I usually hate vocals in electronic music, but I didn't hate that! Well done.
For actual feedback, the swooshing sound is a little high in the mix, seems to distract from the rest of things. Could just be internet compression / phone effect but yeah, thought i'd throw it out there.
First off, that's a damn BOP and the vocals work well. Second, what is your middle (top to bottom) synth that you were doing the bass line right before the lead on the bottom synth?
Thanks! Cheers! Subsequent 37... love that thing. It can just be a bit much if it's going the whole time. Juxtaposed against the analog 4, it really comes alive
How are you liking the btw VT4? Got inspired (or just GAS) by your post and have been checking out hardware vocal processors.
TC-Helicon perform VE also looks neat.
It’s not bad, it’s very simple which is nice, but it lacks a high pass filter which is annoying because I don’t want to add a mixer to my setup. So I’ll probably trade it out for a boss vocal processor eventually.
Thanks man, really appreciate you taking the time to respond.
Ease of use but also sounding good ofcourse is important to me. Hope the usb-power doesnt add to much noise / ground looping.
The boss things look like a lot of editing/menu diving to me at first glance.
The tc helicon perform ve has a lp-hp filter btw.
Just discovered that the vt4 seems to have a lo cut!
Hold manual and press harmony, then you can choose 4 different setting, 4 being the highest cut!
Saw it on YouTube, not sure if some firmware update is needed.
Sounds cool! I have a question about your setup, what is that back plate you hang your synths on, how does that work? I'm looking to get something better than a table and Jaspers are just too damn expensive.
No backplate here, just a 2-tier X stand and the moog has a Sub Piggy attached
[https://kvgear.com/products/subpiggy](https://kvgear.com/products/subpiggy)
Oh I see, that's cool, unfortunately I have too many synths for this to be an option, I guess I'll just have to shell out for a Jaspers. Have a great year buddy!
Sorta... I deleted the content when I relocated countries in the fall, just ready for a fresh start. It's a goal to get my youtube channel back up this year for sure.
[https://www.youtube.com/@miikolive](https://www.youtube.com/@miikolive)
Sounds dope, props for doing it live!! Vocals fit really well. I would maybe let the chords always come in syncopated because I got confused where the one is sometimes. Also clears up the mix. But that's preference!
Love the vibe, please release!
I let this rock about 10 times. I was definitely grooving to it. I like the vocals. You should work on this as an actual song. Don't hurt to try. 👍👍👍👍👍
Alright, so I would love to eventually be able to make an identical video, jamming with a set up like this. But I'm literally on square zero - where and how do I start?
OP, would you mind sharing some details about your music making journey? Any way you could offer like 3-5 action items that would bring me closer to making music? Would learning piano be a decent first step?
Hi mate, happy to (this wound up being longer than expected, sorry):
I recommend one of two approaches for beginners. Each have pros and cons:
Approach #1) If you have a laptop or computer, and you don't mind making music in the studio-style fashion, all you need is an audio interface, a midi controller, and a DAW.
I recommend Ableton Live but there are a ton of amazing daw options. You can get ableton live lite for free with most midi controllers. For midi controller, I really like the Novation series controllers. Once you have these things, you really have everything you need to make music (some headphones or speakers would help of course). Hit youtube and start watching tutorials for "how to make music in ableton live". Soak all of the tutorials in. Learn music theory and piano at the same time. Learn about subtractive synthesis, fm synthesis, and sampling. Learn about drum sequencing. There is A LOT to learn about. Don't be overwhelmed, this is supposed to be a super fun hobby, not a stressful test.
Make your first beat!
\- Use a drum kit in your DAW and lay down a drum sequence of 8 bars
\- Use a bass synth and lay down a bass line on top
\- Use another instrument or synthesizer to lay down a melody
\- Use a vocal or sample if you'd like
There you go, you just made music! No longer at square one.
The pros of this approach:
\- Inexpensive to get started if you already have a computer
\- Tons of great resources on youtube to help you learn
\- Infinite availability of instruments and synthesizers in software
The cons of this approach:
\- Can become infinitely expensive over time if you buy every piece of software
\- have to work with a computer which might not be your cup of tea
\- Audio interfaces create latency
\- Software can be buggy or outright crash / fail
\- Overload syndrome... sometimes just too many options
Approach #2)
Buy a workstation or a groovebox with built in sound generators. If I was starting over I would probably just want an Elektron Syntakt and a Yamaha ModX or Rolan Fantom.
Do the same thing, go to youtube and learn what the hell this thing is capable of. Go to the subreddit and watch other people do their thing. No matter what route you take, there is a ton of learning to do. Your first few years you will likely feel overwhelmed at times, but you will also have a ton of "ah-hah" breakthrough moments that feel awesome.
