New to the forum.

[Ray Cube]

Hi.
I do not class myself as a musician and can hardly play a phrase on a midi keyboard with some amount of practice before hand. I have no musical education but found when I first got a PC that I got enjoyment from trying to create a tune or two using one of the then major players in DAWs.
That had served me well for a long time but I hadn't bothered updating the program for some years and the sounds available started to sound dated to my ears and the program has become more difficult to run since using it in Win 7.
Then when looking at video editing programs I came across a music bundle that intrigued me on HumbleBundle that included Mixcraft 9. It was a different workflow for sure and I had looked down upon the idea of using sample phrases in blocks in the past thinking if everyone had access to the same building blocks that results would be very similar so had previously dismissed the idea.
But for the price offered along with the additional samples and extras offered I bought and registered Mixcraft 9. Subsequently I have spent the last five weeks getting to grips with this new DAW and I have been blown away by its relative ease of use and flexibility although some aspects of it are still difficult for me to get used to. I am also blown away by the quality of the exports. I have looked at each of the YouTube tutorials that have popped up during normal viewing and found their length and bit sized information easier to digest and work with.
Working with sample loops is different for me, leading me to compositions I would not have come up with on my own.
As I said, I'm not a musician, have no idea of what I should do musically and to conform with a normal musical structure but I have had fun trying.
With that in mind I would like to share my first attempt with you all. Feel free to criticise as it may help me to learn. I am no teenager and can take a bit of good constructive criticism. I am also no vocalist so don't expect any lyrics to anything I post here. I am now working my way through my seventh composition trying to add something I have leaned from each tutorial I have watched.
Anyway here goes and thanks to the Acoustica developers for such an inspired program of which until recently I had never heard of.

https://youtu.be/DbMxbKSAg5k

Ray.

[jwarv]

Welcome to the forum and the world of Mixcraft! (Hmm, sounds like a video game I've heard somewhere.) Anyway, you remind me of myself when I first started with loops. Excited to be able to put together anything that sounded professional, even in the slightest.

You have the right instinct to add changes as you go to keep it interesting. Funny, it almost has the feel of an AI generated track. Sort of rambling along. There's something really sharp and tinny about the mix. But as you continue your ears will become atuned to balanced EQ and you will be able to dial in to taste. Keep watching those YT tutorials.

[Sturdy]

Welcome, I feel like Mixcraft is excellent for songwriting like you're using it. Agree that the guitar strumming loop sounds quite trebly, but song is very listenable. I did like the saxaphone flavor. Have fun. all the best.

[Ray Cube]

Mixcraft mixer settinngs for New Beginnings.jpg (579.23 KiB) Viewed 1636 times

Thank you both for your replies and you are both correct and the guitar part is definitely treble heavy as I tried (probably unsuccessfully) to sound more like a steel dobro as I found the samples quite brittle sounding to begin with.

Also without the tonal correction the guitar got lost in the mix without it. Any suggestions as to how to overcome that would be much appreciated.

Using samples rather than a keyboard is a bit weird for me yet as the music tends to flow in directions I personally would not have taken it but fun at the same time trying to find things to fit. Often (Often I've only done six projects so far.) this means I have ended up with a composition I really didn't expect to create.
I am sometimes frustrated by the way samples have to be adjusted length wise rather than cut with a scissor tool but equally really impressed with the way an individual sample can be adjusted time and pitch wise.
The saxophone parts of the mix also got tweaked a bit tonally as they came from different sets of samples and I wanted them to sound as close to each other as possible.
Interesting you should say it reminds you of a video game somewhere as I haven't touched or looked at a video game since 98
I am delving into styles of music I haven't in the past been comfortable with creating due to past restrictions in the sounds I had available so with that in mind perhaps I should share my second attempt.
https://youtu.be/H_CgIweRfvI
I am deliberately uploading these to YouTube with the program showing as the mix progresses in the hope that people can see how to correct possible mistakes. With this one I have no idea where to place individual instruments to produce a convincing orchestra but hope the result is still pleasant and not too disconcerting to the ear of a listener.
I hope my links work as I think they should.
(Nope, could not get the image of the mixer setup to show)
((OK that didn't work as expected)).

Ray.

[Ray Cube]

After your comments I have revised the mix to see if I have improved things.
https://youtu.be/tXzrNB0H6KY
I have reduced the treble sharpness on acoustic guitar and tightened up bass guitar. Lowered the snare on drum kit and repositioned / balanced the saxophone parts. I have tried listening on headphones this time around as well as speakers but my headphones are not that great.
If that has worked I will post my other efforts so far in the appropriate section for critique.
Thanks for the input so far.
Much appreciated.

Ray.

[clavguy]

Holy Cow Ray.. for a "Know nothing" that is awesome.. Welcome to the group
Keep it up

Cheers
Pierre

[Ray Cube]

Thank you for the positive encouragement Pierre.
When I say I know nothing, I meant with dealing with samples as loops. I have in the past with another program made my own melodies using a Midi keyboard and soft synths. I can't play that well and it takes me ages to learn a phrase I have in my head and play it well enough to lay down the 'next bit'. But that meant I had a sort of tune in my head to begin with.
This method of using loops is about layers and listening to samples that may not be in the same key or tempo and building them up to fit. The music takes it's own course in unexpected ways as I listen to what seems like endless samples where I may find a short section I can use or adapt. Cut up or re-arrange and stretch to fit. It's a whole new discipline for me to get to grips with.
Also the panning law in Mixcraft seems different to what I am used to. Less pan movement is needed for placement of instruments.
The using of real instrument sounds is also new to me. I am using sounds I never thought I would be able to in the past. It's all fascinating and teaching me stuff I had never thought I could never achieve composition wise.
I do love the mixer which is very close to past analogue desks I have used for live bands. It feels familiar and easy to comprehend but more flexible.
Prior I had always thought if everyone had access to the same library sounds that the resulting compositions from individuals would end up sounding similar. Boy, was I wrong.

One question.

If I put other tunes I've put together in the other forum would it be best to keep uploading new compositions to the same post I create or make a new post for each new tune?

Ultimately these compositions will eventually be married to my videos if they fit the mood of the event I cover so that's the final goal. To have my own music on my own videos.

Ray.

[clavguy]

One question.

If I put other tunes I've put together in the other forum would it be best to keep uploading new compositions to the same post I create or make a new post for each new tune?

Ray.

Good question.. Initially, I thought keep uploading to the same post. But then I thought that would become unruly. So probably better to make a new post for each new tune

[Ray Cube]

Thanks for the input. Different forums seem to have different patterns of member behaviour.