Results from testing my own sounds

So to get some input into the kind of sounds I am making I thought it would be a good idea to pick 5 of my own sounds and drum loops from projects I am working on. This would give me a good insight into which ones to pursue for my final track, as well as giving me some good feedback as to how I am doing. I obviously have my own particular favourites, but what do other people think? Again I thought the easiest way to do this was to message friends and people who joined my Facebook project group to go to my SoundCloud page and listen to the samples and simply message me back with which beat and which sound they preferred.

Facebook group – http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=112300088782111&ref=ts

SoundCloud page – http://soundcloud.com/beat-science

Drum Loop 1 – beat test 1

This was a fairly standard drum and bass loop, using a rather basic but effective pattern found commonly in drum and bass. Of the 30 people I got replies from, 8 (just under 27%) said they preferred this beat.

Drum Loop 2 – beat test 2

This followed a similar pattern to the previous beat but had extra kicks to create more energy. It proved to be the most popular, with 12 (40%) preferring this beat, giving it the highest percentage. It is actually my particular favourite, due to the energy.

Drum Loop 3 – beat test 3

This was a different kind of beat altogether, following a half step pattern. It sounds like hip hop, but is actually at 175 bpm. 4 people (just over 13%) preferred this beat. It was the one I liked the least so no loss there.

Drum Loop 4 – beat test 4

This was a more jungly beat, a bit of experimentation. I quite like the pattern, but only 1 person (just over 3%) liked it the most, so not one to use.

Drum Loop 5 – beat test 5

This pattern was a drum and bass step beat, which is a bit disjointed and glitchy. I had a lot of fun making this beat, and do like it, but it would need specific sounds to go over the top to make sound professional. As it goes, 5 people (just under 17%) chose it as their favourite.

Sound Loop 1 – sound test 1

I really like this sound, even if it can be a little intrusive. It is certainly one of my favourites, and just has that something different about it. 6 People (20%) said it was their favourite, but even then I like the sound so much I will probably make a track out of it anyway.

Sound Loop 2 – sound test 2

Again I find this a really catchy, if not a little poppy, but certainly a worthy riff for a good tune. 5 (just under 17%) chose it as their favourite sound, but again this is probably one I will explore further anyway.

Sound Loop 3 – sound test 3

This kind of sound has been used many times in drum and bass and dubstep, but still sounds good when pulled off correctly. This sounds OK, but it could certainly sound better with a bit more work. Again 5 (just under 17%) picked this example, but in my opinion I have better sounds to work with.

Sound Loop 4 – sound test 4

Quite a standard jump up sound, a maybe this is why only 3 (10%) preferred this example. At the end of the day there are probably better ‘woob’ sounds I could explore and produce, but for now it was merely an example of a jump up riff. And quite clearly this is not the route to explore further.

Sound loop 5 – sound test 5

I really really like this sound, simple but effective, full rounded sound and really crisp and clear pronunciation. Again regardless of the outcome I would have used this in a track anyway, but this one came in clear winner with 11 people (just under 37%) picking this example as the best. So from the looks of it, drum loop 2 and sound loop 5 are the best options. They should give me the energy I need to create a good atmosphere from my audio.

EQ and Tempo test results

So to perform these tests over the period I was in Birmingham I decided to upload the audio samples online and set out the questions in a group on Facebook. This way I could get the audio to people easily and get them to send me back their thoughts at the click of a button.

Soundcloud audio page:- http://soundcloud.com/beat-science

Facebook group page:- http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=112300088782111&ref=ts

The audio samples contained the same track but effected in different ways. The tempo example has clips at -20, -10, 0, +10 and +20 bpm. For each EQ (bass, mid, high) I have used clips with reduced EQ, normal and then raised. Although it’s not exactly ideal set out like this, it was my best option considering my time scale.

I know what kind of tempo and EQ levels work best with drum and bass, but what do other people reckon? Do people think it sounds a bit better slower, or faster? And just what difference does the EQ make? These are all things I wanted to find out.

Tempo Test:

What speed (-20, -10, 0, +10, +20) did the tune sound best in?

6 said -20 (30%), 4 said -10 (20%) and 10 said normal (50%). None at all said any faster, which is interesting. Why does it get to fast? One theory could be to do with heart rate, the tempo is roughly double and this could add to the rhythm and feel of the tune, but once it gets too fast its too much to handle and too quick to move to, not giving the listener enough space to listen to the sounds on offer. So definitely not faster than 175 bpm for the final tune.

