Hello there,
I've been busy for the last couple of months building a site to post some of the music I've made over the past 15 years. The reason for doing this instead of posting samples here is because a lot of my friends and family don't visit sites like planetz and I think it's better to have everything in one place.
If you have some time, you are welcome to visit my web page. Most of my tracks are very old and were originally recorded on a consumer grade tape deck, but there are a number of tracks that were created using scope for 'mixing and mastering'. The difference in quality is obvious!
I would also like to ask you to comment on them if you have something to say. I am at a point where I don't know how to proceed. I would like to spend more time making music, but I also feel that it has to have a meaning and purpose. I can improve upon my music in every area, technical and creative, but I need to get something back for the huge amount of time and energy it requires. So I would really appreciate your input. I hope to be able to return the favor.
In order to prevent indexing and hotlinking, you need to enter a username and password to view the web page. You can stream the tracks or download them and play them with iTunes for instance.
Web page: http://music.7o7o7.com/main
Username: planetz
Password: welcome
Thanks in advance!
Leon
My soundtracks
worked fine for me with the above log/pass.
The track "Higher and Deeper" in "Digital new gear" won't work (asks for a adobe flash plugin).
All the other tracks i tried worked fine.
So far i liked the "digital engine" in the digital scope section, not had time to check everything.
biut it worked fine with planetz/welcome as log/pass
The track "Higher and Deeper" in "Digital new gear" won't work (asks for a adobe flash plugin).
All the other tracks i tried worked fine.
So far i liked the "digital engine" in the digital scope section, not had time to check everything.
biut it worked fine with planetz/welcome as log/pass
Thanks for checking! Dreamengine is one of the most recent tracks. I also fixed the link to Deeper & Higher. I made a slight mistake there. It works now.spacef wrote:worked fine for me with the above log/pass.
The track "Higher and Deeper" in "Digital new gear" won't work (asks for a adobe flash plugin).
All the other tracks i tried worked fine.
So far i liked the "digital engine" in the digital scope section, not had time to check everything.
biut it worked fine with planetz/welcome as log/pass :-)
Normally I wouldn't comment on anyone else's music, at least not publicly. But you specifically asked for input, and judging from your web site you really care about your music and have invested a lot of your time and energy and money in it. You may not like what I have to say. Worse, what I say may be completely irrelevant because I'm coming from such a different place. But I recognize a kindred soul in your love of music and your desire to produce it, so I'm going to do my best to give helpful feedback, and to pay you the complement of giving my honest, unvarnished take.
You'll get a chance to kick my butt next week, after I post my first full Scope piece (I have to wait until after its premier performance in Baltimore).
First, let me briefly tell you where I am coming from musically. I've produced electronic music longer than most on this forum have been on the planet. Earth, not Z. Since the 60's. With synths (starting with an ARP 2600) since the 70's. But I don't consider myself a musician, or that what I produce as music in the conventional sense. I dropped out of music school and went instead to art school back in the '70s because at art school I could work with the (then) new modular synths as I saw fit. I just had to call it sound art instead of music.
Also, I don't listen to popular music of any kind. Can't stand it. I listen mostly to dead white guys. Bach, Purcell, Copeland, like that. So I have absolutely no feel for popular music. This should nullify a lot of what I say below, especially if you don't find it helpful.
As I said, your passion for creating music comes through clearly. I take that as a starting point, without the passion why bother? As you say there is not much monetary reward. This is the first thing I want to say, really the main reason I'm taking the time (and will accept the hits that will be coming) to post this: music is your passion...but it's not your job. This is really, really important to get clear on. Making a living as a musician, especially as a composer or musician/producer, is a different path than creating music for the nourishment of your soul. And most of the time the two are mutually exclusive. If you want to make a living in music, there is a grind to do. You gotta pay your dues, either via music school or gigging at clubs, etc., or some combination. There is no short cut, even with all the wonderful toys techology gives us 'cause everyone else has them too. But I don't think this is what you really want, if I'm wrong about that, pretty much this whole post is crap, and you can move on to the next one.
