Thought id have a stab at using reason as iv sold all my gear at the moment. Im not used to making this melodic stuff so any tips welcome. I like the idea but it just sounds rubbish and am considering just deleting it and just sticking to my usual dark techno stuff.
https://soundcloud.com/wabisabiofficial/airfield-days
Thanks for listening.
Hello, i also like this kind of Detroit (Funky Jazzy) Deep Electronic track. it’s hard to make generally speaking because of the Duration of the track because we tend to make too much long duration by bad habit (especially if you make dark hypnotic techno stuff…) So my first advise is to make something more like a radio edit duration (4-5mn not much)
Then starting by this great introduction is somehow already putting you in a corner directly because you can’t spend you beats progressively giving you 30-45seconds of time before to reveal it. So that’s a great intro but you even more to make fast arrangement then. But you have a good introduction. With this kind of tracks it’s even harder because you need to find more.
You beat is even not started you have plenty of room and work there… You didn’t have your Groove you even have to find it. You can reshape your bassline with a better sound and find a better funky bassline. Your Snare / Clap alternance is not so fine… the track should be better with something more usual there. (Maybe in this kind of track try to introduce a SNAP and a Tamborine… maybe some shakers)
Some voices should help… Think to the sun and the sea and find a great Break… to release it more Funky then.
Maybe this can help, although the Loop is just perfect and when you have THE Loop it simplify Arrangement… but we are not everyone Moodyman… sadly … (i say that because Moodyman is a genious for Loop where Loop is never boring because you stuck in it and it’s beautiful… to be stuck inside of it :
Or you can go more funky with your ideas the Ricochet is maybe more the direction where you want to go, but if it can inspire you this one is also great deal with not so much elements the track is perfect. Also it can help to find a better bassline or at least better playability of your notes…
hey mate thanks for the advice, i just cant seem to get it it needs like a break like you said and then back to the pads and synthy bits. the bassline sound is rubbish lol I just used a square wave to play something in that matched the jazzy progression pad I made.
I am so used to making techno going to this style is really tough going.
Thanks again for listening, I miss my drum machines programming beats in reason is taxing 
This one is great too :
You could check out odesi, it sounds like its kind of what your looking for to help with melodies.
thanks jb will check it out
the best thing you could do is just immerse yourself in listening to many different artists in this sort of style - and also just pop music (that you enjoy) in general… it may take a while for it to get into your bones, but eventually it will get under your skin enough for you to have a better handle on what it takes to make that particular kind of music
writing catchy melodies is a particular kind of artform… especially the kind that are universally appealing… again Id say pop music will teach you the most in this dept, but also listen especially to melodic techno since that is your goal anyways… but even listening to stuff like the Beatles and all that can help give you a better picture on the basic skills and so forth
I think I get what your saying, “study the structure” its nothing like techno mixing plays a huge part in the arrangement. Not saying mixing doesn’t count in these other styles just using delay and reverb swells isn’t really cutting it for this stuff. I struggle with part B I can fly up part A but finding a B part to break the track up is really difficult for me in this style.
thanks for the tips I really do want to nail this im getting sick of making just moody techno or gabba styles.
well im not saying you should find something to emulate, or copy or whatever
what im saying is to learn how melodic phrases sound… as opposed to monotonic drones and rhythmic noises - because there is a huge difference
and the easiest way to learn about something like that is just immerse yourself in it… not to “study it”… to simply listen to it, sit with it, absorb the feelings and that sort of thing… its not going to be something like a math problem you solve by adding 1 + 1 or whatever
try to rethink your approach… music does not always need to have a rhythm… start experimenting more with rhythmless music. i know lots of people who always start by laying down a beat… this generally closes many doors. try thinking of your tracks as if you’re doing music for a collaboration, leaving lots of space for others to fill the void.
If you want to create something unique, try not listening to other music than your own for a year and see what happens… if you crave music… make some.
i think there is a lot of potential in this, don’t delete it! No gear you say? Normally when I bump into a dead-end in terms of arrangement I bounce things into the Octatrack and screw around with it, recording the whole time back into DAW and then something sometimes emerges from that process? Regardless I would still play that snippet you posted out in a DJ mix. Its got a kind of nostalgic/listless melodic aspect that I like. The snare/clap is a bit too bright for my ears. But its a weird a groovy start so, cheers!