Creating smooth tracks

[WillyBearrrr]

what are some good tips for creating smoother type tracks? more on the rnb side of things. I usually produce harder beats and no matter what I do anything I create sounds too harsh or ends up sounding awkward when i aim for a smoother/calmer vibe.
any tips on how to get softer/smoother tracks? or just break out of a rut in general?

 

[Wapiti]

Stop aiming, it sounds like you are making yourself. Personality shines through music if your music is a little harder, so what? Of course it'll sound awkward if you wanted something else. Surrender your results and enjoy the process, not the result.

As for a logical answer (blah). Distortion, saturation, hard compression, square waves, triangle waves etc produce an angrier grittier sound, cutoff modulation comes off a little darker. Sinewaves are simple smooth and pure, long sustain is calming, horns are mentally stimulating while strings are mentally relaxing

 

[JustBeyond]

Wapiti has the right idea. Long sustain, sines, smooth instruments like cellos. Less distortion, more natural sounding synths. It goes a long way.

I'm kinda the opposite of you I think OP. Any time I try to make a "hard" beat it turns out to sound smooth and calm. I guess it's just hard to fight what your mind wants you to make. It takes years to be able to just sit down and make what you want to make and not let your feels get in the way of it.

About being stuck in ruts, I know of that all too well. Those days when you spend hours and hours and have nothing to show but a loop you don't even like? Yea, shit sucks. But it's just part of it man. Everyone has those days especially in the beginning. You can either take a break, quit, or stay on that ****ing grind and force SOMETHING. Some say you should never force music, but it's what I've had to do sometimes. Most of the time it's not something that gets released to the public, or something that I find that great. But the most important thing is that usually I learned something from those tracks through all the frustration that helps me in the future. Knowledge is key, learn as much as you can from each track you make.