Does the speed increase your overall feelings of excitement?

Most said yes (80%), but some said no (20%). A lot said at the end of the day it was the music that made them feel excited, but the speed contributes towards it as it gives you the constant to move to.

Does the speed increase the overall experience?

Upon reflection, this seemed a little pointless as a question, as people have already picked their favourite tempo and decided whether or not it added to their excitement, which is basically the experience. So not surprising I got very similar results, 75% yes, 25% no. I honestly believe it is the slightly faster beat that creates energy and movement, thus creating atmosphere.

EQ Test:

Of the 3 clips for each EQ sample, which gave the track the best sound?

Bass: 6 said reduced (30%), 11 said normal (55%) and 3 said enhanced (15%). So over half like the bass around the normal, although some did say a bit more bass could have been better. At the end of the day, the producer has fiddled with the levels till they are perfect in his ears, so usually only minor tweaks enhance the track that bit more.

Mid: 5 Said reduced (25%), 12 said normal (60%) and 3 said enhanced (15%). So again people seem to prefer the nearest to normal, although interestingly some said some reduced and enhanced bits during areas like the breakdown would work nicely. You actually hear this in tracks quite often anyway, so its interesting to hear people pick that out as something that could make a track better.

High: 4 said reduced (20%), 11 said normal (55%) and 5 said enhanced (25%). Once again over half said normal, going to show it is the producer who can take all the credits for getting the levels right. Clean and crisp sounds are essential and that’s what has been delivered. I have to admit when I listened to it I thought it did give it more depth with more high, but then also made it very tinny.

Which EQ gives the track most body?

7 said bass (35%), 10 said mid (50%) and 3 said high (15%). I have to admit, I didn’t really think anyone would go for high, as for me there is still a body just no top end with reduced high. But then I suppose you could argue that on all the examples. Mid seems to be the one, and this is what I had originally thought. When the mid is reduced it sounds underground and distant. I feel they all have their own impacts on the sound of the tune, and all need to be considered to create a full, rounded sound. They will all work in harmony with each other as long as they are as big as each other.

Which doesn’t sound good when altered?

6 said bass (30%), 5 said mid (25%) and 9 said high (45%). A much leveler playing field this time, with the majority going for high but not by much. The most interesting points to take were that when people don’t like bass altered because it loses most of the beat, when mid is altered it takes away the body and when high is altered it just doesn’t really sound very good, so high is the one to keep relatively constant.

All in all this has shown me I’m looking in the right tempo range and that going too fast will put people off before it even properly starts. As for EQ’s, they are all important in their own right and all need to be considered and engineered to sound good together in the mix. Although some can be altered during the track, it is probably best to do this in the breakdowns and play with the elements of the tune rather than the EQ’s during the main track.

Things to take from lighting experiments

So from everyone elses opinions and my own findings and experiences whilst performing these experiments, I have concluded a number of factors that help make a good environment for this kind of presentation. There are still a few things I need to look into further, like heart rate and sensory deprivation, but for now I think I have a good range of factors to play with. A darker, slightly wider space to work in is essential. It needs space to help spread the lights over, and space to fill with the light objects. Space is also for the audience to move freely about in, and if it was to confined I feel people wouldn’t enjoy themselves nearly as much. You need to be able to enjoy yourself, and sometimes acting the fool can create fun and laughter, enhancing the overall experience into something happy and enjoyable. The darkness is essential as it creates an environment where people can move and feel like they are not being watched by anyone, creating free movement.

As for the lights, in ways less is better, but a strobe and lasers are essential. From testing the previous ones I feel more than one laser set up at different angles around the room may well be a good idea, as it will break up the space and give people something to interact with in different areas. I may also look at getting a colour light, or some of the ‘Spot Knights’ from before just to break up the strobe so it is not going constantly and to help create a bit of mood within the environment. Controlling these lights and colours will be the hardest part, as they will need to be active only when the strobe is not, and the colours will need to fit with the audio in terms of mood and feeling. But I will essentially be using strobes, lasers and limited colour spaced out for the final presentation.

In terms of sound, clear, crisp speakers are essential in creating a nice sound range within the environment, as it needs the entire range of frequencies to span across the environment for the best, fullest sound. For this I will need to not skimp on the sound, and using the speakers from before (Behringher Eurolive’s) should give me this, but it all depends on where I present it. If it is in uni then I will be able to use the Eurolive’s, where as if it is in a club they will have speakers. But I will need to think about and book out my equipment with plenty of time to spare so I can plan it all to go as smoothly as possible.

