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Pedaling Prince Mix: Skelpolu - Human Mistakes
#1
I don't usually like electronica much; I prefer acoustic sounds. However, this song caught my attention. There's something vaguely sad about it. I get the impression this is a robot who's fallen in love with a Human woman, yet he doesn't realize he's a robot at all, and he can't understand why she doesn't love him, too... Sad

I just had to do this one.


.m4a    129 Human Mistakes 1.m4a --  (Download: 12.12 MB)


John A. Ardelli
Pedaling Prince Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/PedalingPrince
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#2
Hey Pedaling Prince,
yes indeed, I think the Kick and Snare are mixed not all too well for this genre, aha! Tongue

It has a different feeling than the rest mixes I've seen here so far. It is quite true that it's supposed to have a sad-mood,
but it's more focused on reallife. The robotic voice is a contrast to the actual topic - that someone did something stupid
to his girl. The main point is that he apologizes for it, saying that he can't denie he did it, but he did not decide to do it either,
considering "we - are - just - human"!
But don't get me wrong, you can't interpret it wrong. I live by the thought that everybody should be creative,
'cause it'd be quite boring without different ideas, to be honest - so good work mate! Smile

Aside from that, to the mix itself now, finally: The Kick and Snare are not mixed appropriately, if to consider the genre.
You've said it's not your usual genre, and I understand. To give you an idea, without naming examples, try getting a bit more highs than those mushy frequencies on the snare,
as well as some low-mids with a rather narrow Q. Also some more volume in both the Drums & Bass (see what I did there?), in comparison with the vocals, would be great!
Again, I try to just lean you towards the right direction, I won't simply show you what I mean - where would the fun be at for you? Ahaha! Smile

Anyways, if to consider that it's not your genre, it sounds pretty solid, it's definitely not going to give anyone earcancer, I also like how you auto-panned some of the instruments!
Keep it up, I am looking forward for more. Smile
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#3
It's not Drum&Bass, but it's a good mix. It's taken the mix outside the intended genre and into krautrock! Check out the song by Kraftwerk, "we are the robots." I see very strong parallels, whether intended or not.

Other than the lo-fi snare sound (not my personal taste, but not at all uncommon in electronic music) I think this is a cool interpretation. The balance is conservative, but very solid and supportive of your ideas... I think the "emotionlessness" of the sound contrasts with the sad nature of the lyrics in a powerful way. Good job, man.

I like your interpretation of the lyrics... I intentionally skewed the original lyrics by adding samples suggesting that the speaker was indeed an android struggling with his humanity... he's not human enough, yet he's too imperfect!
I'm grateful for comments and suggestions. Thank you for listening!
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#4
(07-03-2014, 12:26 PM)Skelpolu Wrote: It has a different feeling than the rest mixes I've seen here so far. It is quite true that it's supposed to have a sad-mood,
but it's more focused on reallife. The robotic voice is a contrast to the actual topic - that someone did something stupid
to his girl. The main point is that he apologizes for it, saying that he can't denie he did it, but he did not decide to do it either,
considering "we - are - just - human"!

Actually, I suspected that was your intent based on the content of the lyrics. Problem is in my younger days I was a major Star Trek geek and was a big fan of Astroboy as well. Between the prejudice of humans against robots in Astroboy and Data's wish to be more human in Star Trek: The Next Generation I have a predisposition to think in terms of compassion towards "artificial life," and the robotic voice singing these lyrics, to my mind, was more than just a contrast. It felt to me like the kind of emotional pain an artificial life form might experience if it fell in love with a human who dismissed it as a computer program or a machine.

My original approach was a deliberate attempt to make every instrument sound as artificial as possible, which is why I applied the unnatural "crunch" on the snare; I was trying to make it sound like it was artificially created, coming out of a small speaker or something. The only instrument I kept sounding natural was the piano; to that I applied a big, open reverb like a concert hall. That piano, to me, represents the humanity in the robot, his emotional core, the part of him that truly is human, the part of him he so desperately wants this woman to see.

However, as this is your work, I feel obligated to try to get it closer to your interpretation rather than my own. So:

(07-03-2014, 12:26 PM)Skelpolu Wrote: [T]ry getting a bit more highs than those mushy frequencies on the snare,
as well as some low-mids with a rather narrow Q. Also some more volume in both the Drums & Bass (see what I did there?), in comparison with the vocals, would be great!

All done here. I must say, while I personally preferred the snare sound I used for its contrast against the organic piano, I do like the effect of the increased bass; that sounds a lot better. Cool

(07-03-2014, 12:26 PM)Skelpolu Wrote: I also like how you auto-panned some of the instruments!

Yes. That an effect I enjoy using, particularly in electronic music (I may prefer acoustic but if I like something electronic, like AZPX's work, I'll do it Big Grin). Glad you like it! Smile

So. Thoughts on this attempt?