So the assumption is that creating music is your soul food, that you do it because if you didn't you would be unhappy. Not that doing it guarantees your happiness, just that not doing it guarantees the opposite. If this is correct, then probably the first thing you need to discard is that you will or even should make money with your music. There used to be a fairly good argument for having to make money in order to prove it's not just an expensive hobby. But with computers and the Internet and mp3s all over the place, that argument is cooked. You still may need to convince significant others, but that is a different problem.
It's important, even critical, to accept that you are not going to make money with your music, or even that you should try, because only then can you be free to realize your full creativity. And really, isn't that what the soul munches on? realizing your creativity? So face it, the already considerable money you've put into your music gear is not going to give you a monetary return on investment. Nor will any further money you put into it. You will get a return on the investment, a good one, so get what you need as you can afford it. Just expect that return to be paid in a higher coin than mere lucre.
Now, finally, to your music. I've listened to (parts) of all tracks on the 3 digital pages (except "Chique Rendezvous," which won't play). Nice web site layout, BTW. Taken as a whole, your music is pedestrian and I wouldn't have bothered to listen to more than a track or two and I certainly would not have written this post. But then there are your intros. This seems to be where your real creativity has been let loose. The rest of the tracks, most of them anyway, sound like you are trying to be someone else - I don't know who because I don't listen to pop music, maybe a generic pop guy, lounge lizard, elevator music man. I take it as your bow to commercialization, which is why I went on about the money part. If you *want* this, then I'm of no use to you, forget everything I've said and don't let my very unobjective ears trouble you.
But if you sense a kernel of truth, then here - finally - is the important part of what I'm trying to get to: Look to your intros. Free yourself from any attempt at being commercial and just go for being creative. Then do what amounts to whole compositions of what you formally did for intros. No particular style (you will soon enough find your own, and it will be yours alone), just focus on the creative part, what you probably already think of as the fun part. You clearly have talent as well as passion, and your intros prove it. So give yourself a break and just do whatever you do when you are doing intros.
Oh yes...and loose the drum tracks. Not rhythm, just the phony drum loops. Blatantly commercial, and you are really an artiste, no?
-John Dunn
You'll get a chance to kick my butt next week, after I post my first full Scope piece (I have to wait until after its premier performance in Baltimore).
First, let me briefly tell you where I am coming from musically. I've produced electronic music longer than most on this forum have been on the planet. Earth, not Z. Since the 60's. With synths (starting with an ARP 2600) since the 70's. But I don't consider myself a musician, or that what I produce as music in the conventional sense. I dropped out of music school and went instead to art school back in the '70s because at art school I could work with the (then) new modular synths as I saw fit. I just had to call it sound art instead of music.
Also, I don't listen to popular music of any kind. Can't stand it. I listen mostly to dead white guys. Bach, Purcell, Copeland, like that. So I have absolutely no feel for popular music. This should nullify a lot of what I say below, especially if you don't find it helpful.
As I said, your passion for creating music comes through clearly. I take that as a starting point, without the passion why bother? As you say there is not much monetary reward. This is the first thing I want to say, really the main reason I'm taking the time (and will accept the hits that will be coming) to post this: music is your passion...but it's not your job. This is really, really important to get clear on. Making a living as a musician, especially as a composer or musician/producer, is a different path than creating music for the nourishment of your soul. And most of the time the two are mutually exclusive. If you want to make a living in music, there is a grind to do. You gotta pay your dues, either via music school or gigging at clubs, etc., or some combination. There is no short cut, even with all the wonderful toys techology gives us 'cause everyone else has them too. But I don't think this is what you really want, if I'm wrong about that, pretty much this whole post is crap, and you can move on to the next one.
So the assumption is that creating music is your soul food, that you do it because if you didn't you would be unhappy. Not that doing it guarantees your happiness, just that not doing it guarantees the opposite. If this is correct, then probably the first thing you need to discard is that you will or even should make money with your music. There used to be a fairly good argument for having to make money in order to prove it's not just an expensive hobby. But with computers and the Internet and mp3s all over the place, that argument is cooked. You still may need to convince significant others, but that is a different problem.
