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Audio Questionnaire

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Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 19:21:06


I'm working on a school project whose primary purpose is to discover the ties between science and music. To do this I'm going to be interviewing various people and I'm also going to do some questionnaires. This questionnaire is about music creation and the psychological effects of music.

I know 98% of the people reading this are musicians, so can any of you fill it in? The answers don't have to be massively detailed, although some detail would be appreciated of course.

--

1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

--

That's it! Post away!


Review Request Club | CHECK THIS OUT | Formerly Supersteph54 | I'm an Audio Moderator. PM me for Audio Portal help.

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Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 19:34:30


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote:
1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Orchestral, because it's the only genre that I know how to make apparently.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

I listen to everything, even some country.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

It's a hobby. Where I live, it being a career isn't an option.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Piano.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

I plunk ou something my on Yamaha and if it sounds good I record it.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

For me, my music follows a story. I let the listener decide on the details themselves though.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Procrastination. Lots of work with very little returns.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

It lets me tell the stories I want to tell, without being obvious. I let the listener make up their own mind.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Emotional feel.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

I try to do it best I can, but I'm far from good in my mixes.

That's it! Post away!

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 19:39:36


1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

"Electronic," broadly defined. It has interesting arrangements (usually...sorta). I like to write in other genres/styles as well.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

I don't have a favorite genre, just songs that have interesting arrangements.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Hobby.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Guitar, some piano.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

Composing, arranging, mixing, mastering. I get ideas from stories, themes, images, etc.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

I prefer music that tells a story emotionally and, of course, sounds good.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Mastering, because I don't have monitors or an acoustically treated room.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

Creating or representing stories/themes/ideas.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

That it doesn't sound boring - if it sounds boring and cliche then there's no point in really writing it at all...

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

Engineering is always very important, but if the composition is boring then what's the point of even listening?

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 19:41:59


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote: 1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Miscellaneous ambient/funky music, because it's awesome. I LOVE spreading out to different genres, because that lets me grow as an artist.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

...miscellaneous ambient/funky music. Of course, I also will listen to just about anything as long as it's original and well-made. Those are my two requirements.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Hobby, but I want to make it as a career!

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Piaaaaaanoooooo~

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

Inspiration: Think for a while, get a few bad ideas, then randomly get a good idea and make it.
Process: Linear, I make it from start to finish, occasionally fiddling with parts I had previously 'finished'.
Steps: (A)Think of idea. (B)Start making it. (C)Figure out that it won't work and start over. (D)Think of other idea. (E)Start making it. (F)Become inspired again. (G)Plan. (H)Find out that the song wants to do something else entirely. (I)Plan again. (J)Work more on song. (K)Fail a bit. (L)Finally finish song.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

...why would one of them need to be more important? All of them should be in the best music.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Mixing and finding the right instruments. I can't make my own instruments and I'm not that good at mixing.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

I enjoy making music and sharing it, period. I see no reason to try to isolate a specific enjoyable aspect.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Keeping it from being repetitive or 'rambling'. Also, BAD TRANSITIONS (including intro and outdo, though intro not as much). Transitions are really important, people! D:

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

Composition is more important than mixing/mastering/technical production, partially because it is also an integral part of mixing/mastering/technical production. While it is possible to mix properly without good composition skill, it is quite a bit more difficult, and good composition is FAR more rare than good mixing/mastering skill.


Stuff.

My AIM piece is found if you clicky the image.

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Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 19:54:33


I usually don't make my OWN music, but I do sing and write original LYRICS often, so...I guess I can take this. My answers are in italics.

1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?I usually do rap. I have no clue why I like it so much, but once I discovered I could rap by means of a karaoke game, I just started practicing and became extremely fond of it. As for spreading out, I'm all for it. I don't wanna be a one trick pony, after all. I'm okay at singing, but rapping is where I'm most comfortable.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything? Hmm...I LOVE Classic Rock the most, and before that, it was Country. When I learned I could rap, the only time I listened to it without it being like a radio station or something was when I was looking for a song to cover.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby? THIS is a question I ponder every day. Every part of me screams that I'll never be able/want to do it for a career, but the idea is still so appealing that I haven't stopped considering it.
4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play? I play the throat! No, but really, the only instrument I ever played was the recorder way back in 3rd grade. I would LOVE to learn how to play an acoustic guitar, though!

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song? For me, it's writing and recording. When I write ANYTHING (not just lyrics) I think of an emotion, and curve the writing in that direction. I want to make people FEEL what I write, so I conjure up a story in my mind, and I run with it.
6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?I can't decide between my own emotions and thoughts or telling a story. To me, music is just another form of narration. You're telling a story, just in a different way. If you have no emotion, that point of the story falls flat. Also, I feel that if you put your heart and soul into a song, it will sound good no matter what. You can't please everyone...

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why? When I rap, I noticed that I have little wordplay. I just say things straight, and the point isn't drawn out as much as it could be. So...I'd say stylistic choices are the hardest thing to make. I wanna change it, but then it wouldn't be...It wouldn't be "me" enough.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music? The performance, and the satisfaction of getting it heard. I don't do it for myself. There's always a target audience, and chances are someone is gonna be able to relate. I do it for others, but I will ignore those who bash it just to bash it. I don't think I enjoy anything too far above anything else, but those two are the main aspects.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track? Overly sensitive topics. It's okay to USE them, but you have to be mindful. I'm not saying pussyfoot around it, but don't be an uncaring prick. Try to address it carefully and thoughtfully. Don't try and offend people intentionally.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition? I don't worry about THIS too much, because that can always be fixed later. I don't have the resources to do it well, so I just try to do my best to make it sound good without needing too much editing.

Hope this helped!

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 19:55:06


1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Orchestral is pretty much the only "genre" I create, but I travel all over from Medieval to even Orchstep and modern music. I stick with the orchestra because it is my personal belief that the orchestra is the ultimate "instrument", capable of nearly any tone and feel imaginable if you know how to create it. However, I do enjoy bringing folk and solo instruments into the mix to add to it. In addition, I have absolutely no clue how to write pretty much any other genre.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

I love swing jazz from the 20s and such... listen to it all the time. I will also listen to all forms of orchestral and choral music. I don't mind blues, light rock, SOME pop, ambient, and other 'easier' genres. If someone asks me to listen to their dubstep or electronic, I don't mind listening at all, but I am not versed in those so I look at it from a tonal prospective- does it sound good to me?

