home recording

[the_ditz]

That Viva The Night remix shows great promise sirocco - it's not pure Eurobeat, but definitely has its own unique style to it - I'd be interested to hear more of it!

Finally got my FL Studio up and running again, so I've messed about a little my Second Chance demo to make the synths a bit beefier and generally make the whole arrangement more Eurobeat in style. It still has my own unique take on the style though...hope you like it.

now, if only I could find some time to sort out the vocals!

Download Second Chance (Nov 06 Demo)

[Toni]

Finally I have yet another production ready!

The file is an .mp4, so it should be playable with either iTunes, Quicktime, VLC or some other up-to-data media-player.

http://toniproductions.nl/Resources/Mega_NRG_Team.mp4

It's just an alpha version, so there aren't any vocals in it. I might even change the complete concept of the song...

Data:

Size: 1.5MB;
Length: 03:08 minutes;
Speed: 150 BPM;
Genre: Eurobeat. Easy Synthesiser;

Source Programme: Garageband 3.0.4;
Input instrument: M-Audio Keystation 49e USB;

Additional information: courtesy for some AppleLoops™ from "©GarageBand 3.0.4." and the additional "AppleLoops™ 1.0" ©Apple Macintosh

I hope you like it!

@the_ditz: I really like the song! Let's set up a label or something... I think the vocals are a bit to 'harsh' to the ear... Smoothen up a little and all will be fine!

[zoupzuop2]

Okay. With my current sound setup and budget, I can't quite write the "Compilation-quality" Eurobeat. That's not gonn'a stop me from having fun with what I have, though.

What I'm plugging for here is an early, quickly-thrown-together MP3 draft of my first lyrical Eurobeat (which, at the time, doesn't have lyrics and might not yet be Eurobeat 0_o), which I call "Bring The Fire". Whatever critiques and compliments that are relevant to the song would be most appreciated. (Yeah, I'm aware that the sounds I'm working with range from fair to just plain awful...)
Myspace is being a jerk about it, so I'll host it on my Soundclick (full of my previous failures and other tracks you probably shouldn't listen to.

http://www.soundclick.com/theoddysey (Name was stated before I knew the spelling...)

Also of note would be "Working Man's Anthem", my attempt at a more orchestral (or at least string-based) Eurobeat. Critique on that one would also be appreciated.

@Toni: The song has a lot of potential, given that it's going to be added to (what you have currently sounds a bit sparse to me without 'thems vocal bits). The main synth is a touch flat, but other than my previous notes, it's a pretty solid track to me. I like it. It's also mixed sufficiently.

@the_ditz: The link doesn't seem to work for me. I'd love to hear what you have goin'.

@sirocco: The only problem I have with this track is that it's Trance, not Eurobeat as much. The synths give it FAR more of a Trance feel, and it lacks the stabs on the upbeats (the "&'s", if 'ya will... sorry if you knew that already) that Eurobeat so often holds dear. Outside of that, it's fantastic. Proffessional grade to say the least.

@Mesdoram: Unusually dark for a Eurobeat (at least, when the main synth comes in). Watch out for unintentional dissonance. The main synth is a touch flat compared to the rest of the sounds you're using. Other than those, It's a fair track with the foundation well laid-out. A plus for good mixing.

[Mikaeru]

Hmm... Everyone's putting up such nice things... Haven't posted anything for a bit, so here's just some demos to throw out there:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pageart ... dID=625114

Let Him Go ~Speed Mix~ - Check my myspace site for the original version. This one is kinda based on the Nancy & The Boys stuff from Dancemania Speed. There were some issues with my compy so the sound breaks up. But I need to extend it more anyways.

Dance With Me - Just a basic demo. No vocals.

[Toni]

@zoupzuop2: your Eurobeat sounds really neat! Sometimes ot sounds a bit 'gamish' because of the puristic electronic sounds, but I still like it!
About "Working Man's Anthem": the song has the sound of HI-NRG Attach, but not the hyper-feeling to it. I often get bored by the energetic sound, but not the melodies. This is a good compromise! Well, you're not a communist, but still it sounds as if you put a lot of effort into it... *I have a USSR flag hanging in my room, so I'm obliged to like it*

@Mikaeru: your songs have always a distinctive sound. "Dance With Me" would probably the best work of you until now, I'd say. The vocal part would be really interesting to hear!

[zoupzuop2]

@zoupzuop2: ...About "Working Man's Anthem": the song has the sound of HI-NRG Attach, but not the hyper-feeling to it. I often get bored by the energetic sound, but not the melodies. This is a good compromise! Well, you're not a communist, but still it sounds as if you put a lot of effort into it... *I have a USSR flag hanging in my room, so I'm obliged to like it*

Wow! Saying that meant a lot to me! I was actually inspired to write that song after listening to Eurobeat Orchestra of Bazookistan's "Vodka" and getting a kick out of the concept (A Eurobeat... Orchestra? Wowie Zowie and the like.) Yeah, it does tend to get a touch boring, I'd guess, but it was my second-ever Eurobeat. It came only after a few months of experimenting in my spare-time from homework.

The thing about the communism is only based on the title. I couldn't think of anything else, and it sounded like it fit the song to me, but it could've given the wrong impression to my colleagues here in the States. I don't pursue it, but whomever follows it themselves... power to 'ya (no irony intended).

