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Post by pt3r on Feb 15, 2023 11:04:45 GMT
Spicy questions of the day; how honest do you want the feedback on your music? Could you handle blunt honest reviews of your output, or do you hold on to the "if you don't have nice things to say don't say nothing at all" school of thought? What approach will help you to improve? Do you actually want to improve musically or are you just going for the likes?
Do you listen to your own performance and feel like you made something with intent?
Do you care about the messenger? If your mum tells you that you're the best guitarist in the world how useful is that feedback? Is you mum a music scholar or is she just being nice and supportive as mums tend to be from time to time?
If my instrument/music teachers would never tell me that my playing is not good enough, then I am pretty sure that I would stagnate and/or believe I'm the sh*t while the objective reality begs to differ. But instead they will take my analyze my playing, and comment on voicings, note choices and other rhythmic decisions.
I know that Zappa said something along the lines of talking about music is like dancing about architecture but I still believe that asking (yourself) these questions might help you improve.
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Post by admin on Feb 15, 2023 11:16:00 GMT
I guess it depends how the feedback is "packaged". I wouldn't want to hear "you track sucks" and I would never want to say that to anyone.
However, I would appreciate comments like "I see that you are trying to harmonize the Solina with a sequence and counterpoint with the bass line. You might want to try using this scale and mix up the rhythm in this or that way." I would love to get this kind of feedback.
I can really only talk about myself, but I'm probably not alone here in that I'm NOT a professional musician, I'm NOT training to be a professional musician, I have another job that keeps me and my family clothed and fed and that job is stressful enough.
I don't need more stress in my past-time.
But I would be very grateful for any offer of genuinely helpful comments.
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Post by pt3r on Feb 15, 2023 11:27:38 GMT
I guess it depends how the feedback is "packaged". I wouldn't want to hear "you track sucks" and I would never want to say that to anyone. However, I would appreciate comments like "I see that you are trying to harmonize the Solina with a sequence and counterpoint with the bass line. You might want to try using this scale and mix up the rhythm in this or that way." I would love to get this kind of feedback. I can really only talk about myself, but I'm probably not alone here in that I'm NOT a professional musician, I'm NOT training to be a professional musician, I have another job that keeps me and my family clothed and fed and that job is stressful enough. I don't need more stress in my past-time. But I would be very grateful for any offer of genuinely helpful comments. Could not agree more. Critiquing music is not the same thing as butchering a piece without further insight or throwing laurels around without further info to justify those. I'm not a professional musician neither, nor do I intend to be one (I also like to keep a roof above my head, food in the fridge, and electricity coming out of the sockets  ) but that does not mean that I could use more honest feedback... and if it's too honest I'll just call you a hater J/K  . I think the way to approach this is simple enough, I you want honest feedback you can just ask for it when you post your track and see what happens. |
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Post by 101 on Feb 15, 2023 11:30:25 GMT
I consider myself as part of a wonderful community in AE modular. To actually get likes and comments(!!) I'm always humbled. I listen to other peoples AE stuff and generally much prefer it to a lot of generic synth stuff or computer driven music.
Always fascinated with what people are doing good/bad polished or un-polished. That said, if someone made an AE modular youtube vid wearing a MAGA hat. I'd probably ignore that person entirely (unless it was Larry David).
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Post by solipsistnation on Feb 15, 2023 17:41:40 GMT
I spent a lot of time as moderator of the reddit modelmakers sub. We got a lot of posts from people completely new to building models, who were still learning how to paint stuff nicely, and even the basics of assembling model kits so they look nice and less like glued-together plastic. What I tried to do was find something good about even the most crude builds, comment on that first, and then phrase it like "on your next build, you might try [technique]". That way you soften the criticism with a compliment first, so it's not like you're piling on them.
That's a pretty good way to approach criticism in general-- find one or two good things in even the most crude piece, point those out, and then make suggestions rather than just pointing out problems. And if you say it as a suggestion, that opens up a potential conversation about what the person was trying to do and why they did it that way, and how well it worked, and how they could get closer to what they want to sound like.
