Music Production > Tracking
The 10 most common tracker mistakes
Eagle:
--- Quote from: "Rikimbo" ---Most of that is good, but I definitely don't agree with your number 9...
Using absolute values is great, but making a volume slide kind of thing using absolute values can easily make the volume slide sound like a 'staircase' of volume levels, not so much a slide. Sure, you need a good ear to hear this effect, but it's there.
--- End quote ---
Actually, I added that #9 to just fill my article with ten mistakes. I actually just came up with 8 mistakes so I kind of felt I needed to expand it with #9 and #7. But it really does not matter. If this article helps anyone at all, it has served its purphose.
On the other hand, I think the reason why you experience that "staircase" feeling is because you are using 12 as speed. I use 6 which makes the volume set more smooth. But if it suits you, by all means use the method you prefer.
Rikimbo:
--- Quote ---On the other hand, I think the reason why you experience that "staircase" feeling is because you are using 12 as speed. I use 6 which makes the volume set more smooth. But if it suits you, by all means use the method you prefer.
--- End quote ---
Haha, yeah, I know, it's definitely easier to spot that staircase effect on my low tempo, speed 12 frames per row stuff. I don't know why I took a shine to 12 frames per row really... I guess it's because with six frames I would always be spacing out things in pairs anyway. With 12 frames per row I can see more on the screen I suppose. I can get 6 frame intervals using note delays and retriggers anyway. Maybe it's silly, haha, I don't know. It works for me.
Good tutorial, in any case.
#1 - Looping and using the same theme <-- I still do that, and I don't care :D
#2 - TOO LOUD, TOO QUICK!! <-- haha that, I have never done. Too soft, too slow? That would be me. :)
#3 - No depth, no panning, no nothing. <-- sometimes I'm still to lazy to add panning... usually I throw in some though.
#4 - Out of beat <-- doesn't happen at speed 12! Every row is on either a strong beat or on one of the weak beats! hahahaha woooo I rule! ^^
#5 - Finishing the song abruptly <-- haha that's what happens when I run out of ideas :( Also, you could add here: don't use a fadeout! I know I do it often enough, but I really shouldn't. It's a crappy and lazy way to end a song.
#6 - Forgetting to add contact info <-- too much vanity to do that :)
#7 - Spelling your mail-adress wrong <-- too much vanity to do that :)
#8 - Cutting a note by using another note when you should not <-- pretty sure I avoided that in even my first mods. Not sure though.
#9 - Using relative values <-- discussed that already :)
#10 - Ripping <-- psh.
--- Quote ---If you dont want to be a victim of ripper...your music should know more people..and in different and legal and good site's =)
--- End quote ---
Or make music that isn't good enough to intice rippers to steal it! :D
~~Rikimbo
Darth Nefelim:
I have an article about using other people samples - read it here, don't want to post it if you are not interested. That's all I want to say about ripping.
In whole, this recommendations can be useful for newbies. And even for "seniors" sometimes. :) The problem is we all know this, but don't have a particular list to remember time to time. :thumbup: Nice, I like this.
p.s. This list is not about me. :lol:
Eagle:
--- Quote from: "Rikimbo" ---
--- Quote ---If you dont want to be a victim of ripper...your music should know more people..and in different and legal and good site's =)
--- End quote ---
Or make music that isn't good enough to intice rippers to steal it! :D
--- End quote ---
I may say that those who rips are never clever people so you never know what they may choose to rip. But I think no one would notice if someone ripped one of the worst modules in modarchive, it would be trashed in the filtering process, anyway, hehe.
By the way, Darth. That is quite a good article, you've written.
John_Marwin:
Hehe, since I'm too an old fox in this game, I thought I'd give you a bit of critique on your article =)
#2 - TOO LOUD, TOO QUICK!!
It happens that I turn on a fresh module which goes BAAAM-BA-BLAH! In those cases the author had built on the same patterns putting more and more samples without considering volume. The author probably had a low volume on his/her speakers too. Pay attention to the volume meter in your tracker. If it is up in the red zone, it is time to decrease the volume. A good way to avoid this mistake is by starting with a single instrument and then add the rest to it as the song goes along. Avoid mistake #1 while doing that.
^ This point assumes that one has a graphical equalizer or main volume graph in their tracker, something which isn't an universal truth.
What I'd like to say in this area is that keeping a module TOO low in volume can sometimes be quite annoying aswell. Keeping your volumes consistent throughout the track is better. (ie, don't suddenly raise/lower the volume violently)
#3 - No depth, no panning, no nothing.
This is a common mistake done by less experienced trackers. Remember that echo, stereo sound and other things are the key to a filly sound. Without them, the song turns into a melody
^ Using excessive reverb can make a song sound very bad since the echoes can conflict with eachother, so sometimes less IS more.
But, the main point is well made, effects mean details, and details are essential when making music!
#4 - Out of beat
Bonk-ba-baa-bonk-baaaa! When a song uses a bassdrum on 0 then a snare on 5 and hi-hat on 7, there is something wrong with the module. Remember to count the beats. If the bassdrum is at 0 and the snare at 4, it must continue the same way in 8, 12, 16, 20, et cetera.
^ This is completely wrong, and encourages a mechanized vision on how to make a module. (this is a common beginners mistake) Utilizing a speed adjustment command to mess up the rhytm could theoretically make any combination of beats on any combination of rows work.
I'd rephrase this into "keep your drums properly synced to your melodies"
instead.
#5 - Finishing the song abruptly
Pling-plong-...? If a sample is active when the song ends, the song is not finished correctly. Perhaps the author forgot to jump to a certain pattern by using a loop in the end or perhaps the person just forgot he/she was not finished? Avoid this mistake by listening through your song before publishing it.
^ Usually, finishing a song in a mid sample means that yes, indeed the author was a lazy git who didn't check his instruments before ending the module pattern. However, I've used this technique a number of times to make the song suddenly stop, for the shock effect. So, what others might view as you being a n00b, could mean that you intended the song to sound that way!
#9 - Using relative values
If you use volume slides, you are lazy. Use absolute values instead. It takes longer to do but increases the chance that it will work correctly on other players than the one YOU happen to use.
^ Sometimes, using volume slides is preferred over utilizing commands since a volume slide works independently of the number of rows processed in time, which makes a slide very useful in slow row speed songs. Also, commands were made to be used, so use them,but use them when it's appropriate!
Well, that's about the critique I've got for this guide, perhaps I should write one myself sometime... when I get the time...
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