Does a track need to be 'dancefloor friendly' in order to be a success?

[ReubenTobias]

Do you guys think in todays market a track needs to be an instant dancefloor hit in order to get any attention from labels? I sometimes worry that the tracks I make may not be instantly recognised as club tracks and this makes me wonder if anyone is giving them a proper listen, when compared to the vast amount of 'produced for the club' competition out there.

For example, here is my latest track:

Portraits by Reuben Töbias on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Do you lot think this has a viable place in electronic music, and is good enough to possibly be considered by labels? Even though it doesnt exactly 'scream' dancefloor?

Thanks in advance for you advice

[Tarkovsky]

I liked the tune a lot. Some of the synth sounds are a bit old hat/out of fashion... but they work in the piece and are tastefully done. Great sounding voice.

To answer your question it depends on which dancefloor and which labels. There are lots of labels that release and even specialise in this sort of stuff.
This could be quite happy on something like b-pitch, though they were doing more of this sort of thing about 4 years ago.
The issue of where to place your sound is something I face too... because I produce in a wide range of styles, some stuff even as poppy as this.

I'd play this in a set, but as a notable downkey moment.
Otherwise this ripe for a remix.

Anyway, if it's a confidence boost you need, accept one from me. I think the track's great. Don't worry about whether you think it's dancefloor effective, make what you want and make it interesting and let some DJ monkey remix it so its got a cutting edge beat. In fact if you send an acapella I'd be glad to have a try at a remix.

I'll PM you with a recent track and you can see if you like it. I've also got a mate starting up a label (associated with a pretty big night here in London). So if you don't mind I'll pass it onto them at least for some feedback.

[dashbad]

Lovely vocal on that track. Both in terms of the natural sound of the voice and the processing.

I would lose the lfo wobble on the bass in the intro. It sounds much better in the main section.

Agreed with Tarkovsky. It depends on what labels you are going for. Dancefloor is important for some, not necessarily for others. Compost and Ghostly are two labels that spring to mind that release a lot of less-dancefloor electronic cuts often backed by more clubby remixes

Edit: that Marran track on your soundcloud is great too.

[Mardi Gras]

really nice minimal track, drop it to nicolas jaars label

Liked the vocals too, drop me the stems ill bash out the remix

[blinky909]

what kind of question is that? not all music made with synths and drum boxes and samples is dance music. that's a very limited view of electronic music. Richard H. Kirk might like a word with you...

[Derp]

This is something that I brought up in that EDM as an umbrella genre name thread. I find the 'D' in that acronym to be offensive because not all electronic music was made for dancing.

Great track, btw! I could see it landing on a label kinda sorta maybe potentially.

[Pier]

Great track man!

I don't think you need a super dancing hit to get attention from labels. You just have to pick the right label...

[subby33]

No. The track you posted sounds a bit like Junior Boys who have had a fair amount of success.

It helps to have a dancefloor sound . . . but it isn't everything. Success is limited in certain sub genres of electronic music however so keep it in mind.

Knowing your audience, having a product, and marketing it properly is what matters more.

[ReubenTobias]

Thanks for all your responses, with regards to the improper use of the term 'dance music' i apologise for my sloppy choice of words, I totally appreciate just how broad electronic music is, and I was using this phrase both to highlight my concerns with regards to the possibly narrow picking process of many 'dance music' labels and also to try and make this thread a little more specific.

I would lose the lfo wobble on the bass in the intro. It sounds much better in the main section

thanks, i really appreciate your honesty, i kept that wobble as I thought it added a bit of variation, but i know to some it may sound out of place..even a little dnb'ish?

do any of you others agree it should go? I would really appreciate your feedback

Once again thanks for everything, and those mentioning remixes, drop me a PM with some previous works and ideas and I will happily get involved

[ReubenTobias]

Originally Posted by Mardi Gras

really nice minimal track, drop it to nicolas jaars label

Liked the vocals too, drop me the stems ill bash out the remix

god i wish, that man (/boy?) is a great influence and a master at his craft!

[Sofine]

Great vocal.

[ReubenTobias]

Originally Posted by Sofine

Great vocal.

thanks, that seems to be the main selling point to most people, but I worry the rest of the production might be a bit weak?

[grumphh]

Originally Posted by Tarkovsky

though they were doing more of this sort of thing about 4 years ago.

This comment made me chuckle.

Where else (apart from the fashion industry) than in dance music can you find an obsession about things having to be fresh - and certainly not sounding like last years hit tracks?

I mean, take a genre like indie rock - of course it gets modernized as time passes on, but you could still have a hit or two with the same basic sound as you have had in guitar based pop rock for the past 30 years.

