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Something Sinister // Produced by QTEK

QTEK
Sat, 13/02/2010 - 5:21pm Style

Average: 3.7 (9 votes)
3.666665

So this is my first ever track 'Something Sinister'. I started this one quite a while ago and then lost interest/motivation and put it on the back burner until very recently. Words of wisdom from Rhyspdk were actually a big part of my motivation to get this one out there, get some feedback that I can use to improve my game and to move onto the next project.

It is a little rough around the edges and needs some work - so I'm not too worried about stars more just constructive feedback that I use to improve my game at this stage.

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  • Length: 7:26 minutes (10.21 MB)
  • Format: MP3 Stereo 44kHz 192Kbps (CBR)
  • Plays: 71
  • Downloads: 9
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Comments

Sat, 13/02/2010 - 5:58pm
rhyspdk
noted
Hej Q just had a quick

Hej Q just had a quick listen as I get ready for work. Good to hear some of your production man, I'm going to download it and give it a few more run through's on my commute so I'll get in depth with it later this weekend. Well done on getting the first one out there.

--

Peace in the middle east.............. Rhys.

Sat, 13/02/2010 - 6:04pm
QTEK
uttered
in reply to: Hej Q just had a quick
Thanks Rhys much appreciated

Thanks Rhys much appreciated mate...

Sat, 13/02/2010 - 9:31pm
Phaze_5
explained
Hey Q, this is quite good
3

Hey Q, this is quite good for your first production, especially considering you only got your gear quite recently.

OK here goes, I will try & make this breif. The high hats are good, they don't sound too robotic & have a nice little swing. You certainly have a clear structure to the track which is good though. I think the track could certainly benefit from being more layered in places. Things like arpeggiating your bassline in places could help add variety & dynamic to the track. The bassline certainly does live up to the title but the long drawn out notes all the way through could be more interesting. The outro is good, nice a DJ friendly which is something to consider when arranging. Things like fills, variations, crescendos etc help with a tracks dynamic & energy & also give it a more polished feel.

Good effort & keep it up, you will only improve in leaps & bounds no doubt.

--

Phaze_5

Sun, 14/02/2010 - 8:06am
Csm
pointed out
Hey Q, great effort for a
4

Hey Q, great effort for a first production! I'm liking that pulsing, reverse style bass line, nice and dark, and sits well with the title. I think at the start the intro beats/build felt a bit incongruous to the rest of the track, so maybe in stead of developing a more complex kik/snare rhythm, maybe it would be worthwhile experimenting with other methods of maintaining interest, like crescendo rolls or reverse reverbs etc. etc. (there are millions of options out there) – but then again, i am a fan of minimalism so this could just be me Sticking out tongue

The rest of the track i think is pretty good, and i'm liking all the little things in there, but i guess i'm not seeing this as a big hands-in-the-air set climax track, i feel as though its more of a filler, or even like more or a lounge track – you can dance to it, but it's just as good as background music.

Keep up the good work man: can't wait to hear more stuff from you!

Peace,
C:s'm

Sun, 14/02/2010 - 8:36am
QTEK
remarked
in reply to: Hey Q, great effort for a
Thanks Phaze and CSM for

Thanks Phaze and CSM for your feedback.

Yeah I've just listened to it again and it can definitely do with a lot of finessing to breath some life into it. Drum rolls and effects are two things I neglected but could definitely spice things up a bit.

I'll give it a shot as soon as I get a chance.

Que.

Sun, 14/02/2010 - 1:01pm
Sam Hart
mentioned
Not bad at all dude i like
4

Not bad at all dude i like that big lead bass sound you have used fits in really well.
Also i think the structure is spot on.Very sinister indeed cant wait for some more.

P.S Are you using ableton to produce?

Sun, 14/02/2010 - 1:19pm
QTEK
remarked
in reply to: Not bad at all dude i like
Thanks for the listen and

Thanks for the listen and feedback Sam. Yeah am using Ableton Live 8 at the moment plus plug ins. I have Logic 9 but you just about need a degree to work that!

I agree with what you said on your other post about just trying to keep things simple and focus on arrangement. Same here.

What are you using to produce with?

Sun, 14/02/2010 - 3:10pm
Sam Hart
noted
in reply to: Thanks for the listen and
all i got is ableton live 7

all i got is ableton live 7 with my keyboard and mouse.
i really want to get some production gear. Which i should have by now but need cash because im in the middle of moving house.
I really hate moving.

Mon, 01/03/2010 - 7:09am
Djwanx
announced
deep and dark!!some what of
4

deep and dark!!some what of a journey for me!
the percussion sits in just wright!

--

slappityslapp

Mon, 01/03/2010 - 8:47am
QTEK
uttered
in reply to: deep and dark!!some what of
Thanks mate, glad you liked.

Thanks mate, glad you liked. Deep and dark was definitely the aim for this one.

Fri, 05/03/2010 - 6:52pm
Fishn
mentioned
Hey Q, At first the track
4

Hey Q,
At first the track was not doing anything an then the bass climbed out and bit me in the backside. Ive had quite a few listens now and really like the dark tones set throughout. It starts minimal and ends minimal but really builds nicely in the middle section. Glad you have had a crack at production and as a first work this is great.

Fri, 05/03/2010 - 9:05pm
QTEK
noted
in reply to: Hey Q, At first the track
Fishn! You're still alive!

Fishn! You're still alive! Was wondering when you were coming back...

Thanks for the listen mate. Glad you liked. I can only improve from here.

So when do we get to hear some new material from yourself?