It's important, even critical, to accept that you are not going to make money with your music, or even that you should try, because only then can you be free to realize your full creativity. And really, isn't that what the soul munches on? realizing your creativity? So face it, the already considerable money you've put into your music gear is not going to give you a monetary return on investment. Nor will any further money you put into it. You will get a return on the investment, a good one, so get what you need as you can afford it. Just expect that return to be paid in a higher coin than mere lucre.
Now, finally, to your music. I've listened to (parts) of all tracks on the 3 digital pages (except "Chique Rendezvous," which won't play). Nice web site layout, BTW. Taken as a whole, your music is pedestrian and I wouldn't have bothered to listen to more than a track or two and I certainly would not have written this post. But then there are your intros. This seems to be where your real creativity has been let loose. The rest of the tracks, most of them anyway, sound like you are trying to be someone else - I don't know who because I don't listen to pop music, maybe a generic pop guy, lounge lizard, elevator music man. I take it as your bow to commercialization, which is why I went on about the money part. If you *want* this, then I'm of no use to you, forget everything I've said and don't let my very unobjective ears trouble you.
But if you sense a kernel of truth, then here - finally - is the important part of what I'm trying to get to: Look to your intros. Free yourself from any attempt at being commercial and just go for being creative. Then do what amounts to whole compositions of what you formally did for intros. No particular style (you will soon enough find your own, and it will be yours alone), just focus on the creative part, what you probably already think of as the fun part. You clearly have talent as well as passion, and your intros prove it. So give yourself a break and just do whatever you do when you are doing intros.
Oh yes...and loose the drum tracks. Not rhythm, just the phony drum loops. Blatantly commercial, and you are really an artiste, no?
-John Dunn
Thank you for your time! This greatly exceeds the kind of feedback I was hoping for. Your perception (hope that's the right word) of where I'm coming from is entirely correct.johndunn wrote:Normally I wouldn't comment on anyone else's music, at least not publicly. But you specifically asked for input, and judging from your web site you really care about your music and have invested a lot of your time and energy and money in it. You may not like what I have to say. Worse, what I say may be completely irrelevant because I'm coming from such a different place. But I recognize a kindred soul in your love of music and your desire to produce it, so I'm going to do my best to give helpful feedback, and to pay you the complement of giving my honest, unvarnished take.
No need for kicking body parts! I will listen to it when it's public.johndunn wrote:You'll get a chance to kick my butt next week, after I post my first full Scope piece (I have to wait until after its premier performance in Baltimore).
You are right. When I said I needed something back for the time and energy I've put into my music, I wasn't thinking about money at all. When I was younger I've thought about making money with music, but at some point I realized that money is not what drives me, other than providing for my loved ones. I already know I don't belong in that world and I have no desire to go there. But that doesn't mean I haven't tried to sound that way. So maybe I should've been more clear about that.johndunn wrote:First, let me briefly tell you where I am coming from musically. I've produced electronic music longer than most on this forum have been on the planet. Earth, not Z. Since the 60's. With synths (starting with an ARP 2600) since the 70's. But I don't consider myself a musician, or that what I produce as music in the conventional sense. I dropped out of music school and went instead to art school back in the '70s because at art school I could work with the (then) new modular synths as I saw fit. I just had to call it sound art instead of music.
Also, I don't listen to popular music of any kind. Can't stand it. I listen mostly to dead white guys. Bach, Purcell, Copeland, like that. So I have absolutely no feel for popular music. This should nullify a lot of what I say below, especially if you don't find it helpful.
As I said, your passion for creating music comes through clearly. I take that as a starting point, without the passion why bother? As you say there is not much monetary reward. This is the first thing I want to say, really the main reason I'm taking the time (and will accept the hits that will be coming) to post this: music is your passion...but it's not your job. This is really, really important to get clear on. Making a living as a musician, especially as a composer or musician/producer, is a different path than creating music for the nourishment of your soul. And most of the time the two are mutually exclusive. If you want to make a living in music, there is a grind to do. You gotta pay your dues, either via music school or gigging at clubs, etc., or some combination. There is no short cut, even with all the wonderful toys techology gives us 'cause everyone else has them too. But I don't think this is what you really want, if I'm wrong about that, pretty much this whole post is crap, and you can move on to the next one.