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

I plan to go to college for game or film scoring and make a career out of it. However, that is not to say I enjoy writing pieces on a hobby basis- most of my best works have been just me coming up with something and running with it.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Trombone, Bass Trombone, and I can make some sqeaky noises on Bass Recorder for lols. I also bang on the piano when no one is looking, although I don't know technically how to play.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

For the most part, I start with harmony and chords before I come up with a melody. Sometimes I can simply visualize the final piece in my head (then comes the fun-fun part of trying to figure out what the heck the chords and rhythms are!) and capture an element of that. Other times, I use a more formulaic approach- most styles of music have certain 'base motifs' and "ideas" about instrumentation (like "the contrabass generally does x, and the violins stick to the upper register" and so on). Once I have a melody fragment, I run with it. If I don't finish in one sitting (1-4 hrs.), it's very likely I will never finish it and it will sit in my folder of old WIPs until I need to find a quick melody for a score.
I rarely work off of other folk's work, but when I do need inspiration, I like looking at scores from the Romantic Period to the Early 20th Century. Sometimes film scores will inspire me as well.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

I'd like to say putting my emotions into the track is the most important part, but I find that when I try telling a story with the music, I have a far more enjoyable piece afterwards. When I simply focus on sounding good (such as those "Epic cinematic" type tracks), it turns out boring (to me), although folks seem to just love that stuff.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Getting ideas down on the computer... I really need to work more on ear training and such.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

Experiencing the feeling of creation. There's something really unique and divine about sitting down and generating something from (presumably) nothing. I enjoy approaching each measure, each phrase as a problem and trying to "solve" it. That's what keeps me composing- the feeling of discovery and creation. The other thing I enjoy is when I get to collaborate or share things with others... I just love being able to hear how someone will approach a melody or style compared to me.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

I like my instruments to reflect the mood in their tonality. I don't want my brass to sound like someone is growling hard when I'm writing a soft bit, and I go to great lengths to make my instruments fit the feel.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

I have found that my own amount of effort regarding mastering is extremely small compared to others... I generally just mix, apply reverb within the PLAY vst plugin, and go. I hate compression and I'm never really content when someone else mixes/masters my music for me (I always find it's too harsh and the expressiveness is lost completely... at least, so far as I have heard). I do go pretty all out on the mix to make sure instruments are in their correct spot. I think I am a bit of a reverbaholic though, as I like rather heavy wet reverb on almost everything.


My Music - Virtual Instruments - About Me

Orchestral Composer, VI Developer

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Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 19:55:22


Here come my answers:

------

1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Mainly neo-classical, liturgical and tribal stuff. Neo-classical ties me back to my classical roots (I was classically trained in music), and when done well, sounds epic. Liturgical stuff, well, it ties to another part of me, my faith. Tribal stuff... I do that because it features my favourite instrument -- the drum. A lot.

Yes, I do like spreading out to different genres -- I've attempted electronic (video game), rock and I don't know what else.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

I can't say I have a specific genre. Yes, some genres stand out more to me than others, but where a piece has good musicality, I would listen to it and love it.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Neither (I don't want to degrade my musical aspirations as merely a 'hobby'). I do aspire to make this a career, but at the moment I'm stuck in the stocks they call Legal Practice Course...

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Piano (and by proximity, pipe organ and electronic keyboards), drums.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

Some of my inspiration comes from songs I hear, but most of it comes from real-life events and places, or just things around me that are breathtaking when properly appreciated. Examples would be World Youth Day, a few days spent in Stonyhurst College, Lancashire; a walk from Westminster to Tyburn, or even a personal struggle. All of my NGADM submissions so far, though varied in musicality, have one common inspiration: a person's search for that which will set him free.

Much of the music I can make has to be done digitally (I do not have an instrument to my name apart from a guitar, which I have been trying to pick up but failed, a pair of drumsticks and my voice). So I resort to FL Studio..... and painful mouse-clicking of every note. Melodies usually come first, although there are fragments of lyrics that appear in my head every now and then, and I attempt to set them to music.

Sometimes, I hear fragments of a full original song in my head, as if it were properly orchestrated, mixed and performed to an audience. I am slowly regaining that ability -- I lost it for a time. Then, I work my way from there.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

All three are equally important to me.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Production, mainly because it has only been a little more than a year and a half using a sequencer on a regular basis. Up till now, and in fact ever since I was 13, all my music-making focused solely on the music itself. My earlier pieces on Newgrounds reflect this: although the tunes are memorable, the mixing is wanting.

At any rate, I am still learning.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

The fact that, done well, music can be sort of a higher calling. Also, the music itself.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

At the moment, all I can say is 'everything', because every NGADM judge I have come across (and in fact, practically everyone) can and will say that my production is wanting!

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

Composition takes priority -- without this, the fundamentals of a good piece of music are not set. Mixing fleshes these fundamentals out and gives them character, shape and form.

------

There, hope this was helpful.

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 20:35:04


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote: 1.) What genre do you usually make

Some nameless mix of jazz, rock and classic electronica.

and why do you make this genre so often?

I almost always begin a song with a set of chords, and the more exotic chords that characterize jazz make for a good starting point. Also my guitar teacher forced me to listen to a lot of it, and it grew on me months after I quit. Rock and classic electronica are just formats that I'm comfortable with.

Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Yes. I don't really have one genre that's "home", so that's easy.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

Erm, that depends on the day and time of day that you ask. Good musicianship and creativity in the music is more important than the genre for me it seems. I'm listening to Rachmaninoff now but I listened to Nick Drake earlier today, Röyksopp yesterday and Riverside not long before that.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Solely as a hobby. Hopefully I can fund it properly with whichever career I pursue when I get to university

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

I play guitar and I pretend that I can play a bit of bass and piano.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

I write down the initial seed of inspiration - it can be a guitar lick, a sound I found, a chord or whatever. Then I build a chord progression around it, and then I figure out which sounds will work with it. Then I slowly build on it either vertically (more and more elements/sounds/instruments) or horizontally (adding new parts) until I have some minutes worth of music. I usually work on the mixing and production simultaneously so the final mixing/polishing process takes a day tops.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

Putting my own thoughts (as in ideas) and maybe emotions in the track is almost always priority #1 out of those. Making it sound good is #2. Telling a story isn't always necessary.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Getting the song from the "cool 30 second long musical idea" stage to the "well-structured 3-5 minute song" stage. That's just where I run into a creative wall most of the time. I get a lot of ideas but rarely have the ideas and motivation necessary to get songs done.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

Two main things.
- it's fun
- to exist as a creative being, rather than only being a consumer, brings me a deep and profound happiness.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Hard to decide what to put as #1, but I find if I forget about a track I'm working on for a few days and then come back to it, I notice a whole bunch of things that I had overseen completely the first time around. So do that.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

For recorded music these are about equal, but I'll rather have an excellent composition with lackluster production than a boring and cliched song with a tight production and a polished mix.

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 20:52:11


1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?
My "Primary" genre is metal, be it heavy metal or symphonic power metal. I make this because it's the genre that works for me the most, I just love the sound of heavy guitars with an epic lead guitar on top, plus symphonic power metal is the most interesting of all genres to work on, so much to play with!
I write in all kinds of genres though, not limited to Soundtrack (classical) and electronica (of the retro kind)

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?
I pretty much only listen to hard rock and metal (from Scorpions to Blind Guardian).

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?
I'm beginning a career in music (finished my education YESTERDAY! Though I didn't study music). I've done a few professional jobs including games and short films.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?
I play guitar and have done for 9 years but I've also played a bit of piano, some drums and anything I can get my hands on (if it makes sound, I'm interested in it).

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?
Depending on what I'm doing I'll take a different approach. If it music is purely for my satisfaction I just dig deep inside for how I feel at the time and give it a tune. Otherwise I'll get the "specs" from my client and go from there. I never write songs in the same way, I've started with a riff on the guitar, a beat, a sound... The music tends to write itself, intuitively.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?
Can I say all 3? You can't have good music if it's not something you at least feel something for, if it doesn't tell a story of some sort and if it doesn't "sound" good, i.e. evoke a feeling in you.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?
The first 10 seconds of every song.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?
... Everything. From the composition to the sound engineering to the mixing/master.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?
That you always try to give it your best, anything less and you'll feel like it's incomplete.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?
Personally, composition comes first at around 70%, but since I'm not the only one listening, I'd say 50/50. People do not perceive the quality of your composition (if they did, "pop" music wouldn't be "pop...ular"). They think "oh this is a good song, it has a good beat" or something similar, paying attention only to the quality of the sound, not the quality of the music. I learnt this the hard way. ;)


Rocker, Composer and World Ambassador for Foxes! Veteran REAPER user. Ready to rock! :)

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Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 21:18:25


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote:
1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Electro House, ive been getting somewhat of a following on this Norwegian site called "Urørt" doing it, so thats why I do it.
But to be quite honest, ive been doing some Pretty Lights inspired Hip-Hop stuff lately and im kinda enjoying it, currently im trying to fuse the two styles and come up whit something I can call "my own".

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

Pretty much anything, I was raised listening to everything from Dumdum boys to Enigma and Erik Satie so genres really doesn't faze me

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Currently its just a hobby, but it would be awesome to make a living of it someday.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Im a pretty decent guitarist, I also know my way across bass guitars, drums, anything with keys (Pianos, organs e.t.c.) and I once played the trumpet (Though that was ages ago))

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

I honestly just keep Logic running in the background while i study or do some work, and when inspiration strikes, I just tab out and sketch it down.
Though I never really go through whit it unless i "Feel" something while listening to it, I know im doing good when images of snow-covered mountains and my hometown pops into my head when listening to it.
The nature around my hometown is absolutely stunning and i always loved going snowboarding up the hills there.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

Honestly? I think both of them are equally as important, you could have the greatest sounding song imaginable and it wouldn't matter.
Style is what attracts, substance is what sticks.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Finding an idea I like, lately ive been too hung up on the production side of thing to really make some awesome melodies.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

Sharing a vision, id like it if the people who listen to my music feel the same way I did when snowboarding or hiking.
Thats honestly the reason why, I would love it if people felt the way I did when I made the song.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Some form of aesthetics, something that would make people go "Oh! that sounds like one of (in my case) Tarlungs tracks!".

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

Lately its been the thing im focusing on considering thats what most of my songs lack


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Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 21:35:45


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote: 1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Mainly dubstep, or some form of electro, because for one, making these kind of music is a whole lot easier to make (given the knowledge and resources) compared to...well, non-electronic music. I do like spreading out to different genres. Keeps the music interesting.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

Electronic music, hip-hop, hardcore/post-hardcore stuff. But right now I'm trying to broaden my views and listen to something else, like classical and jazz.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

As we speak? Just a hobby. I'd love to have music as a career though.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Yes. I play the drums, violin, and bass guitar.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

Ah...good question. I rarely notice how I get my inspirations. Usually from music, movies, video games or everyday things that I find interesting. The most usual steps I take when writing a song is make a simple 4-note progression, and build melodies on top of it. And occasionally, add in some variations.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

A little of both. I often try to make something good, but I never put (or even try) to put my thoughts and/or emotions in my track.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Honestly? Just about everything. From the initial production, to the final mixing. Writing and producing music is hard work. Getting the right pitch...setting the mood, giving the song structure. I'm just starting out, but damn. If people think music is all fun and games, they should have a gander at professionals working in studios.

Also, The marketing/business aspect of it. This is a whole 'nother can of worms. You'll need to find an audience who'd listen (and enjoy) your work. If you want to find that, and possible spread your music, you'll most likely need a label to give you a hand. And then there's the paper work, the demos, the interviews...