Fri, 05/03/2010 - 10:14pm
Fishn
uttered
in reply to: Fishn! You're still alive!
No probs, Work has been

No probs, Work has been relentless the last 6 weeks since we spoke but I do have a new series Ill be posting up...

Sat, 06/03/2010 - 11:17pm
emc
mentioned
Really nice track man.
4

Really nice track man. rollin toms and dark lines with intense rythmic flows. maybe the bass could have done with some more tweaking like some gradual gain or shortening the release and the cymbal leading into the drop was a little common but all rounnd sterling first effort. i really enjoyed it.

--

emc

Sun, 07/03/2010 - 9:01am
QTEK
remarked
in reply to: Really nice track man.
Cheers EMC! Some really

Cheers EMC! Some really good feedback there that I can use - exactly what I was after.

I did kind of rush this one out as it was bugging me that it was just sitting there lying dormant waiting to be finished for so long.

Not sure I'll do any more to this track - it was just a learning experience. But I'll definitely take on board all advice given for my next track - whenever that happens!

Thanks again mate...

Mon, 22/03/2010 - 8:44pm
Luke Lawrence
pointed out
It's taken a while mate,
3

It's taken a while mate, sorry...

Wasn't a fan of the main percussion line as much as I was of the organic drums in the breakdown (thought you were heading towards something tribal). Like emc says, some elements were very familiar, but nevertheless effective.

The structure was a little rudimentary as well, but I do like how you handle your peaks and breakdowns - very well done! Definitely a sinister piece of work.

Try processing your samples a little more thoroughly before utilising them... the main percussion line was very generic, as was the cymbal rush towards your peaks.

This definitely has a lot of, dare I sound common, potential and i think as a producer it's apparent you've got some great ideas... there's nothing wrong with the style or the level of energy in this piece, it's just the technical aspects of your samples that needs some work IMO.

Good start Q, let's hear some more. Smiling Or a re-work of this one would be interesting.

Cheers
Luke

Tue, 23/03/2010 - 2:56am
rhyspdk
jabbered
Q the vibe is just right,
3

Q the vibe is just right, much like what I would expect you to use in one of your mixes. Overall the sounds and spread of the track is great, I think the the sequencing could be changed to give it some more drive and build more as it seems to just kind of roll along, nothing wrong with that I'd just prefer it to have more of a destination.

The sound quality and mixdown need more attention. The bottom end seems to be pushed really hard and seems to struggle for space at times. First thing I'd suggest is hi passing everything that doesn't offer any strength down there, then EQ'ing each bass end part dropping frequencies rather than raising anything and just giving each part a bit more room to breath and pulse. The play on hats and claps is cool but i think they're lightly too far forward and could drop into the mix a bit more either with some subtle reverb or just backing off the fader. The fills and changes show you've put some time into it and work really well. The main droning line could have its parameters automated to give it some more motion. Some random stabs or cut vocals spread out with some big delays on them would add that extra layer without crowding it too much.

All in all a sterling first effort. Hope your inspired to move on and delve deeper into more production from here and you know the good users of undiscovered will be here to give an opinion.

--

Peace in the middle east.............. Rhys.

Tue, 23/03/2010 - 11:38am
QTEK
brought up
in reply to: Q the vibe is just right,
Rhys and Luke, Thanks so

Rhys and Luke,

Thanks so much for taking the time to really listen and to give detailed critical feedback, its exactly what I was after. I've got a lot out of what both of you have offered. I made the mistake of getting impatient and putting the track up before I'd really put all the finishing touches on it - but at least now I have a better idea of what those finishing touches are. Some of the samples were definitely generic and I'll be sure to not cut any corners with my next one. I wrote my car off over xmas and both my Dance Music Manual and Ableton Live 8 books were lost with the car. I plan to replace them soon.

I've actually started studying at uni this year and the workload is still a little overwhelming so not too sure when I will have a chance to make another track let alone put another mix up! I haven't even listened to any Beatport or anything similar since last year - why I haven't been too active on here recently. I still login every now and then to see whats going on - which is not a lot lately!

Anyway, I ramble! Thanks again guys - I will definitely take on board everything and use it in my next track whenever that may be!

Thu, 25/03/2010 - 5:09am
rhyspdk
added
in reply to: Rhys and Luke, Thanks so
Q each and every time your

Q each and every time your boot up your studio and with each track you lay down you'll push forward and learn more about every aspect of production. It's always good to listen to your past efforts and dip into them tweaking them or borrowing parts of them for other productions. Spend the time shaping the sounds, perfecting the sequencing and working on the mixdown before you know it you'll be itching to play your tracks at your next night and then you'll see how the crowd react and then it's back to the studio for more tweaking.

Your uni study sounds daunting but everyone needs a healthy distraction, so dipping into your music for 45 mins at a time can break up the monotony of hard work. Doing things in short bursts saves you on ear fatigue too. What are you studying?

Anyway man looking forward to hearing more from you. Don't make us wait too long.

--

Peace in the middle east.............. Rhys.

Mon, 19/04/2010 - 11:23am
str80180
added
Really dug it bro its got a
4

Really dug it bro its got a silmilar dark backroomy type feel that i try to create when i make techno. Really nice bass and percusive elements. I maybe would have tried to sidechain the bass a little to give it a little bit of a pulse but i really enjoyed it and its really close being something i would include in one of my dj set.

Top work dude and sorry it took so long to get around to commenting on

Mon, 19/04/2010 - 6:00pm
QTEK
noted
in reply to: Really dug it bro its got a
Thanks Str80. Glad you liked

Thanks Str80.

Glad you liked it. Its quite similar to your newie in many ways. I can tell you've put quite a bit more polish onto yours though which has given me a few ideas for my next track.

Que.