Music: Indepth

[Proof]

Through the ears of a producer, he/she analyzes every sound heard in a production.
Through the ears of an enthusiast, he/she translates the track into an emotion they relate to.



Whether it be at home, club or even your car;

What do you look for/at when you're listening to a track?
What part catches your attention?
What makes your knees weak?
Any particular sound / effect?

[crow]

1) I always look for a drive in a track depending on the producer. If there isn't a drive or groove, there's always the melody. And when I say drive, I don't mean tech-trance.

2) I always get my first impression about the track through the kicks and hi-hats at the very beginning of the track. If those don't do it for me, then I simply wait for the bassline. In case of non-impressive bassline, I jump to the breakdown hoping for something better. This is pretty much my last hope for appeal of a track to me. After many years of listening to tracks, those tracks fail to have impressive kicks, basslines, and breakdowns never turn out to be good. I hate soft kicks and cliche UK-based basslines!! I desipise every producer who produces that kind of bassline!!!

3) The breakdown ofcourse! Followed by the bassline. When I heard Guisippe Ottaviani and Marc van Linden's breakdown in their remix of Vivid Intent, I was reminded of the golden years of trance music. My knees went week.

4) I have no specific sound or effect but I'm sick and tired of all those filters used in trance nowadays that emerged from cheesey house music. I'm also hating the whole "siren" synth that EVERYONE started copying off Randy Katana after Louder. I'm also in deep hate of the fact that everyone copied Andy Moor's vocal ideas (which in fact are originally from James Holden). Andy Moor was the first to "resurrect" the idea again to the public and it seems to me that many producers copy it. What a shame!

[samer]

[samlbronkowitz]

1. It has to affect me: tingles, shivers, head shake, ass shake, shoulder, shake or an expression of WOW on my face.
2. It has to keep me interested: beats should be varied, eclectic, with lots of ups and downs and hundreds of different layers and sounds. (8min of one subgenre will NEVER do it for me again)
3. Tracks I hear over and over should be played anywhere: in my car, in my ipod in a club, etc. Other tracks specifically for one place dont have as much meaning.
4. Knees weak: that rumbling, dark evil bass at 127-128bpms that you have in dark progressive house as well as that bleepy bloopy techy sound mastered by James Holden and copied by nearly everyone else.

[TRANCED]

For me, I am really captured by tracks that got power. Whether it was in steady heavy stabbing beats or just lots of trembling elements at high Bpm.
Also, the more teasing a track is the better. That is if it's got twists, turns, ups and downs, or simply some original new sounds that are not easily accepted by the ear. Repetetive melodic stuff, no matter how beautiful and glittery, that lack those elements, are just plain boring to me.

Buzzy sexy groovy basslines are always welcome, and of course techy filthy dirty pounding elements would make my heart jump at very first second.

I am not a fan of breakdowns. I only like them, if i ever did, for some hot buildup right after. I love energetic tracks and breakdowns just kill the mood. I don't like my hands in the air and that dreamy feeling. Hot sweaty dancing is much better!

[Qulture]

Nice Topic Proofy :

We are currently seeing tremendous talents in EDM , the level of quality in today's production skills , just keeps getting better , and better ....

what i really look for in a track , is confidence , originality , and the element of surprise !

I like the track to be very well produced , no bass sound higher than kicks , or synths etc ...

I love heavy , jumping , skipping bass-lines , with a fresh , melody .

I like good vocals , that sound good and make sense , and i love surprise breakdowns , second melodies or breakdowns ....

what Wippenberg has done to cosmic gate's should have known , is an example of such fresh , confident , original new sounds !!! Although he repeated the exact remix for the needs to feel track ...

Q

[Raneem]

Very interesting topic to talk about..Good job Proof
Well, im gonna give you my opinion as a dj, as a producer, and as a listener.
As a listener, i look for a track full of melodies and emotions, with a catchy melody (a melody that i can whistle the whole day). That is, a breakdown full of choirs, pads, strings, and an original synth that grabs my attention. (example: Serenity, Forever Friends).

As a producer, i usually focus on the elements used in a track, how is it arranged, sound quality etc... Plus, I care about the idea behind the track. Is it fully for listeners? is it fully for Clubbers? or is it for both? Usually a track that is targeted for both clubbers and listeners attracts me the most. (example: Airbase, Sean Tyas)

As a dj, i look for a track that has the potential to kill people on the dancefloor. In other words, a BOOM after a melodic breakdown usually will make me pick up this track without any doubts.. (Example: Marc Van Linden productions)

So, since i am a listener/dj/producer, i look for tracks that have ALL, which target both listeners and clubbers at the same time (that's what i try to do in my productions too). The breakdown usually gets me down on my knees (especially if the melody kills).

[Genesis]

POWER.

That's what I look for in a tune. Relentless energy that slams out through
the speakers. I like the hard fat basslines and fast driving 140+ bpm.
Deep and dark tunes does it quite well for me.

Chords, keys, melodies and all doesn't do it for me; that's just too soft.

[TRANCED]

I got the powerrr!!
tam... tam tam tam!!

[Night Stalker]

^^

Welcome to the club!


i'd have to agree on the POWER part... and most importantly the HEAVY BASSLINE!

I like to close my eyes , nod my head, while standing as close as possible to the speakers and let the Basslines make my spine shiver!

[Genesis]

^ wana make out?

[crow]

[TranceFusion]

[Nicoco]

[e-sam]

1. I am attracted to the melodies & effects in a track. Sometimes though a wicked baseline is also catchy.

2. Baseline for sure! A good one will definitely catch my attention. Its like a building the first floor is baseline then comes melody, vocals, effects, etc...

3. Angelic voices when am in a good mood or high BPM when am in a bad one.

4. Tech all the way! The fast pace, powerful baseline & effects usually satisfy my needs in a track. (Cant wait for Fred Baker )