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Post by pt3r on Feb 15, 2023 18:55:12 GMT
... That's a pretty good way to approach criticism in general-- find one or two good things in even the most crude piece, point those out, and then make suggestions rather than just pointing out problems. And if you say it as a suggestion, that opens up a potential conversation about what the person was trying to do and why they did it that way, and how well it worked, and how they could get closer to what they want to sound like.
Ah yes the classic sandwich technique. But indeed I think criticism if done respectfully can be beneficial both for the critic as well as the critiqued, you're obliged to really listen to the piece, instead of skimming over it and proroper criticism can really help you to up your game.
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Post by admin on Feb 15, 2023 21:24:22 GMT
I think that the sandwich technique is the best way for a hobbyist setting. We are all here to have a good time and chill out from all the negativity that's going on in the world. If someone wants (or needs) someone to push them beyond their limits like in "Whiplash" or "Black Swan" then they should probably pay for it  |
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Post by maydonpoliris on Feb 15, 2023 21:32:27 GMT
As uploading is part of the learning process, well-constructed criticisms like the ones mentioned above are welcomed and a healthy discussion about the track and elements in there are a good thing. You don't want to crush that spirit by judging their music eg "that's not music" or 'it's crap' because it's all about having fun and at the end of the day it's a hobby to us and we are not trying to get it perfect, well I'm not anyway I think it is a really cool thing to share music amongst peers and it is nice to know that someone has listened to it whether by comment or like just to know it's been noticed. You wouldn't 'expect' anyone like or think your music is great but just to appreciate the process. If I've listened to a track in full, I like to comment something I liked about it because I believe that's what support is and knowing what it's like to create music and the joy that it brings as I can imagine that person sitting down as I do having a ball and hopefully proud of what they have created, good or bad. |
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Post by pt3r on Feb 16, 2023 7:20:37 GMT
... If someone wants (or needs) someone to push them beyond their limits like in "Whiplash" or "Black Swan" then they should probably pay for it *cleaning coffee from keyboard* |
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pol
Wiki Editors
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Post by pol on Feb 17, 2023 16:22:22 GMT
My feelin for us as music hobbyists is the journey is the desination; if the music sounds completely shit (even to your own ears) as long as you are enjoying/learning then it is a win. The big win is producing something you are really proud of, and thne hopefully soem other people liek it too.....
Yes, family is pretty useless for feedback (mine either I get nothing, or the same comments I always do - for 30 years!). I have been in good situations recording with other musicians where where you felt you could suggest things to each other, try it even if not keen and flow from there, often generating another new idea. My favourite collab was with a guitarist where we did one of each other's songs alternately; one of his acoustic, angst songs became a dance track and one of my turgid, synth laden things became almost a rock song - good times  . maydonpoliris & I almost have a similar thing without the live feedback as, being in 11 hour difference timezones, we are often asleep when the other is awake!
The key for good feedback/collabing to my mind is yes, you can't just say this is shit (you can say you don't like it which a a different thing!), but being constructive, as other have said, making suggestions. If you don't like a piece of music and can't find anything constructive to say, then just walk away.....
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Post by NightMachines on Feb 23, 2023 14:23:44 GMT
I once, unsuspectingly, received very detailed feedback about a music release of mine. It was written nicely enough, but I realized that there is so much personal taste involved in feedback/critique, especially when it comes to the kind of music we tend to make with modular synths. I totally understood all comments and also the criticisms the person had about my tracks, but I also felt like I wouldn’t have done much differently if I had known them beforehand. Thinking about this, I kind of came to the conclusion that I made the music for myself alone and that this was also perfectly fine and “enough” for me. It was even a bit freeing, to acknowledge this for myself, that I don’t need to make “popular” or even just “well produced” music 😅 If people enjoy my music regardless, that’s awesome, but for me my journey of creating a track is what satisfies me and I don’t really need or look for feedback most of the time. If I've listened to a track in full, I like to comment something I liked about it because I believe that's what support is and knowing what it's like to create music and the joy that it brings as I can imagine that person sitting down as I do having a ball and hopefully proud of what they have created, good or bad. I think this is a great approach for the mostly hobbyist synth community  |
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) but that does not mean that I could use more honest feedback... and if it's too honest I'll just call you a hater J/K 
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