Results from Strobe tests

So due to a few problems and family issues I had I could not carry out this test quite as fully as I might have liked, I couldn’t get a decent enough room up at university to set it up in so had to do it at my house and because I had to go to Birmingham and had the equipment booked together it was a bit rushed and so I couldn’t get people over to mine when I needed them. Because of this I decided to test the different settings etc, film it and show a few people good bits to see any reactions. As I have already written about, personally I think the strobe looks cool but only for short periods, there needs to be more happening around it. And this is what most people I showed the videos to also thought. The quicker flashes are by far the best, especially when working in a pattern. But with just a strobe it becomes a bit boring after too long, so it needs to be part of an overall set up to be at its most effective.

Results from experiment 4

For this I asked people at events I regularly go to what their favourite element to a rave is. I had a few questions lined up, but trying to get people who are off their faces to give coherent answers became a little difficult, so I just got the answers to the main question.

What makes a rave special for you? Is it the lights, music, state of mind, people or a combination of all?

10 (50%) said the music, so pretty conclusive that most enjoy the music at these things and that’s the overall reason they’re there. I’d expected this, as it makes sense people are there as they enjoy the music. It’s a showcase at the end of the day, a place where artists can play their music to a crowd and see what impact it has. 4 poeple (20%) said a combination of all, so they enjoy the music, atmosphere, community and lighting, and to them it’s a complete experience. I still feel music is probably the most prominent factor in drawing these people in, but they also enjoy the experience. I’m sure many who said just music feel this too, but they just know it’s the music that is the main reason for them being there. 3 people (15%) said the lights, although possibly as they were well under the influence and the lighting certainly captivates the attention easily and can sometimes be the only thing you remember clearly. 2 people (10%) said the people and community experience, which could mean they don’t necessarily love the music but enjoy going out with their mates and having a laugh. If people aren’t enjoying themselves at an event it can spread across the whole audience, it needs that spark of someone absolutely loving it to get everyone else involved and carefree. Only 1 person (5%) said their state of mind, just going to show not everyone goes for the music, some people enjoy being under the influence and go out just for that reason.

Results from experiment 3

This experiment was to test the reactions to drum and bass at different times of the day, and whilst under the influence of stimulating substances such as coffee and pro plus. Although I asked a few people, I quickly became aware that really neither mattered hugely. At the end of the day, I want to make a piece of music that sounds good to people whatever time of day, something that creates a sense of energy and uplifting whenever and wherever it is listened to. This could be first thing in the morning to help get you out of bed, or late in the evening when you need to relax and unwind, in a club environment or at home. The influence of stimulants is again something that has an effect when in a club environment (drugs and alcohol), but as my track is trying to promote personal feelings of euphoria it kind of becomes obsolete. I also don’t really want to promote any mind altering substances, and as I would only be able to use legal ones it kind of takes away the point anyways. In a club with everyone going crazy it’s not because of coffee put it that way. The thing I will consider doing is presenting it in a club environment and in a normal environment (possibly outside?) to see what differences, if any, arise, and if the club environment is more popular but still not perfect it could well have something to do with the use, or lack of in this case, mind altering substances at these events.

After listening to the sample in the morning, afternoon and evening, would you say time of day has an impact on the way the music makes you feel?

Quite hard to gauge reactions to this really, as it depended on whether or not they enjoyed the tune in the first place. Most said evening, but only because they’re not huge dnb fans and associate the music with raves at night. Some said none, they enjoyed the music at all times, and these are the kind of people I will be targeting. Others who said none said it needed more atmosphere, more people. In this case evening would be better as generally people are more open and less busy during the evenings. Some said night time, which was a good point, again though I feel this is because the music is associated with all night parties. It certainly seems later on is the better time to present, as long as I pick the right day (not a Friday or Saturday again as poeple are leaving uni for the weekend!), unless I present it at an event.

I decided not to bother asking about the substances as I knew the answers already, a bar serving alcohol would have made the experience better. So a few drinks may be in order to go around when doing the final presentation, as long as I have the correct permission etc.

Results from experiment 2

This was to start testing lighting and the way they work with audio. I played the sample audio in a normal white room, a dark room and with various lights to see if in fact lighting does enhance the experience and if so which kinds of lighting and if anything could be added.Volume was also a good thing to test as I had the lights set up as it could well make a huge difference to how the overall experience feels. Do the lights have the same effect by themselves, or is it a combination of light and audio that fulfills the experience?