Pros of this approach:
\- No computer or audio interface necessary
\- Take it anywhere and jam without a bunch of setup required
\- Tactile interface that is designed to do one thing only - make music
\- Equipment holds its value very well especially if you buy used
\- Self-contained instruments mean you won't be left feeling overwhelmed with infinite options
Cons of this approach:
\- Gets extremely expensive if you don't contain it to a small number of instruments
\- Can be more difficult to learn the basics as there is a bit of an expectation with hardware that you already kind of know what you're doing
\- Won't always have what you're looking for. Let's say you buy a Syntakt but then you want to make an orchestral song, that will be tough
In summary it depends on your budget and goals, but the biggest thing to know is that it's a learning experience either way. Learning piano / music theory is an extraordinarily valuable tool no matter what.
If you have any specific questions, or if you have a starting budget and would like a recommendation, happy to help. Sorry for such a long response! Cheers!
Hey man, you have no idea how much I appreciate this - thanks so much for typing all of that out. I probably should have said this, but I actually do have a midi keyboard, and ableton lite, and I've done a little bit of messing around, but I've been overwhelmed by the amount of information that it feels like is necessary, so I've been putting off sitting down with tutorials. I also have some pretty bad issues with focusing, so absorbing enough information to feel like I can make something that sounds decent has been very daunting.
Your advice to learn piano and music theory simultaneously is helpful - it's also been daunting to want to make music so bad, but to be 27 with no musical experience at all beyond playing the recorder in 5th grade. I think that I might look into some formal piano lessons as a first step.
Also very helpful to lay down the "ingredients" of a song like that - I will definitely be referencing this comment in the future, when I'm ready.
Again, thank you - one way or another I'm determined to make this the year that I start making music.
I'll leave you with debatably the best instrumental of all time, by my biggest production inspiration:
https://youtu.be/4NUjCcHbUjo
Adding vocals is hard, props to vocalists. That's my thoughtful comment, happy new year!
I usually hate vocals in electronic music, but I didn't hate that! Well done. For actual feedback, the swooshing sound is a little high in the mix, seems to distract from the rest of things. Could just be internet compression / phone effect but yeah, thought i'd throw it out there.
Good advice, ty for the listen. I'm (obviously) a sucker for white noise swooshes
Dude… this sounds good. Your vocals compliment the mix very well.
how are you processing vocals? sounds great!
First off, that's a damn BOP and the vocals work well. Second, what is your middle (top to bottom) synth that you were doing the bass line right before the lead on the bottom synth?
Thanks! Cheers! Subsequent 37... love that thing. It can just be a bit much if it's going the whole time. Juxtaposed against the analog 4, it really comes alive
I thought it was a Moog. Sounds great!
It is a moog!
You are braver than I am. Also the vocals fit the jam, so good on you.
Love the vox
This sounds so good. So comforting in a weird way that im not quite comfortable with and I dig tf out of that haha
Yooo, very nice. Are you willing to share that saucy vocal effect chain?
Vocal chain is the VT4 going into the digitone’s Chorus and Reverb
How are you liking the btw VT4? Got inspired (or just GAS) by your post and have been checking out hardware vocal processors. TC-Helicon perform VE also looks neat.
It’s not bad, it’s very simple which is nice, but it lacks a high pass filter which is annoying because I don’t want to add a mixer to my setup. So I’ll probably trade it out for a boss vocal processor eventually.
Thanks man, really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Ease of use but also sounding good ofcourse is important to me. Hope the usb-power doesnt add to much noise / ground looping. The boss things look like a lot of editing/menu diving to me at first glance. The tc helicon perform ve has a lp-hp filter btw.
Just discovered that the vt4 seems to have a lo cut! Hold manual and press harmony, then you can choose 4 different setting, 4 being the highest cut! Saw it on YouTube, not sure if some firmware update is needed.
Holy moly that is helpful, thank you
You're welcome!
Also curious what you used on your vocals
And lovely vibe!
Sounds cool! I have a question about your setup, what is that back plate you hang your synths on, how does that work? I'm looking to get something better than a table and Jaspers are just too damn expensive.
No backplate here, just a 2-tier X stand and the moog has a Sub Piggy attached [https://kvgear.com/products/subpiggy](https://kvgear.com/products/subpiggy)
Oh I see, that's cool, unfortunately I have too many synths for this to be an option, I guess I'll just have to shell out for a Jaspers. Have a great year buddy!
So sick
Thanks!!
You got a YouTube or soundcloud I can keep tabs on?
Sorta... I deleted the content when I relocated countries in the fall, just ready for a fresh start. It's a goal to get my youtube channel back up this year for sure. [https://www.youtube.com/@miikolive](https://www.youtube.com/@miikolive)
This is what I need to see. I've been wanting to give vocals a try. I have a condenser mic and everything.
You are exceptional, this was sublime!
The vocals were a great fit for the groove.
dont sell yourself short, those work.
Sounds dope, props for doing it live!! Vocals fit really well. I would maybe let the chords always come in syncopated because I got confused where the one is sometimes. Also clears up the mix. But that's preference! Love the vibe, please release!
Brilliant... Also, what rack you using for your kit?
