Apollo Lee 52 Tracks in 52 Weeks

A New Opportunity

In 52 Tracks, House, Music on January 6, 2008 with no comments

First Version

Title: Apollo Lee – A New Opportunity (First Version)
Date: January 6, 2008
Software: Reason 4.0
Genre: House
Timing: 3:19 @ 125 bpm

What I Like About It

1. I used something other than G minor (I’m using Ebm7 Ab7 here).
2. I have something resembling a melody (the vibraphone line).
3. I didn’t fall back to using any randomizations.
4. The cowbell is pretty funky.

What I Don’t Like About It

1. The drums are are splattered out of a 1 bar loop with some drums muted in various parts of the arrangement.
2. It doesn’t have any sections. It’s a straight eight bar loop with something changing every eight bars. No concept of verse, bridge, or chorus.
3. There’s no breakdown or tension building.
4. The mixdown sounds like garbage. I never attempted to mix this draft down on anything but headphones.

Second Version

Title: Apollo Lee – A New Opportunity (Second Version)
Date: January 16, 2008
Software: Logic Pro 8
Genre: House
Timing: 3:19 @ 125 bpm

What I Like About It

1. For the first time, I imported a Reason-generated MIDI file into Logic.
2. The parts are tighter and cleaner and the drums don’t feel too muddy.
3. The electric piano chords give it a different, more jazzy feel than the bouncy “Sound on Sound” Reason Malström synth.
4. The new melody line instrument is much better here.
5. The mixdown is much better.

What I Don’t Like About It

1. I didn’t know how to fade in and out, so the ending is very abrupt.
2. It still suffers from the same issues as the first version.
3. There are no secondary melodies to sustain interest.

Note: These are rough drafts. Constructive criticism is welcomed, of course.

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