DKC2 Hot Head Bop

Alright, here's something I've been working on for the past few days, and I think it's coming along really nicely. I suck at genre distinctions, so I'll just let you all listen to it. Please leave feedback, I really want to get this one sounding awesome.

Newest Version: http://ftp.cableone.net/rebelart/HotHeadBop2.mp3

Older Versions:

http://ftp.cableone.net/rebelart/HotHeadBop1.mp3

http://ftp.cableone.net/rebelart/LavaMaster4.mp3

http://ftp.cableone.net/rebelart/LavaMaster1.mp3

http://ftp.cableone.net/rebelart/LavaMaster.mp3

There's a little bit of clipping in the bridge, and it's not done yet, so it just kind of ends. Thanks for taking the time to listen to this!

EDIT: Took advice on the rhythm guitars, upped bass a tad, and finished off a potential ending by going back to the funk for a little bit. I still need advice as far as production goes, that's my weakest spot right now, and I only have some just-ok mixing headphones, so advice in any way on that helps a ton. Thanks, and please post feedback!

ANOTHER EDIT: Alright, this newest version is sounding a ton better. Sixto gave me some advice on rewriting the chord progressions, and it sounds great. Lots of production changes too, feedback is appreciated!

I like the arrangement quite a bit, I was expecting a funky song because of that intro, but it quickly picked up pace and went into some synth rocking.

Unfortunately, there are quite some production flaws you have to work out, but they should be pretty easily solved; First, layer your rhythm guitars (i.e. Record the rhythm part twice and pan both of them hard left and right), this should give the center a lot more breathing space, since you have a lot of instruments taking up the same frequencies there.

Next, I barely hear any bass frequencies here, I think both your kick-drum and your bass could use a reasonable gain boost and some harsh eq'ing to solve this, just make sure they don't cancel each other out. I'm thinking a wide EQ-boost for the bass somewhere in 100-400 Hz, and a pretty steep boost for the kick at 60-80 Hz. You can then roll off either the kick or the bass (whichever you DON'T want in the sub-bass frequencies) at 50-60 Hz.

There might be some other issues but these are the ones you have to tackle first I think

Anyway, definitely keep on it, with some production love this can shape up to be great, I'm digging the arrangement

So far, sounds really good!

I really like how you fade between using electronic instruments and not.

It sounds like it could use some vocals, though. But I understand that doing that might either turn it into bubblegum garbage or make it sound more like an original song than a remix.

Nice work!

Very nice! I told ya those layered guitars can do wonders, the middle sounds much cleaner now and the guitars sound a lot meatier. The bass is a lot better audible too, but the kick still gets drowned out when the whole thing starts, which costs the whole mix a lot of energy. It's hard, but you have to try to make it sit next to the bass in the lower frequency spectrum.

I also think the snare isn't really varied enough in terms of velocity so it becomes pretty annoying quickly, if you can't vary it enough by changing it's velocity, try to load up a few samples that sound similar and have them alternate, or if you even can't do that, load up the same snare and EQ it enough to make it different from the others.

Updated, lots of little tweaks and a few small arrangement changes. I think I've got the production done pretty well, but more experienced ears than mine may disagree, so please leave feedback!

(Also, w00t, cleaned up WIP forum! No more stickies!)

Another update!

http://ftp.cableone.net/rebelart/HotHeadBop1.mp3

Changes I made are in the first post. Should I change the bass in the chorus to follow the rhythm guitars, or should I leave it as is?

Whoa... first off, the guitar/keyboards/whatisit?! in the choruses sound AMAZING. An incredible wall of sound. I like it.

You make a good question about the bass. Having the bass stay in one place while the chords change is an effect I really like. But you don't have to do that all the time, you could do that for half a chorus, or do it in one of the choruses in the song.. experiement! About the bass as it is now, I think the fill sounds better as "A-E-F-G-A" than the "A-E-F#-G-A" you have now. I guess the bass is in major key and it should be in minor key. Or something, I know next to nothing about theory.

--Eino

http://ftp.cableone.net/rebelart/HotHeadBop2.mp3

Alright, I messed around with the bass a little, I think I like it, but I'm still not sure. Is this better or worse than HotHeadBop1.mp3?