So, tonight I finished the pre-vocals draft of Bring The Fire. This one's mixed a touch different, and I've finally given the sawtooth-ish synth the modulation ("warble") I hear so often. Only thing left to do is get some vocals laid down, add mix-ins (.wav's, I'd think), and produce the track once and for all.

It's on my (now somewhat functional) Myspace:
www.myspace.com/travisodyssey

Please, give it a listen and speak your mind about it! If it'll improve the track, I'd love to hear it.

[Toni]

I will have a go at it later in the evening. I have to speed to my class now

About communism: I like the concepts Karl Marx wrote, but unfortunately the theoreticum isn't working in practicum. Still, I also don't really like to think in the Marxistic class-system, but in real life it is often so. Anyway, I think I'm more of a socialist than a communist *And... I just love those old-skool propaganda posters and films from the other side of the former 'iron-curtain'...

[the_ditz]

zoupzuop2: try the link in my post above again - it's still active

(Right-click > save target as... in IE might be the best option to try...)

[zoupzuop2]

Link worked!

The main synth lead is definitely hooky, and the general structure of the song is well laid-out. However, there doesn't seem to be much of a change in tension between the verse and chorus (a thing I'm rather guilty of myself), maybe a drop and/or some sort of tense instrument (maybe a reverse cymbal leading to the "1" of the first measure of the chorus) would do it some good. Vocals are sufficient in technique and recorded so-so.

Make more of the song. I'd love to see how it turns out.

[Jion]

Good job Travis! I heard your song on your myspace page! Not bad! Wish I could record some vocals for the song hehe

[zoupzuop2]

Heh, I'll consider it.
While I plan on doing the lyrics for Bring The Fire, I just can't seem to pen the right ones. They all seem so sophomoric, so stupid (as in, insufficient for Eurobeat standards). If anyone has lyrics for a Eurobeat they have lying around that they have little use for, and wouldn't mind their slight revision (so the word "Bring The Fire" can be used)... uh, feel like helpin' someone out?
Oth'n that, thank you! The critiques and compliments on my work only serve to make it better. It's good to see that I'm surrounded with talented musicians and performers alike.

[Mikaeru]

Hmm... With Bring the Fire, it seems like you're making the synth section the most important part of the song, where the main catch is. The typical pattern is (using the parapara terms, because that's what i'm used to)
intro-amelo-bmelo-sabi/chorus

With this song, the intro seems to be the dominant section. I'm guessing you want the amelo played twice, because the third group of 8-bars without melody seem to be better suited as a b-melo section. But instead of a chorus, you have the synth section coming back in, which is followed by another synth section that's somewhat weaker sounding, like it's a part of the chorus, rather than a stand-alone section (Saifam does this a *lot* with their choruses, most notable that comes to mind is Sexy Sexy Sexy and Spiderman).

The sabi and the intro can share elements (same chord structure in a number of songs), and melodic elements, but it's kinda rare for them to be this similar (unless it's People Come On). So I think you need to define better the difference between the chorus and the intro/synth hook.

It's a really nice song, good arrangement, good melody with the synth section, but it somehow doesn't feel like it has a eurobeat structure.

[zoupzuop2]

Oof! Glad you caught that! I totally disregarded the concept (forgot it, more) of structure when I wrote the song... I'd guess it sounds more like a Pop song with Eurobeat sounds than an authentic Eurobeat at this rate.
Well, some of the parts are meant to have vocals, and the lack of them in the current version might be throwing the pattern off... (at least, I hope that's the case.) Once I've got legitimate enough lyrics and put them to the music, I'll heavily consider tweaking it to the Eurobeat Formula.

A Eurobeat Formula... sounds a bit like how Mr. Gordy once ran Motown. 'cept now with better keyboards =)
My music tends to have a feel of its own, but I suppose I'd best play by the Eurobeat rules...

Edit: I need to look up the meanings of the "melo"s... -_-

I think I'll give it a closer listen to hear the structure... here goes:
Intro--Half Chorus--Verse 1 (A melo?)--PreChorus (B melo?)--Chorus--"Sabi" (I think...)--Verse 2 (C melo?)--PreChorus (B melo again?)--Chorus--"Sabi"--Broken-down A melo--B Melo--Chorus--Sabi--Sabi out...

...then again, I could totally be insulting the genre for all it is with the lack of an accurate structure... if it's really a sore thumb about the song, I'll tweak it. Irregularity in structure is one of my signatures, but I can toss that.

[Mikaeru]

Terms are confusing, because there's a lot of different ones, and ones that some people have different meanings of. So here's the same thing with several terms:

(parapara) introduction -> intro -> amelo -> bmelo -> sabi -> intro -> etc...
(other) intro -> synth -> verse -> prechorus -> chorus-> synth -> etc
(letters) intro -> A -> B -> C -> Dx2 -> A -> B' -> C -> Dx2 -> etc

Sabi and chorus are the same thing.

[Toni]

Okay. So, here's a newer version of the Mega NRG Team intro song. This time I've added lyrics. Drinking Guiness, coctails and smoking aren't a good combination to sing a song... But well, it sounded worse when I was singing sober.

I hope you like it! You can play the songs in any modern media player.

http://toniproductions.nl/Resources/Man ... alpha).mp4
http://toniproductions.nl/Resources/Man ... alpha).m4a

The song isn't balanced at all. There is still work to be done!