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

I don't know honestly. Maybe it because I get to express myself creatively? Or maybe it gives me something to do during the day? But one thing for sure, it's really fun.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

The writing, the mixing, and everything else in between.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

Well, I'll have to say I put more thought in the composition rather than everything else really. Mixing is second on my list. The technical stuff goes third. And I rarely master my tracks.


Bandcamp | Ko-Fi | John Wall of Sound's Bandcamp

one of these days i'll have a proper website lmao

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 21:54:34


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote: 1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

I normally make trance, as I grew up listening to a lot of trance songs and it's hard to break out of that. But I do try, and fail, to branch out into other genres.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

I'll listen to just about anything, as long as it has a melody and doesn't destroy my hearing.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

I'm planning on becoming an Elementary Music Teacher, if that counts. But at the moment, this is mainly a hobby I have to keep music in my life.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Yes I do. I play the electric bass (4 years, self-taught), acoustic guitar (3 years, self-taught), a bit of piano (still taking lessons), and the good ol' fashioned vocal chords.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

A lot of times, a melody will randomly pop into my head, and if I'm lucky, I get it into FL and can start working on it. But the majority of the time, I'm bored, I'll open FL, make a generic bassline and melody, then play around with it until I either find inspiration or get bored with it. To make a full song, normally I start with the bassline and drums, then make the melody around it, and as that progresses, I try to make more melodic arrangements for it. Then I slap it all the patterns together for a few measures, with them being a complete mess, then I slowly take away or add patterns to make the song sound good, at least to me. Then I add effects, EQ it, and try my hand at mastering before I render it and upload it.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

Both of those are important to me, but if I had to choose one, it would be that I want to tell a story, because it's what I love doing. I love making stories and I feel music is a great medium to do that with. I want to entertain people with my random thoughts and ideas, expressing myself to the fullest extent. It's such a good feeling when you're able to tell a story, and people notice it. Having it sound good is just a bonus.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Mainly it's finding a melody that hasn't been done before. When I go to make my melody around that bassline, I want to revert back to an old melody I used, or I remember hearing a melody and want to use that. But I can't, and it usually takes me a good hour or two to find a new melody.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

I enjoy making myself and others want to dance. I enjoy making my own sweet melodies, and my random outbursts of "Oh, that could go there!" or "these would sound sick together!" and stuff like that. I have fun making music, and that's what I feel is most important when I'm composing a track.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

I believe the most important thing to look for when producing a track, at least to me, is "Will people enjoy this? Do I enjoy it?". I always ask myself that question now, and never upload or even render a track that I believe people would hate, or that I don't enjoy myself.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

Due to the fact that I don't know how do it very well, I would say that my importance level for mixing and mastering is about average. I try to make it sound good, and make the instruments I want to stand out, stand out. But I normally use a lot of preset functions in equalizers and compressors, normally due to the frustration mastering causes me. I'm getting better, but I'm far from great.

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-06 22:45:06


1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

I guess my genre is 'orchestral.' I've done everything from straight classical, through action film trailer-esque, spaghetti western, electronic (with string elements), old timey easy listening (think Heinz Kiessling), a little orchestral-dubstep experimentation, even rap beats. The only thing that ties them together is the addition of strings and, sometimes, piano.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

My favorite genres to listen to are classical (especially Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Elgar) and film/video game soundtracks. I will listen to almost anything except dubstep: unless it's used for comedy purposes.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Well, I'd love to write music for a living, but I also want to be able to afford food. At the moment, I compose as a job but I don't plan on making it a career.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Piano, and voice (I'm a baritone).

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

I sit down, usually with a genre or style in mind (which is usually because I have a job, haha). When I compose, I have two tasks: expression, and to write something that's better than my last piece.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

I strive for a combination of the three. You can pour all your heart and soul into a track, but if it doesn't sound good, no one else will sit down and be actively engaged in that experience. Not every track needs a story, and not every track with emotions tells a story: but if you can do both, in different pieces or even in the same piece, then you should.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

The only difficulty I have can be actually finding the time to sit down and write. Otherwise, composition comes really easily to me.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

It's a way to escape the real world and put my thoughts and feelings into a fixed medium.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Theme. Unless you're deliberately writing background music, the theme is the most important part of the track: a good theme drives the piece and gives the listener a memorable tune to latch on to. A bad or nonexistent theme, and - at best - the music will not be memorable; at worst, the audience may lose interest in the piece.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

I'm not great at mixing - although I want to improve. Composition is my strongest suit, so that's where I put most or all of my effort.

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 00:38:43


1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Usually my songs try to be a mix of some of these Rock/Psychedelic/Progressive/Orchestral, i do mostly these because its the type of songs that talk to me emotionally. I love to experiment with all genres, it makes me grow as a musician.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

British Psychedelic or Progressive Rock mostly but i hear lots of different genres.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Well that's a hard question, that would be the dream to work on the thing i love the most...but i have to be realistic and be happy doing some gigs for some money and think of music as a hobby.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Guitar and i can work my way around a Bass, i play a bit Piano but only really basic stuff.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

First i start with chosing the first chord of the song, then i experiment on the guitar until i get some chord progression i like, after that i sing melodies until something i like come out, then tempo, drums etc etc
Most of my inspiration comes from listening to my favourite bands but some just apear out of nowhere like in the all mighty shower the creativity booster xD

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

So far my songs mostly dont have any lyrics so its usually just trying to make something with all of my emotion and making it as good as i can.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

The beggining, most of the times i want to make something but cant get any ideas and other times i have 3 or 4 ideas at the same time, i usually choose the wrong one forget the good one and end up doing nothing...

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

Everything, i love to make something that others might enjoy listening to, i love being in the middle of a guitar solo and have a near orgasm, i love evolving at something i love.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

I would like to say that my main objective is to please all the listeners but thats impossible, i try to put feeling into it and as a perfectionist i try to make something i like, only 5% of what i do actually gets finished and published.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

I give a lot more importance than the talent i have for that, i am working on it and i hope to get better on each song i make


No mather how good you are sometime, somewhere, somehow...

Someone will blow your mind and make feel a beginner again..