Which environment does the music work best in, a plain white or a dark room?

Out of 20, 4 said white (20%), 14 said dark (70%) and 2, interestingly, said neither (10%). The majority seemed to like not being able to see and feeling less self conscious, where as the ones who liked light didn’t seem to care whatever the situation they were enjoying the music. Either that or they wanted the lights. The ones who said neither probably came into this category too but were just unswayed by either variation.

Does the improve the experience with the introduction of special lighting?

18 (90%) said yes, 2 (10%) said no, so a pretty conclusive result here.

What lights were best?

11 (55%) said the green lasers, which I can understand as they are the most organic and almost reach out and touch you. I think these are the most interesting and there should probably be more for my final, although simple is sometimes the most effective so it is something I shall have to consider closely. 5 (25%) said the ‘Spot Knights’, as they were the ones that strobed best, and I have to admit I think these were my personal favourites. 3 (15%) said the ones with colours, so this is pretty much a mixture of all the lighting. This kind of shows there was too much concentrated in too little a space and you couldn’t really distinguish between lights too well. Because of this I feel the lasers and Spot knights were probably the most prominent and so the most memorable. 1 (5%) person said ‘Sound added to light increases the experience as its another sensory thing’. I find this really interesting, as its a point i’ve been considering closely. Is it the sensory deprivation that really helps immerse someone within an experience like this? I certainly feel it goes a long way towards it.

What colours worked best?

Blue – 3 (15%)

Green – 9 (45%). Although mostly because of the lasers from what many were saying.

White – 3 (15%)

Orange – 1 (5%)

Red – 2 (10%)

All and as many as possible – 2 (10%)

So from the looks of it, green lasers, although really high quality ones i feel, blue and white strobes and a few colours added to the mix sounds like a good sort of combination, which is kind of what I have in my head anyway.

What could have been added to improve the experience?

Quite a varied range of answers for this question. The main things were darker space (25%), more people (25%), more space (20%) alcohol (20%), more smoke (5%) and outside in the sun (5%). All these are very valid points, apart from the more smoke. If anything I thought there was too much smoke in there at times, but this person may have seen it relatively smoke free.

Does the music sound better loud or quiet?

100% said loud, as it immerses you more, has more impact and encapsulates you. Drum and bass is made to feel the bass so up to a point the louder the better.

Results from Experiment 1

This experiment was all about testing the four main types of drum and bass heard around today, including liquid, dancefloor, jump up and tech. I chose a recent track by leading artists from each sub genre to use as examples (Liquid – Logistics Hero, Dancefloor – Camo and Krooked Tonight, Jump Up – Dirtyphonics Teleportation, Tech – Noisia Deception), playing them to people to see what reactions I got. I then mixed the tracks together creating a mini mix, as I wanted to see if the most popular track still sounded the best as part of a continuous mix. First I asked for a few words used to describe each track:-

Liquid: Nice use of vocals. Full sounding rounded melody layered with great EQ’s. Constant beat easy to dance to. Floating through space. Bouncy, progressive start.

Tech: Not as much of a build up but unexpected but amazing drop. Good beat to keep you moving to. Industrial and mysterious. Grungy. Chemically. Epic. Dangerous. Punchy drums, rolling beat.

Jump Up: Good build up but all over the place after drop. Experimental, not as much rhythm as opposed to playing with sound. Bumpy. Warped. Heavy. Glitched. Unnerving. Evil.

Dancefloor: Happy. Euphoric. Easy to dance to. Constant, full rounded sound from melody with many layers. Positive. Simple. Crisp. Innocent. Drills to center of brain. Driving drums. Pleasing piano riff.

Which was your favourite tune?

Out of 20 people asked, 3 said Tech (15%), 5 said Liquid (25%) and 12 said Dancefloor (60%). No one said Jump up, which is interesting as that’s the one most common at raves. Is this because of the difference when under the influence and in the rave environment as opposed to actually listening to the tune and making a judgment when sober? Dancefloor is often heard at raves as well though so it certainly looks to be the most energetic and popular all round.

As part of a mix did you still think the same tune was the best?

15 said yes (75%) and 5 said no (25%), and of those 5 who said no 3 changed to the most popular tune from before, Camo and Krooked – Tonight. Many people agreed it’s definitely more interesting as part of a mix as there’s more to keep you entertained, single tunes can get monotonous after a while. Does this mean I should consider a relatively short tune of 3/4 minutes to keep people entertained? As for style, it certainly seems dancefloor is the most popular, it’s my personal favourite.