.m4a    Human MistakesA.m4a --  (Download: 12.12 MB)


John A. Ardelli
Pedaling Prince Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/PedalingPrince
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#5
(08-03-2014, 02:51 AM)pauli Wrote: It's taken the mix outside the intended genre and into krautrock! Check out the song by Kraftwerk, "we are the robots." I see very strong parallels, whether intended or not.

Not. I've never ever heard "We Are the Robots." Angel

(08-03-2014, 02:51 AM)pauli Wrote: I like your interpretation of the lyrics... I intentionally skewed the original lyrics by adding samples suggesting that the speaker was indeed an android struggling with his humanity... he's not human enough, yet he's too imperfect!

Hm... as soon as I catch up on a few other postings here I'm going to have to check your mix out; I like the idea... Wink
John A. Ardelli
Pedaling Prince Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/PedalingPrince
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#6
I just listened to Jacques' mix of this. He had this awesome echo effect on the vocals! Big Grin I liked it so much I decided to try it on my own mix and see how it sounded. Cool


.m4a    Human MistakesB.m4a --  (Download: 12.17 MB)


John A. Ardelli
Pedaling Prince Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/PedalingPrince
Reply
#7
Hey Pedaling Prince,

In both version's I like the width of the Piano and the warmth coming from it, I really adore the use of it!
Personally I did not make it that warm, I wanted to do so when I started mixing, but ended up empathising other parts instead.
Definitely the snare sounds more airy - if you prefer your own style more (well, quite obviously everybody prefers their own style, aha! Tongue) I'd leave it like that.
If to try to get more into the DnB-Genre,, you'd end up with way more volume on the Drums now. Else, everything seems mixed like it would normally be, 'xcept for the autopanned hi-hat of course.

My thoughts on it? It is awesome! I really enjoyed listening to a completely different style, it really does create a different atmosphere - way more relaxed, that is. Well done, mate! Smile
(P.S: agreed, that echo was AWESOME as heck! ;D)
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#8
(10-03-2014, 05:15 PM)Skelpolu Wrote: Definitely the snare sounds more airy - if you prefer your own style more (well, quite obviously everybody prefers their own style, aha! Tongue) I'd leave it like that.

No, I think I'll keep it the way it is now. Although this is my vision, it's still based on your work; I'd like to keep that airy snare sound in out of respect for your original vision. But the rest of it? Unless anyone else has any suggestions I think this will be my final mix; it accomplishes what I was trying to do artistically, regarding my vision of the Artificial Intelligence in love with a human woman.

I am a writer and therefore a dramatic artist myself but when it comes to music I don't usually have such strong artistic opinions. With audio my goal is usually just to produce the best possible sound quality; I generally leave the artistic considerations to the artist that created the music.

But this piece? It touched something in me. Made me want to put my own emotional spin on it.

You can definitely consider that a compliment. Wink
John A. Ardelli
Pedaling Prince Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/PedalingPrince
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#9
I just listened to my mix again and, for the first time, the full story of this song, as I see it, crystallized in my head.

And I cried.

This is the story that came to me:

This is an Artificial Intelligence, an experiment in humanoid robotics, who looks and sounds human, and is programmed to believe he is Human; the intent of his creator was to see if he could actually fool real people into thinking his is real flesh and blood. During these experiments, socializing with other people, he falls in love with a human woman, and she falls in love with him. One day, his creator decides the experiment has run its course and decides to wipe his memory and start over for another experiment. The AI, not understanding why suddenly he's deprived of contact with the woman he loves, assumes he must've done something to offend her. In reality, she doesn't even know what's happening until too late when she receives a message from the AI's creator informing her of the experiment. This song is the AI, from its simulated perspective, leaving her a "voicemail" trying to apologize. Unfortunately, since he is hooked to the computer network, his voicemail is very real, and the woman he loves, and who still loves him, listens to it after reading his creator's message.

The final "human" that rolls down to nothing... is his death as his memory is wiped while he's still in the act of recording the message...
John A. Ardelli
Pedaling Prince Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/PedalingPrince
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#10
Damn, you take this Track to another level mate!
It really sounds tragic, and it suits it very well, as the track itself was intented to be moody and sad.
Your interpretation suits perfectly into the scheme of the composition as well as lyrics, and the "last-human"-interpretation is amazing!
As I have said before, such interpretation was not was going through my head before, but it could've been just as much the real intention, great! Smile

(12-03-2014, 01:39 AM)Pedaling Prince Wrote: But this piece? It touched something in me. Made me want to put my own emotional spin on it.

You can definitely consider that a compliment. Wink

I am glad to hear it touched you, that is the main intention is all of my tracks.. Smile
It was really reliefing to hear that from you now, as nobody has said that to this track before, as it probably is too simplistic, ahahaha!
In any case, sure will consider that a compliment, thanks!
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