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Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 01:18:31


Here it is:

1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Repetitive music (Reich, Glass). I love the contemplative feel that you get listening to it, so I try to compose some myself. I definitely like trying new genres, because it forces me to come out of my comfort zone, while I try to keep my own musical language.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

I guess it would be jazz even though I can listen to almost anything.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Music is my career, and I will die starving to do what I like.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?
My instrument is percussion, but I learned to play a couple others also.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

Sitting down. Generating material. Organizing it. Then finding what it means.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

Making something that sounds good, because that will almost always touch the listener.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Organizing my thoughts.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

Creating something is a wonderful feeling. Music is the one that touches me the most.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Make sure your idea is clearly conveyed throughout the entire piece.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

I personnally think higher of composition over technical production.

Good end of project, sir!

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 02:09:55


I hope to be an outlier in this pool of data in some way.

1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Circus music. Pieces akin to the music found in Cirque Du Soleil. The reason I stay in this genre is because Cirque is an aspiration of mine. This makes me very close-minded when it comes to accepting other genres, but I will eat whatever someone puts on my plate and give a fair opinion based on what I know.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

Again, circus music. 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures. Classical music in minor keys. Film score types. It all centers around the classical in some way.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Trying to switch from hobby to career, but I'm scared and I don't know why.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Piano and keyboard. Taught myself by ear. I really really really want to obtain an accordion and start learning how to play it.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

The process begins spontaneously and is usually unstoppable until it is completed. Inspiration comes as equally spontaneous. There aren't any definable steps. It is quite fleeting and pointless nonsense.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

All three have their place in music. Depending on the genre, one part may have more emphasis than the others.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

It all seems such a blur to me that I can't really point out the hardest part. I think creating something new is always difficult because the inspiration is a big bang and then you have to play the part of God by organizing the stupendous disorder.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

Self-discovery as well as musical discovery. Making things that are atypical and knowing that my creations are things most people don't listen to religiously. I pray for the day I meet the people who prove me otherwise. Either way, I enjoy making music for the sake of showing off my passion, like all musicians.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Balance. Equality. It's important to be able to hear each distinct piece of the puzzle.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

My belief is that with today's standards the technical aspects have a much greater influence than the conceptual aspects. And yet, I'm sure I spend more time on composition than mixing. I enjoy a good composition that is produced well over a bad composition that is produced well...but I don't enjoy a good composition that is produced poorly. It's a horrible prejudice, but quality of sound is something that's a hook, like a person's appearance is a hook when you wanna get it on.


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Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 04:28:22


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote:
1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Electronic. I just love synths sometimes heavy bass that makes you want to move, groove, or dance. (and I mean really move, none of that bump and grind stuff...)


2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

I listen to pretty much anything but country, (don't like the way most country sounds, plus acoustic guitars aren't my friend) however I love Metal and emo electrical (if that even makes any sense? Lol)


3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

A hobby that I love and will try to turn it into a career.


4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Keyboard/piano, guitar, violin.


5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

As a previous topic on the forums, I actually get my best inspiration while in the shower. (ikr? weird) once a melody, beat, rift, or pattern enters my head, it's a matter of copying out and then working my music around that fragment of the song in hopes that it transforms into a music dinosaur of epicness.


6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

There could never be a more important. Without all three the music will always be sub-par. Though if I were to prioritize... Thoughts and Emotions would definitely come first, because I like making music that effects people on more than just an audio level. The other two would flip flop based on what's more important to the track.


7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Getting the inspiration moments and the quiet-time to get them ideas down and locked in a way to where I can guarantee they stay intact and I can come back to them when I have time, or think of something good that I can merge them with.


8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

The way music is an outlet of emotions, how music can describe a mood without a single word, or force you to smile or cry. How it just brings out things words alone could never do.


9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Harmony. Meaning, making sure all instruments/sound sources compliment each other.


10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

A good few hours of tweaks and adjustments are extremely important. Last thing you want is sound sources to be over powering, or too quiet, as an example.


--

Hope I could join in on this. Seemed like fun.


If you don't evolve, you'll be devoured by those that do.

Feel free to leave feedback, I shall return the favor.

K3

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 04:42:21


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote: 1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Rock, orchestral and electronic, because those are the most versatile genres to work with. I do like to combine them, so yes, I do like spreading out to different genres ;)

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

I don't really have a favourite genre per se: as long as it sounds harmonic and it's not too simple, I usually enjoy it. If I'd had to narrow it down, I'd say 80s, 90s, and film-like / trailer music.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Just a hobby!

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

I play the keyboard and also a little bit of guitar (although not more than a few basic chords).

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

Sometimes I already have something in my head and just write it down, other times I just jam a bit on the keyboard and play something I like enough to turn into a full song. If I need to write a specific song though, I'll look for examples on the internet so I can get inspiration from that.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

Making something that sounds good.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

That would be the post-production phase where you mix and master. The reason it's hard for me is probably the lack of experience, but I'm getting better at it :)

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

The idea of 'creating' something that (other) people can enjoy.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

That would be the final result.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

They're both important, both in different ways. I don't think it'd be fair to directly compare them, as they are both very different disciplines.

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 06:12:47


Thanks a lot for all the answers so far, everyone. This is fantastic. Keep them coming!


Review Request Club | CHECK THIS OUT | Formerly Supersteph54 | I'm an Audio Moderator. PM me for Audio Portal help.

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Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 06:19:11


At 10/7/12 06:12 AM, Step wrote: Thanks a lot for all the answers so far, everyone. This is fantastic. Keep them coming!

Any day, Steppy.