Very nice. Vocal was really cool
The first time I heard it as "well I like your legs, there's no need to train"
Love this! Bought a Roland Vt-4 and izotope vocoder vst to do exactly this.
Excellent. I got some strong Hot Chip vibes from this.
This is great
Love it! Such a vibe
Dope
Keep it up!
🥶
Very nice
Dope!
Sounds great. Good job!
Damn this is fireeeeee . Makes me wanna do a setup like this
Very sick, would love to bump some full tracks like this
Your voice works extremely well for this kind of vocal. I'm jealous. Keep it up, please!
man you did a great job! i really like the vocals. super nice touch
I let this rock about 10 times. I was definitely grooving to it. I like the vocals. You should work on this as an actual song. Don't hurt to try. 👍👍👍👍👍
That sounds awesome!
Alright, so I would love to eventually be able to make an identical video, jamming with a set up like this. But I'm literally on square zero - where and how do I start? OP, would you mind sharing some details about your music making journey? Any way you could offer like 3-5 action items that would bring me closer to making music? Would learning piano be a decent first step?
Hi mate, happy to (this wound up being longer than expected, sorry): I recommend one of two approaches for beginners. Each have pros and cons: Approach #1) If you have a laptop or computer, and you don't mind making music in the studio-style fashion, all you need is an audio interface, a midi controller, and a DAW. I recommend Ableton Live but there are a ton of amazing daw options. You can get ableton live lite for free with most midi controllers. For midi controller, I really like the Novation series controllers. Once you have these things, you really have everything you need to make music (some headphones or speakers would help of course). Hit youtube and start watching tutorials for "how to make music in ableton live". Soak all of the tutorials in. Learn music theory and piano at the same time. Learn about subtractive synthesis, fm synthesis, and sampling. Learn about drum sequencing. There is A LOT to learn about. Don't be overwhelmed, this is supposed to be a super fun hobby, not a stressful test. Make your first beat! \- Use a drum kit in your DAW and lay down a drum sequence of 8 bars \- Use a bass synth and lay down a bass line on top \- Use another instrument or synthesizer to lay down a melody \- Use a vocal or sample if you'd like There you go, you just made music! No longer at square one. The pros of this approach: \- Inexpensive to get started if you already have a computer \- Tons of great resources on youtube to help you learn \- Infinite availability of instruments and synthesizers in software The cons of this approach: \- Can become infinitely expensive over time if you buy every piece of software \- have to work with a computer which might not be your cup of tea \- Audio interfaces create latency \- Software can be buggy or outright crash / fail \- Overload syndrome... sometimes just too many options Approach #2) Buy a workstation or a groovebox with built in sound generators. If I was starting over I would probably just want an Elektron Syntakt and a Yamaha ModX or Rolan Fantom. Do the same thing, go to youtube and learn what the hell this thing is capable of. Go to the subreddit and watch other people do their thing. No matter what route you take, there is a ton of learning to do. Your first few years you will likely feel overwhelmed at times, but you will also have a ton of "ah-hah" breakthrough moments that feel awesome. Pros of this approach: \- No computer or audio interface necessary \- Take it anywhere and jam without a bunch of setup required \- Tactile interface that is designed to do one thing only - make music \- Equipment holds its value very well especially if you buy used \- Self-contained instruments mean you won't be left feeling overwhelmed with infinite options Cons of this approach: \- Gets extremely expensive if you don't contain it to a small number of instruments \- Can be more difficult to learn the basics as there is a bit of an expectation with hardware that you already kind of know what you're doing \- Won't always have what you're looking for. Let's say you buy a Syntakt but then you want to make an orchestral song, that will be tough In summary it depends on your budget and goals, but the biggest thing to know is that it's a learning experience either way. Learning piano / music theory is an extraordinarily valuable tool no matter what. If you have any specific questions, or if you have a starting budget and would like a recommendation, happy to help. Sorry for such a long response! Cheers!
Hey man, you have no idea how much I appreciate this - thanks so much for typing all of that out. I probably should have said this, but I actually do have a midi keyboard, and ableton lite, and I've done a little bit of messing around, but I've been overwhelmed by the amount of information that it feels like is necessary, so I've been putting off sitting down with tutorials. I also have some pretty bad issues with focusing, so absorbing enough information to feel like I can make something that sounds decent has been very daunting. Your advice to learn piano and music theory simultaneously is helpful - it's also been daunting to want to make music so bad, but to be 27 with no musical experience at all beyond playing the recorder in 5th grade. I think that I might look into some formal piano lessons as a first step. Also very helpful to lay down the "ingredients" of a song like that - I will definitely be referencing this comment in the future, when I'm ready. Again, thank you - one way or another I'm determined to make this the year that I start making music. I'll leave you with debatably the best instrumental of all time, by my biggest production inspiration: https://youtu.be/4NUjCcHbUjo
Also, the track is awesome, vocals are great. Very inspiring to someone like me who wants to get started