was completely related, so it's 100%  all good by me ?

12 hours ago, husker said:

Its so nice to hear stories like this.  I really struggle to even finish a song.  Its been awhile since that actually happened.

This is totally me too! Haha.. that's why I just picked the one I was working on at the time and went with it. Otherwise another year would've passed and I still wouldn't have released one. I seem to learn more in that final push as well and having to complete it, so I'm just trying to do that now.

But a lot of songs just grow out of jamming with a new synth, or testing out a plugin and then I end up making half a track and thinking I better save it for later, so I'm certain I'm not going to completely solve it! ?

13 hours ago, Spice3d said:

Big congrats dude. With all the algos and stuff these days, it’s quite an accomplishment. 

My band’s self-released 45 from the 80s is more popular today than it ever was when we first made it. I think a copy went for $2k recently. ? Collectors are crazy. 
 

Thanks Spice! And I do think the algos kill the creativity a little these days, in that they seem to favour people staying in a very narrow lane, which is definitely not what I want to do! I just love music.. all sorts and so I'll probably end up with a mix of genres anyway ? I don't have many followers on Spotify yet and this was only my first song, so at this stage it doesn't matter too much! Haha..

Love that about yours going for $2K, that's epic! Well done ?

10 minutes ago, cclarry said:

Not ONE single Mix Engineer is EVER happy with their mix...even after it's done and released.  They always have "second thoughts" LOL!

I am aware of some technical flaws in the mix, but you know what, I do take some comfort hearing that ?

2 minutes ago, PavlovsCat said:

That's awesome! Can you share a link? I want to listen too! 

I can, although I had to mix the entire thing in headphones, so I'm not happy with the mix and it's probably not a popular genre, but I'll  PM you with a link anyway ?

27 minutes ago, cclarry said:

Just for giggles I did a google search....and THERE THEY WERE! Crazy
https://music.metason.net/artistinfo?name=Mark Barrett And Rocks&title=I'm Back

Recorded at K&R Records here in Detroit!

Love that! Can't wait to listen to it ?

40 minutes ago, Toffo said:

Congratulations. It would have been quite the buzz!

It was!it's not much for most people and I get that, but it's the first track that I released so it was pretty novel hearing it on the radio ?

22 minutes ago, cclarry said:

I remember the first time having a track played on WWWW Radio Station (called W4) here in Detroit!
We released it on 45!  It was a HUGE DEAL for us LOL  Especially back in 1980!  Craig St. James was the DJ and
I was sitting in the Radio Studio with him!  Ah the memories! The two songs were entitled:

"Someone's There" and "I'm Back"

There really needs to be a ❤️ emoji available for this post, a like doesn't quite cut it ? That would've been so cool!

1 minute ago, Toffo said:

Is it? I wouldn't know

Haha... Yeah mostly me neither as well ?

Not a deal: Just had one of my tracks played on the radio tonight for the first time, so buzzing a little ? 

Edit: Adding links (still semi reluctantly!) to the track on the various platforms after a few people requested to hear it ?

https://linktr.ee/disorderlyconductor

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Ended up going for:

• VCL-864U
• VCL-373
• VCL-4
• Flywheel

I quite like them all, especially the first 3. I have lots of tapes and Flywheel is just another flavour / option to have.

373 surprised me and does something really cool with hats and cymbals. and 864 can get pretty punchy with snappy transients and VCL-4 works great on vocals and adds some nice warmth. Easily worth the price of admission.

The sale is still on too ? 

7 hours ago, User 905133 said:

I got the "its in stock" e-mail that says "Special price: $125.00."  So the $62.50 must be with the 50% off discount.

I need to check to see if they will be giving me it for the price I paid before they corrected the error ($4.99), if they have given me a credit for the ($4.99),  or if they took an additional $121.01 from me without my permission.  I doubt they made a mistake and gave me back $499.

Since it says the order was completed but I was never sent the actual serial number from I might just be out the $4.99.  

They normally seem pretty good with pricing mistakes and honoring them. I've never seen, or heard of them not doing that and providing the goods. It's quite possible they have, but it doesn't seem the norm, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if you got the bundle at that price.

8 hours ago, abacab said:

Pricing error on the first go-around ($4.99). You gotta be fast around here, LOL!!! ?

You sure do!! Some pricing errors barely last half an hour.. sometimes you might not even have chance to do a full demo! ?

2 hours ago, mibby said:

Haha!  Yes.  Timezone difference maybe? I'm in the US...

I saw it this morning but thought I'd wait.

Looks like the gig is up Mibby... I'm not sure what their normal loyalty offers are in their common sales, but it did seem like a good price. In many cases waiting is not always a good option if it's something you want!