Bandcamp | Ko-Fi | John Wall of Sound's Bandcamp

one of these days i'll have a proper website lmao

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 08:27:17


1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Contemporary music, as I like to explore stuff beyond tonal harmony. Aside from that I do a fair bit of cinematic music, as well as some electronic music. When I first started writing I did a lot of baroque and romantic pastiches.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

Classical first and foremost, in particular baroque but also a fair bit of romantic era-music. Of course I listen to modern stuff as well, but it's more of a mix of whatever I feel like at the moment - rock, reggae, pop, dnb and some indie more or less.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Studying composition since some time.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Piano and harpsichord (figured bass-player!) mostly, but a bit of guitar as well. Played violin and flute once upon a time.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

It can be everything from carefully creating a unique, methodical tone language for a particular piece to writing heaps of material purely based on feel and then reworking and polishing that. I don't really rely on inspiration, I usually just sit down and write as nothing else really feels viable in the long run, that said I of course get some bursts of extra inspiration once in a while. Otherwise, a cup of coffee is always nice ;)

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

First and foremost I want convey an idea and to make something good, but I also think of my music as very evocative.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Producing something that feels fresh and exciting stylewise, while still being enjoyable to the average listener.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

Everything from creating something unique, people enjoying your music to hearing your music performed or making comissioned music for people.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Good flow, a clear climax (preferably somewhere like 2/3-3/4 throughout the piece), an ending fitting to the momentum and length of the track.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

When I do cinematic and electronic music I spend a lot of time on mixing and mastering, perhaps something like 50-50.

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 08:46:08


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote: 1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

I mostly make progressive house and electro house because I grew up with those genres, but I like creating everything. In fact, I find it hard to bind myself to one genre.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

I listen to anything that's not death metal or country or really boring classical music.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

It's an escalated hobby for me. I started taking it seriously when I was 16/17. It's kind of a complicated story: it's my dream to become a big-time DJ/producer, but because I know that the chance of that happening is abysmally low, I'm not directly striving for it. Right now I focus a lot on my study, but if I ever get the chance to go big, I'd definately take it.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

I can practically play any percussion instrument there is. Trying to learn guitar at the moment.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

I either hum random things and then come up with something, or play on my keyboard. In no way do I get inspiration from looking at stuff, hearing stuff (except for other songs), smelling stuff and tasting stuff.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

I mainly focus on making my tracks sound good, I don't think I've ever made a track that has a story in it. However when I feel extremely cheerful or something I immediatly start thinking of cheerful melodies, so you could say that sometimes emotions play a role.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

If you take music production seriously, every part is equally hard. Coming up with something to start with is hard, building the track around that is hard, and correctly mixing and mastering the final product is hard.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

The fact that you can be as creative as you want.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

You should not want to put all the ideas you have in your head in one song. A lot of times I've finished a part of a track and I can think of a bazillion things to continue the track with, but I can't use them all. I've heard countless songs from artists that probably couldn't decided which parts to include and which ones not so they just put them all in. Bad idea.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

I try to balance it as much as I can.


[Hidden Audio Gems]

SoundCloud || YouTube || Facebook

PM me for constructive reviews, collaborations or commissions!

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Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 12:57:40


1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Typically I make 'video game' music, just with my own twist. I suppose the reason why I make this type of music so often is because video game music is what first inspired me to start with music in the first place. As for other genres, I like experimenting with many, though I tend to lean towards Trance, House, or Classical.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

Definitely the Game genre again (surprise, surprise), but other than that my musical tastes are very broad.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Mostly as a hobby, but I have always dreamed of taking it to the next level...so who knows?

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Mandolin, Bass, Guitar, Tin Whistle.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

Inspiration is a first. If I have no inspiration than my will to make music is at a complete zero. If I have inspiration, then I move towards working out a tune in my head (this could take a few minutes to several days), afterwards I arrange the piece, and then finally I listen to it over and over to work out the kinks.

Inspiration for me comes from many place. Nature, stories, games, books, conversations, but primarily from how I feel.
6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

All of the above for sure, but mostly placing my emotions in the song.
7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

The hardest part for me would be in actually finishing a song. I suppose it's because I need to be reassured that it's 'good' enough for everyone else....though usually if I like it, that's all that should matter I guess.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

To put it simply, making music is both a joy and a therapeutic experience for me. I get to draw stuff out of my imagination and tell my own stories through sound.
9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Hmm...I'm not quite sure. There are a whole variety of things one has to consider and watch when producing a piece, though I'm not certain what is the most important. I suppose I must think on that one.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

Honestly....during the process of composing an actual song I could care less about the technicalities of it all (though I believe it is important at the same time...yeah it's a little complicated I know :P). Some people put extraordinary emphasis on this part of the overall composition of a song, and I think that in the end it is this emphasis that makes the song better, but as I said, I do not consider this as the 'end all, be all' of making music.

Personally, it's about the 'heart' of the song that matters most. Not the sound quality, not the intricate amount of detail and other such things, but the feelings you get when making a piece (and listening to it). I should note again that I think that these things are important, but to me it's the creativity, the imagination, and the 'soul' of the song that truly makes it what it is.

Best of luck with your research! :)


If you have a moment, check out some of my work:

[Music here on Newgrounds] [Soundcloud]

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Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 13:51:02


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote: 1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

I don't really like to fall in "genres" or any sort of categorization, I just usually make atmospheric electronic music, be it experimental or of a style that is already "mature" enough to be related to other artists, like Ambient. For instance, I like blending various styles and just play with the sounds I have like children do with a sandbox.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

I usually tend to listen to atmospheric music, like any Ambient-influenced Drum and Bass, Dubstep, IDM, Psytrance, Post-rock and more experimental music that is hard to label. I love also when Industrial blends with said styles and it's not obtrusive. I used to listen to the most extreme Metal stuff some years ago, but I'm now slowly abandoning such habit.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

I don't really plan of turning "pro" with music. So I guess it's a hobby for me.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

I'm just starting to play electric guitar and bass. I'm very clumsy on the keyboard too.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

I can get inspiration from anything, really, from dreaming to the internet and real life. I find places that are particularly relaxing for me to be the most inspiring, especially when I play some of my own songs. Now the phases can vary greatly, but I either start from building the main structure first or just make one theme at a time and slowly build up the song from there. It seriously depends on what I have in mind and what main "sound" I wanna give to the track.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

It can be both thoughtful, emotive music and something that goes well along with a good read. When I can't give a title to a track, I usually write stories to complement it. I don't usually give extensive descriptions to my tracks because I don't generally want to impose my own interpretation to the listeners, and thus condition their minds.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Sometimes I struggle to find the exact sounds I have in mind in a particular moment. I can realize I could never actually translate my thoughts into music for many reasons, mainly limitations in the sound banks/libraries and my own ignorance, but I can always get nearer and nearer to what I imagine. Now sometimes it's just frustrating - if I realize that I'm going nowhere in my track, I just throw it away and make a new one. Maybe I'll return much later to that scrappy, or just ignore it.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

I think music it's a whole new world to experience and explore each time I listen to a track. When a piece manages to be immersive enough, it's like exploring an abstract world you've just landed on. It's an amazing feeling. It can feel foreign, familiar, unsettling, or vast...

