My Review
As requested, I will review this piece for you.
Intro
First off, I'm digging the frequencies used on your kick... rides nice n smooth through my Altec Lansing speakers. Bass blows really nice with it.
The bass is nice n crisp, digging that too, thing I like, is that the bass is distinguishable from the actual kick itself. Thats good.
Decent job with the EQ.
Could do with a shorter introduction / entry toward the breakdown. But I like the way that you enter the breakdown by smoothing up your song by releasing the sounds one by one.
Onto the Breakdown
Harmonic, Good use in volume levels with the primary lead... even tho it scared the shit outa me - could be lowered a bit, then brought progressively louder, instead of scaring the listener.
What I would do, instead of introducing all of the primary chords right away, I'd start with something more harmonic, like a sine, bells, or something else that sounds good with a pad that increases overall relaxation in the listener. Start by introducing some keys, then work your way up with the volume.
You should be revealing all of the keys in your release, or right before it, giving the climax point.
I found the breakdown to be not much of an attention grabber, but more of a transition. Breakdowns are critical in trance, it just makes it sound better when chords are built upon other cords, with a nice soothing pad in the background if you get my idea.
Release
Your release is somewhat... climactic in a way. It does have a bit of energy to it, but due to the fact the same keys, and same sound was played in both this part, and the breakdown, it lost potential energy that, in my opinion, would make this song better.
Your exit toward the end of the song (calming the mood down), was decent. I like your choice in body, bringing the melody back once again for a second strike.
Bass kicks in, nice, time for the song to progress toward the end.
End
Similar sounds that I heard in the beginning, similar patterns. Good.
I like this.
OVERALL. And Advice
In my opinion, if you were to make your own trance song, (and Im going to mention this anyway because it is pretty important, and it makes any song not so repeatative), is to give your song some original transitions.
When I say transitions, I dont mean like upbuilds n downbuilds, I mean like changing the pattern say, every 16 bars, just to give some extra kick.
What I do, is I've been learning to play with transitions, and for a whole 4 bars, I'll mute almost every percussion that is playing, then re-arrange my kick to the very last few bars of the 4, to make it have the sort of feeling that something is about to come up.
After a transition, A new percussion, or a new sound / lead generally should arrise from the blue. Instead of making it come out of nowhere without a transition, it seems to flow better with one.
Just a thought!
I'd get you to review some of my songs, but I havent been able to work on many, because I don't have my personal computer until my family gets back from vacation. Shame :P
Keep it up~ Patrick Marshall
BS - Close Your Eyes