So the assumption is that creating music is your soul food, that you do it because if you didn't you would be unhappy. Not that doing it guarantees your happiness, just that not doing it guarantees the opposite. If this is correct, then probably the first thing you need to discard is that you will or even should make money with your music. There used to be a fairly good argument for having to make money in order to prove it's not just an expensive hobby. But with computers and the Internet and mp3s all over the place, that argument is cooked. You still may need to convince significant others, but that is a different problem.
It's important, even critical, to accept that you are not going to make money with your music, or even that you should try, because only then can you be free to realize your full creativity. And really, isn't that what the soul munches on? realizing your creativity? So face it, the already considerable money you've put into your music gear is not going to give you a monetary return on investment. Nor will any further money you put into it. You will get a return on the investment, a good one, so get what you need as you can afford it. Just expect that return to be paid in a higher coin than mere lucre.
What I meant to say is that I would like to get a 'return on investment' first and foremost by allowing people to listen to my music. This is the first time I've ever posted my music online. Until recently, only my family and close friends have listened to the music I've made. I am my own worst critic, constantly shifting poles, so to speak. One moment I want to dismiss it as a total piece of crap, being uncomfortable about what's coming out of the speakers. Another moment I convince myself to see that this is what I really want to do.
Making music has helped me survive a lot of painful experiences in my life and I wouldn't be here right now I hadn't been able to get through them by being able to make music. Most of my music has been focussed on myself, which is probably true for most musicians to a certian degree, as I was the sole beneficiary. Most of that music was never recorded btw. But what I long for is to be able to keep myself out of the frame and focus on someone else. I now remember having been able to help a friend in a difficult time in her life by making music (not on my web page) that was focussed on her and not myself. That is what music is to me. Being able to put your soul into it and affect someone in a positive way. That is much more valuable to me than anything else. I could go into more detail but this is probably not the time nor the place.
True again. Well it's like this: I've been 'raised' with that monotone kind of music. In my opinion house music is mostly about repeating the same loop over and over, keeping the intention as basic as possible, so that it becomes sort of a 'mantra' to which you can go places, with or without the aid of chemical substances. So It's likely I'm sort of 'educated' to take the same route, musically. You are right that the beginning is what I like the most and is what moves me. Those intro's are usually created some time after the main theme itself, usually at the end of a different session, not uncommonly when I'm not happy with the result.johndunn wrote:Now, finally, to your music. I've listened to (parts) of all tracks on the 3 digital pages (except "Chique Rendezvous," which won't play). Nice web site layout, BTW. Taken as a whole, your music is pedestrian and I wouldn't have bothered to listen to more than a track or two and I certainly would not have written this post. But then there are your intros. This seems to be where your real creativity has been let loose. The rest of the tracks, most of them anyway, sound like you are trying to be someone else - I don't know who because I don't listen to pop music, maybe a generic pop guy, lounge lizard, elevator music man. I take it as your bow to commercialization, which is why I went on about the money part. If you *want* this, then I'm of no use to you, forget everything I've said and don't let my very unobjective ears trouble you.
But if you sense a kernel of truth, then here - finally - is the important part of what I'm trying to get to: Look to your intros. Free yourself from any attempt at being commercial and just go for being creative. Then do what amounts to whole compositions of what you formally did for intros. No particular style (you will soon enough find your own, and it will be yours alone), just focus on the creative part, what you probably already think of as the fun part. You clearly have talent as well as passion, and your intros prove it. So give yourself a break and just do whatever you do when you are doing intros.
Oh yes...and loose the drum tracks. Not rhythm, just the phony drum loops. Blatantly commercial, and you are really an artiste, no?
--
Leon