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Keeping a balance between EQ'ing, mastering and the overall feel you're looking for. Never give up when something sounds "wrong" in your ears and be sure to have at least some decent headphones that don't screw up frequencies for you. ;) I'd like to point out that there's no such thing as "originality", as everything has been literally done and written. However, that doesn't mean that we should stagnate the market with stale, insipid products. Just use your imagination and dare adventuring yourself into deeper realms each time, gradually and steadily. Don't rush nor force yourself to anything, just "let it go" spontaneously. :)

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

They're both very important aspects of any composition, you can't just emphasize one factor and completely ignore the other ones, I think. That's the main mistake that can be easily done in any situation. Any attribute in music serves as a reference for both the listener and the ensemble to set a certain "mood" in the track, or for many other reasons. For instance, many people give "minimalism" a very general meaning and poorly translate it into dynamically flat pieces, when it should - in my opinion - open new doorways to more interesting structures, an intelligent mastering and a good "flow" in music that enable the listener to appreciate the piece better, and possibly let him/her give birth to new possibilities.

Glad to have answered your question. :)
KKS

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 14:53:35


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote:
1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

By musical standards my genre would be just "electronic" (since other types of music arent defined by bpm unlike electronic its the only way to state it a broad term).


2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

anything, i like to keep up with the neurofunk dnb scene though.


3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

I treat it as a hobby but im professional grade.


4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Guitar, flute, kazoo.


5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

I start most things with a nice drum rhythm, then add a complex evolving bassline (which defines chord progression), then fill in melodies and song structure.


6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

Production trumps all in my book, a good story needs a teller that is good enough for it.


7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Going from a nice complex 4 bar thing to a whole song. The most engaging part of making music is starting the song, creating a nice bassline, sculpting the drums to perfection. Everything after that can almost come off as grunt work.


8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

I can do things no other person in the world can, and people enjoy my creations.


9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Production production production.


10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

Too much, Real music starts once production reaches a certain level. The defining part of modern music is how much work can be put into production, embrace the age.

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 14:55:17


1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?
I stopped caring about genres a while ago and tend to make weird electronic music with ties to multiple genres. Dancey though. I spread out across alot of genres.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?
Electronic music, I hear alot of different stuff though so I'm open to things.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?
I'm not sure what part of music I'll end up in but yes music is my career. I study at a music college and hope it won't be a waste.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?
I play the Piano proficiently and dick around on guitar. I also own a violin which I suck at playing but took lessons for a while back. Laptop is my best "instrument" if you consider that an instrument.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?
Most often I hear a great tune and wish I could make something that affects me that much. Inspiration usually varies, if I'm trying to mimic something it could be from another tune. Sometimes I'll just start a song and play around with my keyboard until I find a cool progression or beat. I tell people that my songs come in parts, I have to hear one part to know what comes next and then judge it by ear and personal taste on how I want to finish it.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?
I used to put more thought into my productions. Production quality is extremely important to me but the overall feeling of the track is what I'm trying to figure out. I want to make something you've never heard anything like before but still feels familiar.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?
Making something I'm totally satisfied with.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?
I can spend hours making music I want to hear.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?
Don't get stuck on genres. Just because something you do isn't common to a genre doesn't mean it won't work.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?
Both are extremely important to me. I want my music to be clean, crisp, and high quality. I also want my melody and chord progression to compliment the mix with something interesting. With electronic music I can get a little weird in the composition process and don't have to make completely harmonious music. I do everything by myself though, mixing and mastering. I have a sound in my head and I'm very close to it.

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 15:02:36


I'm game.

1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?
I would define my songs as a combination of trance, progressive house, and electro house. I find that combining those genres allow for a lot of emotion, but also music that it's fun to dance to. Can't ask for much more than that. I don't limit myself though, if inspiration for an orchestral piece hits me, then I try to make an orchestral track.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?
Mostly the same genres I stated above, but along with a little bit of everything else from metal to classical and classic rock to hip hop.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?
Just a hobby for now. If the opportunity arose for me to get paid for this hobby however...

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?
Piano and a little bit of harmonica.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?
Inspiration comes from pretty much anywhere, but I find that my best tracks have been inspired by other songs. I'll hear something that I really like, then sit down with my DAW and try to replicate it. Inevitably I end up with something completely different, but it's a starting point.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?
I've never made a track (yet) that tells a story, but it's something that's always interested me. Putting my thoughts and emotions into it is a must, otherwise it just sounds dull and lifeless, but in the end I hope that it sounds good anyway.,

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?
Inspiration. I've been having lots of problems as of late trying to get a new song off of the ground. Once I have a framework, I can tinker, tweak, and experiment for months on end, but actually starting a song that I still feel proud of the next morning is an issue.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?
Making music is a creative outlet. I love the feeling of creating something that anyone can appreciate and enjoy.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?
Making it memorable. To me, no song is cookie-cutter. It has to be unique and special in its own way.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?
I put a lot of effort into composition, and that ends up resulting in so much pride in the track that I have to put as much effort into production. I'd say they were equal in importance. Composition is the backbone of any song, but production speaks volumes about how much the musician cares about the end product.


--NG Music -- Soundcloud--

Most Recent Song: Explore Infinity <-Failed audition to NGADM!

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 16:51:18


1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

I do like making electro-classical things, but I'm relatively new at making songs (if 3-4 years is new :P), so I try to explore everything!

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

I'd like to quote SJD for this one : "There's nothing such as genre for me. There's just good music."

