Why do my tracks sound so cheesy?
Hi Guys,
I’ve been producing in live and logic for about a year, and i’m beginning to get frustrated. I’m trying to make big, fat, killer tracks, and everything turns into a cheesy, trance melody. Any suggestions? Any one know from experience how to break that barrier from amateur tracks? Thanks so much!
Well, sound design wise, it sounds too “presetish”. Try going a step further and work on not sounding like what’s on the market. Using big unfiltered sawtooth synths with a power chord is basically the formula for an insta-trance song. Change that. Don’t be afraid of using more natural sounds either.
This is my take on the matter 
Maybe it’s related to process - do you fall in to a rut when composing the melodies or trying to make everything so agressive-sounding?
There’s actually a pretty good track in there somewhere.
A few things I notice – not a lot of distortion or grit anywhere. That really “clean” sound I think tends to give tracks a very 90’s trance vibe. I also don’t know what kind of reverb you’re using but it could be better. The delays times are a little strange, too.
Melodically you have some good stuff going on. Just needs more “teeth.”
At the risk of sounding like a shill since I pretty much always say this, might try signing up for Sonic Academy. Really was a game changer for me.
Some songs i tweak for weeks, some i finish in a few days, once i get on a roll, also, i use ableton, and logic, along with massive. I am probably going to be getting Dune any day now though. Where is the best place online to learn about sound programming (for dummies.) Enlighten me, friends!
Also, my white noise buildups sound like bullshit, they have no drive to them. Suggestions? Buildup techniques?
Dune is definitely not going to help with that I’d say, it’s like the go to synth for those trance/progressive house guys. Get something that’s a bit more raw and “analog” maybe, like the V2 collection from Arturia.
And instead of trying to right a “song”, maybe trying making a “DJ” tool instead.
i.e. a 6min track that’s really drum driven that would just sound killer on the dance floor, instead of trying to write a melody or hook.
See, i don’t quite enjoy percussion so much though. I love melody’s, and synths, i probably spend a minimum amount of time on percussion, it doesn’t excite me like chords, and hooks do…
Well, then no wonder your songs turn out cheesy.
I figured that, it also doesn;t help that i have little to no drum samples, suggestions there?
And I’m not saying it would just be all drums, just more focused on the groove instead of chord progressions and a melody with a counter melody to compliment it and a rhythm lead.
Here’s a perfect example,
Not that much percussion work, a lot of subtle synth work to compliment and move the groove along, and just subtle things that change constantly through out until you’re lost in it and before you know it it’s just crushing you.
For white noise, try using lfo in massive to create that wave effect (sounds like white noise is coming in waves, each one louder and louder).
Also you might want to switch up the kick pattern for the build ups - you hear a lot of that in afrojack’s songs and in many well produced dance tracks. It sounds fresh and keeps your ear waiting and wanting that drop. Try it with some crisp toms.
Consider adding a lower synth? Or use an extra oscillator in massive and drop it -24 (if you have an extra oscillator).
Also use an insert in massive with sine shaper or even clipper to add whitenoise to the synth and make it dirtier. LFO that shit.
You might want to add wobbles. Doesn’t have to be straight up dubstep, but you hear it in most house beats - wobbles fall on the snare. Play around with LFO.
Sounds a lot like Gigi D’Agostino, which I liked but moved away from.
Also for good drum samples, maschine is a good investment if you got some dough.
All EXTREMELY helpful guys! I’m trying some of these tips right now… So i have around $250 to spend, what should i look into buying?
I would save up.
Maschine is $669, and certainly comes with drum samples.
If it’s really burning a hole in your pocket, give a listen to samples for Konkrete, Tremors, and Abstrakt at Soniccouture.
gotta say i hate most of the drum samples with maschine…other ones are good but the drums just lacking to me
I feel like spending over $600 just for drums is a lot on my budget. I could get a $50 sample pack, and throw it into ultra beat, and then buy an AU synth, or something
Maschine is good for many more things besides just drums. You can hook you midi keyboard into it, use it for midi fighter instant grat, and it generally helps to layout ideas. You can pick one up new for $520 (yes retail, not educational).
If you don’t have the dough for full maschine, you could look into mikro.
If you don’t have dough for mikro, you can look into buying Battery, which has been a renowned drum machine software for years among producers.
So are we saying drums > synths?
Not really, you need both, but you say you already have massive right? That’s a really good synth that you can do a lot with, so you don’t really need another one atm. And if you’re lacking good drum samples, something like battery would help. Or you could search online for free drum samples too.
Or you could take another house/dubstep song with fat drums and sample those drums with Audacity or your daw and use those. Not sure if that would constitute a copyright issue though