[Tarkovsky]

IMO the bass is a rather overused sound... but it's counterpointed against the softness of the rest of the track. The overall quality isn't bad at all. More than release quality. Maybe ditch the wobble and do a rhythmic outro... the rhythm you've got with the cut up reverb is really nice.

[ReubenTobias]

thanks for the tip about the bass, i will spend today having a play about, maybe like you say add some varied rhythmic sections rather than the wobble, or in place of the wobble add a more syncopated bass line

[laikenf]

Originally Posted by blinky909

what kind of question is that? not all music made with synths and drum boxes and samples is dance music. that's a very limited view of electronic music. Richard H. Kirk might like a word with you...

He'll probably throw him into some radiation pit, with all his gear; then he'll ask him to make a track under those conditions. It worked for C.V. during their early years until the radiation wore off, then they started making crappy house music .

[Tarkovsky]

I think the less you can add and the more you can do with existing components, especially at the end of a track, the more complete the whole thing is going to feel.

[blinky909]

Originally Posted by laikenf

He'll probably throw him into some radiation pit, with all his gear; then he'll ask him to make a track under those conditions. It worked for C.V. during their early years until the radiation wore off, then they started making crappy house music .

right, crappy house music...



wait, you said Cabaret Voltaire...




:D

[ReubenTobias]

Originally Posted by Tarkovsky

I think the less you can add and the more you can do with existing components, especially at the end of a track, the more complete the whole thing is going to feel.

totally agree with this, im not going to add any new elements, just get the most out of whats there with varying rhythmic patterns ect.

and try and tighten up that bass, maybe even change the source sound completely?

[metrosonus]

I think in this day and age it's better to craft your own brand and style and build your audience / buzz by using what's mostly freely available on the internet as a means of getting the word out.

[laikenf]

Originally Posted by blinky909

right, crappy house music...



wait, you said Cabaret Voltaire...




:D

I was referring to their late 80's endeavors. They got their groove back in the early 90's, thankfully.

[Sofine]

Originally Posted by ReubenTobias

thanks, that seems to be the main selling point to most people, but I worry the rest of the production might be a bit weak?

I wouldn't call it weak at all, it just isn't a type of electronic music style that I would ordinarily listen to, but I do like the vocal track and I like to experiment with vocals in this manner too.

Having said that, I did not like the bass sound, again something you've recieved a fair bit of feedback on.

I would interpret the comments in this thread as positive and optimistic

[blinky909]

Originally Posted by laikenf

I was referring to their late 80's endeavors. They got their groove back in the early 90's, thankfully.

it was the 80's... the coke must have been really good

[Moscow]

i really liked the bits in the song where it was chilled and slightly trippy, in fact i preferred them to the bits where it sounded more like standard "dance music" i wouldnt worry about catering for the dancefloor and concentrate on making interesting unique music because your well on your way

[laikenf]

Originally Posted by blinky909

it was the 80's... the coke must have been really good

LOL!!!!

[phase_ghost]

Music does not have to be dance floor friendly to get attention from labels. There are plenty of labels interested in electronic music for home listening or whatever. Call it experimental / IDM / whatever. Although a guy like flying lotus plays a lot of gigs, I'd refer to his music as strictly chillin at home or driving music.

[ReubenTobias]

Hey Gearslutz,

Just thought that following the great advice you guys gave me on this track I went away and altered the bass, and added some flavour here and there

please let me know what you think of the new mix:

Portraits by Reuben Töbias on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free


and once again thanks to all of you for advice and support

Reuben

[Sofine]

Originally Posted by ReubenTobias

Hey Gearslutz,

Just thought that following the great advice you guys gave me on this track I went away and altered the bass, and added some flavour here and there

please let me know what you think of the new mix:

Portraits by Reuben Töbias on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free


and once again thanks to all of you for advice and support

Reuben

Hey Reuben,

Great job bro. Really diggin the whole tune now. Kind of reminds me of Royksopp / Erlend Oye (check out his DJ Kicks, great album which I think you'd like).

What were you using for vox - melodyne, autotune, elastic audio, vsynth?

Nice break at 4:20 too, real organic musical feel and arrangement.

I'd buy this tune.

[ReubenTobias]

heyy,

thanks for the positive comment, im glad you like the track

the vocals have been treated in all manner of ways, layered, some layers having been treated in melodyne, with the modulation being flattened and pitched. Other layers that occur here and there are auto-tuned to give that 'pull' effect, and other have been warped and directly pitched up or down in ableton.

people often have something against this sort of vocal processing, but i hope in this instance that its suitable.

[Tarkovsky]

I wouldn't worry. You don't sound a thing like Glee of the Black Eyed Beans. Promise.