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

I'd like to work in the music industry, but not as a producer. More on developing musical software or something like that.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Not at all. I just have some good ears :P No musical theory for me neither.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

Usually, I start by searching and creating the best sound possible, like according the kick with the bass and assembling some nice sounding instruments, and then I fiddle around with the tunes. My ears are my only tools, I keep what I like and discard what sounds wrong to me. All this because I can't create an original track in my head without drifting out toward something I've already heard. My creativity is also limited :P

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

I always try to create something powerful and full of emotions, but I can't really say that it's reflecting my emotions.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

The start. Because of my *limited* creativity, starting from scratch is really difficult for me. I can easily create 10-20 projects before producing one track that I like.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

Music is a big part of my life. Creating music is just a consequence of my curiosity. Turns out I like it :P

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

I do like tracks that create a strong emotional reaction, so in everything I do, I try to reproduce that strong emotional feeling, should it be by eargasmic sound quality (can't say I succeeded in that lol) or by an awesome composition.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

I do think both are important, but often I neglect the final mix/master part, it is due to my creation technique: I already start everything with some good sounding instruments, and at the end, whilst it does not sound perfect, it sounds decent enough, and usually the melody is compensating the ok-ish quality.


Computer has no brain. DEAL WITH IT!

Stupidity is a dangerous and contagious disease. It can happen to you. It can happen to me

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-07 23:59:58


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote: 1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

I'm not so sure I make just 1 genre over any others any more, a few years ago, I would have said metal... but lately, I pretty much split my time more or less evenly between metal, orchestral and electronic. So... yes, I like spreading out to different genres.

2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

Favorite genre to listen to is metal (Usually melodic or orchestral metal), but I'm open to pretty much every kind of music except country... My personal playlist is extremely diverse, from Beethoven, to dubstep, to metal, to trance... and more.

3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

I'd love to have music as a career... unfortunately, musical talent is practically useless in society's eyes, so that's kind of hard to achieve when you're flat broke all the time.

4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Yes. Guitar, bass, piano, clarinet, tenor saxophone, drums... practically any instrument I can get my hands on, I will try learn how to play.

5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

Step one: Motivation, inspiration (Usually from an event in my life or just pulled directly from my own emotions).
Step two: Screw around on instrument of choice (Depending on what my motivation/inspiration is, or where it came from) until I find a melody I like.
Step three: Expand on melody until a full song pops out.

6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

All of the above, my songs almost always tell a story of my emotions while I was writing the song... save maybe my trance tracks, I'll admit those are kind of empty when it comes to emotional input. But everything else is pulled straight from my emotions, and more often than note, they play out like a story, and I don't bother releasing it unless it gets the point across and sounds good doing so.

7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Finding just the right melody or musical theme to get my inspiration across... sometimes it just... happens. Other times, I really have to sit there and muck around until I just stumble across something that gets across what I want to convey. Unfortunately, the latter method is the more common one, and is a large part of why, 1: My album still isn't out, and 2: My releases are usually pretty far apart.

8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

Mostly how great of a medium music is at getting feelings out to the public without saying a word. I don't see music as theory or just pleasant noise... I see it as a way to say things without saying anything at all.

9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Getting your thoughts across correctly while still making it sound good. You can make a track sound amazing production wise, but it may sound completely empty as far as emotional content. On the flip side, you can put your heart and soul into a song, but if it sounds awful, no one will want to listen to it. I think the most important thing in producing music is finding a balance between the two, where you can convey yourself while still making something that isn't like nails on a chalkboard.

10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

For the first few years, I didn't give a damn about mixing, mastering, compression, limiters, boosters... generally anything that made the track fit together nicer... It's only fairly recently that I started giving a damn about how my songs come out mixing wise.
Now, I try my damn hardest to make sure everything meshes nicely and sounds nice in terms of composition to boot. In the larger scheme of things, I think it's extremely important to find a good balance, the most amazing composition in the world can still sound terrible if it's mixed badly. And of course vise versa.

Happy now, usagi-chan?

Audio/BBS Mod

News: Bye bye Skype - Music: Tonight Will Be The Night- Art: Kira

\/\/\/ Click the sig for fun times! \/\/\/

BBS Signature

Response to Audio Questionnaire 2012-10-08 08:24:57


At 10/6/12 07:21 PM, Step wrote: I'm working on a school project whose primary purpose is to discover the ties between science and music. To do this I'm going to be interviewing various people and I'm also going to do some questionnaires. This questionnaire is about music creation and the psychological effects of music.

I know 98% of the people reading this are musicians, so can any of you fill it in? The answers don't have to be massively detailed, although some detail would be appreciated of course.

--

1.) What genre do you usually make and why do you make this genre so often? Do you like spreading out to different genres?

Metal. I just enjoy playing & recording it, although I do enjoy branching out to a variety of genres.


2.) What is your favourite genre to listen to? Or will you just listen to anything?

Pretty much anything.


3.) Are you taking music as a career or is it just a hobby?

Career. The behind the scenes side. Studio engineering, live sound, etc.


4.) Do you play any instruments? If so, what do you play?

Guitar, bass, keyboard, a minor bit of drums. Vocals, if you want to count them.


5.) What does the music-making process entail for you? How do you get your inspiration? What steps do you usually take to make a full song?

Usually it starts with a small idea which turns into something much more. I can start out with a simple 4-note riff and finish out with a full on heavy metal track.


6.) What's more important to you? Putting your own thoughts and emotions in your track, telling a story, or making something that sounds good?

Both, really. I put my heart and soul into anything I record, and if it sounds good, that's a bonus. I go the extra mile to make sure my ideas sound good AND I can pour myself into them.


7.) Which is the hardest part of making music for you? Why?

Being stuck writing a track.


8.) What do you enjoy about making music?

The whole process. It's fun, you get something good out of it, and a strong sense of satisfaction.


9.) What is the most important thing to look out for when producing a track?

Errors, unwanted noise, etc.


10.) How much importance do you give to mixing, mastering and overall technical production of your music, as opposed to its composition?

About the same amount of importance. It's just as important to have a clear recording as it is to have a good track to me.


--

That's it! Post away!